Entries for February 2008

In spring, dark pink buds open to pure white blossoms. Later the flowers develop into bright red, 1/2-inch crabapples that stay on the tree into winter.

Empress trees, sometimes called princess trees, are known for their fragrant late-spring purple flowers.

Franklinia is a lovely small tree with a fascinating history.

Historic Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia has been conducting a census of franklinia trees to determine how many and where these trees are growing.

Fringetrees are called such because of their springtime flowers.

Though staghorn sumac is known as a weedy, suckering shrub often seen along roadsides, the cutleaf form of this species is more refined and highly ornamental.

The stiff, spiky, blue-green leaves of desert spoon look almost grasslike—but they’re not. The elegant leaves are edged in vicious spines.

 Fragrant white flowers appear in spring, small purple-black fruits ripen in summer,  bright foliage shines in the fall, and sllvery gray bark provides winter interest.

If you're looking for a variegated plant that's subtle rather than wildly splashy, Carol Mackie daphne is the plant for you.

The fragrant, light purple blooms of the chaste tree are a beautiful accent in the summer landscape.