Horticulture Report: Indian Hemp Dogbane

Posted on by

Native Firewise Plant-

Plant Name:  Apocynum cannabinum

Common name: Indian Hemp Dogbane

Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial

Height: 3’ – 7’

Spread:   1.5’ – 2.5’
Bloom Time:  July – August

Flower Color:  Cream/White
Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade

Soil Requirements: Moist Sandy to Gravelly

Water Needs: Low to Moderate

Attributes:  Pollinated by Bees, Bumblebees, Butterflies, Flies, Beetles, Wasps, & Moths; Flowers are Hermaphrodite; Supports Bats, Butterflies, Caterpillars; Drought Tolerant

Note: All parts of the plant are Poisonous; it Contains a milky latex which may cause Skin Blisters; Invasive via spreading roots;

Uses:  Rain Gardens; Woodland Gardens; Butterfly Garden; Native Plant Garden; Erosion Control

Native to: NE United States & Canada

Oregon Native: YES

USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member

Photo Credit: Thayne Tuason, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia

Horticulture Report: Antennaria microphylla

Posted on by

Native & Firewise Plant

<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antennaria_microphylla_(3997484407).jpg">Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons

Antennaria microphylla,           Little Leaf Pussytoes

Plant Name: Antennaria microphylla

Common name: Little Leaf Pussytoes

Plant type: Deciduous Perennial Herb

Height: 4” – 2’

Spread:   Low Growing, Tight Groundcover

Bloom Time:  April – August

Flower Color:  White/Pink

Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade

Soil Requirements: Loamy or Clay Soil

Water Needs: Moderate

Attributes:  Attracts Hummingbirds, Butterflies, Birds, Bees

Uses:  Groundcover; Low Borders; Rock Gardens

Native to: Midwest to West

Oregon Native: YES

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8

Photo Credit: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/lic

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member

Horticulture Report – Western columbine

Posted on by

Native & Firewise Plant

Plant Name:  Aquilegia formosa

Photo by: Walter Siegmund, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Common name: Western columbine
Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 2’ – 3’
Spread:   1’
Bloom Time:  Late Spring to August
Flower Color:  Red, Yellow
Exposure: Full Sun to Deep Shade
Soil Requirements: Good Drainage, Organic Material
Water Needs: Low to Moderate; irrigate once a month once established
Attributes:  Nectar in Flower Blooms are appealing to Hummingbirds;
Seed Heads provide Bird Food; Deer Resistant; Supports Bats, Birds, Butterflies, Caterpillars
Note:  Self-sows, but Deadheading controls spread
Uses:  Containers; Native Plant Gardens; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden
Firewise:  YES
Native to: Lower 48 state, Alaska, Canada
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 9

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member

Mapping Pollinator Corridors in Southern Oregon

Posted on by

From SOU News: “The Buzzway map helps visualize pollinator habitat connectivity – a vital element in helping native pollinators such as butterflies, bees and moths to navigate the urban landscape. The map also encourages people to create new gardens by showing areas with no certified pollinator habitat, and shares stories about how existing gardens were created.”

DIY: Seedling Mix

Posted on by

Seed starting mix is known as a soil-less mix , and unlike garden soil or potting soil, it is a sterile pathogen free growing mix. This is important because pathogens can kill seedlings while they are germinating, so growing seeds in a soil-less mixture increases their survival rate.  After your seeds have germinated and grown two true leaves, then they can be transplanted into containers filled with potting soil. 

DIY Seedling Mix recipe:

4 parts screened (mature) compost
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite
2 parts coir (coconut fiber)

 

Use hands, or trowel to mix until ingredients are well combined.

Wet the seedling mix only until you can form a loose ball (water should not be dripping from the mixture)

Fill pots, or trays, with seedling mix

Plant seeds to the depth shown on the seed packet, cover seeds with seedling mix, then use a spray bottle to gently water the seeds.

Label your pots or trays with seed variety.

Article and photos by Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member

Horticulture Report: Allium acuminatum

Posted on by

Plant Name: Allium acuminatum
Common Name:  Hooker’s onion
Plant type : Deciduous Perennial Herb
Height: 0’ – 2’
Spread: 0’ – 1’
Bloom Time: May – July
Flower Color: Purple, White, Pin
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Dry, well-drained; sandy/loamy
Water Needs: Occasional Summer Water
Attributes: Bulblets reproduce easily; strong onion smell; deer resistant; attracts pollinators: bats, butterflies, birds; nectar source for butterflies
Note: Flowers appear on long stalks after leaves have died; goes dormant in summer after going to seed
Uses: Rock Garden; Dry Open Meadows; Habitat Restoration; Green Roof
Native to:  Western United States
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone 5 – 9