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The Hollyberry Lady
01-02-2011, 04:51 PM
This thread will be dedicated to Evergreens :waving:


Does anyone love Evergreen plants as much as I do, and have you any peeks to share?


Here we can discuss growing methods and care...


I am particularily fond of Holly shrubs, for obvious reasons, and love the way they look in winter. :D


A lot of our snow has melted and here's a couple shots I took today of my female "Blue Princess" Hybrid Holly...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01160.jpg


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01161.jpg


So bright and cheerful throughout winter and all year round. :)


Please feel free to show your Evergreens here as well.


: )

The Hollyberry Lady
01-02-2011, 05:19 PM
Here also today is my "Blue Girl" Holly...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01162.jpg


Sure is a switch from how it looked a few weeks back...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC00661.jpg


Colorado Blue Spruce, is also an evergreen favorite. We have a young tree growing nearby so I'll get a shot of it soon...


Here's some larger ones though...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC00936.jpg



: )

The Hollyberry Lady
01-02-2011, 06:07 PM
Here's another beautiful evergreen that can also be enjoyed indoors called Gaultheria Procumbens, or "Winterberry". Here's one I grew a couple years back...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/Picture0075.jpg


: )

palmtree
01-02-2011, 06:44 PM
Evergreen shrubs are always great!
I love southern Magnolias for that reason. Ill try to take a few pics of some Magnolias around here and post them when I get a chance!
Rhododendrons and azaleas are also always nice and camellias are really once of my favorites (seem to handle a lot of neglect around here and still make beautiful spring blooms most years).
Hollys are another really great tree (unless you are barefoot underneath a large hollytree!).
Live oak is another really nice evergreen tree and pretty cold tolerant to a zone 7 apparently, but not used too often around here.
Yuccas always look really nice! They are used a lot in landscaping here and for a good reason. Some need some sand to keep them happy, but most of the yuccas around here dont mind our terrible draining clay soil!
Vinca Vines (especially the variegated ones) look great and will bloom during the winter if its mild and again in the spring, early summer, and fall! They seem to dieback a little during really snowy winters or in winters below 10F, but this keeps them from getting too our of control, which happens quickly!
Variegated Ivy is another really nice evergreen vine that is less cold tolerant so it wont take over as vigorously as regular ivy most of the time.
Needle palms are really beautiful evergreens because they are palms and give a nice tropical look on the coldest winter days (as long as it isnt buried in snow!). They seem to be pretty cold tender when young because my 3 gallon plant (planted in the ground in spring of '09), died last winter after a low of only 14F! But when older than can handle the single digits!
And who can forget bamboo! If you have a lot of space, they can make a beautiful grove. Moso is cold hardy to a zone 7 and gets absolutely huge, but their are smaller bamboos that also look nice and can survive down to a zone 5! Only down side is their ability to take over and damage from a lot of snow load (but that goes for most evergreens anyway).
Boxwoods look really cool too and those are pretty cold tolerant and look nice all year long!
Aucuba looks really nice (kind of like a temperate croton!). 2 downsides to this plant though. One is that no one around here knows how to prune them well apparently because their are a few that are shaped pretty bad which is a shame because they are old enough to be trees! Another downside is that they will look pretty bad on days that are cold, but they will come back to life as soon as it warms into the 40s and will have no damage.
Laurels look great too and are commonly used as shrubs.
Lots of pines make for a nice look and I especially like the southern pines such as the longleaf pine which does well here (but not too many large specimens).
Morella cerifera aka Dwarf Wax Myrtle is a really nice looking small tree that is evergreen. I think I have seen a few around here and they are cold hardy to a zone 7 and maybe a zone 6 in a good location (not sure though).
Hen and chick plants are succulents so they arent really the evergreens most people think of, but they do stay green all winter long and with nice flowers in the spring, they are hard not to like. They dont take up too much space either!
Great pics!

The Hollyberry Lady
01-02-2011, 06:58 PM
Thanks for your post!!! :waving:


You're right Alex, about hens & chicks succulents staying green and kinda pretty, because I was just noticing some today in my garden and they were exactly that! :D


I feed my holly shrubs a lot of heavy Nitrogen to keep them luxuriously green and healthy looking...same thing as my azaleas and laurels.


I have a needle palm that Bob sent me and it's going into my garden in Spring...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC00366.jpg


: )

Jananas Bananas
01-02-2011, 10:18 PM
That needle palm looks great Sherry!

I'll have to take some pictures of our local evergreens when I am out and about this week. We have a lot of nice ones.

I really love magnolia trees too and the scent of the blossoms are heavenly - gardenias too! Live oaks are one of my favorites because they look so good all the time once they are grown and past the scragly stage.

Anyway, I want to parrticipate because I love the evergreens! Thanks for another great thread Sherry!

~JaNan

palmtree
01-03-2011, 01:54 AM
Great looking needle palm Sherry!
I also love gardenias! I have a Frost Proof Gardenia in the ground for the first time this winter with just lights and a frost cloth and so far its doing great! Lowest temperature it saw was 19F. It already had about 10 blooms or more this summer and its only 6 inches tall! Not only is it cold hardy, but its just a very tolerant plant!

The Hollyberry Lady
01-03-2011, 01:42 PM
Wow, I'd love to get my hands on one of those Alex....a frost-proof Gardenia!!! :08:


Perhaps you'll be kind enough to send me a cutting one year, if I mail you the postage. ;)


Goodness knows for now though, I think I have enough plants! :ha:


I would like to have more evergreens here but the truth is we get so much snow, until they reach a certain size, they're buried over anyway. :(


Thanks for the posts you guys and I can't wait to see other people's evergreens too...


: )

The Hollyberry Lady
01-03-2011, 04:49 PM
This is my sweet Bay Laurel tree...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01192.jpg


I took the shot today. The plant had been rescued from frost in October when I dug it up and brought it inside. It dwindled all summer in my garden, for some reason.


It's was a pathetic thing not so long ago but its recently began to grow many new and large leaves. I am so pleased with the new growth.


: )

Jananas Bananas
01-03-2011, 05:52 PM
This is a favorite of mine:

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=30439&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=30439)

This is Texas Mountain Laurel and it is an evergreen here. These blossoms smell like grape Kool Aid or grape bubble gum. I have three of these planted around my house and have started some seeds for more. A good size started bush is pretty pricey but are easily found at the nurseries. They can get as tall as a small to medium tree, but are slow growing and easily managed.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=39331&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=39331)

I sent you some seeds of this bush in your batch Sherry.

~JaNan

The Hollyberry Lady
01-03-2011, 05:57 PM
Good Lord Janan, some will be in soil tonight! :ha:


That is just stunning! :eek:


The blooms are gorgeous and your description about the scent of them has me drooling. What a cool plant. I didn't realize it was an evergreen! Too cool.


Thanks for showing shots. ;)


: )

Jananas Bananas
01-03-2011, 06:08 PM
:ha: You are too much Sherry! You probably need to soak those seeds or what ever you do for hard coats. I think I sent some in the pods and a couple outside of the pod. The pods are kind of furry and cute looking like a fuzzy peanut pod. The Indians used to use the seeds for dye (that red will come off on your hands) and beads and jewelry. I always like it when my plants have some lore attached! :) ~J

The Hollyberry Lady
01-03-2011, 06:19 PM
Me too Janan. I actually have an old~fashioned book called "Garden Wisdom" and it has all kinds of tips & lore about plants. ;)


That is one beautiful evergreen, Janan! Can't wait to try it. Thanks for letting me know about the seeds. :D


: )

Jananas Bananas
01-03-2011, 06:39 PM
AFTER I hit submit, I realized you dummy you are trying to tell THE HOLLYBERRY LADY how to do seeds! :p ROTFL !!!!! :rolleyes: Sorry young 'un! It's been a looooong day! HA! HA! ~J

palmtree
01-03-2011, 06:46 PM
Wow, I'd love to get my hands on one of those Alex....a frost-proof Gardenia!!! :08:


Perhaps you'll be kind enough to send me a cutting one year, if I mail you the postage. ;)


Goodness knows for now though, I think I have enough plants! :ha:


I would like to have more evergreens here but the truth is we get so much snow, until they reach a certain size, they're buried over anyway. :(


Thanks for the posts you guys and I can't wait to see other people's evergreens too...


: )

Definitely! If you want a cutting I would be more than happy to give you one in the summer (probably right after its growth spurt in the spring hardens for the year). Im not sure how these root, but its worth a try! Even if you dont plant it outside, it seems like it would be much less finicky indoors than the average, more tropical gardenia. Ill post a pic of my plant in bloom from June of 2010. Its gotten about 2 times that size now!

The Hollyberry Lady
01-03-2011, 06:49 PM
Thanks Janan, but I didn't really think of it that way. :)


Besides that, I haven't learned completely everything there is to know yet and still like good advice and tips from others, so please don't think I am above seed or plant advice. I'm not. ;)


Gonna sow some of your laurel seeds shortly...


: )

The Hollyberry Lady
01-03-2011, 06:53 PM
Oh my gosh, thanks Alex!!! :D You're too nice! :08:


I must send you something cool in return...like perhaps a couple cuttings from my callicarpa shrubs, or even cuttings from my 'Blue Prince/Princess' hybrid Holly bushes.


We'll see, but thank you for sharing. Very kind of you. ;)


: )

palmtree
01-03-2011, 07:00 PM
Sounds great Sherry! Heres a pic of the frost proof gardenia bloom. Wish I had a better pic, but this was all I could find of my plant right now. All it takes is one bloom to smell a fragrance from this plant and I cant imagine how great it would be to have a whole row of these lining up a walkway (maybe a nice idea for a zone 8!). <a href="http://s705.photobucket.com/albums/ww59/tropicalzone7/?action=view&amp;current=237c632a.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww59/tropicalzone7/237c632a.jpg" border="0" alt="LAte june 2010 (frost proof gardenia)"></a>

The Hollyberry Lady
01-03-2011, 07:20 PM
That is so gorgeous, Alex!!!


There's something so beautiful about white flowers...and they always smell the nicest too. ;)


Fabulous shot!!! :goteam:


: )

palmtree
01-03-2011, 11:04 PM
Thanks Sherry! White flowers and yellow flowers always seem to pop out when compared to any other color!

The Hollyberry Lady
01-13-2011, 12:20 PM
I showed a Gaultheria Procumbens "Winterberry" plant earlier in this thread that I had a couple years back but here's the one I have now...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01573.jpg


A particularily incredible evergreen groundcover shrub that's self-fertile, so unlike Holly, a male & female plant are not needed to produce berries!!! :eek:


The leaves and fruits smell like Wintergreen! :goteam:


My plant is producing more new berries as we speak. Here's a cluster of the little white bell flowers, not quite open yet, where the fruits will develop from...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01575.jpg


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01578.jpg


What a great plant, that enjoys part sun and lots of shade. The leaves turn purple and stay that way all year round once the plant matures but when it's young only in late Fall through winter. It takes 5-10 years for the shrub to mature and it rarely grows more than 6" tall. It spreads from shallow roots and must be kept well watered.


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01537.jpg


Plants with berries are my favorite and I think this one is super cool and appealing. Some of the fruits get very fat and big, and they stay on the plant for many months...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC01569.jpg


: )

Jananas Bananas
01-13-2011, 01:25 PM
Those berries look huge on that little bush. Are they as big as they look? Very cute, Sherry.

This is silver Texas Sage. The leaves stay on all year making it an evergreen here, but I am not sure if it would do that in colder climates. Though we have been pretty cold here (upper 20's) the last few days and they still have all the leaves. The leaves are velvety also. In the first picture the bush in the background is a green Texas Sage. They bloom right before it rains.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=37626&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=37626)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=36831&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=36831)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=36832&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=36832)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=32882&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=32882)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=23789&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=23789)

~JaNan

The Hollyberry Lady
01-13-2011, 01:35 PM
JaNan, that is just stunningly gorgeous and I'd love to have a cutting or two from it sometime next season. I would bring it in and over-winter it each year after cutting it back. That is just so beautiful and thanks for showing the fantastic shots! WOW!!! :eek:


The berries are pretty big on my Winterberry shrublet, yes. About 4 times the size of Hollyberries! Apparently they are edible and they taste and smell like wintergreen. 'Oil of Wintergreen' is made from this plant. You can make tea too from the dried leaves. It has medicinal properties as well.


: )

Bob
01-13-2011, 04:46 PM
Hollyberry, it loks like the winterberry is in need of serious division..... You remember I put in a new shade garden and didn't plant it all last year right?:ha:

JaNan: I have a common sage that someone gave me a few years back and its been evergreen for me here so I'd bet that one is as well. I know since I dont like sage all that much and never harvested any leaves,the flowers are really nice in mid summer though.

The Hollyberry Lady
01-13-2011, 04:52 PM
You know I will share it with you & JaNan, so no worries Bob. ;)


There really are a lot of plants in one pot so I was planning to send one to you and JaNan in
Spring. :D


: )

PennyG
01-15-2011, 07:19 AM
Beautiful pictures, everyone. :woohoonaner:

The Hollyberry Lady
04-10-2011, 02:17 PM
New growth on my Gaultheria Procumbens "Winterberry" dwarf shrublet...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC03536.jpg


Plus I recently sowed some seeds as well, and they germinated in 10 days in my aero-garden. :D


: )

The Hollyberry Lady
04-18-2011, 05:31 PM
Picked up some Winterberry plants today that I had ordered in for Bob and I, in early winter. They finally came in and they are gorgeous!!! :goteam:


I got two for him and two for me. Here they are...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC03926.jpg


The leaves are so red...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/2nd%20album/DSC03938.jpg


: )

The Hollyberry Lady
05-12-2011, 12:08 PM
Well here are my Gaultheria Procumbens dwarf shrublets (Winterberry) today...they're putting on lots of new growth this Spring, in my bedroom window...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/3rd%20album/100_0179.jpg


They green up in the summertime but the new shoots are kind of pinkish...



http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/3rd%20album/100_0178.jpg


When Autumn and the cool weather starts up again, the leaves will turn red/maroon again.


I have 6 shrublets...three of them are going to Bob, one to JaNan, and two for me.


Apart from Holly of course, this is my favorite evergreen. ;)


: )

Jananas Bananas
05-12-2011, 07:27 PM
And here are my Gaultheria Procumbens dwarf shrublets (Winterberry) today:

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n580/JaNan16/20110512094.jpg

They are seeds Sherry sent me and I started them in an AeroGarden.

~JaNan

The Hollyberry Lady
05-13-2011, 07:58 AM
So adorable! What are your plans for them, JaNan?


: )

The Hollyberry Lady
06-11-2011, 06:51 PM
Here's one of my Bay Laurel trees today. It's growing new leaves...


http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/hollyberrylady08/3rd%20album/100_0832.jpg


: )