Horseradish
Horseradish is a large perennial herb with coarse leaves and small white flowers. The large taproots are harvested to make the pungent relishes and sauces for which the plant is known. Root cuttings or divisions planted in spring will produce harvestable roots in 180-240 days. The plant can become invasive, so plant it with caution, or keep it contained to prevent it from spreading too far. Horseradish Overview GENUS NAME Armoracia rusticana COMMON NAME Horseradish PLANT TYPE Herb LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 24 to 36 inches SPECIAL FEATURES Low Maintenance ZONES 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division Varieties of Horseradish Variegated horseradish Armoracia rusticana ‘Variegata’ is similar to the species, except leaves have large splotches of white, making the plant slightly more ornamental. The growth requirements and harvest qualities are the same.
How to Plant and Grow Hops
Turn beer-making into your favorite hobby with this easy-to-grow vine. PHOTO: JEKA1984 / GETTY IMAGES If brewing beer is one of your hobbies, growing your own hops should be on your radar. Hops are an indispensable ingredient of beer. Historically used as a preservative, different varieties impart flavors that range from citrus or fruity to piney or bitter. This fast-growing perennial twining climber can also be used ornamentally as a privacy screen in summer or to camouflage a work area. It grows very tall in a single season and requires a sturdy trellis. The part of the plant used for brewing beer is the female flower, called a cone (it resembles a small green pine cone). Hops are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants. Only all-female varieties are grown for brewing beer (no pollen is necessary, since seeds are undesirable). The cones form over the summer and are…
Honesty
Honesty Overview DESCRIPTION You may know honesty by another name; it has a few: money plant, silver dollar, or dollar plant. An easy-to-grow biennial, honesty blooms the second season after planting. Plants self-seed with gusto and come back year after year. Honesty’s purple flower clusters debut in spring, adding color after the spring bulbs have faded. GENUS NAME Lunaria annua COMMON NAME Honesty PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FLOWER COLOR Purple FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Cut Flowers, Fragrance, Low Maintenance ZONES 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Drought Tolerant Garden Plans For Honesty Planting Honesty Honesty is grown both for its spring flowers and its round seedpods that are cut, dried, and used in arrangements. Combine honesty with other flowers that produce attractive dried blossoms for a…
How to Plant and Grow Hollyhock
Add these regal flowers to your cottage garden for a towering burst of color that draws your eye to the sky. Hollyhocks are the height of cottage garden style. Chances are you’ve seen hollyhocks beside a barn, in front of a cute cottage-style house, or lining a white picket fence. Their most defining feature is their height: With a range of 3 to 8 feet tall, even the short end of the hollyhock spectrum is impressive. Since most varieties are biennials, you probably won’t enjoy blossoms until the second season. Peter Krumhardt. These stately towers of flowers bloom for a long stretch of summer, from June to August. The big blossoms start at the rosette foliage at the base, slowly working their way up the stalk and unfurling a little at a time. Once fully grown, the flowers may open simultaneously to create beautiful columns of color, ranging from yellow…
Holly
Make sure you plant your holly in the spring for optimal results from this winter favorite. Holly Color Combinations The diverse holly family includes trees and shrubs that come in a variety of forms: columnar, pyramidal, rounded, or weeping. Their foliage varies, too, ranging from large, spiny leaves to smooth, small leaves that resemble boxwood. Even holly’s berries come in a variety of hues that include red, pink, blue, orange, yellow, and white. Holly provides year-round interest while serving as part of a hedge or perennial border, or in foundation plantings. Evergreen varieties take center stage in winter when they anchor leafless garden beds. Tall evergreen hollies are good for creating a dense hedge or screen. When used as barrier plants, holly varieties with spiny leaves are nearly impenetrable. No matter where you plant holly, if pollinated, its colorful berries add splashes of winter color and food for birds. Holly…
Hemlock
Landscape Ideas Call on hemlock to create a living screen on a property line or near a patio or porch. Its graceful branches will mask views in and out of your yard 12 months a year. Shade-tolerant hemlock is especially useful for planting in the shadow of taller trees. Dwarf hemlock trees make welcome additions to foundation plantings, perennial gardens, and shrub borders where they provide an upright accent and all-season interest. A favorite nesting spot for wildlife, hemlock is also a great plant for habitat-friendly backyards. Hemlock Tree Care Must-Knows Native to dense forests from eastern Canada south to the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and Alabama, hemlock trees thrive in part to full shade and average well-drained soil. This needled evergreen does not grow well in areas with hot and humid summers—especially where the temperature consistently exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect this tree from hot afternoon sun…
Hellebore
Garden Plans For Hellebore Hellebore Overview DESCRIPTION Hellebores are so easy and so pretty, they have a place in nearly every landscape. Their exquisite bowl- or saucer-shape flowers in white (often speckled), pinks, yellows, or maroon remain on the plant for several months, even after the petals have fallen. Deer-resistant and mostly evergreen, hellebores’ divided leaves rise on sturdy stems and may be serrated (like a knife) along the edges. Grow hellebores in shade where soil remains moist; some hellebores prefer acid or alkaline conditions, depending on variety. GENUS NAME Helleborus COMMON NAME Hellebore PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Shade, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 3 feet FLOWER COLOR Green, Pink, White FOLIAGE COLOR Chartreuse/Gold SEASON FEATURES Spring Bloom, Winter Bloom, Winter Interest SPECIAL FEATURES Low Maintenance ZONES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division, Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant More varieties for…
How to Plant and Grow Heliotrope
In summer, heliotrope fills your garden with its sweet scent. An old-fashioned plant that has seen a resurgence in popularity, heliotrope is often first found by scent rather than sight. Clusters of small purple or blue blooms top off dark green foliage. Those flowers have a sweet scent likened to pleasant aromas of vanilla, baby powder, grapes, or cherry pie. Pollinators love these flowers, too. Heliotrope’s abundant flower clusters add a splash of color to a container garden or a flower bed. The most common hue is a deep, rich purple, but when you look closely at the blooms, they have several shades of purple with tiny yellow centers. There are also white variations of these blooms, and some pale lavender heliotropes to go along with the deeper purple shades. Long, deeply veined leaves provide texture that acts as a lush backdrop for the fragrant heliotrope blooms. Overall, the…
Heather
Heather Overview DESCRIPTION Blooming in winter and early spring when many other plants are taking a much-deserved break from the bloom scene, heathers are a welcome addition to beds and borders. Many varieties bloom in summer and autumn. Also commonly called heath, hundreds of different varieties of this evergreen shrub exist. Some sport dark green needlelike leaves, while others are cloaked with tiny silver, chartreuse, or blue-green leaves. Many popular cultivars are low-growing, standing 8-12 inches tall. They form a matlike carpet of fine-needle foliage that is decorated with white or pink bell-shape flowers for months at a time. Plant heather among medium to large shrubs, and it will serve as a pretty and effective groundcover by suppressing weeds. It also thrives in rock gardens. Heather grows best in full sun or part shade and quick-draining soil. It will not tolerate clay or slow-draining soil. GENUS NAME Erica COMMON NAME…
How to Plant and Grow Hawthorn Tree
Native to eastern North America, hawthorn is a showy, small tree that breaks into clouds of white flowers in spring, followed by vivid fall color, and long-lasting red winter fruits. The fruits, which resemble rosehips, stand out in a snowbound landscape. Robins sometimes line the branches in mid-to-late winter, harvesting the fruits. This tree is also known as cockspur thorn, and for good reason. It sports numerous long, sharp thorns along its horizontal branches—which is why a grouping of these trees makes an excellent barrier or living fence. Hawthorns prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soil but are unflappable in heat and humidity. Hawthorn Tree Overview GENUS NAME Crataegus crus-galli COMMON NAME Hawthorn Tree PLANT TYPE Tree LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 15 to 50 feet WIDTH 20 to 30 feet FLOWER COLOR White FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Colorful Fall Foliage, Spring Bloom, Winter Interest SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds ZONES 3, 4, 5,…