Zones 5-9

Zones 5-9

perennial – Grow in well drained, reasonably fertile soil in full sun or partial shade. Divide in early spring or after flowering. Keep soil moist in winter.

zones 4-9

There are 67-70 species of evergreen or herbaceous, low growing or cushion forming to erect perennial, as well as a few annuals and shrubs that range from a couple inches tall to 5′ feet tall.  They occur mostly in North America (one from Siberia).  They are grown for their showy, fragrant flowers, borne mainly in terminal corymbs or panicle like cymes, sometimes singly.  The flowers are salverform, occasionally funnel shaped, each with a narrow, tubular base opening to 5 flat, ovate petal lobes, sometimes in a star shaped arrangement.  It produces simple, smooth edged, linear to ovate, light to dark green, leaves, often held in opposite pairs, the upper leaves sometimes alternate.  Mat and cushion forming species, from dry, rocky habitats, flower in spring or early summer, grow in a rock garden, in a dry wall, or as edging.  Woodland species are mainly trailing, and usually flower in spring, grow in shady sites.  The taller phlox are mostly from moist riverside habitats, and produce large corymbs of flowers, usually in mid summer into fall, which are good for cutting.  Annuals, from dry rocky slopes and coastal sands, flowers from late spring to autumn, and useful for bedding.

Grow in any moist, fertile, well drained soil, in full sun or light shade.

Prone to powdery mildew, stem canker, rust, southern blight, stem nematodes, Cercospora leaf spots, Septoria leaf spots, leaf miners, caterpillars, red spider mites, eelworm, and dot moth.

P. subulata ‘Coral Eye’ – Moss Phlox – This dense, evergreen perennial forming cushions or mats is form Eastern and Central USA and grows 2-6″ tall and at least 20″ wide. It produces hairy, linear to elliptic, bright green leaves, up to 3/4″ long. In late spring and early summer it bears salverform, white flowers, each with a striking coral eye, to 1″ across, often with star shaped petal lobes are held in few flowered cymes, rarely singly.

Zones 3-8

There are about 180 species of cormous perennial, and 1,000’s of cultivars, in this genus. They occur in rocky slopes, seasonally dry grasslands, and marshy areas, mainly in South Africa, but also from the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, Northwestern and Eastern Africa, Madagascar, and Western Asia. They are grown for their showy spikes of usually open, funnel shaped flowers, borne mainly from spring to early autumn. The flowers each have 6 tepals: usually 1 central upper tepal, 3 often quite small lower or lip tepals, and 2 side, or wing, tepals. They are carried side by side, or one above another and open from the bottom of the spikes upward, older blooms dying off as new ones develop (the number of buds open at any one time is given in parentheses in each cultivar description below). Erect leaves, borne in basal fans, are narrow, linear or sword shaped, mid to dark green, and 10-36″ long. Plant in this genus vary greatly from very small and sometimes fragrant species to the spectacular, colorful spike of the florists gladiolus.

There are 3 main hybrid group are the Grandiflorus (bloom in late spring to early autumn and are regarded as to demanding), the Primulinus group (bloom early to late summer and is a hybrid group), and the Nanus (or Butterfly) group (blooms in early summer). The flower sizes are divided into the 5 following categories:

Giant: are 5 ½” across or more

Large: are 4 ½-5 ½” across

Medium: are 3 ½- 4 ½” across

Small: are 2 ½- 3 ½” across

Miniatures: under 2 ½” across

Grow in fertile, well drained soil in full sun to partial shade, planting the corms 4″ deep, and 3-6″ apart in spring. For gladioli left in the ground, apply a high-potash liquid fertilizer when the flower spikes reach 1/3to1/2 their final height repeat every 10-14 days until 3 weeks after flowering. Gladioli are hardy wherever the soil does not freeze deeply in winter, generally from Zones 8-10. Protect with a thick, loose mulch or plant near a warm wall to extend hardiness, in some cases to zones 6. Tall stems may need staking. Lift corms over winter in cold climates, store when perfectly dry.

Prone to gladiolus corm rot (Fusarium), gray mold (Botrytis), viruses, aster yellows, spider mites, thrips, and aphids.

G. ‘Christabel’ – This G. tristis hybrid grows 18″ tall.  It bears loose spikes of 6-10 flared, scented, primrose-yellow flowers, 3-4″ across, borne very early in the season.  Upper tepals are marked with purple

This popular genus contains about 7 species of mainly deciduous, sometimes semi evergreen shrubs. They occur in open woodland in China and Japan with one species from Southeastern Europe. They produces opposite, simple, smooth or toothed edged, sometimes 3 palmate leaves. The 4 petalled, brilliant yellow flowers are salverform with narrow tubes, and with very long or short styles on different plants. /They are borne before or with the leaves in early and mid spring, often profusely, although low or widely fluctuating winter temperatures often kill flower buds. Grow in a shrub border, on a bank, against a wall, or as a specimen plant, they are also useful for hedging. They make good cut flowers.

Easily grown in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade. Seldom flowers in warm climates.

Prone to Arabis mosaic virus, stem gall, dieback, root knot nematode, and leaf spots.

F. ‘Vermont Sun’ – This upright, deciduous shrub grows 8′ feet tall and 6′ feet wide. It produces oval, deep green leaves, 3-5″ long. In early spring it bears deep yellow flowers, to 1 ½” across.

Zones 4-8

This popular genus contains about 7 species of mainly deciduous, sometimes semi evergreen shrubs. They occur in open woodland in China and Japan with one species from Southeastern Europe. They produces opposite, simple, smooth or toothed edged, sometimes 3 palmate leaves. The 4 petalled, brilliant yellow flowers are salverform with narrow tubes, and with very long or short styles on different plants. /They are borne before or with the leaves in early and mid spring, often profusely, although low or widely fluctuating winter temperatures often kill flower buds. Grow in a shrub border, on a bank, against a wall, or as a specimen plant, they are also useful for hedging. They make good cut flowers.

Easily grown in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade. Seldom flowers in warm climates.

Prone to Arabis mosaic virus, stem gall, dieback, root knot nematode, and leaf spots.

F. suspensa ‘Nymans’ – Weeping Forsythia – Goldbells – This upright or arching, deciduous shrub, grows 8-12′ feet tall and 10′ feet wide. From bronze-purple young shoots it carries ovate, sometimes 3 palmate, mid to dark green leaves, to 4″ long, which turn a dull yellow in autumn. In early and mid spring it bears solitary or cluster of up to 6 soft yellow flowers, to 1 1/4″ across.

Zones 6-8

This popular genus contains about 7 species of mainly deciduous, sometimes semi evergreen shrubs. They occur in open woodland in China and Japan with one species from Southeastern Europe. They produces opposite, simple, smooth or toothed edged, sometimes 3 palmate leaves. The 4 petalled, brilliant yellow flowers are salverform with narrow tubes, and with very long or short styles on different plants. /They are borne before or with the leaves in early and mid spring, often profusely, although low or widely fluctuating winter temperatures often kill flower buds. Grow in a shrub border, on a bank, against a wall, or as a specimen plant, they are also useful for hedging. They make good cut flowers.

Easily grown in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade. Seldom flowers in warm climates.

Prone to Arabis mosaic virus, stem gall, dieback, root knot nematode, and leaf spots.

F. suspensa f. atrocaulis – Weeping Forsythia – Goldbells – This upright or arching, deciduous shrub grows 8-12′ feet tall and 10′ feet wide. From purple young shoots it produces ovate, sometimes 3 palmate, mid to dark green leaves with purple tinge when young, to 4″ long, which turn a dull yellow in autumn. In early and mid spring it bears solitary or cluster of up to 6 lemon yellow flowers, to 1 1/4″ across.

Zones 6-8

This popular genus contains about 7 species of mainly deciduous, sometimes semi evergreen shrubs. They occur in open woodland in China and Japan with one species from Southeastern Europe. They produces opposite, simple, smooth or toothed edged, sometimes 3 palmate leaves. The 4 petalled, brilliant yellow flowers are salverform with narrow tubes, and with very long or short styles on different plants. /They are borne before or with the leaves in early and mid spring, often profusely, although low or widely fluctuating winter temperatures often kill flower buds. Grow in a shrub border, on a bank, against a wall, or as a specimen plant, they are also useful for hedging. They make good cut flowers.

Easily grown in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade. Seldom flowers in warm climates.

Prone to Arabis mosaic virus, stem gall, dieback, root knot nematode, and leaf spots.

F. suspensa – Weeping Forsythia – Goldbells – This upright or arching, deciduous shrub from China grows 8-12′ feet tall and 10′ feet wide. It produces ovate, sometimes 3 palmate, mid to dark green leaves, to 4″ long, which turn a dull yellow in autumn. In early and mid spring it bears solitary or cluster of up to 6 clear golden yellow flowers, to 1 1/4″ across.

Zones 6-8

This popular genus contains about 7 species of mainly deciduous, sometimes semi evergreen shrubs. They occur in open woodland in China and Japan with one species from Southeastern Europe. They produces opposite, simple, smooth or toothed edged, sometimes 3 palmate leaves. The 4 petalled, brilliant yellow flowers are salverform with narrow tubes, and with very long or short styles on different plants. /They are borne before or with the leaves in early and mid spring, often profusely, although low or widely fluctuating winter temperatures often kill flower buds. Grow in a shrub border, on a bank, against a wall, or as a specimen plant, they are also useful for hedging. They make good cut flowers.

Easily grown in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade. Seldom flowers in warm climates.

Prone to Arabis mosaic virus, stem gall, dieback, root knot nematode, and leaf spots.

F. ‘Spring Glory’ – This upright, deciduous shrub grows 6′ feet tall and 5-7′ feet wide. It produces ovate to lance shaped leaves, to 5″ long. In spring it bears pale yellow flowers.

Zones 6-9