Plants Archives - Page 9 of 11

Canada 150 Tulip – Confusion About Cultivar Names

Canada will celebrate its 150th birthday in 2017. To mark this celebration, Canada is launching a special tulip called ‘Canada 150’. The white and red colors of the tulip mimic the colors in our flag.

Where did the Canada 150 tulip originate? There are several stories floating around about its origin but much of this is not true. Canadians have been told that the tulip is only sold through a Canadian hardware stored called Home Hardware and is available in limited quantity. So it should be no surprise that ‘imposter tulips’ have been introduced into the Canadian market place. People will do anything for a loonie (the common name for our $1 coin).

Tulip 'Canada 150' aka Tulip ‘Carnaval de Rio’ — Tulip ‘Canada 150’ is the same plant as Tulip ‘Carnaval de Rio’

Follow me as I try to unravel the mysteries of the special Canada 150 tulip and learn more about the confusing world of naming plant cultivars.

If you like this post, please share .......

Why Hydrangeas Don’t Flower

Why does my hydrangea not flower? This most commonly asked question about hydrangeas, especially in colder climates. The answer is not always a simple one but I’ll try to answer the question in this post.

Reasons for not flowering depend very much on the type of hydrangea you are growing. It is therefore important that you know the type. Have a look at Hydrangea Identification to find out which type you have.

Hydrangea paniculata 'limelight', If you select the right hydrangea it will flower reliably, by Robert Pavlis — Hydrangea paniculata ‘limelight’, If you select the right hydrangea it will flower reliably, by Robert Pavlis

If you like this post, please share .......

Hydrangea Myths

Hydrangeas are very popular shrubs for the garden, but they can be a bit tricky to grow if you listen to all of the hydrangea myths on the internet and in books. In this blog, I will look at the truth behind some of the more common hydrangea myths. Once you have the facts, you will find that hydrangeas are easy to grow.

This post uses affiliate links

If you like this post, please share .......

Hydrangea Identification

Are you wondering why your hydrangea is not flowering? Would you like to know when and how to prune your hydrangea? These are important questions, but no one can provide the correct answers until you know what type of hydrangea you have. This post will help with your hydrangea identification. It won’t provide cultivar names but it will identify the type of hydrangea.

It is always a good idea to keep plant names since it makes it so much easier to find the correct cultural information at a later date. But life happens and it is quite common for people to lose the name of a plant.

Hydrangea macrophylla blue bigleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea Identification — Hydrangea macrophylla also called the bigleaf hydrangea

If you like this post, please share .......

Planting Trees the Right Way

Planting trees seems like such a simple thing to do, but most of the trees I see have not been planted correctly. A couple of years ago I was teaching a course on trees and wanted a picture showing the right way to plant a tree. I could not find one with Google, which illustrates the lack of understanding among gardeners and professionals.

Most advice on planting trees is wrong.

Everything in the post applies to both trees and shrubs – shrubs are just short trees.

Planting Trees the Right Way by Robert Pavlis — Planting Trees the Right Way, by Robert Pavlis

If you like this post, please share .......

Repotting Orchids

Repotting orchids is critical to maintaining and flowering them but this needs to be done differently than other house plants. Once you accept the fact that orchids are different, then the care of orchids becomes simple. Regular orchid repotting will ensure a good root system and lots of flowers.

Orchid repotting - coconut husk, by Robert Pavlis — Orchid repotting – coconut husk, by Robert Pavlis

If you like this post, please share .......

Learn to Grow Orchids the Easy Way

Orchids are one of the easiest house plants to grow, but they remain a mystery for many people. In this post I will provide complete orchid care instructions that are foolproof. I have grown several thousand orchids, and this method works every time. My focus here will be on the phalaenopsis orchid, but the same orchid care methods will work on most of the orchids found in homes.

Orchid Care - the basics — Orchid Care – the basics

If you like this post, please share .......

Elsholtzia stauntonii

Are you looking for an unusual subshrub for the fall garden? Elsholtzia stauntonii is a good choice. The Chinese mint shrub is rare in northern gardens, where its late flowering is very much appreciated.

If you like this post, please share .......

Aconitum x cammarum ‘Bicolor’

Aconitum × cammarum Bicolor header — Aconitum × cammarum Bicolor, by Robert Pavlis

Aconitum x cammarum ‘Bicolor’ is a special summer blooming monkshood. In zone 5, it blooms mid to late August at a time when other plants are slowing down. It can grow in full sun or heavy shade making it ideal for almost any garden.

If you like this post, please share .......

Spring Bulbs – Buying and Planting

It is fall and some gardeners are getting tired of their gardens. So what do they do? They go out and buy bulbs for spring flowers. For a true gardener there is always next year.

This post will walk you through the steps of how to buy bulbs and how to plant bulbs for a great spring garden.

Spring bulbs - Daffodils — Spring bulbs – Daffodils are squirrel proof, by Robert Pavlis

If you like this post, please share .......

Clematis mandshurica

Clematis mandshurica header

An unusual clematis that forms a low bush of very fragrant flowers. Clematis mandshurica makes a great addition to your garden.

If you like this post, please share .......

Hylomecon Japonica – Which is The Real Plant?

Hylomecon japonica is a fairly rare plant that is miss-identified frequently on the internet and in seed exchanges. The AGS seedex has been sending out the wrong seeds for a number of year and discussions on their forum make it clear that getting seed from the right plant has been a global problem (ref 1).

Instead of receiving Hylomecon japonica seed, it is common to get seed from one of the other wood poppies. Since I grow Hylomecon japonica and it’s 3 imposters I decided to prepare a complete review of the plants, and provide a list of features that will allow people to clearly identify their plants.

All of the details are based on my plants which represents a limited set of clones. If your findings disagree with mine, please let me know by leaving a comment.

Hylomecon japonica main — Hylomecon japonica flower and leaves

If you like this post, please share .......