These plants are proven
winners in Oklahoma gardens
Brian Jervis, Ask a Master Gardener
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Q: I need some information about plants
that would be useful for our new home. E.P., Tulsa
A:
There is no better place
to start your search than to review the selections on the Oklahoma Proven
website. This program, as the name suggests, has unique plants that have
demonstrated the ability to grow well in our area.
The organization was formed by OSU horticulture
faculty and involves nurserymen around the state. Every year, the experts
select a tree, shrub, perennial, annual and a “collector’s choice” plant.
The selections for 2017 are:
Jujube or Chinese Date (Jujuba ziziphus),
Collector’s Choice: This tree grows to
15-30 feet in full sun to part shade. It is tolerant of a wide range of
well-drained soils and is cold hardy to USDA zone 4-9, which covers all of
Oklahoma. It has nice summer and fall foliage. It has olive-sized tasty edible
fruit that are reddish brown when ripe. Two of the commonly grown cultivars are
“Li” and “Lang.”
Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), tree: This is another small to medium tree
growing to 12-20 feet. It needs full sun to light shade and tolerates most
soils. This tree is dioecious, which means each tree is either male or female.
Both bloom, male flowers showier than female, but only females have blue-black
berries. This tree is a showstopper when in full bloom. The blossoms are
clusters of small ribbon-like flowers that may turn the tree totally white in
spring.
Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor), shrub: This is one of the few palm varieties
native to the United States, including Oklahoma. This plant thrives in wet
boggy, partially shaded areas but does have some drought tolerance once
established. It has fan-shaped evergreen leaves and grows to 4-6 feet. Once
mature, it will produce ivory colored flowers and small edible black berries.
This is the most cold tolerant of native palms and is rated for USDA zones
7-10.
Milkweed (Asclepias species), perennial: Milkweed has been elevated in stature due
to the recent decline of monarch butterflies, which are dependent on milkweed.
Oklahoma has about 20 species, some only found in one or two counties.
Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a native and is popular. Several
others that do well in flower gardens or naturalized areas. They perform best
in full sun.
Firecracker Flower (Crossandra
infundibuliformis), annual: This
annual flower is native to India and Sri Lanka, where it is an evergreen and
grows up to 3 feet. As an annual in beds or containers, it grows 18-24 inches.
“Orange Marmalade” is a recommended cultivar having frilly orange flowers all
summer. Important for our area is that it is tolerant of high heat and
humidity. It performs best in full sun to partial shade. The name comes from
the seed pods that may open suddenly, “exploding,” when exposed to high
humidity or rain.
It is worth your time to check out the Oklahoma
Proven website, oklahomaproven.okstate.edu,
and review the selection of plants for the past 17 years.
Garden tips
§ If you had previous damage to the tips of pine
tree limbs, especially non-native pines, it may be diplodia tip blight (a
fungus) or Nantucket pine tip moth damage. Both are controlled with pesticides
starting this month. Call the Master Gardener office at 918-746-3701 for
recommendations.
§ Pre-emergent herbicide to control crabgrass and
other summer weeds should be applied by the middle of March.
§ Divide, share with friends and replant
overcrowded summer- and fall-blooming perennials.
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