Ornamental Horticulture
E-News
Early October 2013
Nursery, Landscape & Garden Center Updates
Compiled by Allen Owings, Professor (Horticulture), Hammond Research Station, LSU AgCenter
Edited by Rick Bogren, Professor (Communications), LSU AgCenter
Phone 985-543-4125; E-mail aowings@agcenter.lsu.edu; www.lsuagcenter.com/hammond
Ornamental Plant of the Week for October 7, 2013 – Drift Roses
The first Louisiana Super Plant from the LSU AgCenter for fall 2013 is the Drift series of
roses. Drift roses fit a special niche in the shrub-rose market. These roses are from
Conard-Pyle/Star Roses, the same folks that gave us the Knock Out series of low maintenance landscape roses. All colors in the Drift series of roses are Super Plants.
Colors in the Drift roses include pink,
coral, red, peach, apricot (double
blooms), sweet (clearer pink double
blooms) and the new popcorn (whitish
yellow). Choose from these seven
varieties that bloom from spring to
early frost. Ranging from scarlet red to
bright soft peach, they provide the
gardener with a complete range of
color solutions for landscape use or in
containers. We find that Drift roses
have about five flower cycles yearly.
The spring bloom in April and the fall bloom in October, like with most other roses, are
the peak times for best performance. The late-spring to early summer second bloom is
also impressive.
For your Drift roses, be sure to plant in a well-prepared landscape bed. Fall is a great
time to plant. Space individual plants a minimum of 3 feet apart. It would be best to plant
4-5 feet apart if you are thinking long term. The soil pH for roses needs to be between
6.0-6.5.
As with other roses, plant Drift roses in a location receiving full sun. Eight hours of
sunlight daily is recommended. These ground-hugging, ever-blooming shrubs are
perfect as a border or bedding plant. They grow 2-3 feet wide and 2-3 feet tall and make
a stunning low hedge or edge on a border.
Appealing to today's busy gardener, these low-maintenance roses are highly disease
resistant. They require no spraying. Blackspot disease has been very minimal on plants
grown in Louisiana. Bed preparation, irrigation and proper fertilization management are
the keys to success.
Louisiana Super Plants for landscapes are designated every spring and fall by the LSU
AgCenter in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Two additional Louisiana Super Plants will be named this fall. A cool-season flower later
this month and a tree in November. This fall try planting these new Louisiana Super
Plants and some of the new Drift series roses in your landscape. Drift roses combine
wonderfully with flowering perennials, ornamental grasses and more.
Ornamental Plant of the
Week for October 14, 2013 –
Sweetbay Magnolia
Louisiana gardeners are always
looking for nice trees for the
landscape. The sweet bay magnolia
(Magnolia virginiana) is an excellent
native tree that is not nearly as well
known as it should be. The variety
chosen as a Louisiana Super Plant
selection last fall is the evergreen
type Magnolia virginiana var.
australis, which retains its leaves through winter.
Speaking of the leaves, the foliage of the sweet bay magnolia is especially beautiful.
Smaller and lighter green than the Southern magnolia and without the glossy shine, the
leaf of the sweet bay is bright silver on the reverse. When the wind catches the canopy
and flips up the leaves, the ripples of silver are a delight to the eye. Flowers are creamy
white and about 2-3 inches in diameter. They are present in April and May and have a
lemony fragrance. Mature trees will average about 30 feet tall with a spread of 20 feet,
but larger sizes are not uncommon.
Trees commonly are grown with a
single trunk and will produce an
attractive columnar, upright tree, but
they can also be grown multitrunked.
Ornamental Plant of the
Week for October 21, 2013 –
Southern Sugar Maple
The Southern sugar maple is a great
deciduous tree for fall foliage color in
Louisiana. This shade tree goes by
the scientific name of Acer barbatum
or Acer saccharum spp. floridanum.
Sometimes you will see it commonly
called Florida sugar maple or Florida
maple – but we are not in Florida!
This plant was a Louisiana Super
Plant fall 2013. Normally found in
bottomland forests, the tree has a
moderate growth rate and moderate
life span. Plants reach a height of
30-40 feet after 20 years.
Landscape News Articles (from Allen Owings and Rick Bogren)
Drift Roses Named Fall 2013 Louisiana Super Plant – September 27
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/news_archive/2013/september/headline_news/Drift-rosesnamed-Louisiana-Super-Plant-for-fall-2013.htm
Landscape Problem Photos
Iron Chlorosis – Azaleas
Slug Oak Sawfly – Oaks
(Photo courtesy Marc Pastorek)
Mushrooms in the Mulch
New Ornamental Plant Breeding Program (from Daniel Wells and
Charlie Johnson)
A new breeding program, focused on ornamental plant species, has been initiated by
the LSU AgCenter and is being led by Dr. Charlie Johnson. This new breeding program
is specifically aimed at developing cultivars of Vitex spp. and Crateagus spp. Breeding
work is also being conducted on other ornamental genera such as Callicarpa. This
program will enhance ornamental characteristics of selected genera that are excellent
performers in the Deep South.
Several selections and species of Vitex (commonly known as chaste tree) are planted in
the gardens at the Hammond Research Station and are being utilized in the breeding
program. To date, the program includes seedlings and cultivars of Vitex agnus-castus,
V. negundo, V. rotundifolia and V. trifolia. Cultivars of V. agnus-castus include Shoal
Creek, Flora Ann, Montrose Purple, Pink Sensation, Salina’s Pink, Abbeville Blue,
Patton’s Pink, Carolina Blue and Lecompte. Cultivars of V. trifolia include Purpurea and
Variegata.
Vitex, as a genus, contains several species with excellent ornamental characteristics.
Vitex agnus-castus is the most commonly utilized species within the genus in Southern
landscapes, but other species have great potential for more widespread ornamental
usage, as well. Chaste trees are prominent bloomers in Southern landscapes, often
displaying large spikes for several weeks through the summer. Flower color ranges from
white to pink to lavender, but most often falls within the lavender-to-blue spectrum.
Foliage color and fragrance can also vary, especially between species.
Crataegus marshallii (parsley hawthorn) is currently being utilized in this breeding
program with C. lacrimata (Pensacola hawthorn) also being considered. Hawthorns are
native trees with great potential for increased usage in Southern landscapes. Excellent
ornamental characteristics of parsley hawthorn include spring-occurring white flowers;
showy, exfoliating bark; and unique foliage texture. Pensacola hawthorn is native to
Florida and southern Alabama and displays a weeping form with nice ridged and
furrowed bark. White flowers, appearing in spring, are followed by red fruits that persist
into summer.
Earth Kind Dwarf/Compact Rose Trial Being Initiated at LSU AgCenter
(from Allen Owings)
In 1996, Texas A&M University’s Agri-Life Research and Extension Program began the
Earth-Kind rose program. Over the years, many great roses have been named EarthKind winners based on their low maintenance landscape requirements and
resistance/low susceptibility to blackspot disease. Now, one of the newer Earth-Kind
efforts is focusing on evaluation of future rose winners in the dwarf/compact category.
This project is being coordinated by Kim Benton, Agri-Life Extension horticulture agent
in Cherokee County. Previous dwarf or smaller-growing Earth-Kind rose varieties have
included The Fairy, Marie Daly and Souvenir de St. Anne’s.
So, far Kim Benton reports that six trial sites have been established nationally since
spring 2012 – Weatherford, Texas, Abilene, Texas, Columbus, Ohio, Newark, Ohio,
Friso, Texas, and Portland, Maine. Another garden will be established in Rockwall
County, Texas, this year as well as the LSU AgCenter’s new trial at the Hammond
Research Station, Hammond, La.
Varieties in this new trial at the LSU AgCenter will include:
Apricot Drift
Coral Drift
Pink Drift
Peach Drift
Popcorn Drift
Sweet Drift
Brilliant Veranda
Cream Veranda
Innocencia Vigarosa
Raspberry Vigarosa
Cupcake
Roxy Sun Sprite
Purple Rain
Smart and Sassy
Southern Peach
Oso Easy Fragrant
Spreader
Oso Easy Honey Bun
Oso Easy Paprika
Oso Easy Smoothie
Oso Easy Petit Pink
The Fairy (control)
ANLA/OFA Approve Merger
It's official, and it's history in the making. The two most powerful green industry
associations in the United States have formally announced their much-anticipated
consolidation, making the move official as members of OFA-The Association of
Horticulture Professionals and the American Nursery and Landscape Association
(ANLA) have voted in overwhelming support of the consolidation of the two
organizations into a new, national
trade association to serve the entire
horticulture industry.
The announcement followed a 30day open ballot and an in-person
vote for OFA's members, held in Columbus, Ohio. "It's what our members want," stated
Mark Foertmeyer, who was announced as the Chairman of the Board for the new
organization. The owner of Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse in Delaware, Ohio, and
current president of OFA continued, "We have surveyed our members, spoken with
them and finally asked them to cast a ballot. Each time they told us they wanted a
national association that unifies and serves the entire horticulture industry." The new
name is the American Horticulture Association (AmericanHort).
"We will have the largest national nursery, greenhouse and garden retail membership of
any horticulture association in the United States," stated the organization's inaugural
vice chairman, Dale Deppe, owner of Spring Meadow Nursery in Grand Haven, Mich.,
and current vice president of ANLA. "Those communities will join together with
breeders, distributors, interior and exterior landscape professionals, florists, students,
educators, researchers, manufacturers and all who are part of the supply chain to
represent our industry with one, strong voice and a greater base of volunteer, staff and
financial resources," Deppe added.
The new trade association will begin operations by Jan. 1, 2014. The mission of
AmericanHort is to unite, promote and advance our industry through advocacy,
collaboration, connectivity, education, market development and research.
Michael V. Geary, CAE, who will continue as the chief staff executive, said the new
association will maintain all of the current staff in both the Columbus, Ohio, and
Washington, D.C., offices. The primary office will be in Columbus, and the office in
Washington, will facilitate government relations and research activities.
Geary stated, "By including research, industry promotion, regulatory and legislative
efforts, education and countless opportunities for buyers and sellers to interact, we will
deliver a broad range of business-based services to our industry and be the
quintessential resource for the horticulture industry as a whole."
Gary Mangum, CEO of Bell Nursery, headquartered in Elkridge, Md., and a current
member of both ANLA and OFA, stated, "I have made long-term dues investments in
both organizations. ANLA is the leader in legislative and regulatory representation for
our industry, and OFA offers outstanding educational programs and runs the largest
horticultural trade show and convention in North America. With the addition of programs
like the Next Level conference and the significant expansion of the retail segment at the
2014 Short Course, we can already see the benefits of these two associations joining
together. It will be better for my business, and it is a true win for our industry.
Congratulations to our leaders and members who made this historic decision."
The inaugural board of directors was appointed by the legacy organizations. For the first
year, the board will have equal representation from OFA and ANLA. The board includes
the following leaders:
Chairman of the Board - Mark Foertmeyer, Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse, Delaware, Ohio
Vice Chairman of the Board - Dale Deppe, Spring Meadow Nursery Inc, Grand Haven, Michigan
Treasurer - Lisa Graf, Graf Growers, Akron, Ohio
Past Chairman of the Board - Mike McCabe, McCabe's Greenhouse & Floral, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Past Chairman of the Board - Bob Terry, Fisher Farms, Gaston, Ore.
President & CEO - Michael V. Geary, CAE, AmericanHort, Columbus, Ohio/Washington, D.C.
Joe Burns, Color Burst, Grayson, Ga.
Teri Cantwell, Bates Sons & Daughters Inc, Lake Placid, Fla.
Tom Demaline, Willoway Nurseries Inc, Avon, Ohio
Bob Jones Jr, The Chef's Garden, Huron, Ohio
Terri McEnaney, Bailey Nurseries Inc, St Paul, Minn.
Dan Mulhall, Mulhall's Nursery, Omaha, Neb.
Morris Newlin, New Garden Landscaping & Nursery, Greensboro, N.C.
Cari Peters, JR Peters Inc, Allentown, Penn.
Sid Raisch, Horticultural Advantage, Hillsboro, Ohio
ANLA, a Washington, DC-based trade association, represents green industry business
professionals seeking market leadership through advocacy with our nation's
government, a community of industry innovators and experts, and unique, profitabilityfocused programming, products and services. Through the Lighthouse Program, a
partnership with green industry state and regional associations, ANLA represents more
than 22,000 businesses before Congress and to the White House.
OFA-The Association of Horticulture Professionals is the leading horticulture
educational association in the United States. It is a not-for-profit, all-industry
organization, and its core purpose and mission are "to support and advance
professional horticulture." Industry segments served include garden centers,
greenhouses, nurseries, retail and wholesale florists, interior plantscapers and
landscape contractors. OFA is especially known for its outstanding publications and its
annual Short Course, U.S. horticulture's premier convention and marketplace. The Short
Course was named the 150th largest trade show among all industries in the United
States by the Trade Show News Network. The next Short Course will take place on July
12 to 15, 2014, in Columbus, Ohio.
Crape Myrtle Bark Scale Photos (from Allen Owings)
Crape Myrtle Scale News Article
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/news_archive/2013/october/headline_news/Invasivespecies-troubles-crape-myrtles.htm
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LSU AgCenter Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Lab
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