Shrubs

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Prunus Issue

It is hard to make a positive ID from this photo but it looks like it could be 1 of 2 things: overwatering as you mention or a nutrient deficiency (possibly Iron). You might want to ease up on frequent shallow irrigation and choose to do a deep soak less frequently. A slow drip of the hose around the drip line of the plant for up to an hour maybe once per week while the weather is mild. Regarding the nutrient deficiency; 2 things could be occurring if this is the issue: either A-the soil is deficient in this mineral. If that is the case, you might want to invest in a high quality complete fertilizer with micronutrients and apply following directions on the label. Or B-the type of soil you have and particularly the soil pH is not allowing the plant to take up the nutrients that it needs to look healthy. There are soil pH kits available for purchase if you are curious. Here is a link to an article that you might find interesting:
http://www.hrt.msu.edu/assets/PagePDFs/bert-cregg/Homewoners-guide-to-fertilziation.pdf

By | 2016-02-26T22:10:46-08:00 February 26th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Alder Buckthorn Glossy Buckthorn

This appears to be a young buckthorn but without seeing more of the plant as it matures it's hard to be sure. There are other shrubs and trees with similar foliage. Alder Buckthorn was sold regularly at nurseries as a garden shrub and hedge. This shrub or small tree reaches heights up to 20 feet. However, it has limited decorative qualities without conspicuous flowers or bold foliage. While it was brought over from Europe with good intentions about 200 years ago, this shrub is enormously invasive. All exotic buckthorns produce a fruit that is eaten by birds and other animals. However, the severe laxative effect of these fruits forces fast distribution of the seeds. These shrubs also aggressively resprout from cut or damaged stems. This shrub is invading Midwestern forests and devastating the native plants and shrubs because of the berry / bird association. Environmentally speaking, it would be proactive to remove these shrubs and replace them with something that might better attract pollinators or wildlife without leaving a devastating invasion.

By | 2016-02-25T02:41:38-08:00 February 25th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Bougainvillea

Your lovely plant is bougainvillea, an impressive woody and thorny 'vine' or shrub bearing colorful bracts (the real flowers are the small inconspicuous white flowers in the center). A South American native, it does not tolerate much frost but is a fast-growing, vigorous plant that needs a sturdy support such as a trellis, wall or fence. Needs full sun and moderate water. Bougainvillea blooms best in nutritionally poor soils. They come in many different colors.
Bougainvillea are tropical and must be protected from frost. In Zone 8 and cooler, you are almost limited to growing them in some kind of container unless you treat them as an annual (plant a new plant outdoors each year), but you are in a mild winter region and do not have to worry about this. Bougainvillea thrives in full sun. At least 5 hours a day of direct sunlight is the minimal light required for good bloom. More hours of direct sun are better. Less than 5 hours and the plant may not bloom very well.

By | 2016-02-24T08:07:20-08:00 February 24th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Rust Fungus On Rose

This appears to be a fungal disease called Rose Rust; its very common on roses. If you look at the underside of the affected leaves and you see orange colored fungal structures (sometimes dark brown and black structures appear when the fungus is in the reproductive stage) - it does look like rust. This fungus is spread by water, so splashing water will move it upward thru the plant. It is also favored by shade and poor air circulation. You may need to consider a fungicide if its a very bad infection, but you can reduce the spread of the spores by removing the affected leaves (without defoliating the shrub), pick the fallen leaves up and dispose of them in the trash, prune for good air circulation around/within the shrub, and grow roses in full sun. Here's more info about Rusts and Roses: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/DISEASES/rusts.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7465.html

By | 2016-02-22T22:33:28-08:00 February 22nd, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Euonymus

Burning Bush, the plant you intended to purchase, is a Euonymus alatus. The shrub you brought home appears to be Euonymus forunei, or Winter Creeper. Because of their similar names it's possible the plant tags were somehow switched or misplaced in the nursery or box store where you purchased your plant. If your plant is Winter Creeper, it can grow 10’ high x 20’ wide. It will grow in full sun to semi-shade. It is shrubby by nature but occasionally trailing or even climbing by its aerial rooting. It has a habit of flattening out or elongating its upright growth during heavy winter snowfalls; this gives it the name of winter creeper. It can be sheared at any time for hedges, espaliers, or border specimens. The inconspicuous creamy-colored flowering during late spring develops into 1/2 inch spherical capsules with pink-toned seeds capped by an orange dome.

If this description doesn't match your plant as it develops and blossoms, send us another picture when it's in bloom and we'll try again!

By | 2016-02-22T11:40:02-08:00 February 22nd, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Lilac

Your plant's foliage does look like a Lilac, but we can't be sure without seeing flowers, the same problem you are having since it has not bloomed for you. Lilac produces fragrant trusses of flowers in blue, purple, pink, white. Most require winter chill and this might be the problem in your zone. There are some such as the Descanso hybrid lilacs that have been bred for the moderate temperatures of Southern California, but if yours is a chill-required variety, chance are slim that it will bloom. All lilacs need full sun or where summers are hot, light shade and regular water. Prefers well-draining neutral to slightly alkaline soil. If you do get it to bloom, prune just after flowers are spent to encourage new shoots and better flowering for the following year. Feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for blooming shrubs about once a year just as the buds are beginning to emerge.

By | 2016-02-22T03:40:30-08:00 February 22nd, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Gardenia

Gardenias let you know when they are unhappy. It looks as though fella isn't feeling well. To begin with, I suspect the leaves began to turn yellow and fall off. Bugs. Probably scale on the underside of the leaves. Spray the entire plant, especially the stems and trunk, with two applications of any product listed for controlling scale insects: Sevin, malathion, Safer's soap. Next apply a systemic insecticide containing Imidachloprid. Follow the directions carefully. It is a systemic insecticide and will be absorbed by the roots and will deter future bugs from the inside out. You will need to do this every six months. Next and very important add two cups of fertilizer designed for gardenias, azaleas, camellias to the mulched area and water well. That's it. You should notice a change in 30-45 days. You may have to trim any dead branches back to until you see green tissue when you cut. That's it. Let us know how things work out.

By | 2016-02-20T20:51:58-08:00 February 20th, 2016|Shrubs|1 Comment
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Buffalo Berry Soapberry

This appears to be the shrub Canadian buffalo berry, russet red buffalo berry, soap berry. If you can send us a clear, close up of the leaf arrangement and berries, we'd like to take a closer look. Here's the info on Canadian buffalo berry:
Range
Shepherdia canadensis covers area from Nova Scotia, Canada down south to New York and Ohio on the east coast of North America, and from Alaska down south to New Mexico and Arizona following the Rocky Mountains. It extends through the northern states of the United States.

Climate, elevation
It is most common in dry to moist open woods and thickets and found in lowlands to middle elevation forests. Approximately 4950 feet – 8200 feet.

Local occurrence (where, how common)
Shores, riverbanks, dry slopes, moist north slopes, open rocky woods, and occasionally in calcareous marshes. It forms dense thickets along riparian zones and valley bottoms.

Habitat preferences
It generally does best in partial shade, nutrient poor soils, and dry to moist water conditions.

By | 2016-02-20T13:19:17-08:00 February 20th, 2016|Shrubs|1 Comment
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Croton In Florida

Known for their bold, tropical foliage, crotons are perennial evergreen shrubs. Not only can these plants be grown outdoors, but some cultivars can be raised as decorative houseplants as well. The beautiful leaves of the croton are also used to enhance floral arrangements. Grown for their beautiful leaves; crotons (Codiaeum variegatum) come in a wide variety of leaf shapes and colors which include reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, purple, greens, and white. Native to India and Malaysia, this tropical plant usually quite full and the leaves form clusters to create maximum color patterns. This shrub can grow up to 10 feet tall, but there are both dwarf and larger varieties. Many crotons grow best in full sun, but many cultivars can tolerate, and even prefer, light shade partial shade. Frosts or freezes will damage them, but they quickly recover. When used outdoors this plant looks most attractive when grown in groups. Use them to accent green shrubbery and add a splash of color to any yard or container.

By | 2016-02-19T12:19:35-08:00 February 19th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Cypress Problem

There could be a variety of factors but probably most important, if this is a Cupressus genus, most species only need water about twice a month - every day is too much. Also, it might be suffering from transplant shock - some of the roots may have been damaged during the transplanting process and will need time to recover. When you dug the new planting hole it should have been twice the size of the root ball and planted at the same level as its original container - it should not be planted too deep. Also apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the plant (but not up against the base of the cypress) to help protect the young roots from temperature fluctuations. Finally cypress do best in full sun, in well-draining soil and fed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for conifers. We hope your plant recovers and good luck! Suggest you contact your local garden center to confirm the problems and recommendations as well.

By | 2016-02-19T06:10:31-08:00 February 19th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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