Q I have been given a plumbago that has gotten quite large. I have cut off rubber tree plants and rooted the cut-off portion, and it has sprouted from the cut-off stalk ... would the plumbago do the same?
A I wonder if you have a plumbago or a plumeria. There are two plants commonly called plumbago. One is a semi-evergreen groundcover for the shade with dark blue flowers -- Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. The other is a moderately hardy perennial with pale blue flowers and a sprawling growth habit -- Plumbago auriculata. Neither would grow tall on a thick stalk like what a rubber tree produces. However, plumeria -- a tropical plant that produces showy, fragrant blooms and is often used to make the traditional leis of Hawaii -- will form a stalk similar to a rubber tree and could root easily if cut back. If you have ever been to Hawaii, you know that they sell small pieces of unrooted stalks everywhere, and the stalk bits easily root and grow into plants.
Q I was reading in Birds and Blooms about the "Winterberry" holly (Ilex verticillata) and how it was a good bush for berry food for birds. The range shown for this holly did not include Arkansas but did extend to areas farther south and east of Arkansas (in Alabama). My question is, will it thrive in Arkansas? Are there any pet concerns (poisonous to dogs)?
A Ilex verticillata is one of two species of deciduous hollies, the other being Ilex decidua. They are quite hardy throughout Arkansas. Both of these hollies are showy in the winter landscape -- if they are female plants. As with all hollies, there are male and female plants, and only the females can produce fruit. The Ilex verticillata plants typically have more berries than the I. decidua varieties, but both are beautiful. All holly berries contain a toxin that, if eaten, can cause stomach upset in children and pets, but consider how many hollies grace our landscapes. Although I am sure it has happened somewhere, I have never heard of a dog dying of holly poisoning. While mild to moderately toxic to humans and pets, it is a food staple for birds and other wildlife.
Q Do you have available on the internet a yearly schedule for applications to lawns for weed control, feeding, seeding -- all that encompasses growing healthy lawns? I am on a corner lot and primarily have bermuda grass with the front and street side yard on a downward slope. The backyard has five large oak trees, so it is very difficult to grow grass in that area.
A We have a wealth of information about lawn care on the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service website. Go to uaex.edu/yard-garden/lawns. The site has a lawn calendar for each grass that can be grown in Arkansas, plus much more. For heavily shaded areas, don't try to grow grass. You can use a groundcover, create landscape beds for shade plants or simply spread mulch over the area. Grass and shade are not a good combination.
Q You mentioned a tall, slender tree as a suggestion for someone to plant in a recent column. What was the name of that tree?
A I actually mentioned several. One of the new trends in tree species is the "fastigiated form" -- a narrow, columnar growth habit. There are fastigiated selections of sweetgums, oaks, tulip poplars, bald cypress, ginkgo and many more. Many have great fall color. For blooms, there are a few crab apple and cherry varieties with the fastigiate form. You might also try a sourwood tree. It is a beautiful tree with white flowers in late spring and outstanding fall color. Its natural growth habit is fairly narrow, and at maturity it reaches 30-35 feet tall.
Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at 2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72204 or email her at
jcarson@arkansasonline.com
HomeStyle on 01/07/2017