A Landscape to DIY For

Today’s television certainly has its variety. From the over the top “reality” shows to educational programs, there is something for everyone! And while we may feel frustrated at times, scanning endlessly to find something on TV, for most, we get at least some of our news, entertainment and education from this form of media. One such network which has become very popular is DIY Network. A channel devoted to home improvement projects, it offers step by step instruction that can teach a novice everything he or she needs to know, but also has quick tips, tricks and ideas for the expert. One of the fastest growing digital networks and currently in 50 million U.S. homes, DIY Network’s programming covers a broad range of categories, including home improvement and landscaping. DIY Network can also be seen internationally in 27 countries. This is BIG T.V.

One topic that has exploded in popularity over the years, on television, is landscaping. DIY Network has a new program called “King of Dirt”. Its host Gino Panaro has a passion for landscape design and prides himself on putting shovel to dirt before pen to paper. His ability to read terrain and vast experiences always deliver favorable results. The “King of Dirt” is showcased nationally and Gino’s Crew “views every property as special with its own potential areas for enhancement”.

This past June, the “King of Dirt” himself, Gino Panaro, swung by Hall’s Garden Center and Florist in Berkeley Heights and reached out to us for support on a local project. With over 30 years of experience, Gino and his crew have tackled everything from commercial projects for the New York Aquarium and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to landscaping and maintaining thousands of homes. To those familiar with the show, Gino proved to be the over-the-top, gregarious, animated and infectiously approachable person you see on T.V. This Brooklyn-born, self made guy comes at you head on with creative, out of the box thinking. In short, we all liked him from the start. His challenge, for this project, was to create a beautiful, residential landscape in deer country with an 11 foot grading issue. Creating a walkway, with steps, on that kind of a grade is tough enough. However, couple that with the fact that Gino doesn’t use computers and seldom draws out complicated designs, he doesn’t have to, and you can begin to understand this arduous task. Our portion of the project was to supply top notch plant material appropriate for the landscape.

The day of filming, Gina Panaro, Gino’s wife was introduced to all of us at Hall’s. Gina, another star of “King of Dirt’ walked around Hall’s Garden Center and shopped plants for the show. Again, they were planting in deer country, so the selections had to reflect that. Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus), Boxwoods (Buxus), Himalayan Sweetbox (Sarcococca) and variegated false holly (Osmanthus h. ‘Goshiki) were just a few of the foundation shrubs we choose. Vertical specimens selected to help punctuate the fore mentioned plants included Horstmann Blue Atlas Cedar for its more fastigiate habit and Weeping White Spruce (Picea glauca ‘Pendula’) as its outline seems to reach effortlessly into the sky, yet takes up a very small footprint. Cognizant of color, texture and size, we tried to select plants that would grow into a mature landscape using fewer types of plants, but more of them. Hence, big sweeps for a big impact. One plant that may not be as deer resistant as we would have liked was Orange Dream Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’). The yellow-orange marking this plant can offer seemed to leap out of the landscape and help frame the greens and blues of the other plants. Gina absolutely loved it and we do too. Gina was very gracious helping me acclimate to television. The stop and starts that are behind the scenes were something that took some getting used to. Jeremy Fertel, the series producer, was also patient and courteous with his direction.

Having never seen the project until after it was completed, I arrived as Gino’s Crew was cleaning up. The walkway more than satisfied the grading issues and the plants helped frame a beautiful home. All their efforts were performed meticulously. Ralph Panaro, Gino’s brother, completes the trio of stars for the show. His responsibilities include maintaining residential and commercial properties. He was the guy dotting all the I’s and crossing all the T’s, making sure everything was as it should be. Ralph attended Rutgers Cook College for two years and majored in Turf Care Management.

While Gino’s Crew was power washing the driveway, leaving no evidence that such a huge project was performed, Gino and I had a chance to talk shop. His philosophies and outlook on our green industry ran congruently with my own. He showed me a picture of the family we had all just worked for. In it was his skid steer, his crew and the homeowners. As he said, “this is what it’s all about”. Working together in our local community, doing honest work for good people helps create lasting impressions. In our field those impressions can be felt emotionally and can also be seen through our landscapes. Ours is a feel good industry, a hobby not a necessity. This is something we both never take for granted.

What punctuated the project, for me at least, were the kind words from the series producer, Jeremy Fertel and the homeowners. Expressing their “sincere gratitude for plant material of the highest quality” and being “blown away by the transformation” made it all worthwhile.

This was a unique project to be involved with from beginning to end. The homeowners wrote to the show asking for a makeover. They needed professionals in their corner and were willing for them to make most of the calls. With those kinds of privileges extended, the project was able to move swiftly and the results speak for themselves. Hall’s Garden Center and Florist would like to thank DIY Network and its entire team, Gina Panaro, Ralph Panaro, their entire crew as well as the “King of Dirt’ himself, Gino Panaro, for a wonderful opportunity. An opportunity that, very simply, helped build something positive hand in hand within our local community. Not sure when the actual air date is for this project, we are told it may be on T.V. as early as late summer or early fall. For those interested in learning more about the “King of Dirt’ or Gino’s Crew, you can log on to www.diynetwork.com/kingofdirt or go to www.ginoscrew.com.

Summer Planters

Today everyone wants their dollar to go farther. Our current economic crisis has encouraged smarter buying habits, helped to rid ourselves of wasteful praxes while simultaneously grounding us to be more thoughtful consumers. We, as consumers want our money to be spent wisely and help contribute to our quality of life. Aside from our retirement funds, real estate holdings, stocks and bonds, which we all worry about, there is that little bit of disposable income we use to enhance our quality of life.

What moves and inspires us is what we spend our money on. Whether it’s visiting a museum, going to dinner, listening to a concert or watching a ball game, we simply want to enjoy and surround ourselves with pleasant experiences. What could be more beautiful and inspiring than summer color in your planters?

Your imagination is your only limitation! The days of Italian clay pottery filled with a dracaena spike, surrounded with simple begonias or impatiens has been replaced. Today, vibrant colors can leap out of our landscapes, inspiring us to be bold and use nature’s assortment of colors and textures. Imagine this summer if you chose a cobalt blue, canary yellow or raspberry red container and filled it with something playful. The use of pottery in and around our homes helps add dimension to our landscapes. The simple act of incorporating one of these rich colors by a front door, within the mulched bed of your home can seem like a piece of sculpture. The advantage we have, as gardeners, is that our container plants continue to grow throughout the season. Hence, they take on a sort of living sculpture quality which can be changed as little as every season or as often as every month.

Consider, if you will, the use of ornamental grasses in your planters. Playful movement with rich color and interesting textures will help amplify bold pottery colors. Sweeping movement is guaranteed everyday from these low maintenance plants. Carex buchananii (Fox Red Curley Sedge) is a gorgeous, colorful sedge grass. Stunning clumps of reddish-bronze make this evergreen perennial a great choice with its fine texture. Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’ (Ivory Feathers Dwarf Pampas Grass) is well suited for smaller spaces. This clumping grass has rich, vibrant, narrow green foliage with huge, white plumes held on top. The texture of the leaves however suggests a thickness not often seen in grasses. Drought and wind tolerant, there is virtually no maintenance with this one. Elymus arenarius ‘Blue Dune’ is perhaps the most striking blue grass you will come across. Silver-blue foliage shines in just about any landscape. Very erect, full blades only grow to about two feet. The flowers however are held another foot higher than the foliage. This is a texture and color I simply can’t live without. Cautioned by friends and colleagues in the industry, I used this plant in mass in our own landscape. Touted as a grass which “spreads indefinitely”, I created a huge outdoor planter within a mulched bed. Backed with the broadleaf evergreen Buxus sempervirens (common boxwood) I trenched in a bamboo barrier some thirty inches deep to control its spread. So far so good! Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Lenca’ (Regal Mist Pink Muhly) has glossy green leaves and feathery pinkish-red plumes in late summer. For those of you who like yellow, consider Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ (Japanese Forest Grass). Slender stems suspend bright yellow foliage with a thin green stripe suggesting an almost bamboo like feel. Useful as a border shrub in shade to filtered light, Japanese Forest Grass looks stunning dripping over the outer edges of one of those brightly colored pots suggested earlier. Finally, let’s not forget the Phormiums! I’m talking about New Zealand Flax. Such playful nomenclature as ‘Evening Glow’, ‘Platt’s Black’, ‘Rainbow Chief’, and ‘Tiny Tiger’ provide most colors of the rainbow. This series of plants has been used by designers to create outstanding architectural lines. This is simplicity at its best.

The argument may be that some of these are not cold hardy. To that I say this…for the minimal cost of these beautiful grasses and phormiums; you could enjoy their beauty for the better part of half the year. A far better return than the cost of an entrée out at a restaurant, a beer and a hot dog, not to mention parking at a sporting event or the price of a single concert ticket. Those experiences will no doubt leave you fulfilled, but your outdoor garden can feed your soul year round.

Cotton Candy This Fall?

Often I get up on my soapbox and preach about planting trees that are too big in areas that are too small. Maples, ash, oaks and beech which are planted under power lines or up against buildings, depriving them of their potential growth. Norway Spruce, White Pines, Douglas Fir and most notably Leyland Cypress planted 5 feet apart from one another to create a wind screen or privacy hedge. Wrong, wrong, wrong!! While these are all beautiful trees, they have a place where they belong. Planting any of these too close to one another or up against a building or home will lead to manmade augmentation of something that is naturally beautiful. What’s worse is that far too often these plants become butchered by sub standard pruning practices often going to the lowest bidder or an overzealous “weekend warrior.” Enough about this though! With enough real estate, time and a little patience, you have a huge palate afforded to you as to what specimen you would like to fill the void. For me it was Katsuratree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum.

Years ago I had the good fortune of visiting the Bloedel Reserve. I have made reference to this gorgeous sanctuary before, but such an inspirational piece of landscape bears repeating. The Bloedel Reserve is located on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. Specifically, on the north end, this former residential estate is now run by The Arbor Fund. 150 acres of specialty gardens and second growth forest will leave you inspired and eager to run home and garden. Among the French architecture and European style gardens, stood a specimen of such grandeur that I had to find a place on my property for one.

Right in the middle of our front lawn, far away from any structured boundary, is our Katsuratree. Flanked by a wave of Foerster’s Feather Reed Grass, Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, on the west side of our property sits our “will be” giant. I mention the west side of the property because while we installed a good size specimen, it will continue to grow to some 40 to 50 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide. Already diffusing sunlight into our dining room towards the end of the day, sitting in that room full of windows, leaves us with breathtaking views all year long. Native to China and Japan, Katsuratree is hardy from zones 4-8. Notable to mention is that our front lawn seemed to remain slightly damp after heavy rains, perfect for Katsura as they require a bit more water early on to establish. As this majestic, deciduous tree develops, a dense, pyramidal outline of bluish-green foliage is visible all summer long. Prior to this, in early spring, the leaves emerge tinged in a purplish-red and finish with yellows and apricot markings in the fall. Eagerly, I wait this fall for what many have likened the falling foliage to, a spicy cinnamon, burnt sugar, ripe apples or cotton candy smell. To date, ours has not produced such a culinary odor, but I am hopeful. One other note about the leaves is that they are similar in form to that of Redbud, in that they are somewhat round to heart-shaped. While tolerant to a number of soils, Katsura prefers moist, well drained ones. Finally, the bark is a great winter interest feature. Initially, the bark is quite smooth with fairly prominent lenticels “a small corky spot on young bark made up of loosely packed cells, providing gaseous exchange between the inner tissues and the atmosphere”, (Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Michael Dirr, however, with time, develops into rather handsome, brown, shaggy bark splitting into thin curling strips.

Here are a few cultivars to be on the look out for. ‘Heronswood Globe’ is a perfect, small, globe-shaped tree. Fall markings include creamy-yellows and pinks and should finish nicely around 15 feet. We have Heronswood Nursery in Kingston, Washington to thank for this beauty. ‘Rotfuchs’, Red Fox in German, is in our yard separating us from our neighbors. Incredible, dark purple leaves emerge in the spring and eventually digresses to a purple-glaucous blue. Defined by its very narrow, upright habit, the foliage has a coarse, eucalyptus-like feel to it.

This ancient genus has survived for millions of years. With little known pests or problems, Katsura is destined to become a huge tree over time. Patiently, I wait for the fall scent, outstanding color markings of apricot and yellow, and perhaps the purples and reds which some have noted as well.

Is There Ink (Enk) in Your Garden?

Years ago, when I became engaged, my best man Jan Mihalek asked me what kind of bachelor party I wanted. In lieu of the traditional night of debauchery, he offered a week in Europe watching European club soccer matches. Both graduates of Rutgers University and past members of their soccer team, we headed for Europe. Before taking the hydrofoil across the Oresund Sea or “the Sound” (which connects the Baltic Sea with the Kattegat Straight) to Malmo, Sweden we had some time and visited Tivoli Garden in Kobenhavn or Copenhagen, Denmark. Knowing, even then, of my admiration for both flora and fauna, Jan set some time aside in our schedule and introduced me to Tivoli. Tivoli Gardens, for those who don’t know, is unlike any amusement park you have ever seen. Steeped in history, over a century and a half old, it is a true life fairy tale. Walt Disney visited Tivoli in 1958 and used the experience as inspiration for Disneyland. It is everything you would expect an amusement park to be. Roller coasters and eateries are plentiful, but around those corners lies the tranquility of old gardens. One plant that still sticks out in my mind that I saw there is Enkianthus campanulatus.

Enkianthus’s botanical name is also widely accepted as a common name. A deciduous ornamental, Enkianthus is an upright shrub which reaches heights of 6-15 feet. Planting distances from one another should be 4-6 feet apart. A refined, elegant plant, Enkianthus is a gorgeous woodland plant which lends itself well as a single specimen, is useful in small groupings and mixes well with other ericaceous plants. You could train it as a small tree if you were so inclined and appreciate its seasonal attributes, of which there are plenty. Similar conditions that rhododendron and azaleas enjoy, so too will your Enkianthus. Cool, moist soils which are acidic make this plant feel right at home. The flowers are what most rave about, however. Small, bell-shaped, creamy-yellow flowers with red veins are something to marvel at in May and June. These flowers are held in pendulous clusters and while they seem dainty, this is one durable plant. There are few pests associated with Enkianthus, although scale and spider mites have been reported in hot locations. The fall color can be random, but yellows, oranges and reds are something to look for. Often when I see Enkianthus with fall color I am reminded of Parrotia persica’s (Persian Parrotia or Ironwood) fall color. Always inconsistent, but something to seek out, no two plants have the same fall markings.

The fact that most Enkianthus are seed-grown, thus contributing to inconsistencies with fall color and flowers has led to selected clones, or cultivars, and their apparent stability. ‘Red Bells’ is probably the most common cultivar found in independent garden centers. With consistent flower color, ‘Red Bells’ has its flower tips dipped in red and the fall color is a reliable red. Overall heights for this cultivar are far smaller than the species, thus making it ideal for smaller landscapes. ‘Renoir’, named by Rob Nicholson formerly of the Arnold Arboretum, has exciting creamy-yellow flowers with purplish veins in May. Bright oranges, yellows and reds are more consistent throughout than the species. ‘Jan Iseli Pink’ has “colossal clusters of pink, cup-shaped flowers that droop from slender branches” (Iseli Nursery). A kaleidoscope of colors, shades from yellow to red, is always seen in the fall. “Jean Iseli Red’, as you would imagine, has red flowers and a remarkable deep red fall color. Finally, ‘Sikokianus’ is widely considered to be the darkest flowered Enkianthus. Maroon flower buds open to brick-red flowers. Difficult to procure, but worth the effort, this and any of the above cultivars will offer color and versatility to your garden.

Georg Carstensen, the founder of Tivoli Gardens said in 1844: “Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished,” a sentiment echoed just over a century later when Walt Disney said of his own Tivoli-inspired theme park, “Disneyland will never be finished as long as there is imagination left in the world” (welcome-to-my-copenhagen.com). I share, in part, this sentiment in that the botanical journey I am on will also never be finished. Profoundly humbling, there are simply too many plants and not enough time. New cultivars come out every day. The imagination and efforts from those past and present will always leave me inspired to create new and exciting gardens.

The Unfolding of Spring

After months of looking at snow and ice and weathering below average temperatures, spring has finally arrived. Spectacular color is once again here to enhance our landscapes, brighten our smiles and warm our emotional sides. While of course we have the crocus, daffodils, tulips and the pedestrian forsythia to admire, a series of plants which I eagerly await is Japanese maples.

Aside from the sensational colors Japanese maples can afford you in the landscape, they are extremely versatile as well. Far too often larger trees, the likes of maple, oak, ash, beech, birch, katsura and zelkova, are planted within a few feet of residential and commercial housing. Whether it is underestimating the potential of these majestic beauties or being swayed by price at time of purchase, one thing is clear, not enough homework was done before making the purchase. Deciduous ornamental trees (those who lose their leaves in the winter) are divided into small, medium and large groups. The largest of this group of trees has average heights of 50 feet and larger. Medium, deciduous trees generally grow between 30-50 feet while smaller trees finish nicely between 15 and 30 feet. Considering the parcels of residential space that most have in New Jersey, 15-30 foot trees are more than sufficient.

Outstanding spring and fall color markings, interesting bark and of course those winter silhouettes punctuated by their unique skeletal patterns are all features to look forward to. More to the point, it is now that buds are swelling and those tiny leaves are unfolding, ready to put on their spring show. While Japanese maples is a huge, diverse group of plants, here is just a smattering of some exciting spring colored ones which should be easy to procure. All are smaller deciduous types.

Still showing off from last fall is Coral Bark Maple, Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’. Coral Bark’s bark becomes punctuated as the temperatures begin to drop. Fiery, coral- red bark is evident from Halloween through Mother’s Day. In addition, their soft, green leaves are a bold contrast to its bark for more than half the year. Finally, the fall color matches the Halloween theme as its foliage turns an orange-gold color. Acer palmatum ‘Emeror 1’, ‘Fireglow’ and ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel’ are all palmate types ( the leaflets or lobes radiate from the base of a leaf appearing more fan-like) and have better red markings. Not to be confused with dissected types where the lobes are divided into narrow, more slender segments like fringe. ‘Emperor 1’ leafs out a deep purple and retains its color even when our heat index rises; which stresses other types. ‘Fireglow’ has five to seven lobes which are a dark wine-red. Raised in Italy and named in the Netherlands, it too keeps its color in the warmer summer months. ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel’ is the fastigiate type of the three having a husky, columnar appearance. Deep red color, all season long, is held on “numerous apically dominant branches” (Iseli Nursery). A highlight of this plant, found by Ken Twombly of Connecticut, is its deep blood-red branches in the winter. Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’, a personal favorite in our garden, is unique in both form and color. Orange-yellow foliage emerges in the spring which is held over bright green bark. Again, raised in Italy by Fratelli Gilardelli, a company and tradition that has been around since 1800. Two variegated types to be on the lookout for this spring are ‘Acer palmatum Butterfly’ and ‘Ukigumo’. ‘Butterfly’ is a vase-shaped tree whose small, dainty leaves emerge blue-green with white margins tinged with pink. ‘Ukigumo’, known as the “Floating Cloud Maple”, has bright white variegation backed by light green. Also known for having pink tinges, this one is a real show stopper. Finally, Acer palmatum ‘Tsuma gaki’ has chartreuse foliage dipped in red. As the months progress so do the red margins becoming more prominent with a light cream center. Incidentally, Tsuma gaki means red nail.

Japanese maples make outstanding container garden plants. Surprisingly hardy and capable of producing year round interest, consider using them in your existing landscapes. Imagine ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel’ or ‘Sango Kaku’ in a cobalt blue planter dumped into your existing perennial beds to be enjoyed all summer long. Move the same planter to your backyard on a deck or patio for a whole new feel in the winter. These portable gardens of living sculpture are fun, add great highlights to your garden and are low maintenance.

Paperbush

One of the more exciting opportunities afforded to me during the winter is going to tradeshows. After the holidays and before the anticipated explosion of springs arrival sits a few months of down time. It is now that opportunities can be taken advantage of. One of the largest trade shows for the industry took place last month in Baltimore, Maryland. The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) is a who’s who of the industry. New products, both green goods and hard goods, and seminars are both teeming. Often I am asked what new products or plants were at the show. This year, one plant that stood out for me, was one that I had forgotten about until now.

I could smell the plant seconds before I found it in the trade show aisle. Paperbush, Edgeworthia chrysantha, typically is sought after in warmer climates. Listed academically as a zone 7 (possibly 6b), Paperbush has reports of surviving slightly below 0 degree temperatures. A genus of two or three species in the Thymelaeaceae family, it is related to Daphne and Dirca palustris (leatherwood). Curiously, if you have ever touched or played with the stems of Daphne, you may have noticed that they are so pliable, you can sometimes tie them into knots. The same holds true for this harbinger of spring. Thus its nickname “knot plant”. A native to the Szechuan province in China, Edgeworthia has been used to manufacture high quality paper as well as for medicinal purposes.

Aside from it being a very curious, weird or academic test for collectors, Paperbush has several attributes lending itself well to year round gardening. The most obvious are its flowers. In the fall/winter, large clusters of tubular buds, held in 1” long umbels (resembling the stays of an umbrella) appear. The outside of these tubes are coated with white silky hairs. During the dead of winter, February and March, these large, terminal clusters begin to open and develop into a butter-yellow tubular flower. Granted, each tube on its own is not that impressive. However, when you bundle them up, a gorgeous round ball of butter covered popcorn appears. The scent of these flowers is amazingly fragrant, often compared to gardenia, only spicier. Expect 3-4 weeks on intense color and fragrance. Looking at the specimens at the trade show, I could not help but think the flowers themselves, in their different stages of development, looked somewhere between that of Wheel-Tree Trochodendron aralioides and Callery Pear Pyrus calleryana. Another winter interest feature, appropriate for this time of year, is its bark. A reddish-brown color is said to have an unusual odor when bruised. As of yet, I can not comment on the fore mentioned. Edgeworthia’s leaves are a medium blue-green, in the spring and summer, oval in shape, with rich shades of yellow fall color. Finally, purplish-green drupes (fruits) are reported, but seldom seen.

Paperbush benefits from well drained, humus enriched soils. Partial shade and almost more than adequate water is recommended. While Edgeworthia can handle full sun, it is important to note that Paperbush grows natively along streambeds and in forests. In short, growing Edgeworthia would be similar to growing ericaceous plant like rhododendron, wintergreen or mountain laurel. Expect heights of 4 to 6 feet tall and wide at maturity. For best results, site this deciduous beauty in a protected area away from windy areas. Paperbush makes a great specimen, is elegant when massed in a woodland setting or can be very effective as part of a mixed shrub border. Red flower types are available however; it can sometimes be a chore just finding Edgeworthia let alone red flower types.

Named after Michael Pakenham Edgeworth (1812-1881) who was a botanist, plant collector and employee for the East India Company, Paperbush is a welcome sight in the doldrums of winter. If you are concerned about the “hardiness” of the plant, you could always consider container gardening. Keeping your Edgeworthia in a container gives you flexibility of bringing it indoors during a harsh winter. What a pleasant surprise you will have next winter…sweet, fragrant, beautiful flowers held terminally on the tips on a deciduous shrub will wet your appetite for spring’s arrival.

Leather Leaves

Several years ago, while attending a trade show, I was asked what some of my favorite plants were. My immediate response was evergreen or deciduous? The question asked by my friends and colleagues led me to two envisaging truths about myself. One, as a self proclaimed “tree-hugger”, there are far too many plants that I admire. Two, my somewhat obsessive compulsive tendencies had to be put to use immediately, and an excel spreadsheet had to be formed. To date there are some 400+ favorite plants on this spreadsheet. And while the list has grown over the years, some plants coming off the list too, there is one that has always been on the list. Leatherleaf viburnum, Viburnum rhytidophyllum, has such extreme versatility and beauty that it has potential in almost any landscape.

Michael Dirr’s biblical publication, Manuel of Woody Landscape Plants, describes the texture of Viburnum rhytidophyllum as “coarse throughout the year.” There seems to be some incredulity as to the evergreen merits of this plant however. I have found, over the years in retail, that consumers who have Viburnum x rhytidophylloides (Lantanaphyllum Viburnum) believe this to be Leatherleaf viburnum. In fact, this is a cross between V. lantana and V. rhytidophyllum. While it too has coriaceous foliage, it is not a “True Leatherleaf.” Not dismissing the potential of this group by any means, there is simply a difference.

Perhaps not as easy to procure as other viburnum, Leatherleaf viburnum is well worth the effort. Hardy to -15F it is truly a plant for all seasons. As I sit here writing this article in late December I am looking outside at a mass of Viburnum ‘Cree’ which are entirely evergreen. A cultivar selected from the U.S. National Arboretum, ‘Cree’ has all of the famed attributes of V. rhytidophyllum but this cultivar is a tad more compact and arguably more cold hardy. So what are these attributes which should make this plant so coveted? In the spring, mid May, slightly fragrant, yellowish-white flowers are borne. Expect large masses routinely as this and many other viburnum can be grown with ease. Large, dark, lustrous, leathery green leaves are a spectacular backdrop to showcase these flowers. Incidentally, the backside of these leaves is a grayish-brown tomentose (closely covered with down or matted hair with a felt-like texture). September through December you can expect heavy amounts of red fruit. Oval drupes morph from red to black as the season progresses. There is much truth that having different clones close to one another produces more prolific fruit. Other favorable attributes include their ability to adapt not only to soil, but to lighting conditions as well. I have seen Leatherleaf do phenomenally well in both full sun and extreme shade. Last but not least, for the time being they seem to be deer resistant too! This equation is constantly changing since the more educated consumers become about deer resistant plants the less of a selection deer have. That being said, the Viburnum ‘Cree’ in our backyard have not been touched to date.

Viburnum in general can and should be used for mass planting or as a single specimen. Far too often plants are used inappropriately. Spruce, pine and Leyland Cypress are being jammed against one another to create quick screens. Consider this, Leatherleaf Viburnum reaches heights of 10-15 feet tall with a similar spread. That’s roughly the size of a basketball hoop. Unless Michael Jordan is stopping by, most will not see over the tops of this plant.

Cool cultivars to seek out this spring include the following. ‘Green Trump’, introduced from Holland, is a wonderful compact form suitable for smaller footprints. ‘Cree’, mentioned earlier, is more compact than the species and the foliage on ours does not curl even in the coldest temperatures in central Jersey. ‘Roseum’ has pink flower buds which open yellowish-white. While these are all “True Leatherleaf” varieties I would be remiss if I didn’t mention another popular viburnum which is readily available. Viburnum x pragense (Prague Viburnum) has, in part, the parentage of Leatherleaf but was crossed with V. utile (Service Viburnum). Quick growing with pink flower buds, Prague Viburnum was found in Prague during the 1950’s, the capital of what was once Czechoslovakia.

Native to China, Leatherleaf Viburnum is among some two hundred+ species. Viburnums provide year round interest with their flowers, fruit and fall color with the deciduous types. They are a food source for song birds in the winter and in general very easy to grow.