Perennials

/Perennials

Hosta Cultivar

There are thousands of Hosta cultivars and we cannot identify this specific cultivar for you. If you want or need to know more about it we suggest you contact a local Hosta Society to see if they can't tell you more about the plant. These plants love moist, well drained soil in light or full shade. There is a database of photos that might help you: http://www.hostalibrary.org/ If someone says, "Oh, that might be such-and-such" then you can look it up in the library to verify. This is a VERY popular shade plant not only for the variety of color and leaves but also for the blooms. They are pretty hardy, will die back in the fall and show up right on time in early spring. Just remove the spent foliage to protect the dormant plant from diseases or overwintering pests.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:17-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Hydrangea Leaf Discoloration

It was a very rough winter for hydrangeas. It would not be fair to you or the plant to compare last year to this year…sadly. Your plant could be a little stressed, from lack of water or even too much water, or the recent cold weather, or even the recent heat wave. You may want to take a sample to a local nursery for id and recommended solutions.It looks like the damage is on the lower part of the plant which makes me suspect dog or cat urine on a regular basis? If this is not the case, look to see if the plant is planted too deeply or is it in area that stays too wet.? If the problem continues we suggest that you take a sample of healthy and dying twigs to the local extension office or to a local nursery for better identification.

By | 2016-03-22T07:26:57-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Grassleaved Chickweed

This is one of the more attractive Chickweeds, particularly when it occurs in colonies, because the attractive flowers are produced in great abundance and the foliage is elegant and grass-like. It has a similar appearance to the native Stellaria longifolia (Long-Leaved Stitchwort). However, this latter species has sepals that are without conspicuous veins or hair, and its seeds have a smooth surface. Long-Leaved Stitchwort produces flowers less abundantly than Grass-Leaved Chickweed, and some of its flowers develop from the axils of the leaves. There are many other Stellaria spp. (Chickweeds), as well as Cerastium spp. (Mouse-Eared Chickweeds), but they often have broader leaves and hairier foliage. Another common name for Stellaria graminea is Common Stitchwort.

By | 2016-03-22T05:35:16-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Irish Eyes Rudbeckia

This appears to be a Rudbeckia hirta - and it could be 'Irish Eyes' - but we would need a photo of the foliage and height of the plant to be sure. 'Irish Eyes' is a type that has green centers early on that become round and yellow as they age, as you see in your photograph. There are, however, many plants that produce yellow daisies that are very similar to each other, so without foliage pictures we can't give you a completely positive id.

Rudbeckia hirta are short-lived perennials that do best in full sun and well-drained soils. THey are easy to grow from seed. Where they are happy they often self-seed or naturalize, so if you grow them learn to distinguish the fuzzy seedlings from the weeds and leave those in the garden.

By | 2016-03-21T23:45:28-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Cyclamen

Your plant belongs to the Cyclamen genus of which there are many species and hybrids. A native of Europe, the Mediterranean region and Asia, these plants are prized for their flowers and attractive clumps of green or variegated foliage. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers look like shooting stars or butterflies and come in hues of pink, red, magenta, white or bi-colors. In your area does best in partial shade or filtered light. Water when the top of the soil feels dry. Continue to care for Cyclamen until the foliage yellows and dies back. From tubers, it will go dormant in the summer, but will return in the cooler seasons. These can be tricky to re-bloom: let the bulbs rest for a month and then begin watering again.

By | 2016-03-21T09:05:45-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Lantana Hybrid

This is likely a Lantana which is grown for their colorful flowers during the warm months. They are fast growing with abundant flowers over a long season. Plant in full sun or partial shade and any soil that drains well. Water deeply and infrequently once established. Feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for blooming plants. Many different cultivars and selections are available. Butterflies, hummingbirds and other beneficials in gardens love the flowers. The berries are poisonous if ingested. They come in a wide range of colors from white, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purples as well as mixes of these colors. Treat as an annual where winter frosts are common, as a perennial where winters are mild.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:18-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Tip Burn On Cymbidium

Tip burn can be caused by excess salts in the soil/growing medium around the roots. We recommend water should drain from the pot at every watering, and once a month (maybe once every 6 weeks or so) use distilled water to help leach (flush) salts from around the root zone. So Cal tap water is high in salts that build up in soils, especially in potted plants. The browning of leaves may be caused by the same situation, and/or by too much high light or exposure to sun during the afternoon hours. Cymbidiums do better with early morning sun and afternoon (from about 11am on) shade. We've included a web link with more info about growing cymbidiums in So Cal.
http://www.themulch.com/orchids/cymbidium-orchids-care-in-southern-california

By | 2016-03-20T03:44:21-07:00 March 20th, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Cyclamen

Your plant belongs to the Cyclamen genus of which there are many species and hybrids. A native of Europe, the Mediterranean region and Asia, these plants are prized for their flowers and attractive clumps of green or variegated foliage. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers look like shooting stars or butterflies and come in hues of pink, red, magenta, white or bi-colors. In your area does best in partial shade or filtered light. Water when the top of the soil feels dry. Continue to care for Cyclamen until the foliage yellows and dies back. From tubers, it will go dormant in the summer, but will return in the cooler seasons. These can be tricky to re-bloom: let the bulbs rest in their pots or soil for a month and then begin watering again.

By | 2016-03-19T21:38:26-07:00 March 19th, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Cymbidium Orchid

Your plant is a Cymbidium orchid of which there are many, many species and cultivars. If you have ever attended an orchid show, you will be amazed at the array of Cymbidiums in all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. As a plant indoors, it needs bright indiirect light, regular water but make sure the water drains out - do not allow the plants to sit in water as this leads to root rot, and feed with a slow release fertilizer formulated for blooming container plants. If you have enjoyed the flowering spikes indoors and the flowers are spent, it would be best to keep outdoors in a little more sun or partial sun. When temperatures dip in winter, that will signal your cymbidium to form flowering spikes again, but does not tolerate frost.

By | 2016-03-19T05:05:41-07:00 March 19th, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Cyclamen

Your plant belongs to the Cyclamen genus of which there are many species and hybrids. A native of Europe, the Mediterranean region and Asia, these plants are prized for their flowers and attractive clumps of green or variegated foliage. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers look like shooting stars or butterflies and come in hues of pink, red, magenta, white or bi-colors. In your area does best in partial shade or filtered light outdoors as long as there is no frost. Water when the top of the soil feels dry. Continue to care for Cyclamen until the foliage yellows and dies back. From tubers, it will go dormant in the summer, but will return in the cooler seasons. These can be tricky to re-bloom: let the bulbs rest for a month and then begin watering again.

By | 2016-03-18T19:37:15-07:00 March 18th, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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