This week on The Horti-Culturalists we look at a group of plants Stephen says people NEVER come into his nursery asking for: plants with amazing spring coloured foliage! We’re used to thinking about plants with great Autumn colours but there are a lot of plants that are just as showy in spring! In this video we’ll look at five that are in Stephen’s garden that are quite breath taking!
The plants we cover in this video are:
Ulmus parvifolia ‘Frosty’ – Chinese elm
Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Prinz Handjery’ – Sycamore
Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Brilliantissimum’
Toona sinensis ‘Flamingo’ – Chinese cedar
Koelreuteria paniculata ‘Coral Sun’ – golden rain tree
We’ve made a video about variegation which includes Ulmus parvifolia ‘Frosty’ which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkaSJ3gfGWc&t=27s
And we’ve made a video about plants with great winter coloured stems which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY7pFIZVQNM
And a video about shrubs that flower in late winter which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ORZineNeM
11 Comments
That variety of rain tree is very beautiful, unfortunately the common variety (often called Chinese lantern tree because of the papery seed pods) is highly invasive in California. You can find them growing on the side of every road, especially highways. They can survive 9 months straight with no rainfall. Birds swallow the pea-shaped seeds that make a rattle noise inside the paper pods and distribute them within their droppings everywhere especially in backyards that if left unattended soon create rather large weed trees. The yellow flowers are a honeybee magnet, the falling lanterns can create quite a mess. This is the 2nd most common weed tree species (meaning a tree in your yard that was not planted by man, usually wind, a bird or a squirrel is responsible for its location) behind only the most prolific weed tree in CA, the broad leaved privet, Ligustrum lucidum, which is everywhere now.
Your description of the Australian possums killing your tree reminded me of the relationship West coast USA gardeners have with squirrels. They don't strip your trees of leaves, but if you enjoy growing fruit or nut trees they can be a real nuisance. They'll eat your whole crop before it's ripe. Squirrels will even eat citrus fruits like oranges! The ironic part is, all the tree squirrels you see in West coast cities were introduced by folks who missed having squirrels in their city parks like they do back East. Only the ground squirrel is native to urban areas. Depending on the city, it's a different species: Eastern gray squirrels were introduced to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and Salem, Oregon, they still thrive in both locations. The largest species of North American squirrel, the beautiful Eastern Fox squirrel, was released in Los Angeles, Davis, Sacramento and Portland, Oregon over a century ago. Urban gardeners have been battling with them ever since! 😉
💞👍✨Thank you for sharing. Such a collection of spring colours and structural interest.
Some lovely spring foliage colour! Thanks for sharing.
While I am trying to think how I can squeeze one of these beauties in my garden. You did not mention the red foliage of the new growth on roses. I spotted one by the Acer Pseudolantanus Prinz Handjery. In the US many people are worried about Rose Rosette Disease and often panic when the new red growth shows on roses. Personally, I love having the pops of red in my small garden and RRD has not made it to my side of the country.
I love your videos with all the quirky and indepth information and look forward to them every week 💗
Thanks very much for the plant list in the desription. Much appreciated.
Excellent plant choices as always. Funny how as time passes my garden seems to keep squeezing in trees/ shrubs/ etc. I have seen here. Thank you very much for such an interesting and useful resource.
Q: I'm wondering what one specimen Stephen might grow given my conditions. Steppe-shrub environment with highs 44C, low -17C, with occasional 80KPH winds. While it is a desert with 15cm of precipitation and very dry with extremely low humidity, water is not an issue as I'm in the garden every day and applying water and care if needed. Yeah, I have no life.
Hi Stephen and Matthew, could you grow Koelreuteria paniculata coral sun in a large pot? Or could you grow it and keep it a small size with judicious pruning? I only have a large courtyard, but love the features of this tree. Thanks guys.
Good evening gentlemen! I’m planting my large garden and there are a couple of shrubs/trees that I find exceedingly difficult to track down that I think have lovely foliage. I’ve got a cornus contraversa “June Snow” but can’t find a variegata version. My next one, is cornus sanguinea midwinter fire, which is available in the UK and USA, but apparently not here in Aus. Can you shed any light on if, when, or where one can get these plants?
Good evening gentlemen! I’m planting my large garden and there are a couple of shrubs/trees that I find exceedingly difficult to track down that I think have lovely foliage. I’ve got a cornus contraversa “June Snow” but can’t find a variegata version. My next one, is cornus sanguinea midwinter fire, which is available in the UK and USA, but apparently not here in Aus. Can you shed any light on if, when, or where one can get these plants?