Keeping those plants alive!! Spotlight: The Confederate Rose

Confederate Rose

(hibiscus mutabilis)

© Dawn Gagnon Photography 2017

The Confederate Rose is not a rose but a large growing flowering shrub that produces large ruffled blossoms that are pink. It also goes by the common name "cotton rose" and it is seen widely across the southern US hence the most common name Confederate Rose. It is a member of the Mallow family, but unlike many varieties of Hibiscus you may find in nurseries, this variety will set root in your garden and comeback year after year in a beautiful display of glorious white and pink blossoms. If you don't have much frost, this plant is vigorous and can grow upwards to 30 feet, so when planting be sure to give it room to grow. Even where there is some frost this plant once established does very well. 

So how do we keep this lovely plant alive? Well it needs space, good air circulation, moisture but with good drainage. The soil needs to be fertile and in full sun. Past that, this plant will do very well in zones 8 and warmer. It can even withstand drought, and another added bonus is it is deer resistant, so if you live where deer can be a problem and they've attacked your roses, try this lovely flowering shrub instead.

Fast growing trees for your zone 8 or warmer garden

The Riverbirch

Now the River Birch doesn't offer flowers, but it does offer one advantage over many trees, it can grow 2-3 feet a year. If you purchase a River Birch that is already 5 feet or taller you may end up with a nice shade tree of 15 feet in no time. The River Birch is an interesting specimen in your yard for other reasons as well with its distinctive peeling bark. It adapts well to many soil types and is wind and ice resistant. This is good news even for those in zone 8, as there is the odd ice storm on occasion and windy months as well. Also beneficial to the homeowner, this tree is drought tolerant which is always an issue  in zones 8 and warmer.

Sweetbay Magnolia also known as Magnolia Virginiana

Can be found growing in many forests throughout the south. Unlike the large Magnolia Grandiflora, Sweetbay Magnolia offers you all of the lovely benefits without the long wait. Sweetbay Magnolia grows in stalks from the ground up and offer quick shade. One benefit in addition to their fast growing, and lovely scented blossoms is that you can easily take this plant and create many plants from its base.

These lovely trees/shrubs like an acidic soil, full sun to part shade and are extremely disease and pest resistant. They can grow up to 20' in height and 20' feet wide if you don't thin and separate the new shoots that come up. These shoots make new trees when transplanted which makes this a great investment for your zone 8 or warmer garden. The scent of the smaller blossoms is intoxicating in the evening especially. For those living in zones 5-9 the Sweetbay offers exotic and lush privacy.

Lombardy Poplars (Photo credit: wallygrom)

Lombardy Poplar

These trees are fast growing, up to 5 feet a year, tall and column shaped. They reach a mature height of up to 60 feet and can be a great way to create a soft barrier between properties, or used to block unpleasant views like a busy road. They thrive in zones 4 through 8. Lombardy Poplars also are a great windbreak as well and are relatively inexpensive. They prefer a loamy soil with good drainage and a location that has full sun to do their very best growth wise.