by Josh Coceano | Feb 25, 2015 | Plant of the Month
Have you ever passed judgment on a plant based on a name association? Snubbed a Prunus for instance because it reminds of you of Bradford pears? Dismissed every Ilex because most are prickly? I did such a thing with Croton alabamensis. Many are familiar with croton...
by Josh Coceano | Feb 19, 2015 | Plant of the Week
Corylus fargesii needs more praise! Farges hazelnut attributes include peeling creamy salmon-brown bark (think river birch bark), serrated green leaves transitioning to yellow autumn color, and resistance to eastern filbert blight. Several nurseries have high hopes...
by Josh Coceano | Jan 28, 2015 | Plant of the Week
The dinner-plate-sized inflorescence of Hydrangea arborescens ‘Haas’ Halo’ is particularly appealing with a fresh dusting of snow. The magnitude of each bloom, often up to 14” across, never fails to capture attention. Sturdy stems keep the flowers upright and large...
by Josh Coceano | Jan 15, 2015 | Garden Plants, Plant of the Week
Pinus heldreichii anchors a corner planting around the Sproul Observatory building. Bosnian pine is native to dry limestone soils in mountain areas of the Balkans, Italy, and Greece where it grows to 60’ to 90′ tall. In cultivation the pine typically grows to...
by Josh Coceano | Dec 16, 2014 | Plant of the Week
Betula costata, the Korean birch, is considered by some to be the most attractive of all the birches. Young trees produce voluminous amounts of peeling bark. Trunks become more smooth and creamy white with age. Photo credit: J. Coceano Garden location: Southwest...
