The spring rush of flowering shrubs is long past.
But there are still some stalwarts putting up flowers this time of year.
Here are some of mine from this weekend.
What is flowering in your yard?
This is buddleia lindleyana.
It has beautiful drooping flowers.
I appreciate the mid-summer bloom.
But it suckers vigorously, so you have to keep it in bounds.
Hypericum
Indigofera amblyantha
Rose of Sharon
Sorbaria
Can't believe no one else has woody plants blooming now...
I'll add some of mine from today (and try not to repeat any of Weerobin's, like the Rose of Sharon)...
Tetradium daniellii is a not-to-miss plant, if you like pollinating insects.
Here's a different Indigobush - Indigofera heterantha.
Edited to correct specific epithet of this species.
This message was edited Jul 10, 2011 1:24 PM
And yet another Indigobush - Indigofera pseudotinctoria 'Rose Carpet'.
This plant should be a bigger player in midwestern and southern landscapes.
Aesculus parviflora var. serotina is a later blooming variant of Bottlebrush Buckeye, and it often has much larger (length) blooms.
Here, Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) has completed its bloom cycle and seed is just beginning to form. Aesculus parviflora var. serotina is moving into full bloom on most plants, and one selection named 'Rogers' is just beginning to bloom. This sequence of species and selections can provide more than a month of flowering of this beautiful range of plants.
The native understory shrub/small tree Cinnamon Clethra (Clethra acuminata) is moving through its bloom sequence. This plant occurs on acid soils in association with Bigleaf Magnolia, American Holly, and other species that frequent acid soils in southern and southeastern KY.
I have a young plant acquired this year; here is what it is up to.
For comparison, here is Clethra alnifolia - Summersweet Clethra - and the status of its blooms.
I'd say these are just about ready to burst forth with their spicily fragrant flowers.
A different genus that shows it stuff in summer is the Hydrangea group.
I have a number of these. Here are some new members of my collection, future stars in the landscape.
The smooth hydrangea troop are nearly done. 'Annabelle' is probably the best known of these. Here is a relative newcomer that shows promise.
Hydrangea arborescens 'Ryan Gainey'...
Panicle Hydrangea is another group of commonly used landscape shrubs.
Here is a relatively new introduction that is now blooming here: Hydrangea paniculata 'Phantom'.
There is one more species currently blooming here.
Callicarpa dichotoma is another of those stalwart shrubs that seems to tolerate a range of soils and the ups-and-downs of moisture conditions. The Asian Beautyberry puts on a pretty good show with no help, and a fabulous show where conditions are maximized favorably.
This species will produce a stray seedling here and there in cultivated beds, in containers, and occasionally on unmanaged ground. I don't think it rates as invasive per se, but know that you'll get some extras where conditions are favorable.
Plants whose seasonal show is still to come are legion - well, at least there are more than a few.
In addition to the abovementioned Clethra alnifolia and its many selections both pink and white, there are the many Crape Myrtle choices. While I see them in full bloom daily over in Louisville right now, here in the central KY Bluegrass at about 1000' elevation my plants are just enlarging flower buds which means probably a week longer wait.
Here is 'Sarah's Favorite', easily the hardiest of this clan (white flowers)...
The other Crape Myrtle that I've grown for some time is the hardy pink US National Arboretum selection 'Hopi'. I think I need to stick cuttings of some of the others, and give them another try - which will add to the midsummer color here around the Valley. For more on this fine line of large shrubs/small trees, go to USNA's link here:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/graphics/usna/Newintro/USNA_CrapeMyrtlePoster.pdf
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/genus.html
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/awards.html
Here's a "high shot" of oncoming flowers on 'Hopi'...
Veering off the beaten path of the oft-seen and into those less well-recognized for their summer interest...
This is Devils Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa) preparing its massive flower heads for bloom.
Seven Son Flower - or the mouthful of Heptacodium miconioides - is rapidly readying its blooms.
Rhus copallina 'Prairie Flame' (Shining, or Winged Sumac) is a heavy bloomer even as a more diminutive form of these tough and hardy colonizing shrub.
Note the "wings" on each leaf's rachis (or midrib) which is a good separating ID feature among Sumac species.
Finally (for now), Franklinia alatamaha...
Very nice assortment, VV.
And your franklinia looks particularly happy!
I've struggled mightily to grow it - I have one survivor,
which I must say looks pretty good so far.
Still a youngster, a few years old, so too soon to know if he'll make it.
Not that this should become a Franklin Tree thread, but I still wonder what the trouble growing this plant really is.
I've grown Franklinia on a variety of central KY soils and conditions - none of which were finickily prepared. Limestone soils, not a shred of acid reaction. Water when it is excessively dry, give it full sun - and I've had all these live.
My plant here at the Valley is cohabiting with Viburnum dentatum - maybe that's a plus. It has survived two terrible ice storms in 2003 and 2009, sandwiched around the cicada damage of 2004.
I've had more difficulty with Sourwood and Stew(u)artia - which I'm sure that others can throw on the ground and grow. Go figure.
It is odd. I have many stewartias which never seem finicky.
I admit trouble with sourwood, despite it supposedly being a local native?!!
I've finally got a couple sourwoods which seem solidly established.
But I'd be embarassed to admit how many Franklinia's I've killed.
I'm hoping I have finally got one to settle in, but too soon to say for sure.
Some other summer blooming shrubs in my yard this weekend:
Aralia cordata
For me, the most notable feature of aralia spinosa is it's thorns!
Beware grabbing this stem, even with gloves on!
This message was edited Jul 11, 2011 3:09 AM
Adina rubella
vitex
Evodia
Cyrilla recemiflora
Hydrangea quercifolia
Finally, this isn't really a bloom, but my new albizia julibrissin Summer Chocolate has luscious foliage.
Who needs flowers?
Hydrangea
