Paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)
When I encounter paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) in late summer, I hear Tom Petty singing his 1981 release of “The Waiting”, where he sings that “waiting is the hardest part.” That’s what...
Author: Bob Polomski
Ligustrum
Common or European privet (Ligustrum vulgare) and Chinese privet (L. sinense) have escaped into the wild in South Carolina to become weedy and invasive pests. Birds eat the small, black fruit and...
Leaf & Needle Drop
A well-cared-for plant in the landscape that suddenly begins dropping leaves or needles can be a very troubling sight. There is usually no need to be alarmed, since leaf and needle drop often occurs...
Mushrooms in Lawns
Mushrooms are the above-ground fruiting bodies of fungi that live in the soil. These fungi feed on decaying organic matter, such as old roots, stumps and thatch. When these fungi are present in your...
Nandina
Nandina or heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) is an evergreen or semi-evergreen broadleaf shrub, which is tough and durable. Large plants have been growing in South Carolina for 100 or more years...
Managing Mistletoe
Now that the oaks have shed their leaves, look for the green azalea-sized clusters of mistletoes (Phoradendron serotinum) nestled comfortably in the bare branches. This half-parasitic plant has been...
Camellia
Camellias are large, attractive, broad-leaved, evergreen shrubs that are highly prized for their flowers, which bloom from winter to spring. There are more than 2,300 named cultivars registered with...
Forsythia
Border forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia), or golden bell, ushers in spring with its vivid golden yellow flowers and is one of the most recognized shrubs in the South. These hybrid forsythias are...
Caladium
Caladiums (Caladium species) are in the arum (Araceae) family and native to Central and South America. They are hardy only to USDA zone 9 or 10; therefore, caladiums should be used as annuals in...
NICH: An Organization that helps Consumer Horticulture find its niche
If you’re a member of one of the 84 million households in the U.S. who’s actively engaged in gardening and landscaping activities, I encourage you to become a member of NICH (rhymes with pitch): the...
Why Plants Fail to Flower or Fruit
It can be very disappointing to wait eagerly for a favorite plant to flower and it never does. Flowers and fruits are major horticultural features of plants and can fail to form for many different...
Persian Parrotia
Native to the lower mountain slopes of the northern Alborz mountains in northern Iran and Azerbaijan, Persian parrotia (Parrotia persica ) has been widely cultivated in Europe and the U.S. (USDA...