Wildflower Wednesday: Phyla lanceolata, aka Fog Fruit deserves a spot in your garden

Was it really 8 years ago that I first spotted lanceleaf fogfruit growing in the right of way along my busy street! 

 It's a seriously cute little Verbena cousin that ought to be in more native plant gardens and considering that it's native to almost all of the US (except for the dryer NW states), it's amazing to me that it's not readily available. If I had a pond or stream in my garden it would have a place of honor.

While fogfruit can tolerate some dry conditions, it does not thrive in my garden unless it's damp most of the time. Like other plants that I love but don't have the right conditions for, this one is growing in a container. 

If happy it will carpet the ground with attractive foliage that is accented in the summer with small clusters of pale lavender-pink flowers that attract bees and butterflies. It's semi-evergreen (depending upon the zone you're gardening in) and can tolerate heat and humidity, as well as cold winters. It is native to southeastern Canada, most of the United States southward into Mexico.

 

 

The sprawling stems can root on the ground (that's how it develops a mat) and the lance-shaped leaves that have tiny teeth on their edges and turn a reddish color in late fall or early winter. It blooms from late spring into early fall. ...that's about 6 months of bloom. The top of the cluster is purplish disc with the flowers whorling around the bottom. The individual flowers drop off leaving an attractive cluster of orange-brown fruits. 

I am not surprised that there are still wildflowers tucked away in the corners of this neighborhood. Seventy years ago this was a woodland/forest on the edge of the city and roads were bulldozed to build one of the city's first planned communities for the growing post war population.

When the developer's bulldozers were carving out roads they drove around big trees and left pockets of woodland/forest. It's in those forest remnants that I discovered beautiful wildflowers that I love: False Soloman's Seal, Spring Beauties, Rue Anemone, Trout-lily, False Garlic, Blue-eyed Grass, Wild Sweet William and Sweet Betsy. We've been lucky that they have never completely disappeared and each spring delight residents with their arrival.

Now I can add Fogfruit to the collection.  

There are still wildflowers and sedges in the verges and edges of many yards. I hope they stay safe from the developers who are now bull-dozing the suburban ranches to build houses that fill almost the entire lot. Lawns that have to be maintained by weed and feed every year are replacing the freedom lawns filled with Spring Beauties, wild Petunias, Fleabanes, Lyreleaf Sages, Oat grass and sedges.

Ignorance is killing the wildflowers.

 There's no weed and feed in my garden so wildflowers like Phyla lanceolata/Fogfruit are safe. It's blooming its cute little head off and I proclaim it the July Wildflower Wednesday star.

The inflorescence is a tight head, although, technically it's referred to as a spike

Let the celebration begin!
xoxogail

 

The Particulars

Botanical name: Phyla lanceolata  

Genus: Verbenaceae (Verbena)
 
Common native: Northern Fog Fruit, Lanceleaf fogfruit, some call it frogfruit, turkey tangle fogfruit

Perennial

Native: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV 

Hardiness zone: 5 to 11 (yes 11)

Habitat: sun; moist soil; along shores, floodplains, muddy flats

Bloom season: June - September

Plant height: short, but stems stand up about 12 inches

Wetland Indicator Status: OBL/Obligate wetland, almost always occurs in wetlands.  FACW/Facultative wetland, usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally found in non-wetlands.

Flower Color: The flowers are white to lavender, with two lips. The outer lip is lobed to appear as three petals.

Cultural Information: Cuttings, taken in late spring through the summer, root readily at the nodes.

Wildlife value: The nectar of the flowers attracts various insects, including bumblebees, leaf-cutting bees, Epeoline cuckoo bees, long-horned bees, green metallic bees and other Halictid bees, Syrphid flies, bee flies, thick-headed flies, Tachinid flies, small butterflies, and skippers. Some of the Halictid bees also collect pollen. The foliage and seedheads are eaten by Canada Geese.Doesn't appear to be grazed by deer or bunnies. Source: Illinois Wildflowers

Comments: Use it as a mass planting in a difficult, moist spot in the garden. The plant has attractive foliage and cute flowers. Appears to be deer proof, although water fowl will eat the seeds.

Welcome to Clay and Limestone and Wildflower Wednesday.  This day is about sharing wildflowers and other native plants no matter where one gardens. It doesn't matter if we sometimes share the same plants. How they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most. So please share your wildflowers on your favorite social media site. Share to help educate others!

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener, Tennessee Naturalist and nature writer in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Wildflower Wednesday: American Tall Bellflower

 My garden always surprises me.

I am just as surprised by what lives and thrives as I am by what barely hangs on or dies. And I am always surprised when seeds germinate and I get wonderful flowers, especially since, I have failed so often with seeds. So when I saw the blue flowers of a Tall Bellflower waving at me across the driveway I was delighted, you might even say shocked. I've been trying to get American bellflower established here for dozens of years. I've tried seeds and plants, but, nothing has taken. I didn't know I had a tall bellflower in my garden until this beauty waved to get my attention. 

 

I have no idea where this lone flower came from. It sprouted, grew and thrived in a container amongst plants I've been saving for my son's garden. Is it possible that I have created my own seed bank after years of broadcasting seeds? Or  could it have been transpooped by a visiting bird? I don't care how it got here, I just hope it will seed itself about.

However this seed got here, it germinated and bloomed. And for that I am grateful.

Campanulastrum americanum or tall bellflower prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil in part shade. I don't really have constantly moist soil unless I water often. The pot where it was found growing gets regular watering.

Tall bellflower is either a biennial or annual and it has a fairly long blooming period. To top that off, it's very attractive to bees and butterflies. A long bloom period is pretty wonderful in a native plant. 

Are wondering how it can be either an annual or biennial? If it germinates in the spring it will be an annual. If it germinates in the fall after planting seeds in late spring and overwinters as a basal rosette, it's a biennial and won't bloom until the next year. There are of course other factor like moisture, timing and sun, but I am keeping it simple!

I don't know if my lone bellflower is in its first or second year but, I am thoroughly enjoying the bright blue/lilac starry blooms scattered all along the spiky stem.

Unlike other plants in the genus Campanula that usually have bell-shaped flowers (from Latin campana meaning little bell), tall bellflower produces flowers that are, oddly, quite flat. "The star-shaped, five-lobed, light blue flowers (to 1" across), each with a distinctively curved and recurved style and a pale white ring at the throat, bloom solitary or in clusters at the leaf axils in summer (June-August). source 

American bellflower is native to moist open woods, moist meadows, streambanks, and ditches in shady areas of the Eastern United States and Canada. Plant it in rich, moist, well-drained soils in partial shade. Those of you north of middle Tennessee with cooler summers can have good luck growing it in sunny moist conditions. Here it will need more shade. 

It should readily reseed itself so plant it with plants that like similar conditions like Elymus viginicus, Carex blanda, Geranium maculatum, Geum canadense, Carex pensylvanica, Lobelia cardinalis and other shade loving native plants. I like it massed and that was my wish when I first tried growing it from seed.

Wish me luck in collecting seed and having success getting it to germinate at Clay and Limestone. 

xoxogail 

 

The Particulars

Botanical name: Campanulastrum americanum formerly known as Campanula americana 

Common names: American Bellflower, American Tall Bellflower, Tall Bellflower 

Family: Campanulaceae

Type: Annual or biennial. The life cycle is quite unique and is dictated entirely by when the seeds germinate: Fall/Winter Germination (Biennial): Seeds that drop in the late summer or fall and sprout before winter will form a tight basal rosette. They will go dormant in the cold, and then shoot up their tall, blooming stalk in their second year. Spring Germination (Annual): Seeds that wait to germinate until the following spring will usually grow, flower, and set seed all in that same single season. 

 Distribution: Native: United States--AL , AR , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN, IA, KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MN , MS, MO , NE, NJ, NY, NC, OH , OK , PA , SC , SD , TN , VT, VA , WV, and WI ; Canada--Ontario and Quebec 

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b 

Bloom Time: June to August 

Flower Color: Blue and/or Purple/Lavender 

Flower Inflorescence:  Star shaped flowers

Dimensions:     Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.     Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. 

 

Source

 

Light:  Full sun if you have cooler summers (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)  Partial Shade for the rest of us (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Maintenance: They need regular and even moisture 

Fruits: the fruit is a capsule that changes from green to brown or gray-brown and splits open to expose the seeds. Seeds drop when ripe.

 Wildlife Value: Long-tongued bees are the primary pollinators, including bumblebees and leaf-cutting bees (Megachilidae), including the specialized bees Megachile campanulae and Colletes brevicornis. Other pollinators are Halictid bees, butterflies, and skippers. These insects seek nectar, and some of the bees collect pollen from the anthers. It also attracts hummingbirds.

Propogation: Seeds need light to germinate. Surface sow in seed starting mix or similar medium. Moist cold stratify 30-60 days then bring to 70°F. Plants self sew around plant (what I hope happens here)

Comments: Beautiful massed in a meadow or natural area. Perfect for Riparian (along streams, lakes, rivers),woodland, native, rain, shade gardens. 

 Tolerances: Deer Tolerant, Clay Soil Tolerant, Wet Soil Tolerant, and Black Walnut Tolerant 

 

Welcome to Clay and Limestone and Wildflower Wednesday.  This day is about sharing wildflowers and other native plants no matter where one gardens~the UK, tropical Florida, Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, India or the coldest reaches of Canada. It doesn't matter if we sometimes share the same plants. How they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most. So please share your wildflowers on your favorite social media site. Share to help educate others!

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener, Tennessee Naturalist and nature writer in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Wildflower Wednesday: Downy Wood MInt

Downy Wood Mint and I have been gardening friends for over 40 years. The first time I saw it growing in the shady freedom lawn behind the carport shed I thought it was Monarda.  

Although, it wasn't, it was definitely a mint with its square stems, opposite leaves and whorled lavender flowers at the top of the stalk! 

It's been described as little towers of flowers that wrap around the stems 

Blephilia ciliata is a charming flowering plant with upright unbranched stems. The foliage is lance shaped or oblong and opposite along the stems. Leaves and stems are pubescent/hairy and faintly aromatic when crushed. I am so glad to have fond it because it's happier in my garden than Monarda has ever been. It never fails to bloom and it is tolerant of my dry shade. The other wonderful characteristic: it transplants easily.

unbranched stems on display

 Hillwood in west Nashville where I live was once rolling farmland and wooded forests before it was sold to developers in the 1940s and 1950s. Today you can still find remnants of the woodland in the hills and in the remaining freedom lawns.  I suspect that Downy woodmint can still be found in the woodlands that survived that early development and I wonder how many of my neighbors are even aware that this lovely wildflower and others might be growing along the edges of their yards. I don't know how much longer most of these remnant woodlands will survive the development that's now happening in the neighborhood....Perhaps in the hills, but certainly not on the flatter yards. One thing I am sure of is that the developers who are responsible for the present progmess don't seem to care that they are destroying habitats when they bulldoze the trees and yards to plant their sterile mono-culture lawns.

But, I digress!  

watch out little bees there are crab spiders waiting to capture you

Blephilia ciliata's range is throughout most of Eastern North America and parts of the Central United States. It's been found growing in fields, steep slopes, disturbed sites and roadsides. Plants often occur in thin soils over limestone. Long time readers probably totally understand why it's a perfect plant for Clay and Limestone!

In late spring and summer, dense whorls of clustered flowers encircle the stems. The tiny individual flowers are two lipped and pink, lavender or white with purple spots. 

It makes a charming ground cover. I call it a gentle colonizer! It's not a rough and tumble wildflower blazing a trail through my garden, instead it, gently and slowly spreads. It is well behaved  and supports the surrounding ecology of other plants in the garden. 

I love this visiting critter photo

This carefree flower does a good job of attracting pollinators. Scads of native pollinators visit the flowers. According to Illinois Wildflower the flowers attract long-tongued and short-tongued bees, bee flies, Syrphid flies, butterflies, and skippers. The numerous bee visitors include honeybees, bumblebees, Anthophorine bees, little carpenter bees, leaf-cutting bees, Halictine bees, masked bees, and others. That's a lot of critters.

Source

Attractive seed heads form after bloom and pollination. The seed clusters remain on the plant all winter along with the green basal leaves. Downy woodmint is not long lived so you might want to leave seedheads on the plant to self sow. You can also collect seeds to sow around your garden. I suggest you check out Brian's Native Plants for instructions on seed collection. 

Unfortunately, like many beautiful and unique wildflowers, you might have trouble finding this plant at local garden centers unless they specialize in native plants. Check with your local native plant nursery for plants and online for seeds (Prairie Moon Nursery sells the seeds). 

I hope you know or get to know Blephilia ciliata...It's a delightful little charmer that will brighten a shady or sunny spot in your garden. 

xoxogail

The particulars:
 

Botanical name:  Blephilia ciliata

Family: Lamiaceae

Common names:  downy wood mint, downy pagoda plant, sunny woodmint and Ohio horsemint.
 

Type: herbacious perennial
 

Range: Native to eastern North America and parts of Canada

Hardiness zones 4-8
 

Height: 1.00 to 2.50 feet 

Spread: 0.75 to 1.50 feet

 

Flower: Showy

 

Bloom Time: May to August

 

Bloom Description: Blue, purple, pale, almost white with dark dots

 

Sun: Full sun to part shade

 

Water: Dry to medium

 

Maintenance: Medium

 

Tolerates: Drought, Dry Soil, Deer resistant

 

Wildlife value: A magnet for a variety of pollinators including butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles.

 

Companion plants:  You can pair it with other plants that enjoy similar cultural requirements, like Aster laevis, Phlox pilosa, Coreopsis tripteris, Solidago nemoralis, Bouteloua curtipendula, Sorghastrum nutans or Schizachyrium scoparium. It's still growing in the way back freedom lawn.
 

Comments: Occurs in rich open woods, glades, valleys and ravines, borders of woods, old fields, and along roadsides. It naturally occurs in thin soils over limestone. Needs a few hours of bright sun to flower best. Flowers in mid May in my garden. The seed heads are attractive all winter. Basal leaves remain green all winter. The leaves can be used to make a mild mint tea. NOT browsed by dear or other mammals.

 

Landscape: This is a good choice for a pollinator garden, wildlife garden, prairie garden, rock gardens, Butterfly garden, water wise gardens, or, in a meadow. If you're patient it will eventually make a lovely ground cover. 

Welcome to Clay and Limestone and Wildflower Wednesday.  This day is about sharing wildflowers and other native plants no matter where one gardens~the UK, tropical Florida, Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, India or the coldest reaches of Canada. It doesn't matter if we sometimes share the same plants. How they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most. So please share your wildflowers on your favorite social media site. Share to help educate others!

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener, Tennessee Naturalist and nature writer in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Wildflower Wednesday: Zizia aurea

Our April Wildflower Wednesday star is Golden Alexander with its delicate clusters of bright yellow flowers. When I saw them massed in a meadow garden at the Chicago Botanical Garden a few decades ago I knew I had to try them at Clay and Limestone. I look forward to their lovely yellow presence and their pollinator magnetism in early spring. 

Blooming begins in late spring and continues for about a month. 

I planted a few and they reseeded quite nicely into a small colony. They do look beautiful when massed but, I like them best up close where I can see the pollinator action. And there's always pollinator action to observe! 

 I see little carpenter bees, tiny beetles and other fast flying critters when the sun finally makes its way over the trees and the garden warms up. They never hold still for photos, so you'll have to trust me about their pollinator activity! And don't be afraid of their reseeding skill. They are spectacular massed.

What can I say about their wildlife value? A lot. They provide essential nectar and pollen for short-tongued bees, wasps, and flies, and are a primary larval host for Black Swallowtail butterflies. They also attract beneficial insects that will predate on garden pests. 

   Zizia aurea is a classic carrot family member and knowing its characteristics would make identifying it and other Apiaceae easy peasy in a woodland. Look for clustered small white or yellow flowers that make you think of an umbrella spokes! The clusters are called umbels and are actually individual flowers on stalks arranged like the spokes of an umbrella. You can practice identifying in a herb/vegetable garden where you likely to find many carrot family member.

Why plant Golden Alexander:

•  It offers a vital food source for beneficial insects early in the season when few other flowers are available. 
• the lady beetles and parasitic wasps that it attracts helps maintain a balanced ecosystem
• deer, rabbit and vole resistant
• adapts to various soil conditions although it prefers moist soil    
• the flowers are attractive to many kinds of insects seeking pollen or nectar, especially short- tongued bees. It attract a variety of butterflies, native bees, bumble bees, and honeybees to the garden.      
• host plant for Black swallowtail butterfly      
• thrives in full sun to part shade, damp meadows but can survive dry conditions 
• it's so perfect there are no cultivars!  

 

 Golden Alexanders bloom in April in my Zone7, Middle Tennessee garden. Native to Tennessee and Davidson county where I live, they are usually found in wooded bottomlands, stream banks, moist meadows, and floodplains. They're native from Canada to Florida and east of the Rockies. They're a good choice for heavy clay soils in semi-shade to full sun. They're happy in moist soil but, once established they have some drought tolerance. They've been happy at Clay and Limestone and I never worry that our wet winters will kill them. I do give them an extra drink of water during the droughty summers, especially these last few years when we've had severe droughts.

 

Orange present in county

 

The Particulars 

Genus: Zizia
Species: aurea
Common Name: Golden Alexander
Family: Apiaceae

Flowering: flowers in April-May in my middle Tennessee Zone 7 garden

Native Range: Eastern Canada to southern United States

Zone: 3 to 8

Size:  Height: 1.50 to 3.00 feet Spread: 1.50 to 2.00 feet

Bloom: yellow, umbel

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium
Soil: Heavy clay

Maintenance: Water in droughty times if newly established. Unwanted seedlings might be an issue, but are easily shared and moved to other parts of your garden.

Foliage: Attractive

Pollinators: Zizia is a food source for short-tongued insects that are able to easily reach the nectar in the small yellow flowers. Black Swallowtail butterflies feed on the nectar and lay eggs on the foliage and when the eggs hatch the caterpillars will feed on its leaves.
Propagation: Plant seedlings in the spring for good success. Seed will germinate after 90 days moist, cold stratification. Germinates at high percentages. Expect it to reseed.
Wildlife: Has never been predated by deer or voles.
Comments: A delightful plant to allow to seed itself about in a damp sunny meadow. Use in a rain garden or in natural garden. Plant with Carex, Aquilegias, Packera aurea and other plants that like moist soil. Golden Alexander also attracts and hosts a number of beneficial insects that are predatory or parasitoid on many common garden pest insects.(Illinois Wildflowers)

If you garden for pollinators, especially butterfly, you won't be disappointed with Golden Alexander. So give it a try. If it's happy you can enjoy a massed golden show. 

 xoxogail

PS Please remember to never, never, never, never, ever use pesticides in your garden. Also, be sure the plants you plant are free of neonicotinoids. Believe me when I say you want to welcome insects to your garden!

 

Welcome to Clay and Limestone and Wildflower Wednesday.  This day is about sharing wildflowers and other native plants no matter where one gardens~the UK, tropical Florida, Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, India or the coldest reaches of Canada. 

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener, Tennessee Naturalist and nature writer in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Wildflower Wednesday: Phacelia bipinnatifida and Love at First Sight

 It really was love at first sight.  

Who could resist the lavender-blue flowers with deeply divided, mottled fern-like leaves that bloom in early spring and attracts bees? Those leaves alone are worth having in your garden. They have lighter, grayish-green, or silvery, watermark-like blotches and can develop a purple tinge in late fall/winter. 

My little naturalized colony at its best

It's been so long ago that I can't remember when I added Phacelia bipinnatifida to the garden but, I remember quite clearly the first time I saw a naturally occurring colony on a shady damp hillside. I was going to visit a new friend's garden and was driving up her steep drive, as I turned a bend in the drive every where I looked Purple Phacelia was blooming and bees were dancing from flower to flower. There's something splendid about natives that mass naturally, and this was a dazzling and magical pollinator show.

My little Phacelia colony waxes and wanes from year to year. Purple phacelia/Phacelia bipinnatifida is a biennial wildflower in the Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) family that is native to the southeast USA. Biennials require two growing seasons to complete their life-cycle. The first year is vegetative growth; the second year, they flower and produce seed and shortly after, they die. They're usually quite prolific and will set seed, but, you'll only have flowers every other year. If you want to have blooms every year, you've got to put a little bit of effort into making that happen.

 

Let's get more detailed about what that effort looks like.

When you are trying to get a biennial established it's important to remember: One year from seed, second year to flower, then it dies. To have flowers every year you have to get a colony started, so you need seeds, first year plants and flowering plants. I really was lucky to be given several plants in bloom and many first year seedlings. Here's how it works! Those first flowers were visited by Bumble bees and other pollinators and got fertilized, they set seed and then died. The fallen seeds germinated and over wintered; the following spring the original first year seedlings bloomed and their flowers were fertilized, set seed, and then died. It's not a complicated process, but it's a brilliant cycle that continues to this day.  

 

I make sure the cycle is not interrupted. Which means that I collect the seeds, and sprinkle them where I want new plants, sometimes I move the tiny seedlings, the first year plants and even the second year plants in late winter to make the colony larger. They always seem to survive!

 

If you're lucky it forms self seeding colonies that are simply stunning. 

 As all gardeners know, some years are better then others and this is a lean year. Lean because we've had a several years of low rainfall right when the seeds need moisture to germinate. I've watered enough so that I have flowers every year, but, I will be doubling my efforts this year to reinvigorate my little colony. To insure  the  colony will make it through the deluge/drought pattern Middle Tennessee has settled into, I'll hand water them during the severely dry times.

Bees and other pollinators that are out and about on warm days love Phacelia. It has wildlife value and supports  the following specialized bees: Andrena (Micrandrena) lamelliterga, Andrena (Euandrena) phaceliae, Hoplitis (Robertsonella) simplex.

tightly coiled inflorescence in bud

I am honestly not disappointed that it's a lean year. Especially when I see proof that it's  providing for a lot of early spring visitors. I don't have hillsides of Phacelia, that requires much moister soil than I can give it, but, where it's blooming it shines. 

 

 To successfully grow our Wildflower star give it part-shade, shade, moisture, (it can take some dryness) in acid, neutral, average loam. It won't turn it's noise up at rich moist, well draining soil! 

 There are a few online nurseries that sell Purple Phacelia just do a web search. Or if you're lucky and can find a friend with seedlings to share, you can start your own journey to having a colony of flowers that pollinators adore. I hope that post like this open eyes to the beauty of Phacelia. 

 

 The Particulars

 Botanical name: Phacelia  bipinnatifida

Common names: Purple Phacelia, Fernleaf Phacelia, Fernleaf Scorpion Weed, Spotted Phacelia, Loose-flowered Phacelia

Family: Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) family, also sometimes classified in Borage family

Life Cycle: Biennial

Distribution: AL , AR , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MD , MO , MS , NC , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , WV

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b  

Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. 

Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. 

Light: Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours) Full sun if mesic soil.

Soil:  Adaptable-clay, shallow rocky, loamy, sandy and/or high organic matter. PH acidic and neutral. Moisture-well draining and moist  

Flower description: Racemes of 4-12 blue to purple flowers are produced from March through April/May. Individual flowers are 1/2 inch across cup shaped with 5-lobed corolla, 5 sepals, 5 stamens, a slender style, and an ovary. The racemes occur at the top of stems with some secondary ones forming in the axils of the upper stems.  

Color: Blue/Purple/Lavender  

Bloom Time: Spring. March in middle Tennessee.

Propagation: I collect seed by placing a tray with potting soil under the blooming flower. I let most self sow. Seeds ripen shortly after blooming. I let natural rain fall water the seeds and they germinate when temperatures cool in the fall and through the winter. I usually don't notice seedlings until March. Some folks say that the seed needs to be sown fresh, but I am going to try to collect it and place in the refrigerator to see if it will grow when sown later.

 

Surface sowing is always successful and in my garden fallen leaves don't seem to keep them from germinating, so prehaps light isn;t a requirement.

Wildlife Value:  Phacelia support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Micrandrena) lamelliterga, Andrena (Euandrena) phaceliae, Hoplitis (Robertsonella) simplex.
   
Comments: Deer and bunny safe. This is a plant that should be in every shady garden. Find a friend who will share a few seedlings. Phacelia bipinnatifida should be allowed plenty of room in a naturalistic, woodland setting to move around as it wishes. If you want to maintain it in precise spots, transplant seedlings in the fall to preferred locations. 

My thoughts: When it comes to wildflowers almost all the attention centers on perennials. They're marvelous investment plants that you can count on to make a good show in your garden year after year, but, you might want to consider adding a few annuals and biennials that are native to your part of the garden world. They're charming plants and add another dimension to the garden~many of the seedlings and first year plant's foliage is quite attractive. (Gardeners, Do Yourself A Big Favor)

Thanks for reading! xoxogail


 

Welcome to Clay and Limestone and Wildflower Wednesday.  This day is about sharing wildflowers and other native plants no matter where one gardens~the UK, tropical Florida, Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, India or the coldest reaches of Canada. It doesn't matter if we sometimes share the same plants. How they grow and thrive in your garden is what matters most.

 

 Gail Eichelberger is a gardener, Tennessee Naturalist and nature writer in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Wildflower Wednesday: Hamamelis virginiana

Today I am thankful for family, friends and my wildflower garden. I am thankful for time I spend outdoors, for the critters that live and visit my garden, for the last blooming flowers and for the gnats, flies, moths and bees that are out and about on warm days. 

 I am grateful for all of you who read my Wildflower Wednesday posts and don't mind that I am posting this one on Thanksgiving Day instead of on the fourth Wednesday! 

unfurled crepe papery petals on a very warm November afternoon. 

Today, I celebrate Hamamelis virginiana our Wildflower Wednesday star. Witch-hazel is a fall flowering understory tree with sweetly fragrant small yellow flowers. It is native to woodlands, forest margins and stream banks in eastern North America (including OK and TX)  where it's found growing in moist well drained soil in sunny to partial shade conditions.

That's where it's found in natureand it's a darn shame that it is overlooked by most nurseries in favor of selling the flashier non-native witch-hazels. Dear readers, step away from those Chinese witch-hazels and ask for Hamamelis virginiana! You won't be disappointed and that's a promise.* If you can't find it locally there are good online nurseries that sell seedlings.

Hamamelis virginiana starts blooming in October at Clay and Limestone and blooms for at least a month. In outstanding weather you can expect to find a few flowers in early December! Every branch is covered with fragrant spidery crepe paper flowers that never fail to charm as they furl on cold days and unfurl on warm ones!

 

 

I can't imagine gardening without a few witch hazels trees in my garden. On warm days its honey scent wafts around the garden on the slightest breeze.

 

It's growing in a small woodland garden beneath the swaying branches of a shagbark hickory and The Dancing Tree/Ostrya virginiana that I rescued from the strangling wisteria when we first moved here. It's perfect for woodland gardens and generously shares the ground beneath with woodland favorites like Christmas ferns, wild ginger, Phacelia bipinnatifida, Trilliums, Dutchman's Breeches and other spring ephemerals.

 

 I love the  textured deep green leaves that turn a golden yellow in the fall.  Sometimes the flowers bloom before the leaves drop and the stem-hugging clusters of bright yellow flowers are hidden.

Pollinator visiting the last blooms of the year

But, that gives me an opportunity to get a close look at each flower and at any pollinators who happen to stop by for a bit of nectar.  Witch-hazel is also known to attract robins, juncos, titmice and cardinals. I love having a tree with pretty flowers, a sweet scent and  with good wildlife value.

stem-huggin

 H virginiana is a great all around small tree/shrub for most gardens. Those of you who garden for wildlife might consider planting it for the good wildlife value it adds to a shady garden.

In case you are still thinking non-native because it's easy to find. Check this list out!

• A tough, adaptable plant suitable for a variety of garden settings (Hardiness Zones: 4-9)
• Tolerates clay soil and poor drainage  
• Since it's often the last blooming plant found in most woodlands it's invaluable for providing nectar to late visiting pollinators
• It's upright spreading branches are good nesting sites for birds. 
• Some moth caterpillars predate on it
• The dispersed seeds are eaten by birds and small rodents. Now don't turn your nose up at the mere mention of rodents, yes, they are pesty, but, they are also extremely important critters for hungry owls and hawks.
• Lovely fragrant, bright yellow flowers that bloom from October through November.
• Great fall foliage color 
• It's native to eastern North American, including Louisiana and Texas. 

Except for a few native ex-aster that might have survived a killing frost, witch-hazel is probably the last blooming plant found in most woodlands.  I treasure it for providing one last stop for nectar gathering pollinators and for all those characteristic listed above. It's a wonderful specimen plant, but because it colonizes, it does make a wonderful screening plant or hedge. Spring ephemerals, native sedges, ferns and shade tolerant perennials are great companions.

fruit and exploded seed capsule

 

Ooh, ooh, ooh~One more cool factoid!  The seeds are expelled with a loud pop that sends them yards away from the parent plant. I've been looking for offspring but, so far none. The seeds must be tasty to my garden critters. 

 The Particulars:

Botanical name: Hamamelis virginiana

Common Name: common witch hazel  

Type: Deciduous shrub 

Family: Hamamelidaceae 

Native Range: Eastern North America 

Zone: 3 to 8

 Height: 15.00 to 20.00 feet 

Spread: 15.00 to 20.00 feet 

Bloom Time: October to December 

Bloom Description: Golden yellow centers tinged a light red

Sun: Full sun to part shade 

Water: Medium 

Maintenance: Low Suggested

Cultivation: Light shade to partial sun, mesic conditions, and sandy or loamy soil. More flowers are produced in response to greater amounts of sunlight. 

Comments: Useful as a hedge, let it naturalize in a woodland garden, useful in a rain garden and it has lovely fall color.

Wildlife value: Birds, pollinators and mammals (Illinois Wildflowers to see moth table)

Tolerate: Deer, Erosion, Clay Soil

 

How any one could think this tree unlovely or unworthy of a place in their garden is beyond my understanding! The crepe papery blooms look especially enchanting with a backdrop of golden Shagbark hickory and Hophornbeam leaves and the Autumn blue sky!

 

For those of you celebrating Thanksgiving...I wish you a joy filled day with loved ones and calorie free foods!

Warmest thoughts of you.

xoxoGail

*If you want this lovely tree you'll need to check with a native plant nursery. We are fortunate that we have several native plant nurseries not too far away that carry beautiful native trees, shrubs and perennials. Check with Joy at Wonder Gifts and Gardens and Terri at GroWild 

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. I am so glad you stopped by. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not; and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers.

 

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener, Tennessee Naturalist and nature writer in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.