Featured Plants

The Gorgeous Flowering Zumi Crabapple

Malus x zumi 'Calocarpa'

The Zumi Crabapple Tree first displays its lovely pink flower buds, and then before long, a profuse, spring bloom of fragrant, white flowers appear. This deciduous tree is the standard for which other white flowering trees are compared! Not only does this tree have showy flowers, but it also produces glossy, small, bright red crabapples that mature in the fall and often persist into December. The small fruits are edible, but not usually used in cooking. These fruits are long-lasting and attractive to birds.

With its rich, dark green foliage, this ornamental Zumi Crabapple tree has a dense, rounded-to-spreading habit that grows 12-20' high. Zumi Crabapple has a disease resistance that is excellent. It is a semi-dwarf crabapple which is effective when planted as a background for other early flowering plants, near fences, in groups as a screen or hedge, or as a specimen planting for the lawn or near the patio. The Zumi may also be used as a street tree.

Posted Nov 20 2009, 05:58 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: crabapple tree, flowering crabapple, ornamental tree, red fruit, Shrub, specimen, tree, zumi crabapple

The Intensely Flavored ‘Ambrosia’ Pomegranate

‘Ambrosia’ Pomegranate gets three times the size of other pomegranates, yet this cerise globe shaped fruit has the flavor of the juice and seeds that’s just as intense as any of the other pomegranates. Of course, each pomegranate has its own complex and unique flavor!

Similar to the ‘Wonderful’ Pomegranate, the ‘Ambrosia’ has the largest fruit of any pomegranate It is shiny, has pale pinkish skin, is long-lived, and it makes an amazing purple sweet-tart juice!

Pomegranates are arching deciduous shrubs, about 15' tall and equally wide in suitable climates. You can prune them into a tree if desired and grows to an ideal size for the small yard. Fruits are borne only at the tips of new growth, and it is recommended that for the first three years, the branches be shortened annually to encourage the maximum number of new shoots on all sides.

The tree is long-lived, self fertile, and tolerates many soils. Pomegranates can survive in an inland or coastal climate. ‘Ambrosia’ is a very adaptable variety that thrives in a southern Mediterranean type climate, which means dry, hot summers and cool winters; ideal for zones 8 to 10. It matures in September to early October and requires 150 hours of chilling.

Posted Nov 19 2009, 06:39 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: ambrosia, fruit, juice, pomegranate, seeds, self fertile, Shrub, wonderful pomegranate

The Graceful and Arching Weeping Cherry Tree

Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula Plena Rosea'

Have you ever thought of planting the heavy blooming Weeping Cherry Tree that is so famous in the springtime in Washington D.C.? This gorgeous, rapid growing ornamental tree displays its profuse flowering of delicate pink blossoms during each spring in zones 5-8. These showy pink flowers arrive on pendulous branches before the green foliage emerges.

In the fall, this tree will treat you to a mixture of green, chartreuse, and yellow colors. The bronzy-brown bark is smooth and attractive so will provide a winter interest. Each season will certainly add a new focus to this Weeping Cherry Tree.

Maturing to a height of 30-40 feet, Weeping Cherry is an accent or specimen tree with a single trunk. This tree will end up with a circumference of anywhere between 20 to 40 feet, so plan accordingly. It is also recommended that a layer of mulch be added to the ground, matching the tree circumference. This helps with maintaining the moisture that this tree needs.

Weeping Cherry tree prefers moist, well-drained soils of average fertility in full sun, but is adaptable to poor soils, compacted soils, dry soils, and heat. Since you do not see this tree in many yards, you will probably have your friends and neighbors asking about this new addition to your landscape!

Posted Nov 18 2009, 05:30 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: accent tree, fall colors, flowering, ornamental, profuse spring blooming, single trunk, weeping cherry tree

Fuji Apples are super sweet, crisp, juicy and a delight to eat!

The Fuji Apple has it all -- and makes a great snacking apple! Fuji apples are aromatic, sweet, juicy and crisp with a firm texture. This refreshing and spicy, crisp sweetness gives it exceptional eating quality.

The color variation of Fuji is quite wide, ranging from from light pink to crimson pink and sometimes reddish hues. It remains one of the most attractive apples! Fuji is a late-ripening apple variety, and can be harvested in October.

Carefully select your location because Fuji apple trees need full sun and well-drained soil. They do best in zones 6 through 9, which have a mild winter. Plant it in the spring and prune this fruit tree in late fall to winter to establish tree growth in the early years. Fuji does not need a pollinator.

These apples keep well in the refrigerator crisper. They should be stored in the crisper all by themselves, because of a natural gas they emanate, as do all apples. The Fuji is excellent for fresh salads and is quickly becoming an apple with a large consumer audience.

Posted Nov 17 2009, 05:52 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: apple tree, apples, fruit tree, Fuji, good storage, juicy, late ripening, pink, sweet, tree

'Walker Weeping' Caragana makes an outstanding accent plant

Are you seeking an outstanding accent plant for that small, tight space in your yard? If you choose Walker Weeping Caragana, you will be getting an outstanding special-featured plant for your landscape! Walker Weeping Caragana is a great selection since it is a small tree that has unique finely cut foliage that has a fern-like appearance. It bears bright yellow 1 inch flowers in the spring that are usually hidden by the leaves. These leaves are lacy, heart-shaped to rounded, and are light green in color.

Walker Weeping grows flat against a trellis and offers a dense shade. This vigorous twining vine grows up to 6 feet in height and looks delicate, but is an extremely hardy ornamental tree. It is easy to grow and tolerates poor soils, drought, high alkaline soil, as well as sweeping winds. It is suggested that a regular watering schedule should be used during the first growing season in order to establish a deep, extensive root system. The watering schedule can be reduced after the tree is well established.

Requiring full sun to partial shade, this tree thrives in zones 2-7. With its pendulous branches arching toward the ground and displaying its lacy green leaves, this lovely and unusual accent tree will have the neighbors talking!

Posted Nov 16 2009, 05:44 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: accent tree ornamental, fern-like leaves, pendulous, small tree, trellis, vigorous blooms, vining

Tatarian Maple is a highly ornamental tree

Acer tataricum

Growing 15--20 feet tall, the Tatarian Maple is a beautiful addition to the landscape, and makes a wonderful tree for planters, patios, or small areas. It has an excellent small tree form and possesses an attractive foliage quality.

Have you noticed that everything about this small oriental-looking tree is highly ornamental -- its flowers, bark, foliage, and even the seeds themselves? The fragrant greenish to yellow flowers appear in spring and literally cover the tree. The flowers are followed by attractive bright pink to red winged fruit. The dense medium green summer leaves change to yellow, red, and reddish brown in the fall.

Tatarian Maple is tolerant of many soil conditions and should be planted in partial shade to full sun. This Maple tree is a low maintenance tree, and very hardy from zones 3 to 8. If you are looking for that perfect tree for your small yard, this tree is the one to seriously consider!

Posted Nov 15 2009, 06:11 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: easy care, fall color, flowering, good foliage, landscape, maple tree, oriental looking, ornamental, patio, small, tatarian maple

‘Flavor Delight’ Aprium® is a unique and delicious fruit with lots of sweetness!

Prunus armeniaca x domestica ssp. aprium

Being one of the earliest blooming trees, along with an early ripening fruit, 'Flavor Delight' Aprium® is a great selection for sweetness. It is a cross of an apricot and a plum tree. It has more apricot flavor than plum. The fruit is two inches long and ripens in late June; can be produced in zones 5-9..

The breeder crossed an apricot with a plum, then crossed the resulting hybrid with another apricot. In other words, 'Flavor Delight' is 75% Apricot and 25% Plum. This has created a very sweet tasting fruit! The flesh of the fruit is yellow and firm like an apricot, but contains the taste of both fruits.

This Aprium® tree is vigorous and upright. It requires a well-drained, moderately fertile soil and full sun. It is wise to thin fruit early in the season in order to maximize its size and quality. The tree needs no pollinator, and even though the ‘Flavor Delight’ is self-fruitful, larger fruit will be achieved by pollinating with any other apricot tree. With proper pruning this semi dwarf tree can be maintained around 10 feet tall.

Posted Nov 14 2009, 07:01 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: apricot, aprium tree, fruit, no pollinator, plum, self fertile, semi-dwarf blooming

A Spectacular Flowering Crabapple -- Sugar Tyme®

Showing off its masses of gorgeous, sugar-white fragrant flowers, Sugar Tyme® Crabapple puts on quite the show in May! After its spectacular flowering, you can enjoy this Crabapple's colorful, crisp and lustrous green foliage that emerges.

This lovely ornamental tree produces large, brilliant red berries, with total sweetness, that attract birds. These berries ripen in the fall and persist through winter. Vigorous and very disease-resistant, this Crabapple forms an upright, oval shape and is a bit smaller than some other flowering crabs. So, if an oval form patio tree with fragrant white blooms is what you desire, Sugar Tyme® would be a nice selection. Growing to a height of 16 to 18 feet, it is great for the smaller yard too.

Sugar Tyme® is spectacular in the landscape since the rich red fruits remain on the tree all year. This tree requires full sun and does well in most soil, but will be more attractive if fed peat and compost.

Posted Nov 13 2009, 06:14 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: berries, crabapple tree, disease resistant, flowering, ornamental, oval shape, small tree, spectacular, white flowers, winter effect

The Rich Flavored Blake’s Pride Pear

What an aromatic, rich flavor Blake’s Pride Pear has to offer, along with its juicy flesh texture that appeals to everyone! Blake's Pride is moderate in size, averaging almost 3 inches in diameter, with a short, upright stem on the fruit.

It is harvested about three weeks after the Bartlett, and you can depend on a very good storage life. If you remove some of the fruit when small, you allow the pears left on the tree to grow larger. It also has a high degree of resistance to fireblight.

The Blake's Pride Pear tree is lovely to look at with its upright-spreading habit that gets 12-18 feet tall. The best location for this pear tree is some place elevated and on a slope. It has a yield that is moderate to high, with the first crop three to four years after planting. It is fairly easy to care for and will need some pruning during the winter. Only prune it lightly in order for it to keep its shape and nice strong branches.

Suggested pollinators for Blake's Pride are D'Anjou or Bartlett Pear, and it should be no further than 50 feet away so the trees can cross-pollinate.

Posted Nov 12 2009, 01:58 PM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: easy care, juicy, pear fruit, pear tree, pollinator needed, pruning, rich flavor, small tree

The Southern Magnolia is a durable and handsome tree!

Magnolia grandiflora

An aristocrat of trees, the Southern Magnolia truly is one of the most handsome and durable native trees for Southern landscapes! It grows up to 80 feet tall and has glossy evergreen foliage with large showy, fragrant, cream-colored blossoms. The Southern Magnolia has a crown that is conical and symmetrical in shape.

The coarse-textured leaves provide an excellent background for shrubs, particularly needle evergreens, but it is most frequently grown as a single specimen tree in the landscape. This Magnolia tree grows well throughout Georgia, is one of the best known trees in Florida, and and can be grown in all zones 6 to 10. Being widely adaptable to a variety of soils, it grows in sun or shade and has few pest problems. It should be planted where lowest branches can grow to the ground because it is difficult to grow anything underneath.

Since the tree sheds old leaves each spring, and seed pods in late summer, it is best to plant it in an ornamental bed instead of an open lawn area. Birds and small mammals love the seeds.

Posted Nov 11 2009, 06:02 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: blossoms, handsome, landscape tree, large, magnolia tree, ornamental tree, seed pods, specimen, wildlife

The Large and Sweet Early Italian Prune

Prunus

Early Italian Prune has dark purple skin with yellow-greenish flesh. This flesh becomes a dark wine color when cooked. The prune separates easily and freely from its pit; a freestone fruit. Being a good commercial quality prune variety, it produces ten days to two weeks ahead of regular Italian. Early Italian Prune is a large fruit that has a rich flavor and is very sweet when fully ripe. Use it fresh, dried or canned.

The Early Italian Prune tree is vigorous and cold hardy. In the spring it offers a spectacular show of spring hues with its lovely white flowering. Providing attractive foliage and bark, it will look great in the yard all year round! No pollinator is required and it grows to 8-14 feet so does well in a small yard. Early Italian will need at least 6 hours of sun a day and will thrive in zones 5-9.

Prune trees are fast growing and usually begin producing fruit in 3 to 5 years after planting. Prunes are rich in dietary fiber that is effective in improving digestion. They are low in calories and contain ample amounts of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and carbohydrates.

Posted Nov 10 2009, 02:03 PM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: fiber, flowering, freestone, fruit, prune, small, spring blooming, sweet flavor, vigorous, vitamin

A Snow White Flowering Dogwood called 'Cherokee Princess'

Cornus florida 'Cherokee Princess'

Exhibiting an early and heavy white flowering, the Snow White Flowering Dogwood ‘Cherokee Princess’ tree is one of the most beautiful ornamental trees you can have in your landscape. It is an erect growing dogwood with a straight central leader. ‘Cherokee Princess’ gives a spectacular floral display once its round buds open to four inch white flowers in May. The green foliage appears after flowering is complete.

In the fall, this tree will treat you to brilliant red fall foliage and berries, and then it will provide you with an interesting form during winter months. The bright red berries are grouped in small clusters from August to October; berries will attract birds.

This deciduous flowering dogwood is an excellent ornamental tree that grows to a height of 15-30 feet in zones 5-8. Snow White flowering Dogwood ‘Cherokee Princess’ is a moderate grower, and it is a beautiful low branched tree with a horizontal spreading branching habit.

The best time to plant this tree is in early fall so the tree has time to put out new root growth before winter sets in. Plant in sun or part shade, in moist, well-drained soil high in organic matter. Mulch 3-4" deep around the base of the tree to help retain moisture, but keep mulch away from the trunk.

Posted Nov 09 2009, 06:05 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: dogwood, fall color, flowering dogwood, landscape, ornamental tree, small tree, spring blooming, white flowers

Grow Dapple Dandy Pluot® for its incomparable sweetness!

The Dapple Dandy Pluot® has more of a taste of plum, with only a hint of apricot, but a sweet and savory blend of both fruits. This pluot does not have the bitterness in the skin like the plum. It is slightly softer than a plum, has a plum shape and smooth skin, but a higher, incomparable sweetness. In other words, it is a fantastic sweet fruit to eat!

The creamy white and red-fleshed pluot has a skin that is greenish-yellow with red spots, turning to a maroon and yellow dapple as it matures.

The Dapple Dandy Pluot® tree can be grown in your own yard just as easily as an apricot or plum tree. Select a location that is in full sun in a well drained area. As the tree develops, it is more important to water deeply than frequently to have a healthy growth.

Trim the Pluot tree to a vase-shaped form so that the sun can shine into the center of the tree to ripen the fruit from the interior, as well as the exterior. Dapple Dandy Pluot® grows to a height of 15-20 feet in zones 5-9.

Since this pluot needs a pollinator, the best trees for pollination are Flavor Supreme Pluot®, Santa Rosa or Burgundy Plum.

Posted Nov 08 2009, 01:06 PM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: apricot, blend, dapple dandy, plum, pluot tree, pollinator needed, small, sweet, tasty, yard tree

The Handsome and Ornamental 'Showy Mountain Ash'

Showy Mountain Ash is a handsome and showy tree for the border of your property. It is a hardy tree that can tolerate heat or cold, strong winds and low humidity. Showy Mountain Ash is a smaller, rounded ornamental tree with white flowers, handsome foliage, and showy red fruit. A profuse flowering tree, it shows off its blooms from June until July!

This landscape ash tree has branches that spread to form a narrow, open, and round topped crown. Being the hardiest of the species in this country, it is slow growing and resistant to disease. It is a main source of food for birds, who will scatter the seeds and the fruits are not edible for humans. This plant is attractive to bees and butterflies.

Showy Mountain Ash needs good drainage; water regularly; do not overwater. It should be mulched to maintain a cool, moist, acidic soil. The mulch should spread out beyond the trunk at least twice as far as the edge of its canopy. This will shelter its extensive root system.

Posted Nov 08 2009, 09:23 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: ash tree, disease free, flowering, hardy, landscape, ornamental, rounded crown, showy, slow growing, small

The Golden-yellow 'Gold Cot' Apricot

Resembling a small, yellow peach, ‘Gold Cot’ Apricot is a large freestone fruit that will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. It can be used for preserves, drying, desserts, and canning. Apricots contain carotenoids which are antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, reduce "bad cholesterol" levels, and protect against cancer.

This Apricot tree is a semi-dwarf that reaches a height of 15 to 18 feet. It does not require a pollinator, thrives in zones 4-8, and is one of the earliest ripening fruits; ready for harvest in June. It is best to thin fruit early in the season to maximize size and quality.

The ‘Gold Cot’ requires well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Apricot trees, once established, are somewhat drought-tolerant. The trees are gorgeous in spring with white or pink blossoms, and ornamental in summer with their furrowed bark and heart-shaped, glossy leaves. The leaves are red when new and dark green when mature.

Posted Nov 06 2009, 06:28 AM by barb-nhn with no comments

Filed under: apricot tree, blooms, early, freestone, fruit tree, full sun, gold cot, ornamental, semi-dwarf tree

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