Find Your Local Florist:Everything you want to know about flowers!
Blooming Plant
Ask the Expert: is this a weed?
Could you please tell me if this is a weed or not?
Thank you very much Emanuela
Flower Shop Network‘s Plant Expert Reply:
If it is what I think it is. – it is not a weed. I believe this is a Spirea japonica which is a clump-forming decidiuous shrub. Heading into and throughout summer it will be covered with pink flowers. Did this just pop up in your yard? They are usually propagated vegetaively or from suckers. How long has it been in your area.
Ask the Expert: Identification of this flowering shrub
A friend gave me this shrub, I did not realize that it blooms until last year. The first picture is the bloom, the second is of two buds, and the third is another bloom. I have not found anyone around that can identify this plant. The leaves are a velvety grayish green color on the underside, it is a woody type shrub. Can you help me? Kelly
Plant Expert Reply:
I believe the plant is a Feijoa sellowiana – Acca sellowiana (Pineapple Guava). It is an evergreen shrub that produces an edible fruit after 3 to 5 years. The kiwi size fruit tastes like a cross between a pineapple and guava with a hint of mint. The sweet edible flowers appear May through June. Temperatures from 20 to 50 degrees stimulate flower production. They need full sun and usually prefer a zone 8 or above if planted outside.
This flower identification question was brought to you by the local florists in Boca Raton
Ask The Expert: Im trying to figure out what would be the best plants to plant outside in March to beautify my community. Kimberly Columbia, SC
Plant Expert Reply:
Are you looking for shrubs or flowers? South Carolina is a zone 7-8. So, you would need plants that are zone 7 hardy. The issue is March may not be the best time to plants shrubs in your area. Another issue to consider is the location you are wanting to beautify.
If you simply want to beautify an entrance to your home or an office building, I suggest using decorative pots filled with annual flowers. This option gives you color, as well as an opportunity to change your colors seasonally. For March, I suggest the following flowers: pansies, snapdragons, wave petunia, lisanthus, dianthus, delphinium, diascia, stock, alyssum, bacopa, bellis, primula, violas. My personal preference is a pot with snapdragons and wave petunias. To find your best option drop into your local nursery or garden center and discuss the flowers available in your area.
The same goes for shrubs. To find the right shrubs for your area, you have to consider many factors: space requirements, soil needs, maintenance, whether a commercial or residential application and the need for year-round interest. I personally like a mixture of evergreen, blooming and deciduous plants.
Nandinas are one of my favorite shrubs in early spring. Although, I prefer the dwarf nandinas — either a harbour belle or a gulf stream variety. Nandinas have a reddish foliage in the cold months and a green foliage in the warm months. So, this plant could add a lot of interest to your area in March. I also favor boxwoods and cleyera japonica as foundation plants. If you have room for a tree and you want early spring blooming try a saucer magnolia or a star magnolia.
The best suggestion I can give you on want to plant is to take a photo and measurements of the area and take it to your local garden center and nursery. This way they can help you design your area and show your the plant options available in your area.
Good luck and let me know how it turns out.
Ask the Expert: Please help me identify this flower/shrub Mandevilla
I would really love to know what sort of bush this is… if you could, I would be very grateful. Brooke
Plant Expert Reply:
What you have is a vining shrub called mandevilla. It once went by the name Dipladenia splendens but the correct name is Mandevilla x amoena. At my husband’s garden center, we sell a cultivar called Alice du Pont. The plants are hardy in zones 9-11 and live year round. In zone 8 they die back in the winter and came back from the roots in the spring. In all other zones it is treated as an annual.
It loves full sun. Although a little mid-day shade is appreciated. They like plenty of moisture but it must have well-drained soil.
Ask the Expert:variegated weigela
Hi. I’m a new home owner and I have a ton of plants that I don’t know how to care for. My dad insisted that I have this perfect yard and got a friend of his, who owns a garden store and greenhouse, to plan my yard. now my dad and his friend do these drive bys to spy on my house while i’m at work to see how the plants are doing. I was given no instruction on how to care for any of these plants and I made a terrible mistake during the first week. I couldn’t figure out how to get my sprinklers to work and I didn’t water my plants for the first week. Now, I’ve figured out how to get the water to work and I’ve been watering almost every day to make up for lost time. My mom had roses, so I think my fairy roses are recovering and my trees are recovering nicely. but I have two plants that i’m not too sure about. The first is I believe it’s a kind of astilbe. they were blooming for a while and I thought they were going to be okay, but i’m not so sure now. In some places, they look like they’re getting some new additions to the plant, but the original part of the plant the flowering part looks dry. Should I trim that part? Will it grow another flower next season? or did I mess everything up? The other plant was one from the previous owner of the house. I looked it up and I think it’s a weigela. The leaf is dark green with a light green border and earlier this spring the bush had beautiful pink flowers all along it’s branches. The branches are long and tall and spread out. But as you go inside the bush, it’s all sticks. And the bush is starting to get too tall and it’s getting too close to the driveway. By now the flowers are all gone, is it safe to trim now? And if I trim it back and down will the sticks in the middle of the bush start blooming? Or will that basically kill the plant off? please help. I have no idea what I’m doing. Thank you! Sarina
Weigela
Blooming Astilbe
Astilbe
Plant Expert Reply:
Landscaping should be an enjoyable process, so take a deep breath and relax. On the average most plants are fairly easy to care for. However, watering is the biggest challenge for most people. Depending on the area you live in watering every day is not necessary. A good slow soaking of the ground twice a week during the hot season should be enough.
Plants in the picture seems to be in good health. It is hard to tell from the picture but the Astilbe you labeled bad may have a weed growing in it. However, the plant looks healthy may need a little less water. Astilbe blooms last for a short period and then the bloom will wither and fade a way. It won’t bloom again until next year. Trim spent bloom stems from the plant and any other brown foliage. Be sure to keep the asilbe evenly moist but not soggy. As long as the new leaves look healthy your plant is ok.
The weigela looks very healthy. You can trim it back severely to get it back under control. As a rule of thumb anything can be cut right after it blooms. However, I would not cut the plant back so severely that it doesn’t have any leaves. Once you cut the weigela back and open the center to sunlight, you should start to see some growth in the bare areas. I have been able to get mine to bloom again after I trim it.
The best way to care for your plants is to get a little help from an expert. As a someone who has a garden center, I can tell you that plant people love to share their knowledge. So invite your dad and his friend to the house for supper. After dinner stroll around your house with a notebook and ask your dad’s friend to tell you a little about each plant and how to care for it.
Above all remember successful gardening is all about trial and error. Have fun with your landscape. I’m here anytime you need help.
Polyantha or Rugosa Rose
Ask the Expert: What is this BEAUTIFUL hot pink shrub??
My friend’s neighbor has this outrageous flowering shrub. I’ve never seen one like it. It’s not an azalea. The flowers are big the leaves are dark. Patty
Reply:
I believe what you have is a either a polyantha or rugosa rose. When most people think of roses, the hybrid tea that is often used in floral arrangements is the one that comes to mind. However the rose family is very large and has members that come in all shapes and sizes. The ployantha and the rugosa roses are closley related to the old wild roses and are used as blooming shrubs in landscapes.
Variegata Weigela
Ask the Expert: Can you help identify this plant
We bought this plant last year and did not keep the tag and can’t remember what it was. It has bloomed so beautifully this year and are hoping to find out what it is so we can purchase more like it. Can you please help us identify the plant? I has been in bloom for about a week now.
Thank you! Cheryl
Reply:
You have a variegated weigela which is a shrub that attracts hummingbirds.
Ask the Expert: My husband bought me an azalea plant that looks like a tree.So anyways it has lost all the flowers and leafs.I live an an apartment and have no were to plant it.I just wanted to know why it has lost all flowers and leafs.I keep it moist and in a great place ? Can you please help me.He paid lots of money for it and I love it.
Thank you Denise.
Is this normal,and will it come back.I still water it.
