A Primer on How to Select your Japanese Maple Tree

A Primer on How to Select your Japanese Maple Tree

It's progressing in the year, and some parts of the country are already in a Japanese Maple planting weather, while others have a while to wait. Remember you want to plant dormant trees as early as your weather permits, to allow them the opportunity to put out root growth before the top growth begins to grow and uses up the majority of the tree's energy. Many of you don't know this, but as soon as the soil temperature reaches 42F, roots begin to grow! So you won't see any activity taking place at the trees above ground branches, but that doesn't mean the tree is till completely dormant!
I'll be posting more and more articles on Japanese Maples here since they are among my top 3 favorite trees. I know we don't all think alike, but this is such a beautiful and can become such a valuable addition to your landscape, that I'm moving it to the top for now.
I invite your questions here and would love to open up a nice dialogue on Japanese Maples and their culture.
So for starters, here is part of an article taken from the Leaves and Petals business Facebook page. Our goal is to get the information on to you!

Selecting the proper Japanese maple Tree for your garden or landscape depends on 5 factors: hardiness, location sun or shade, mature size, type lace leaf or palmatum and preferred leaf color.

Tip 1) Choose a variety that is rated to be cold hardy in your zone. If you are planting it in a pot or container above ground choose a variety that is at least two cold zones hardier than your zone. to learn more about Japanese maple cold hardiness click here

Tip 2) Determine how large you can allow your tree to grow. With a little pruning once or twice a year Japanese Maples are very easy to maintain a specific size. But if you prefer to not prune, you will want to choose a variety that will naturally only grow to the size that will work in the allotted space both height and width.

Tip 3) Where are going to plant it, sun or shade? Most Japanese Maples prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. Planting on the east side of a fence or building provides the best environment for Japanese Maples. Avoid all day full sun locations especially in southern states. Japanese Maples can live in that environment, but usually leaf scorch will occur when temperatures rise above 90 degrees and the sun is shining directly on them.

Tip 4) Japanese Maples generally come in 2 types:
Dissectum (aka weeping or lace leaf) or Palmatum (aka upright or standard).
Most common to the trade are the lace leaf types, most have red or purple leaves with a few green leafed varieties. I'm not aware of any variegated lace leaf varieties.

Palmatum types are about 60% red or purple leafed, 30% green leafed and 10% other (variegated, gold, multi-colored) . Most lace leaf types are weeping varieties, (have you seen the new 'Hana Matoi'? A 'to-die' for tree!) although a few upright lace leafs do exist. Inaba Shidare is a good upright red lace leaf and Seiryu is a good green upright variety.

One of the most important factors when considering which type to grow is sun exposure. The lace leaf types typically cannot tolerate as much direct sun and wind as palmatum types. The leaves are much more delicate do to the thickness of the leaf and the width of the leaf lobes. Planting a lace leaf Japanese Maple in full sun is not advised and another selection should be considered.

The upright red type varieties that are well known for their ability to tolerate sunnier locations are Bloodgood and Emperor 1.
Osakazuki and Omure yama are good green uprights with great fall color. Red Select and Ever Red are said to be the more tolerant to direct sun and Virdis and Green Mist are good green varieties for sunnier locations. Please keep in mind the mentioned varieties are more tolerant of sunnier locations, but still may show burning on the leaf edges.

Tip 5) What leaf color do you prefer? red, green or variegated. In general, Green leafed varieties can tolerate sunnier and hotter exposure than red leafed or variegated varieties. Green leafed varieties grow faster and larger. Variegated varieties prefer shady locations.

Keep on the lookout for more information on these beautiful trees! I'll do my best to have everything you need to know about Japanese Maples (as a beginner) before we get too drenched in the season. Happy Gardening!

Functional Uses of Plants in the Landscape

Functional Uses of Plants in the Landscape

Considering the functional use of plants is a new approach to solving landscape problems. Traditionally, plants have been used for beautification due to their aesthetic qualities. The expression "functional use of plants" helps to explain that plants can perform other functions in the landscape and still beautify.

Plants have horticultural characteristics such as height and spread, branching habit, flowers, fruit, and foliage; they have design qualities such as form, color, texture, and mass; and they have cultural requirements for growth in the landscape. More recently, the functional characteristics of plants have been recognized.

Figure 1. Groups of plants may be used architecturally to form walls, canopies or floors.

Plants can be used functionally to solve some of the environmental problems the homeowner may have on the property. This may include the need for privacy, protection from glare or direct sunlight into windows, or shade on a patio. A thick row of high shrubs bordering a road can reduce noise and prevent litter from entering a yard, or perhaps screen an unpleasant view such as a shopping center or row of buildings.

The contemporary approach to planning a residential landscape incorporates a design process. In the process, the needs and goals of the owner and conditions of the building site are identified. An analysis of these goals and conditions reveals needs and suggests a program for enhancement of the landscape. It must be realized that not all landscape problems can be solved with plant materials alone; pavements and structures are equally important. Fences and walls are as functional and provide as much privacy as woody plants--and they may require less maintenance.

Figure 2. Plants can be used to screen the hot summer sun while allowing sunlight through bare branches in winter for a type of climate control.

Architectural Uses of Plants

Plants can be used to form walls, canopies, or floors by taking advantage of their different growth habits and foliage characteristics. A stand of trees or shrubs can create walls to filter or block views, or a canopy of tree branches can provide a sense of shelter. Ground cover planting with uniform foliage and textural characteristics can present the feeling of an architectural floor. Plants can also define a boundary (Fig. 1).

Engineering Uses of Plants

Trees can stop or diffuse light before it reaches the ground. Engineering functions of plants include using them to screen or soften the sun's glare on the water or smooth shiny surfaces (Fig. 2), or to block car lights or street lights (Fig. 3).

An edging of ground cover plants along an entranceway or at corners of a walk helps direct attention and movement of people. Traffic movement along walks and drives can be controlled with shrubs or trees (Fig. 4).

Figure 3. This engineering with plant design reduces light glare.

Plants can add, absorb and deflect sound by the presence and movement of their foliage and branches. Plants are particularly useful in noise control when joined with landforms. Plants can remove and trap pollutants from the air as well as introduce fragrance or odors from flowers or foliage, such as the spicy scented leaves of the bayberry.

Figure. 4. This design, employing plants and pavements, emphasizes a functional and important entry approach by directing traffic to the main entry.

Climate Control Uses of Plants

For climate control, deciduous shade trees might be used to screen the hot summer sun or in winter permit the solar radiation to penetrate to the ground, or to the walls and windows of a building. Large shrubs can serve as windbreaks to reduce wind velocities. Changes in solar radiation or light levels are also possible with shading.

Aesthetic Uses of Plants

The aesthetic functions of plants are the easiest to understand. Plants traditionally have been used for beautification; unfortunately, most people think this is the only reason to landscape with plants.

Aesthetically, plants can become a piece of living sculpture. When placed against a plain wall or fence, they create an interesting shadow pattern of branches and leaves. Plants can be used as background for other plantings, or arranged to provide visual coherence to unrelated objects or structures. They provide suitable environments for birds and other wildlife, too (Fig. 5).

Plants may be used for diverse purposes in the modern landscape. Rarely should plants be simply ornamental; rather, they should serve multiple roles, making the modern landscape both attractive and functional.

Figure 5. Plants can form a living sculpture on their own, or help soften surrounding architecture.

T. Davis Sydnor

Dried Persimmons - A heavenly taste!

Drying hachiyas.

CAUTION: DRIED PERSIMMONS ARE ADDICTIVE TO THE TASTE BUDS. ONCE YOU TRY ONE YOU'LL BE HOOKED!

Hoshigaki are tender, succulent, and moist. These are Hachiya (acorn-shaped) persimmons dried the traditional Japanese way—in the sun, with nary a preservative in sight. The taste is intense—concentrated persimmon flavor with honeyed overtones and perhaps the barest hint of cinnamon—but it's definitely the texture that gets to me. Hoshigaki have chewy, almost jelly-like insides that I distinctly remember my mom trying to con me of when I was a kid ("Sweetie, those dried-up persimmons don't look very good, why don't you have these yummy grapes instead?").
Hoshigaki are made by peeling fresh Hachiya persimmons, then hanging them up to dry in "a spot that gets some sun and some wind." Crucially, the drying persimmons are never allowed to touch each other—mold is the enemy, and any spot where air may not circulate is a potential enemy safe haven. The persimmons are also gently massaged by hand once every few days to break up the insides, smooth the outsides (wrinkles trap moisture and allow mold to grow), and to encourage the fruit's sugars to migrate to the surface in a "delicate white bloom."

Japanese Hoshigaki. "Hoshi" means "dried" and "gaki" comes from "kaki," meaning persimmon,

Made with plenty of tender, loving care (hand massages every few days!), only a very small amount of hoshigaki make it onto the market, and these tend to be snapped up immediately. I love hoshigaki and would eat them every day if I could get my greedy paws on them. Unfortunately, hoshigaki can cost up to $35 a pound (approximately $4 apiece). So, short of making my own (an endeavor doomed to failure due to my lack of patience), I've had to look elsewhere for my fix.

Almost ready for eating

So here's what to look for: similar to any other dried fruit—apricots or raisins, for instance—if they look shriveled up, they'll taste shriveled up. In Korean or Chinese groceries, dried persimmons are usually cling-wrapped on styrofoam beds. I know it's poor manners to prod at produce, but I'm not saying prod so hard that you leave a bruise on the fruit. I'm saying touch the persimmons with the barest of pressure and you'll know immediately if they're plump and squishy on the insides. And if you feel really bad about molesting your produce, rest assured that after you've had some practice, you won't even need to touch them—a quick glance will give you your answer.

This is where the Korean "gotgam" or Chinese "shibing" come in. Made by drying Fuyu (orb-shaped) persimmons, the main difference between these and hoshigaki lies in the processing technique. The Koreans and Chinese do not massage the drying fruit. The persimmons are also laid on baskets to dry instead of being suspended in the air—hence the "squished" disc shape, as opposed to the hoshigaki's drooping tear-drop shape. This difference in technique means that instead of the $4 apiece that you would have to shell out for hoshigaki, gotgams or shibings will run you maybe 40 cents each.

And here's the crux: Having tasted both, I don't actually think hoshigaki and gotgam/shibing fall on polar opposites of the deliciousness scale. Don't get me wrong—I respect the hard work and dedication of the farmers and artisans that make hoshigaki. I think $4 apiece is a fair price for all the time and labor that goes into its making. But for those of us who might not be able to justify spending that much money on a single piece of fruit, or who would simply love to indulge in it more frequently, I have found that if you're careful and know what to look for, you can find gotgam/shibing every bit as divine.

Plump, dried Fuyus. The Koreans call dried persimmons "gotgam" while the Chinese call them "shibing."

Slow Food USA has placed hoshigaki in its Ark of Taste, "a catalog of almost 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction." So please, if you're able to afford hoshigaki, buy hoshigaki! It would be a shame to let this centuries-old tradition die out. At the same time, my motto is: just because my budget is unlikely to accommodate Beluga caviar, doesn't mean I should dismiss salmon roe. I've had better luck at finding quality gotgams here in the States than I have been at finding quality shibing, so I stick to sourcing my dried persimmons at Korean groceries.

Dried persimmons are fantastic on their own, perhaps accompanied with a steaming cup of green tea. They're also an interesting addition to the cheeseboard and work very well chopped up in scones and almond biscotti. Oh, and when simmered with fresh ginger and cinnamon, they make a bracing Korean digestif called Sujeonggwa, recipe here.

About the author: Wan Yan Ling can usually be found in the kitchen procrastinating on "real work" or online tracking down obscure recipes. Ling thinks eating alone is no fun, and she still believes in hand-mixing.

Japanese Hoshigaki. "Hoshi" means "dried" and "gaki" comes from "kaki," meaning persimmon.

Think ahead: Planning your own Tropical Getaway

Your Own Tropical Getaway 

What if you could have your own tropical getaway right outside your door? Designing one isn’t difficult and you could be settled back in your hammock with a Mai Tai sooner than you think.

Privacy Factor

To have a sense of privacy in your own place, in a crowded city or even your own backyard, can be difficult. Well, one way to give your patio, pool, deck or backyard a tropical feel is to add a privacy screen. You can construct it using many different options. You can make it from something as easy as hanging a bamboo blind to pounding into the ground bamboo poles and attaching rush screening. You can also hang lattice work or grow castor beans and have them run up attached strings. Though the options are endless and can fit anyone’s budget, planting a 'living wall' using privacy plants gives your haven a natural look that is impossible to beat.

The Plant Factor

A tropical getaway has to have plants to give it the right feel. The Hardy Banana Plant fits in this category. One unusual fact about this plant is that it can grow in climates which reach -20 degrees. It takes lots of water and fertilizer though, and will top out between 7-12 feet and be four feet wide. The leaves are oblong in shape and grow over 10 feet long. It has pale yellow flowers which turn into ornamental bananas. You can’t eat the bananas but you can use the leaves for cooking. This plant will grow in zones 2-9.

The Cinnamon Fern has widely placed oblong leaves. They are 1 inch wide and can be up to 3 inches long and flow down from the frond. It’s a beautiful shade of light green which turns golden yellow in the fall. It needs acid, deep humus and enriched soil which must be kept moist. When mature, this ferns stands between 15 to 18 inches tall with gracefully cascading fronds of a spread of 3 to 5 feet. The Cinnamon fern has cinnamon brown panicles on top of the tall, pliable stems which complement the tropical feel.

The Ostrich Fern is another delightful fern for a tropical look and feel. At mature height, the Ostrich stands at between 24 to 36 inches high and spreads 18 inches wide. The fronds are feather shaped, graceful and a medium green. They can be planted in either partial or full shade in rich, and in moist woody soil. These are an elegant background fern to give your paradise a lush look. They can be grown in Zone 3-9 in -30 degrees.

If you use containers for additional color and variety, some plants to try are the following: hibiscus, palms, and orchids, bromeliads, weeping bottlebrush, and split leaf philodendron. You can also use calla lilies and elephant leafs for a colorful tropical look.

The Finishing Touches

For the finishing touches, set around some tiki torches, wicker furniture, seashells and even a bubbling fountain. The possibilities are endless and you can be relaxing in your own Tropical Paradise before you know it. And what better way is there to fill some of the dreary winter hours than by spending time planning your own paradise?

Heavenly Scent of the Fragrant Tea Olive

Osmanthus Fragrans

Common Names: Sweet Olive, Fragrant Tea Olive.

Small creamy-orange flowers of this delightful legendary plant from China fill the air with a rare perfume that surrounds you and penetrates deep into your heart, bringing a touch of floral mystery. The allure of tea made with Osmanthus blossoms is perfect for those times when you want something seductive yet satisfying.

Osmanthus is one of the 10 famous flowers in China and Taiwan. A traditional symbol of Love and Romance, Osmanthus was used in old wedding customs in Taiwan, when the bride prepared Sweet Osmanthus and Pomegranate pot plants and carried them to her new family. The fragrant plant symbolized True Love and Faithfulness and the fruit tree - Fertility and Peace, and the custom had the meaning of "giving birth to noble children" and "many children and many grandchildren".

For modern people the plant is still very much welcomed. Slow growing and easy in cultivation, Osmanthus makes a good container plant. In the ground it can grow into a small tree or shrub that will take a wide range of conditions, from full sun to shade, requires minimum care and is relatively cold hardy at least to zones 8-9
.
Osmanthus fragrans, or Sweet Olive (Tea Olive), belongs to Olive Family (Oleaceae) along with numerous jasmines. It is evergreen tree or shrub with a moderate growth rate, native to China. It has glossy dark green leaves 2"x-4" with toothed edges and small 0.5" flowers usually hidden by foliage, with a strong apricot-like fragrance that can be smelled from a distance.
The plant prefers reasonably good soil, but is adaptable to different kinds of soil, including sandy and alkaline. Young plant needs regular watering and once established, little water is required and the plant will thrive well almost with neglect. The tree may be pruned to maintain size or formed as a smaller shrub, and to encourage branching.
Plant Sweet Olive where its lovely fragrance can be enjoyed, wherever there is foot traffic near windows, doors or by outdoor sitting areas. Keep it in a pot if you have limited space, and provide just a little care and Love. This slow growing Plant of Romance is very long-lived and will lighten your winters for a very long time.

Sweet Olive is especially valued as an additive for tea and other beverages in the Far East. The Chinese discovered that the Osmanthus can be used to enhance the natural fruitiness of some of their finest green and black teas. The result is similar to fine jasmine tea (flavored with Jasminum sambac) but lighter and much fruitier. The leaves from the osmanthus are sometimes mixed in with partially fermented green tea to produce a lovely aromatic tea. Osmanthus flowers used to scent tea are known as Kwei Hwa (Kwei Hua).

A scented tea can be made by adding into regular black or green tea a small amount of dried flowers of Osmanthus and Jasmine. The jar with this mix should be sealed for a few weeks, and then used for brew. Osmanthus blossom scented tea with fresh flower petals has an unforgettable scent that can just draw you into feeling a bit drunk...

Medicinal Use:
Osmanthus fragrans flowers (know as Gui Hua, or Kwei Hwa) are widely used in Chinese medicine. There are many medical products made out of sweet osmanthus buds, leaves and bark. They are said to protect against coughs and used to flavor other medicines, and in cosmetics for the hair and skin.
A decoction of the stem bark is used in the treatment of boils, carbuncles etc. A decoction of the lateral roots is used in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea, rheumatism, bruises etc. An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used as an insect repellent for clothes. They are also added to herbal medicines in order to disguise obnoxious flavors.

Both the blossoms and the leaves of this plant are used in the production of some of the world's rarest and most expensive perfumes. Because of its scarcity Osmaunthus Absolute oil is very expensive, up to $3000 per lb, and its use in commercial perfumery is restricted to small quantities.

The Osmanthus scent is often referred to as "the Perfume of Perfumes" due to its pure and intoxicating floral redolence. The fruity notes are a bouquet in themselves as they partake of apricot, plum and raisins. Its most intense aroma is floating and dancing on whispers of breeze, touching the hearts with nostalgia and remembrance of things past.

The Osmanthus flower itself is simply radiant, and some perfumery experts admit that there is not any other perfume that so perfectly catches the beauty of the flower and call it "the reminiscence of a Chinese garden".

Osmanthus perfumes are delightfully fruity, floral fragrances - and yet supremely sophisticated and elegant, rendering the delicacy of the distant land and the mysteries of its most prized flower...

What Are Other's Saying:
"One of the most wonderfully powerful fragrances I've ever had the pleasure of smelling. Year in and out, always incredible. How can such small orange flowers put out such a massive scent? When it's in bloom, everyone in the area knows it, even if you can't really see the flowers unless you're standing beside the shrub/tree. Mine is about 8-10 ft high. I do prune it to keep it from getting too wide, but I don't try to control the height. Absolutely bullet proof: no problems of any kind and no drought or winter has changed its appearance or hardiness an iota. No supplemental watering period, ever." (From Birmingham, AL)

Don’t miss an opportunity to inhale the heady aroma of fresh osmanthus flowers. Either growing outdoors in zones 8-10, or indoors in a container, osmanthus is one of the true delights of the Earth.

DESCRIPTION:
Height: 8-15 ft. (Can be pruned to height of your liking, or will remain manageable in containers grown indoors. Perfect for getting through the winter blues up north!
Flowers: Late Winter/Early Spring, Late Summer/Early Fall, Blooms repeatedly.
Bloom Color: Coral/Apricot, Orange.
Foliage: Evergreen, Aromatic, Smooth-Textured.
This plant may be attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. Flowers are VERY fragrant.
Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.
Irrigation: Water regularly; do not overwater. This plant is suitable for growing indoors.

To purchase a Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans), click on this link!

To purchase a Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans), click on this link!

Tips for success with your Japanese Maple

Being successful with Japanese Maples is the same as being successful with real estate, it all depends on location, location, location.  A proper location to plant a Japanese Maple sometimes requires being creative. Protection from late afternoon and evening sun will reduce leaf scorch, sun scald and control the amount of watering necessary to keep the soil cool and moist. Also plants under stress, are more likely to develop diseases and insect damage.

Providing the correct environment is crucial to reducing plant stress, which will allow your tree to remain healthy for many years of enjoyment.

Having property with large existing shade trees to plant your Japanese Maples under, makes a perfect environment. We call this filtered or dappled shade, and Japanese Maples love that type of location.

TIP 1 In southern states Japanese maples with red leaves prefer late afternoon and evening dappled shade. Although four to six hours of direct morning sunlight is beneficial to maintain the red pigment in the leaves. If you have an existing tree that had red leaves in the past but now the leaves are mostly green, try thinning out existing taller trees that may be creating more morning shade than necessary. In northern states dappled shade is beneficial but not absolutely necessary.

TIP 2 Japanese maples with green leaves prefer some late afternoon shade in southern states. In northern states full day sun is fine.

TIP 3 Trees with variegated and multi-colored leaves require more shade than the red or green leafed varieties.

TIP 4 If you are not sure how your tree will do in its home, you can temporarily plant the tree in the pot it is growing in, and see how it does. If the leaves don't show any signs of burning the location should be fine for planting. Although dont leave the tree in the growing pot to long a week or two will be fine, you don't want the roots to start growing into the native soil while still in the pot.

'Rising Sun' Redbud Wins Horticultural Award

Award Winning Redbud 'Rising Sun'

Common Name:	'Rising Sun' Redbud
Botanical Name:	Cercis canadensis
Cultivar Name:	'Rising Sun'
Plant Type:	Deciduous Tree
Description:	Cercis canadensis The Rising Sun™ (Cercis canadensis ‘JNJ’ PPAF) is a novel addition to the native eastern redbud roundup. Small-but-showy rosy orchid flowers climb the naked branches in early spring, attracting bees and butterflies. The distinctive bark is smooth tan with a yellowish cast. Emerging heart-shaped foliage is brilliant tangerine to apricot and reputed to hold its color well into fall, surpassing other gold-leaved redbuds. Heat tolerance, drought resistance, and cold hardiness are other desirable attributes.
Hardiness Zones:	5 to 8
Sun/Shade Preference:	Sun
Soil Condition Preference:	Any
Special Attributes:	Drought Tolerant Disease Resistant Pest Resistant Winter Interest Interesting Bark North American Native Urban Tolerant
Plant Height:	10-20 feet
Bloom Time:	Early Spring / Sprin
Flower Color:	Purple
Foliage Color:	Light Green
Fall Color:	Yellow
Plant Uses:	Specimen Urban Street Urban Park Understory

When a gardener acquires a plant designated a Gold Medal winner, he or she can be assured the plant will exhibit standards of excellence for pest and disease resistance, as well as ease of growing, when planted and maintained by recommended methods. Gold Medal Plants are also chosen for their beauty through many seasons, whether it be foliage, flower, form or bark.

This link will take you to Leaves and Petals 'Rising Sun' 

This tree is in great demand and sells out quickly. We are taking orders now for delivery at your appropriate planting time this Spring 2015!