A new tree or shrub is an investment for the future. When we pick an ornamental plant, we have the hope that it will survive for many years and offer seasons of beauty that enhance our landscape. Time is often spent picking a suitable spot, ... READ MORE
Category: HorticulturePlants have specific ways of telling gardeners that there is a problem, but not all plant symptoms lead us directly to the cause. During drier conditions, we often use wilting leaves as an indicator that water is needed. This can be a reliable ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureIn the spring and summer, no one notices the little green shrub hidden among wax myrtle and marsh elder at the edge of the salt marsh. However, if I'm leading a group of students or a Master Naturalist class through the same area in the fall, ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureHomeowners and horticulture professionals spend time to develop an attractive ornamental bed only to have weeds take over months or a few years later. One common method in the attempt to prevent weeds is to apply a landscape fabric around plants ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureGardeners love to share plants. My yard, like many of my gardener friends, is filled with plant gifts that were started from a cutting or division of a favorite plant. These two methods of growing new plants is fairly easy once you learn the ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureMagnolias are well known plants to gardeners and many are familiar with the foliage and flowers of these plants. If you are looking for another earlier bloomer, you may want to consider adding a specimen selection to your landscape, the Star ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureInformation on gardening practices is freely shared between gardeners and many times the good advice is helpful in plant selection and improving plant growth. There are some passed along practices that are not always suitable for every situation ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureA visit to a nursery and homeowners will see so many new selections of plants for the landscape. Some of these plants are new plant developments and may include plants we could not previously grow in Florida’s heat and humidity. One new plant ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureOne of the most commonly used shrubs in landscapes is the Indian hawthorn, Rhapheolepsis indica. Although not native to Florida, it can be a very attractive shrub when used properly in landscapes. Plants offer spring flowers in pinks and whites ... READ MORE
Category: HorticultureAlthough we are not able to grow edible cherry trees in more southern climates, there are a few ornamental relatives of the cherry that are worth adding to the landscape. The Bush cherry, Prunus jacquemontii, is an attractive deciduous shrub ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture