Two all summer unsung stalwarts

Abelia x grandiflora and Leptodermis oblonga. Mine have been chugging right along all summer without an ounce of irrigation. Started blooming in mid-June and still going. Leptodermis will bloom until a hard frost. Abelia will probably peter out in September. Both are always covered in beneficials, butterflies, moths, and occasionally a hummingbird takes a sip. I enjoyed wathcing a pair of hummingbird moths on my Leptodermis today. I hadn't seen any of those in two or three years.

Leptodermis seems to really prefer full sun, stays beneath five feet, and eventually suckers outward into a broad, full thicket. I have Abelia in full sun and full shade, and although it gets bigger in full sun, it blooms equally well in either exposure. I have both what is sold simply as Abelia x grandiflora and the cultivar "Canyon Creek." The latter is a superior selection, being more compact, and finer in texture, althought he blooms seem a bit smaller.

This is "Canyon Creek" flowers and the equally nice calyxes.

Scott

This message was edited Aug 13, 2006 8:31 PM

Here is the best shot I could get of the Leptodermis and the hummingbird moth.

Scott

And a little bit better picture of the flower.

Scott

And a shot of the overall form. I don't have a good picture of Abelia's form, but I could take one if anyone is interested.

Scott

I've considered trying Leptodermis up here, and Abelia mosanensis too. Where'd you get yours? Think they'd make it here?

Guy S.

I've seen Abelia x grandiflora bloom in every month of the year here. It bloomed off and on during mild days through winter a couple of years here even. There are some old large specimens on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence, KS and they've seen about -20F(coldest temp ever recorded in Lawrence) back in 1989 and -11F(record coldest in February in Lawrence) back in 1996. So, I'd say when established they are hardy, but the cultivar 'Edward Goucher' seems to be a bit less cold hardy in my experience. Leptodermis oblonga is listed as being a zone 5 shrub, so I'd think it would do OK for you also Guy. Mine here is a non-stop bloomer without much fuss and no dieback of any kind yet.

StarhillForest, I have an A.mosanensis that I got from Flower Scent Gardens. I don't know how to do a hyperlink but it's www.flowerscentgardens.com. It smells heavenly - very similar to my V.carlcephalum.

(Oh, I just previewed my message and saw that the system did the hyperlink for me. Great!)

Scott is right...no rain in weeks and both of these plants don't miss a beat.

My A mosanensis are a work in progress. It's form is, well, not exactly graceful. Sure smells good tho.

Yeah, A. mosanensis ain't no beauty, but it has got a wonderful viburnum-like look and fragrance. Guy, if you can wait until fall (or spring) I'll be glad to clip out a few suckers for you. I've done that before and they survived.

Scott

Guy--I have both here, doing fine.

Scott, that'll be great, thanks! And if that fails I'll try Firstyard's source, but I couldn't get the link to work -- ? Thanks, all of you. Anybody know a source for Leptodermis?

Guy S.

I think Forest Farm has Leptodermis. And Lazy S sells A. mosanensis, so if you can't get the other link to work you can try them.

Oops, Guy, I meant I'd have the Leptodermis available. I might try some cuttings on the two Abelias, but my success rate with cuttings is pretty low.

Scott

Sounds like several good leads here! Stress also contacted me about it via D-mail. I'll be hapy to pay or trade with who(m?)ever can come up with either of them.
Thanks folks --
Guy S.

Guy:

Klehm's Beaver Creek has 5 gallon A. mosanensis for $13--you could handle that! I will check my Leptodermis--I think it has some suckers I could dig for you.

Leptodermis oblonga has survived two winters for me here in zone 4a. It barely made it through the first winter, and never bloomed that season. This second season it is now just starting to bloom.

Rick

Wow! Are you going to BC sometime soon, and if so could you grab one for me before they're gone? I'm doing a program on Illinois oaks at ChiBot on 30 September and could detour by Elburn if I route the trip right. Let me know.

Meanwhile, I think I have a small one of each coming from SB too. Then there are the other leads from Decrepit, fellow-Scorpio Ecrane, etc. --
You folks are the best -- I'm so happy to be here with y'all!

Guy S.

Actually, just brewing up an order. I will tack on the Abelia, along with a Viburnum that you should have, of course!

Guy--I have your Abelia here for you whenever you want to come pick it up. It's a 5 gallon size.

10-4, thanks a bunch, Kneevin! I bet you came home with a whole truckload!

I'll see ya either on 30 Sept or the next morning, depending upon traffic, etc. Please leave it out for me with a bill if you're going to be away. Want anything else from down here?

Guy S.

"Want anything else from down here?"

E) all of the above--I want everything I don't already have!

I also have a couple Viburnums to dig for you. Nothing giant, so we can fit them in.

Leptodermis and the Abelia monanensis are available at Bluestone Perennials in Madison, OH. for $8 if you don't have a friends to dig one for you!

The Abelia is nice - would be good in a shrub border since its such a long performer.
I haven't had such good luck with the Leptodermis. I don't have it in full sun - it gets maybe 3 hours of afternoon sun. It bloomed last year - its first in place, increased in size but nothing like the 'blooming machine' they advertised. I have it in a clay/sand mix soil of low fertility ( another story since all that soil was bought ). This year it hasn't bloomed at all, but the shrub went from a sprig in a 4" size pot I bought on year end clearnance to about 18 inches square and looks healthy. I had already decided I need to move it and see if better fertility helps. But I think it really needs full sun to bloom looking at Decumbent's photo - worth 1000 candles. Quite a few other people have reported the same results - no or few flowers. So it would be interesting to hear what Decumbents conditions are.

My conditions are indeed absolute morning to night full sun, but the soil is neutral, unamended, clay-loam. I almost never irrigate that portion of the garden.

Scott

My Leptodermis and Abelia are still going and going and going.

Scott

Hi Scott
If you're having that much sucess, then I think I'll move it and try again next year. I see yours looks a bit larger than the 2' x 2' I thought they reached - what do you think the size is of yours and could it take a bit of pruning to keep it in bounds if needed?

My leptodermis is about four feet tall, and I think it will max at that height. But the spread seems indeterminate. Each year it adds a new layer of perimeter suckers (which clip out quite easily and make great gifts!). My plant is maybe five years in site.

Scott

You must have a way with shrubs, Scott. You may be the first to report the true potential of Leptodermis. Digging Dog, White Flower Farms, Mobot, Park Seed, Forest Farms and Bluestone all say it's 18" high and 2 ft wide. When I bought mine about 18 months ago there was nary a mention on the web about this shrub - I could only find it at Bluestone and decided to try it. Now it's everywhere and everyone has nearly the same description. I find that pretty comical. Somebody discovered it and started pushing it to the industry. Its still a nice little shrub but I would be plenty dismayed to have mine go to 4 ft if I put it at the front of a border - which I did.

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/64350-product.html First described in the Flora Indica in 1824, this little-known genus has about 40 species, found from the Himalayas to East Asia. They are part of the Madder family, which is familiar to gardeners for such members as Bluets, Bedstraw (Galium odoratum), Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens), Gardenia, and Coffee.

Mobot says http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=B212 Leptodermis is native to northern China. It is a dwarf, mounding, deciduous shrub that typically grows to only 12-18” tall but produces flowers throughout much of the growing season. Fragrant, tubular, violet-purple flowers appear in clusters in a late spring bloom (4-6 weeks),

Bluestone http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/LEOBP.html?id=7dcHKsYb Short 12-18" zone 5-7 - Plant 18" apart. Little known, but a wonderful low mounding, fragrant shrub. Violet-pink, lilac-like blooms from late spring to frost. A blooming machine.

Gardener reports from the dark side, including the inimitable Kevin5. thttp://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/shrubs/msg0813405812432.html

Potted Liners - "this plant has real commercial potential" http://www.pottedliners.com/plants_klm.htm

Forest Farm is closest w Ht of 2-3' http://www.forestfarm.com/search/closeup.asp?PlantID=leob549

I'm with Scott--looks like 4' is coming, which means I may have planted it in the wrong spot. Note invasive oak seedling in foreground.

...and in regards to the habit of Abelia mosanensis, I'd have to agree with "form not exactly graceful."

Krüssmann (1977) reports it typically to 1 meter; even the dusty old Hortus III lists Leptodermis oblonga to 4 feet.

You youngsters need to get off the 'Net and read a book! Sound like my dad...

I've never tried this plant; maybe Scott will be generous with his "perimeter suckers" and give me some of this miniature shrub to face down my vigorous viburnums. I've got lots of dry clay loam sites in which to torture it.

Hey VV - maybe thats the problem - the books are dusty. If I had them tomes I'da known. The way the trade is carrying on about it you'd think they just discovered it. I guess not. Glad to know some long ago adventurer catalogued it.
Andrea

It's the time-tested "all that is old, is new again" strategy that most plant mongerers have to ply in order to keep the fickle public interested.

You'd think the trade at least has an old Hortus III propping up a table leg somewhere.

I'm planting an all white garden next year. I realize this is breaking serious new ground and I'll let you all know how it goes.

Ann, I'm thinking of planting an all-brown garden. Might as well work with the droughts, right? If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.
:-(

Anyway, your all-white garden will be fantastic! Here's my all-white garden.

Guy S.

That is so pastoral. You've got your Christmas card already done. What is that big tree overhanging the house? I took my kids to gather buckeyes this past weekend. They had never seen one. Ditto Osage Orange - I know they've never seen that. Used to have some great fights with those hedge apples.

We didn't have a drought - it rained all summer. And with almost 100 degree days in July the AC was red lining it at our house. We had 1 break for 3 weeks with no rain. Weird year - the plants were all extra early or extra late.

I guess everyone has been having odd weather. But for us, it always seems to be drought. As they say about snow in Alaska, we have 20 different words for drought. (And nearly all of them have four letters!)

The tree is our county champion Osage-orange (male = no hedgeapples). If you have my current Native Trees book you can see it in fall color on page 256, or page 144 of my previous book. It was the reason we built the house where we did, and the reason I really got into learning about tree protection during construction! It also has lightning protection installed.

Guy S.

I knew it! - I didn't want to say anything because you know - feeling dumb but it looked like an osage orange. I love that tree and it makes me sad that so many people have cut them down. We had so much fun with them as kids. I had the best 5th grade teacher in the world - I still remember him after all these years. Mr. Lutz had us do a tree book and ID trees by fruit, twig and leaf. It was huge.

yeah central IL has had some dry weather. Sorry.

A question for you - how deep and what shape are the root systems of a river birch? I found 2 that had near white bark and planted them near the bank of a creek and I set them up pretty high. Now deciding if I should fill in more soil around the area. They are drying out and I think I need to raise the soil level - now before they get any bigger.

In my search - I had wanted Whitespire's but decided the Rivers were a better tree and hunted till I found a grower that had whiter barked trees. Saw a lot of variability in that tree. Some Ohio trees had a lot of black in the bark - made them look dirty. Now I've forgotten but I think thats due to them being seedling grown rather than cutting or TC.

I'm getting your book for Christmas - along with the Hort Society's Propagation Handbook. DH doesn't know that I know - they're already here and I've spent quite a bit of time looking at them. Some secrets should not be told.

Ohhhh - I am groaning - not a chance pal - I can't let you slip by with that one. Y-zers are famous for keeping secrets for no reason that anyone can detect. Like, just forgot to mention it. Or something. You explain it.