Tag Archives: Plants for Winter Interest

Delosperma nubigenum, Yellow Ice Plant

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Plant Name:  Delosperma nubigenum
Common name: Yellow Iceplant
Plant Type:  Evergreen Ground Cover Succulent
Plant Height:  1” – 3”
Plant Width:  24” – 30”
Bloom Time:  June – September
Flower Color:  Yellow
Exposure:  Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Average Soil; Good Drainage is Essential
Water Need:  Dry to Medium
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 1 – 10’+ from house.
Attributes: Showy Yellow Flowers, Winter Interest of Reddish Bronze Foliage; Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant; Attracts Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Uses:  Rock Gardens; Ground Cover; Containers; Front of the Border
Native to: South Africa
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 10

Report by Viki Ashford, AGC Member & Master Gardener

Photo from: Washington State University Clark County Extension http://www.pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=447

Horticulture Report: Elaeagnus pungens ‘Hosoba Fukurin’

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Plant Name: Elaeagnus pungens ‘Hosoba Fukurin’
Common name:  ‘Hosoba Fukurin’ Variegated Silverberry
Plant Type:  Evergreen Shrub
Plant Height:  5-6’
Plant Width: 5- 6’
Bloom Time:  Fall
Flower Color:  Tiny Fragrant Off-White flowers followed by red berries
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Well Drained Clay or Alkaline
Water Need:  Regular Water, but Dry in Summer.
Firewise: YES
Attributes: Drought Tolerant; Gray-Green Leaves with Yellow Margins; Red Berries Attract Wildlife, Winter Interest; Good Cut Stems for Flower Arranging; Strong Fragrance; Deer Resistant, Salt ann Wind Tolerant
Uses:  Screen; Hedge; Container Plant, Plant for dry shade areas, Wildlife Habitat  
Note:  Prune Late Fall After Flowering; Thorny Branches.
Native to:  Japan
Oregon Native:   NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  7 – 10

Report by: Viki Ashford, AG Member/Master Gardener and Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member

Photo: Forest Farm Nursery At Pacifica https://www.forestfarm.com/elaeagnus-pungens-hosoba-fukurin-elpu028

Clemson Variegated Silverberry

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Plant Name:  Elaeagnus pungens ‘Clemson Variegated’
Common name:  ‘Clemson Variegated’ Silverberry; Thorny Olive; Silver Thorn
Plant Type:  Evergreen Shrub
Plant Height:  6’ – 10’
Plant Width:  6’ – 10’
Bloom Time:  October – November
Flower Color:  White Flowers followed by Red Fruit
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Tolerates Wide Range of Soils with Good Drainage.
Water Need:  Regular
Firewise: Medium Flammability
Attributes: Deer Resistant; Fragrant, Showy Flowers; Attracts Songbirds & Bees; Drought Resistant; Winter Interest; Variegated Leaves of Green, Gold, Yellow
Uses:  Background Plant; Wind Break; Screen.
Note:  Thorns
Native to:  China & Japan
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  7 – 11

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member & Master Gardener

Photo from: Oregon State University Dept. of Horticulture https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/node/2132

Posted by: Carlotta Lucas

Oregon Native: Cornus sericea ( Red Twig Dogwood)

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Plant Name:  Cornus sericea
Common name:  Red Twig Dogwood
Plant Type:  Deciduous Shrub
Plant Height:  6’ – 9’
Plant Width:  8’ – 12’
Bloom Time:  May – June
Flower Color: White
Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Tolerates Clay Soil; Organically Rich, Fertile, Moist Soil.
Water Need: Medium to Wet
Attributes: Showy Flowers; Good Fall Color; Attracts/Hosts Birds/Butterflies; Winter Interest; Deer Resistant;
Larval Host to Spring Azure.
Firewise: Score 5, Plant 60 feet from structures
Uses: Hedge; Rain Garden; Shrub Border; Bird/Butterfly Gardens.
Note:  Suckering Roots; Remove 20-25% of oldest stems in spring to stimulate new, best color growth; Susceptible to Leaf & Twig Blight/Canker & Leaf Spot.
Native to:  North America
Oregon Native:  YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 8

Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas

Photo one by: Smith, R.W.

Crabapples Add Winter Interest

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Crabapples are an excellent choice for creating winter interest in a landscape and their small fruits are a desirable food source for birds. Crabapples have a reputation of being messy, but if you purchase trees with “persistent” fruit, then the fruits stays on the tree longer, making less of a mess on the ground and leaving more fruit on the tree for birds. Persistent fruits also provide longer winter interest with red, pink, orange or yellow fruits hanging on trees.

Crabapple blossoms come in white, light pink, deep pink and rose-colored, which attracts butterflies and bees in the spring.  Some varieties have fragrant flowers and some have purple foliage.  Crabapples come in various sizes to accommodate small, medium or large yards.  In this first posting I am listing three dwarf varieties for small spaces and ones with excellent to good disease resistance; there are many more. (*chart)

Hardiness Zones 4-8.  Sun Exposure:  Full Sun 6+ hours, Part Sun 4-6 hours, Full Shade up to 4 hours.  Note: Where fire blight is a concern, avoid spring pruning (when bacterium can enter fresh open cuts).

Dwarf Crabapples

Lollipop Crabapple:  10 ft H x 10 ft W; Neat formal compact dwarf tree with rounded head, fine texture with small leaves and dense growth habit and symmetrical form. Foliage: Green. Flowers: White with yellow stamens. Fruit: Bright red, 3/8-inch. Disease resistant ratings- Excellent: Mildew & Cedar Apple Rust. Good: Fire Blight & Scab.

Sargent Crabapple: 8 ft H x12ft W; Natural forming dwarf tree with horizontal spreading branches. Foliage: Dark Green. Flowers: Profuse ½-inch white fragrant flowers. Fruit: 1/4-inch Bright Red, Profuse, Persistent. Disease resistant ratings- Excellent: Mildew, Cedar Apple Rust, Fire Blight & Scab.

Pink Princess Crabapple: 8 ft h x 12 ft W; Natural dwarf tree with low spreading branches. Foliage: Purple turning to Bronze-Green. Flowers: Rose Pink. Fruit: Deep Red, ¼ -inch. Disease resistant ratings-Excellent: Cedar Apple Rust, Mildew, Fire Blight & Scab.

Article by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member

*Chart by: J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co https://www.jfschmidt.com/pdfs/JFS_CRAB_CHART.pdf

Dwarf Serviceberry

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Plant Name:  Amelanchier pumila
Common name:  Dwarf Serviceberry
Plant type:  Deciduous Shrub
Height:  3’ – 5’
Spread: 3’ – 5’
Bloom Time: March – April
Flower Color:  White
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Tolerant of Wide Range of Soils, but Moist.
Water Needs: Medium
Firewise: Medium Fire Resistance
Attributes:  Attracts Birds; Showy Flowers; Hosts Butterflies & Moths.
Note: Edible Fruit loved by Birds.
Uses: 4 Seasons of Interest; Hedge; Border; Rock Garden; Bird Garden.
Native to:  Western United States
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 8

Report by: Viki Ashford