Paul's Plant Picks

June 2010
Okay, so this month’s plant pick is actually a broad category of plants, but so be it. Fact is, I like white flowers. And here are but a few that are blooming at my place right now. Oh and by the way, if some of the pictures seem to be a bit out of focus, sorry. I’m a better gardener than I am a photographer, and because I’m ailing from cataracts (and will probably have surgery within a year), it’s sometimes difficult for me to focus clearly, and not just on plants in my viewfinder!
Anything with White Flowers
The Japanese Snowbell, Styrax japonica, is one of my favorite small trees, and certainly one of the most underused trees in American gardens. I planted this beauty in a relatively shady spot about six years ago, and every spring it blooms so profusely that once the flowers fall off the tree, the ground below looks as if it’s covered with snow. This is an easy tree to grow, and usually won’t get much taller than around 12 to 15 feet, although I’ve seen them reach 25 feet. Moreover, it has no serious insect or disease problems. It’s hardy to Zone 5.
Japanese Snowbell - Styrax japonica
Hydrangea quercifolia, the oak-leaf hydrangea, has always been one of my favorite shrubs, which explains why I’ve got 18 or so of them scattered about my garden. Native to the southeastern U.S., it’s hardy to Zone 5 and tops out at roughly six to eight feet. It does sucker, but never to the point of being invasive.
If you must prune them (I rarely do), do so after they bloom because flowers are borne on the previous year’s growth. There are several named varieties available, including ‘Snow Queen,’ ‘Pee Wee,’ and ‘Lynn Lowrey.’ In the south, keep them out of the afternoon sun or the leaves will fry.
Hydrangea quercifolia
Spring without dogwoods is like potatoes without butter, so I have several Cornus florida, the native dogwood available with white or pink flowers, and Cornus kousa, the Asian species which produces white flowers a month or so later. These are true understory trees, meaning they thrive in the shade cast by much larger trees. Stick them in full sun, especially in the south, and they’ll burn up. Other than that, there’s not much you need to know. (I also have a beautiful Cornus controversa that produces white flowers, but I forgot to take a picture of it, in or out of focus.)
Cornus florida
Cornus kousa
Heucheras, better known as coral-bells, are among my favorite perennials for shade, although sadly I can’t remember the name of this one and I can’t find the tag anywhere. Most are native and hardy to Zone 3.
Heucheras
Here’s another nameless beauty, a climbing rose I planted years ago. Generally, I don’t plant things with thorns, but I made an exception in this case only because I did a demo on my show on how to install a wire trellis to a brick surface, and the only thing I could find at the nursery that week was this rose. It blooms nicely, despite the fact that it’s in fairly deep shade.
White Rose
This is Henry’s Garnett Sweetspire (Itea virginica) and it’s another shrub that I use a lot (I’ve got 30 of them). It’s hardy to Zone 5, native to the southeastern U.S., and thrives in moist soils, where it will sucker. This shrub truly has four seasons of interest. The new leaves are lime green, and the white racemes that follow put on a spectacular show. Once the flowers fade, the leaves darken. They then turn yellow in fall, and drop to reveal red-tinged branches. It’s available in a standard form, which grows to about five feet (or more in really moist soil), and a dwarf, which tops out at about three feet.
Henry’s Garnett Sweetspire
Astilbe is another great shade-tolerant perennial. Native to Asia and hardy to Zone 6, it needs moist soil but is otherwise carefree. The leaves are almost fernlike, and the upright flowers, which come in several colors, are gorgeous. There are several species available. This one is called ‘Deutschland.’

Astilbe - Deutschland
Awe, the awesome Viburnum. If I could only plant one shrub in my garden, it would definitely be a Viburnum. The only question would be, which one? After all, there are close to 50 species, and hardiness varies from Zones 2 to 9. I have at least a dozen different species in my garden, and I love them all. However, my favorite is V. plicatum ‘Mariesii,’ and for two reasons: its horizontal branching and its profusion of flowers. My second choice would be V. judii simply because the scent of the flowers is amazing. Many Viburnums produce fruit that birds will pick clean in a day.
Viburnum
And finally, here’s another tree I adore. It’s Chionanthus virginicus, better known as the Fringetree or Old Man’s Beard. This is a splendid native ornamental specimen that’s hardy to Zone 4 and grows to nearly 30 feet. The white flowers are borne on six-inch long panicles. This beauty isn’t too picky about where you put it, but it does need several hours of sun to produce a showy display of flowers. Also, keep in mind that it is one of the last trees to leaf out in the spring, so don’t panic if it appears lifeless while everything else is beginning to green up.
Chionanthus virginicus
So what are you waiting for? Shut off your computer, head to your local nursery, and plant one or more of these white-flowering spectacles in your garden!
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