Rubus pentalobus ‘Emerald Carpet’

Rubus pentalobus ‘Emerald Carpet’
“Creeping Raspberry ”
ROSACEAE

Evergreen shrub

Zone: 6 – 9
Native habitat: Taiwan

Conditions
Soil: Average
Moisture: well drained, can take some drought, tolerant of fluctuations in moisture
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 4″- 12” x 3′ – 5’
Other: tough, vigorous

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: spreading, reddish stems with coarse bristles on them
Leaf: turn a bronzy colour in cold winters, palmate, green, thick, heavily textured, sandpaper-like foliage
Flower: Small, white, inconspicuous
Bloom: spring
Other: spreads by rhizomes; seldom fruits but is orange and raspberry like

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; will cover an area quickly
Maintain: low maintenance, is easy to remove, can be cut hard back.
Propagate: cutting, division, layering (will root at nodes if pegged down) 
Uses
Landscape: ground cover, over rock or walls,  Useful as a ground cover, slope stabilization/ erosion control
Companion planting: nice with natives
Medicinal: unknown
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant;
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase):  1 gallon
Nature: durable spreading ground cover
Identification (key features): palmate, green, thick, heavily textured, sandpaper-like foliage that spreads rapidly 
Interesting facts: 
Comments:  doesn’t go to seed; cover a big area quite quickly; will suppress leaves

Polystichum neolobatum

Polystichum neolobatum
“Long-eared holly fern” “Asian sober fern”
POLYPODIACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Fern

Zone: 5 – 8
Native habitat (range): Asia

Conditions
Soil: rich; tolerate clay
Moisture: well-drained, moist, even moisture
Light: part sun to full shade, morning sun is best
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 24′ – 30′ x 24′ – 30′
Other:  takes dry shade

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clumping, stiffly upright to vase shape, arching stems, tidy
Leaf: fronds dark green, divided, glossy, leathery
Flower: no flower (reproduce by spores)
Bloom:
Other: fronds yellow in too much sun

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years and plant in the proper place
Maintain: Don’t cut all the leaves at the same time, groom off dead leaves as they appear, carefully. Top dress with well compost (do not fertilize).
Propagate: spores, division

Uses
Landscape: front yard, front of a garden bed, woodland, shade garden, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, edging, woodland margin, townhouse garden, winter interest
Companion planting:  nice with soft-textured ferns, and plants with paler green foliage; nice on its own or en mass
Medicinal: not known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: not native but adapts well to our conditions
Pot size (to purchase): 4″ -1g
Nature: evergreen fern with tidy form all year round
Identification (key features): upright form lasting through all seasons with shiny double pinnate fronds

Interesting facts: great plant pick
Cultivation:
Comments: fronds are so stiff that they do not collapse in our occasional snows

 

juncos effuses ‘Spiralis’

Juncus effuses ‘Spiralis’
Syn. J. e.  f. spiralis
“Corkscrew rush”
JUNCACEAE

Evergreen Perennial

Zone: 4 – 9
Range: cultivar of Juncus effuses which is native to Europe, origin of the cultivar is uncertain, though Japan is thought to be a possibility

Conditions
Soil: acidic, boggy
Moisture: moist
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 12″ – 18″ x 12″ – 18″
Other: tough

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright, irregular form, clumping, corkscrew-like, spirally curled, leafless stems
Leaf: no
Flower: rarely see,small clusters of brown flowers
Bloom: Summer
Other: looks like wire but breaks apart easily when grabbed

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; good moisture
Maintenance: no maintenance, remove any dead as needed
Propagation: division, seed (seed themselves around)

Use
Use: rain garden, container, bog garden, specimen, accent, land reclamation (but be cautious of it spreading), cottage
Companion: good accent to larger leafed perennials and very erect straight perennials
Other: cut foliage can be used decoratively in a vase

Vulnerabilities

Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: 

Interest
Local info,: not native;, evergreen in Victoria
Nature:  evergreen perennial bog lover
Identification (key features): key feat. are growth habit (looks like a tangled up green wire) often found in boggy sites (refer to photo)

Interesting facts:
Cultivars:  
Comments:  becomes looser with age

Dryopteris erythrosora

Dryopteris erythrosora
“Autumn Fern”
 Dryopteridaceae

Evergreen Perennial Fern
(deciduous in colder climates)

Zone: 5 – 9
Native habitat (range): E. Asia

Conditions
Soil: humus-rich, moderately fertile, slightly acidic
Moisture: must have even moisture
Light: part shade to full shade (best for colour), can take a bit of sun but will pale out
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 1.5′ – 2.5′ x 1.5′ – 2.5′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright form, clumping, triangular, loose form
Leaf: fern-like, basal, compound, pinnate, lance-shape to ovate, arching fronds, stunning coppery pink-red fronds in spring/summer, turning limey to deep green
Flower: no flower
Bloom:
Other: spreads slowly by underground rhizomes

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years easy-to-grow
Maintain: low maintenance, do not take out all old fronds at once but only remove the oldest ones as showing their age
Propagate: spores, division

Uses
Landscape: woodland, shade garden, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, front of bed, edging, container, woodland margin, townhouse garden, cottage
Companion planting:  hakonechlora, hostas or rhododendrons to create contrast and drama, companion plants with gold leaves and blue foliage look great against the deep green fronds of other ferns
Medicinal: not known
Other: grown for colour of new fronds

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: not native but adapts well to our conditions, evergreen in Victoria
Pot size (to purchase): 4″ -1g
Nature: evergreen fern with excellent coppery pink foliage  on new fronds Identification (key features): best id is bronzy-red new growth. upright young fronds

Interesting facts:
Cultivation:
Comments: autumn fern, is somewhat misleading, as it refers to the russet tones of the new fronds, which appear more in spring than in autumn; can’t go wrong, very tolerant

Carex buchananii

Cares buchananii
“Leatherleaf Sedge” “Curly Sedge”
CYPERACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Grass

Zone: 6 – 9
Range: New Zealand

Conditions
Soil: average
Moisture: prefers moist soils but fast draining, must be well-drained in the winter months
Light: full sun to 1/4 sun
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 1′-2′ x 1′-2′
Other: needs moisture to looks good (not drought tolerant); needs full sun to be upright

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: tuft,
Leaf: grass-like, simple, narrow, arching, evergreen, orange-brown or pinkish copper,  curling tips
Flower: spike, brown
Bloom: late summer
Other: can be short lived

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; be sure it has proper moisture, can be short lived
Maintenance: no maintenance, comb out as needed 
Propagation: division, seed (self-seeds a little bit)

Use
Use: accent, mass planting, edge od stream, architecture (holds form), filler, fall garden, erosion control, container, holding in a river bank, boarder
Companion:  its piny copper colours is nice to echo off of*, for other ideas see photo bellow 
Other:
Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; 
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: 

Interest
Local info,: not native;
Nature:  evergreen full sun grass with copper color and architectural form 
Identification (key features): key feat. are colour of evergreen foliage (bronze-ish), thin grass like leaves with curled tips, upright to slightly arching, 75cm
Interesting facts:
Cultivars:  
Comments:

Around donax

Around donax
“Giant Reed grass”
POACEAE

Decidious Rhizomatous Perennial Grass

Zone: 6 – 11
Range: Mediterranean

Conditions
Soil: any including clay
Moisture: medium to wet, can take standing water
Light: full sun to part shade Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 8′ – 12′ x 5′ – 8′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clump forming, spreading,  bamboo-like stems to 5m
Leaf: arching, strap-shaped blue-green leaves, sheathing off stem, looks similar to corn
Flower: large terminal purple flower panicles
Bloom: late summer
Other:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: don’t plant near water or open systems (invasive and don’t want in spreading this way)
Maintenance: low maintenance; cut back in the spring or fall (choose based on aesthetics) 
Propagation: spreads by stem pieces or rhizomes (does not go to seed here but can be invasive still)

Use
Use: seasonal fence, screening, sound garden, wetter area in back of mixed boarder or yard
Companion:  a large grass that pairs well with medium sized perennials or shrubs that balance its dominating shape; be cautious about planting it with sensitive plants as it may just move into their area (native ephemeral not good with) 
Other: be cautious about where to be sure it won’t escape your garden beds

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; 
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest

Local info,: not native; does not go to seed in Victoria and isn’t a problem here, but be cautious, it is invasive in other areas
Nature:  invasive ornamental deciduous grass 
Identification (key features): can tell it differs from miscanthus app. because  stalks look like corn stalks (sheathing) and stems are this (size of a quarter) and panicles are different
.Interesting facts: originally planted for fuel and ruffle (but isn’t used for this anymore)
Cultivars: A. d. ‘Variegata’ – white strips leaves, very pretty, 6’x24″

Comments: invasive in southern USA

Podocarps nivalis

Podocarps nivalis
“Alpine totara””Plum yew”
PODOCARACEAE

Evergreen Conifer  Shrub

Zone:  7 – 10
Native habitat:  New Zealand (mountains / sub alpine regions)

Conditions
Soil: fertile, humus
Moisture: well drained, average, tolerates some drought
Light: full sun (best) to part shade
Exposure: protect from cold, drying winds
Plant size (h x w): 3′ x 3′; usually wider than higher; can rarely see them 6’x6′
Other: tough

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: bright green stems, horizontal growth habit (wider than tall)
Leaf: rigid green-bronze needles attached radially around shoots needles short, messy off stem with sharp tips
Flower: dioecious; male plants yellow catkin-like cons; older females green cone-like parts which develop into bright red arils with seed protruding from each
Bloom: insignificant
Other:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general
Maintain: low maintenance, remove dead and damaged, responds well to pruning
Propagate: cutting, seed

Uses
Landscape: specimen, winter interest, mixed boarder, top of rockeries so the branches can tumble down, short hedge, erosion conrtrol
Companion planting: can be nice planted with heathers to mixed into an entirely heather bed; can prune to allow it to weave nicely into empty areas of a bed 
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant, very little disease seen, more of a problem if grown in cold, wet soils
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): 1 g or bigger
Nature: adaptable evergreen shrub
Identification (key features): needles close-set, spirally arranged, erect or subpatent, rigid, coriaceous, margins thickened, linear-oblong
Interesting Facts: family related to Taxus
Cultivars:
Comments: species tends to vary both in the wild and plant nuseries
has a sharp almost toxic smell when foliage is crushed

Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’

Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’
“White cedar Rheingold”
CUPRESSACEAE

Evergreen Conifer  Shrub – Sub-shrub

Zone: 2 – 7
Native habitat:  Eastern North America

Conditions
Soil: moderately fertile
Moisture: well drained, average to moist
Light: full sun (will turn green in part-shade)
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 3′ max
Other: prefers more water than less, don’t let it dry out

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: cone-shaped to dome-shaped, dwarf cultivar
Leaf: predominately juvenile, scale-like foliage, striking gold in summer becoming coppery in winter, flat, fan-shaped clusters, mealy
Flower:small knobbly oval cones
Bloom: insignificant
Other: shallow rooted

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: summer watering for the first few seasons, never let fully dry out while establishing
Maintain: low maintenance, little to no pruning needed, remove dead and damaged 
Propagate: cutting,

Uses
Landscape: specimen, winter interest, fall interest, boarder
Companion planting: can be nice planted with other conifers in a conifer mixed boarder; colors of dark green and purple contrast well 
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant, can see scale insects
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): 1 g or bigger
Nature:
Identification (key features):
Interesting Facts:
Cultivars:
 T. o. ‘Ellwangeriana Aurea’ – “Thuja” – 6′ in old age, (often confused with above)
Comments: Thuja = “cedar” but is not a true cedar

 

Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’

Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’
“Emerald green cedar”
CUPRESSACEAE

Evergreen Conifer Tree or Shurb

Zone: 3 – 8
Native habitat:  Eastern North America 

Conditions
Soil: deep, moderately fertile
Moisture: well drained, average to moist
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 9′- 25′ x 3′ – 4′
Other: prefers more water than less

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: columnar, tight growing, pyramidal
Leaf: scales flat, densely overlapping, bright emerald green (all year)
Flower: female cones ovoid, splitting open from top down,  small knobbly cones
Bloom: insignificant
Other: stays green in the winters; growth slows dramatically at about 15 feet high by 4 feet wide

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: plant 2-3′ apart for hedge; summer watering for the first few seasons, never let fully dry out while establishing
Maintain: low maintenance, don’t prune top until desired height is reached; prune dead and damaged,
Propagate: cutting, grafting

Uses
Landscape: specimen, screen, wind break, hedge, winter interest, boarder,
Companion planting: en mass in hedge, 
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): 2 g or bigger
Nature: commonly used as evergreen hedge
Identification (key features): conical shrub with erect sprays of bright green foliage all year,

Interesting Facts: ‘Smaragd’ means “emerald” in Danish
Cultivars:
 T. o. ‘Pyramidalis’ – “Thuja” “Arborvitae” “Cedar”
– taller, narrower, less lacey, goes bronze in winter
– plant 1.5′-2′ apart to form hedge
Comments: Thuja = “cedar” but is not a true cedar

 

Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’

Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’
“Dwarf Hinoki cypress”
CUPRESSACEAE

Evergreen Conifer Shrub – Dwarf

Zone: 4 – 8
Native habitat : Japan

Conditions
Soil: rich
Moisture: well drained, average to moist
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: protect from very windy exposed sites
Plant size (h x w): 10′ x 6′ (very slow to this and only without any pruning)
age 10: 32″!!!
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright, compact, oval to round, bushy
Leaf: dark green, glossy, blunt scales in shell-shaped sprays, flatter growth to scales in clean layers (slightly overlapping) with white band on underneath of scales
Flower: cones of both male and females are round
Bloom: insignificant
Other: slow growing

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general;
Maintain: can prune hard (to make bushy or encourage into a tight shape) but likely wont have too (so slow to grow and already a dwarf shrub); prune out dead; rake up needles and hose down a couple of times a year to avoid/prevent spider mites (if a real problem you can also mist them during the hot summer nights as a deterrent)
Propagate: cutting, grafting

Uses
Landscape: specimen, winter interest, evergreen shrub, informal short hedge, container
Companion planting: look to colors of variegation, dark green, silver or gold 
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: spider mites; may see phytophthora root diseases
Deer resistant: yes
Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): 1g or bigger
Nature: compact slow growing dwarf conifer shrub
Identification (key features): compact habit, dwarf shrub; dark green, glossy, blunt scales, sprays look like shell (flatter growth concave in clean layers slightly overlapping), white band on underneath of scales

Interesting facts: Chamaecyparis = false cypress
Cultivars: ‘Nana Gracilis’ and the shorter cultivar ‘Nana’ are often confused; differ mainly in height, ‘Nana’ is more compact