I'm just checking to see what does well for folks under a black walnut tree. I have a few things that seem to do OK-hostas, a few astilbes and a mysotis. More things have done poorly and have had to be moved (pulmnonaria hated it).
Thanks-
Deb
What do you grow under your black walnut?
Ligularia, hosta, runner violets, ferns, azaleas (although they aren't supposed to like it), farfugium, hydrangeas, daylilies, a japanese maple, and camellias - although of course they are totally unhardy for you. The best thing that I put under my black walnut was a patio.
Ah yes-Camellias and Japanese Maples. . . actually I'm from your area (I studied horticulture at Foothill college in Los Altos Hills and grew up in Santa Rosa) and miss those two plants a lot! I did kill a three azaleas under said tree, but it might not have been the tree's fault!
Thanks for your suggestions!
Deb
You are right! Foothill is such a stone's throw from us. I forgot that I have a clematis in there. Narcissus and tulips also grow there.
Dear Deb,
Plant lots of native woodland flowers. Many of them do very well under Black Walnut. Suggestions are the lovely Virginia Waterleaf, Solomon's Seal (either the native or chinese varieties okay too), false solomon's seal, Northern Sea Oats, Woodland Sunflower, any of the native sedges, monarda (beebalm) surprisingly does well too, trout lily, trilliums, etc.
I've had good luck with pulmonaria, but only Mrs Moon for some reason. I don't know why the others are more picky, but they are. Sweet woodruff, epimediums, bleeding heart, vinca, and japanese painted ferns are happy there, too.
I'll second GoNative's suggestion on the woodland plants. We have a black walnut on the edge of our woods with trillium, bloodroot, mayapples, jack in the pulpit, and violets that planted themselves there. Nature came up with a prettier combination that I could have planned if I'd tried.
Stacy
The natives are a great suggestion-I'm starting to get out nursery shopping this week, so I can add some woodland plants to my list . . .(which tends to ge really long over the winter months)
Here's a link to a native nursery in your state - MN. www.prairiemoon.com.
Prairie Moon Nursery in Winona Minnesota. It's in your zone and they have lots of species. They also offer shipping.
Thanks for the link-actually, I just ordered a few things from them for another garden last week.
Deb
Most of my gardens are under BWT'S. I have had pretty good luck with most plants. I grow hostas, ferns, lilies, daylilies, heuchera, brunnera, bleeding hearts. ajuga, Japenese maples, jacobs ladder, lady's mantle, astantia, sedums,hakone grass, astilbes ect...
No luck with Azaelas and hydrangeas.
here's another picture
Forgot to add that spring bulbs do well too.
Gorgeous, Walnut! Thanks for sharing!
Deb
My pulmonaria self seeds under my black walnut trees...
Gorgeous hostas under that black walnut, walnut. What a lovely garden.
Have you tried rhodea? There's a huge one growing under a black walnut at Plant Delights Nursery. Mine are very hardy, and evergreen. Not sure about zone hardiness, though.
those are beautiful pictures I like looking for new ideas!!! The hostas look very cheery under there. Ronna