Hort Shorts

Rachised Over The Coals

  Yesterday, I did a profile (https://bygl.osu.edu/node/924) of the lovely shining or winged sumac (Rhus copallinum) that include the following statement: “The wings on the stems are cool. BYGL-alert readers were true to their calling. Alarum Alarum, Alert Alert. Within minutes, John Swintosky of Louisville and Fred Robinson of northeast Ohionproperly and politely responded with corrections.

 

  John Swintosky e-mailed: The "winged stem" noted is better called winged rachis,...

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Authors
Jim Chatfield

Shining Sumac: A Shrub For Any Week

  Earlier this week, I visited Charles Tubesing, Plant Collections Curator of Holden Arboretum along with Joe Cochran, Director of Secrest Arboretum. Much more on that later, but for now I simply must push out a Shrub of Any Week shout-out for a native sumac: shining or winged sumac, Rhus copallinum (this specific epithet, instead of copallina seems to be preferred).

 

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Authors
Jim Chatfield

Perennial Plant of the Week - Leopard Plant

Do you have a shade garden? Are you looking for a fall blooming yellow flower with large leaves? Leopard plant (Ligularia dentata 'Othello') might be just the plant to consider. This herbaceous perennial is best grown in a humusy soil that is rich in organic matter. It preference is a medium to wet site that is in part shade to full shade. It is imperative that the site never fully dries out. Because of the need for moisture, this plant will benefit from a regular, deep watering during the summer, especially when temperature are high and Mother-Nature hasn't...

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Authors
Amy Stone

Woody Plant of the Week - Seven-Sons Flower

A recent walk through the Toledo Botanical Garden in Toledo, Ohio was simply enjoyable. Hints of fall colors and noticeable fruits were scattered throughout and were enjoyed by all. It was on the final leg of the walk, when the group turned the corner and white flowers immediately caught our attention. The blooms of the seven-sons flower (Heptacodium miconioides) were in their glory. It was the flowers that drew us in, but it was the pollinator activity that kept us watching. The insect activity was amazing.

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Authors
Amy Stone

Emerald Ash Borer University - Fall 2017

Interested in an emerald ash borer (EAB) update this fall? The fall-semester schedule of online EAB University classes have been scheduled. Classes can be viewed during an interactive live-session (see schedule times below), or viewed afterwards as a recorded session on the EABU YouTube Channel. In addition to EAB, there will be a session on Thousand Cankers Disease too! 

 

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Authors
Amy Stone

Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative - Annual Milkweed Pod Collection

Due to the drastic decline in monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations, the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI) and local Soil & Water Conservation Districts are again seeking public involvement to collect common (Asclepias syriaca) and swamp (Asclepias incarnata) milkweed seed pods from established plants September 1 through October 30, 2017. This is the second year they will be collecting seed pods.

 

The seeds will be used to establish new plantings and additional habitat for the monarch butterfly throughout the buckeye state...

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Authors
Amy Stone

Pawpaws and Amphbians: Out My Back Door

  I stepped out my back door on a balmy late summer Sunday, my, oh, my, what oh what did I see? No “giant doing cartwheels”, no “statue wearin' high heels”, no “tambourines and elephants playin’ in the band”, but yes a few “happy creatures dancing on the lawn”. “Doo, doo, doo”, what to see, “lookin’ out my back door?”

 

  1). Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) – see above image. Only last week I purchased and planted a new pawpaw seedling from Secrest Arboretum. I needed to since, even though our pawpaw tree bloomed for the past several years, and especially well this year,...

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Authors
Jim Chatfield

Coneflower Cleanup

Coneflowers have long been one my favorites in landscapes and naturalized areas because of their attractiveness to pollinators of all sorts. Of course, this is the time of the season when we may walk away from them as they start looking pretty rough. However, we should continue to focus our attention on detecting and managing two serious problems that will only get worse next season
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Authors
Joe Boggs