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Landscaping

Gardening with Variegated Plants: Pros and Cons

April 30, 2020

Do you love trying new plants to add a little extra “zing” to your garden? If so, you’ve probably bought or lusted after a plant or two with variegated leaves or flowers. Variegation means that leaves have white, yellow, or other colors in addition to green, or flowers that have multiple colors rather than solid color petals. The variations may be regular bands, edges, patterns, or wild splotches. Although you can find annuals, houseplants, perennials, shrubs, trees, and even herb and vegetable plants with variegation, they are the exception, not the rule. Growing these unusual plants comes with both risks and benefits!

What causes variegation?
Variegation occurs for many reasons.
• It comes naturally. Where variegation has evolved over generations of plants, the plants’ seeds produce new plants with the same characteristics. This pattern variegation may occur in flowers or leaves.

Dragon’s Eye Pine (Pinus densiflora ‘Oculus-Draconis’) with variegated needles (leaves)

• It spontaneously occurs as a “sport” or chimera. Plant can spontaneously produce sections that have cells with two distinct genetic characteristics through mutations. You may spot a branch on a plant you are growing that looks different from the rest of a plant: while most leaves are solid green, one section has white patterns. In this case, if growers want to propagate new plants with this variegation, they must do so vegetatively—from a portion of the parent plant—rather than from seed. The houseplant golden pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum) is easily propagated from cuttings. ‘Night Sky’ petunias are propagated through tissue culture to produce plants that have purple flowers with white splotches—but these patterns vary with temperature (see “For more info below”).

Golden Pothos

 

‘Night Sky’ Petunia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• It is a symptom of a viral disease. Many variegated plants produce their color variations because of viruses. The most famous example is early generations of tulips that displayed color breaks when infected with tulip breaking virus—as you might expect these tulips eventually declined and contemporary tulips with these distinctive markings are genetic variations, rather than diseased bulbs. Similarly, many variegated Hosta varieties were found to be the result of Hosta virus X and their introduction led to an HVX epidemic and subsequent virus testing of new varieties to try to contain its spread. However, some Camellia varieties with multicolored flowers are plants bred with Camellia yellow mottle virus, and some brightly colored Canna varieties are selections of plants with Canna yellow mottle virus.

Camellia

 

 

 

 

 

‘Bengal Tiger’ Canna

Pros of variegation
The primary advantage of variegation to gardeners is the plant’s distinctive appearance. These plants can serve as important focal points in your landscape design.

Lavender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Variegated Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’)

From the plants’ perspective, variegation may protect plants from herbivores in a variety of ways (Lev-Yadun, 2015). Other researchers are investigating if white patches on variegated plants might facilitate photosynthesis (the process plants use to process sunlight into glucose) when temperatures are low, helping them survive lower temperatures than solid green plants.

Cons of variegation
Some people just don’t like variegated plants and gardeners certainly risk having garish landscapes if they overuse them! Linda Chalker-Scott, Extension Urban Horticulturist, describes variegated plants as “tarted-up” and notes they often looking “environmentally stressed and/or diseased.”
• Weaker growth/Failure to thrive. In fact, some variegated plants don’t do as well as their unvariegated counterparts. Because variegated leaf sections don’t have the chlorophyll of green sections, photosynthesis is typically less efficient, and many variegated plants show weaker growth. Similarly, variegated plants that carry viruses may decline because of the viral infection or even pass the disease on to related plants in your landscape.
• Reversion. Another problem is variegated plants that are “sports” or chimeras may revert to solid green—if you see such new growth, remove it immediately!
• Propagation issues. Unless you know the source of variegation in your plants, you may have difficulty producing more plants—especially from seed. Also, many variegated plants are patented and cannot be propagated for resale without permission.

Article by Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers

For more information:

Variegation:https://irrecenvhort.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-prop-glossary/03-genetic-selection/22-genetic-variegation.html

Lev-Yadun, Simcha (2015). The Proposed Anti-Herbivory Roles of White Leaf Variegation. In U. Lu ̈ttge, W. Beyschlag (eds.), Progress in Botany, Springer International.https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simcha_Lev-Yadun/publication/300009810_The_Proposed_Anti-herbivory_Roles_of_White_Leaf_Variegation/links/592b28ad0f7e9b9979a95996/The-Proposed-Anti-herbivory-Roles-of-White-Leaf-Variegation.pdf

Viruses and ornamental plants:https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PDIS-11-11-0928-FE

Night sky petunias:https://www.zmescience.com/science/night-sky-petunias-03042019/

Linda Chalker-Scott:http://gardenprofessors.com/tricky-tricolor-leaf/

Why plants lose their variegation:http://gardenprofessors.com/why-doesnt-my-plant-look-like-it-did-last-year/

 

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Categories General Gardening, Landscaping Tags cultivar, flowers, landscape planning, propagation, Variegated plants

Landscaping Ideas: Be Firewise!

August 29, 2019

Do you live in a home or community that is tucked into the woods?  You could be at risk from wildland fires! Fortunately, taking proactive measures now can minimize the chances that your home will burn. 

Wildland Fire
Wildland Fire Can Threaten you

The National Fire Protection Association developed the Firewise USA © program, in conjunction with universities, Federal, and local agencies to assist homeowners and communities in increasing awareness of the danger from wildland fires.

We all have a role to play—start by thinking about firewise landscaping for your home and community!

Your home: Home Ignition Zones (HIZ)

In the late 1990s, following breakthrough experimental research into how radiant heat ignites homes, retired USDA Forest Service fire scientist Jack Cohen developed the concept of three zones that affect whether or not a wildfire will ignite your home.

Home Ignition Zones

Immediate zone: the area up to five feet from the furthest attached exterior point of the home. This zone is the most vulnerable to embers from surrounding wildfire and requires immediate action. To minimize the chances of a wildland fire threatening your home, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in its “Preparing Homes for Wildfire” brochure (link below), recommends taking the following steps:

  • Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers.
  • Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration.
  • Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8-inch metal mesh screening.
  • Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers.
  • Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows. Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.
  • Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors, such as mulch, flammable plants, leaves, and firewood piles, basically anything that can burn.
  • Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches. 

Intermediate zone: the area 5 to 30 feet from the furthest exterior point of the home. Landscaping and hardscaping in this zone can help decrease wildfire risk as it moves toward your home. The NFPA brochure includes the following:

  • Clear vegetation from under large stationary propane tanks.
  • Create fuel breaks with driveways, walkways/paths, patios, and decks.
  • Keep lawns and native grasses mowed to a height of four inches.
  • Remove ladder fuels (vegetation under trees) so a surface fire cannot reach the crowns. 
  • Prune trees up to six to ten feet from the ground; for shorter trees do not exceed 1/3 of the overall tree height.
  • Space trees to have a minimum of eighteen feet between crowns with the distance increasing with the percentage of slope.
  • Tree placement should be planned to ensure the mature canopy is no closer than ten feet to the edge of the structure.
  • Tree and shrubs in this zone should be limited to small clusters of a few each to break up the continuity of the vegetation across the landscape.

Extended zone: in the area from 30 up to 200 feet away from your home you can interrupt a wildfire’s path, keep flames smaller, and on the ground. In this zone, the NFPA suggests:

  • Dispose of heavy accumulations of ground litter/debris.
  • Remove dead plant and tree material.
  • Remove small conifers growing between mature trees.
  • Remove vegetation adjacent to storage sheds or other outbuildings within this area.
  • Trees 30 to 60 feet from the home should have at least 12 feet between canopy tops
  • Trees 60 to 100 feet from the home should have at least 6 feet between the canopy tops.

Your landscape choices:

You may notice that these firewise guidelines are all about removing things from your landscape! Fortunately, there is also good information about how to select, place, and maintain plants to make your yard more firewise—see “Firewise Landscaping in North Carolina” link.

Your community:

The Firewise USA © program offers help in making your community firewise (see link below), and has already designated these Buncombe County communities as “Firewise”:

  • Bear Track-Rock Creek Hills POA, Black Mountain
  • The Settings of Black Mountain, Black Mountain
  • Summerhaven, Swannanoa

Take action now to have yours added to the list!

Original Article by Glenn Palmer Buncombe County Extension Master GardenerSM Emeritus

Updated by Bob Wardwell Buncombe County Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

For more information:

Firewise USA:  https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Firewise-USA

“Preparing homes for wildfire” brochure:

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire

How to become a “Firewise” community:

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Firewise-USA/Become-a-Firewise-USA-site

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Categories Firewise Landscaping Tags firewise, firewise landscapes, landscape planning

Wildflowers Part IV: Using Wildflowers in Your Garden

March 18, 2019

Including wildflowers in the home garden adds beauty, brings surprise, attracts pollinators, and creates a natural looking, informal landscape. If you select a location to match their natural growing conditions— sun/shade, wet/dry, open area/woodland, and elevation—wildflowers easily co-exist with typical garden plantings and require little maintenance.

Wildflower Garden

Where to get wildflowers
Start wildflowers from purchased seeds, or divisions, stem or root cuttings from friends. It is often illegal to dig wildflowers from the wild because of concerns about depleting natural populations! Purchase plants only from reputable nurseries that do not collect stock from the wild and label their plants “100% nursery propagated.”

Choosing wildflowers for your garden
Some wildflowers are fairly easy to establish. These include showy perennials such as:

Tickseed Sunflower (Coreopsis)

 

Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristada)
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

Many of these are available at local and mail-order nurseries, but not all species will be native to our area and many will be hybridized, or cultivars selected because they are unusual or showier.

If you enjoy including self-seeding plants in your garden, some shorter-lived Coreopsis and Rudbeckia species, as well as columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), blazing star (Liatris spicate), cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis), and bird’s foot violet (Viola pedata) will persist and often spread in your garden through reseeding.

Low-growing wildflowers can make attractive groundcovers, too. Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) has tiny white flowers followed by bright red berries that stand out against evergreen leaves.

Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens)

Other wildflowers, like lady slipper orchids, are much more difficult to propagate and/or transplant and are best admired in their natural habitats!

Article written by Beth Leonard, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer.

Learn more

Mellichamp, Larry (2014). Native Plants of the Southeast: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 460 Species for the Garden. Timber Press.

 Search the Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener website for these wildflowers highlighted in earlier blogs:

  • Bee balm
  • Butterfly weed
  • Columbine
  • Coreopsis
  • Dwarf crested iris
  • Echinacea
  • Goldenrod
  • Joe Pye weed
  • Rudbeckia
  • Solomon’s seal

If you’re interested in encouraging wildlife in your garden: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/landscaping-for-wildlife-with-native-plants

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Categories Landscape Design, Wildflowers Tags bee balm, Coral Bells, coreopsis, dwarf crested iris, heuchera, Monarda, native plants, Phlox, Tickseed sunflower, Wildlflowers

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