Problem Plants In the Landscape and Their Replacements
There are many popular plants that should be avoided. UT Extension Horticulture Specialist Carol Reese talks about what some of those plants are and good plants you can replace them with.
There are several popular spring blooming trees that are problematic: Bradford pear trees break easily and reseed, Native dogwoods also can be difficult to grow and are easy to kill, and ornamental cherries get cankers and bores and tend to die quickly. Some good replacements are dogwood hybrids. Native dogwoods have been crossed with the kousa (Japanese) dogwood. Constellation and stellar series dogwoods are a good choice. Another replacement choice would be fringe trees. Some deciduous magnolias especially Wada’s Memory have the general shape of the dogwood but are tough trees.
Shrubs that can cause problems are the Japanese holly and Boxwood. They will suffer from root issues. Dwarf Yew Pine is a great replacement plant that is tough and has a small dense shape.
There are several new hydrangea types that bloom several times during the growing season.
Purple Leaf Plums are popular but will get bores and die. They also readily sucker from the roots and can become invasive. Carol recommends Burgundy Loropetalum as a replacement. Some new varieties stay purple all year and can be pruned into a tree form.
Finally, Leyland Cypress trees are susceptible to the Seiridium canker. They can be replaced with green giant arborvitae and junipers.
June 4, 2016
Related Resources:
Dogwood
Choosing landscape evergreens
Hydrangeas
Loropetalum
There are several popular spring blooming trees that are problematic: Bradford pear trees break easily and reseed, Native dogwoods also can be difficult to grow and are easy to kill, and ornamental cherries get cankers and bores and tend to die quickly. Some good replacements are dogwood hybrids. Native dogwoods have been crossed with the kousa (Japanese) dogwood. Constellation and stellar series dogwoods are a good choice. Another replacement choice would be fringe trees. Some deciduous magnolias especially Wada’s Memory have the general shape of the dogwood but are tough trees.
Shrubs that can cause problems are the Japanese holly and Boxwood. They will suffer from root issues. Dwarf Yew Pine is a great replacement plant that is tough and has a small dense shape.
There are several new hydrangea types that bloom several times during the growing season.
Purple Leaf Plums are popular but will get bores and die. They also readily sucker from the roots and can become invasive. Carol recommends Burgundy Loropetalum as a replacement. Some new varieties stay purple all year and can be pruned into a tree form.
Finally, Leyland Cypress trees are susceptible to the Seiridium canker. They can be replaced with green giant arborvitae and junipers.
June 4, 2016
Related Resources:
Dogwood
Choosing landscape evergreens
Hydrangeas
Loropetalum