Showing posts with label plant of the month. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plant of the month. Show all posts

Kruckeberg Plant of the Month: Cyclamen hederifolium

Saturday, September 13, 2014


Kruckeberg's Plant of the Month is Cyclamen hederifolium

Plant Location: Everywhere in the understory of the garden

Plant Notes: A classic sight when wandering the grounds of KBG in the fall, Cyclamen hederifolium (fall-flowering cyclamen) is a charming perennial that is one of the most widely-cultivated cyclamen species in the world.

Its pink and white flowers grace the understory of woodlands and brighten up the late summer when many other plants begin to go dormant. While normally blooming in the fall, some of our plants began to bloom in late July and early August this year! This plant is available in MsK Nursery.

Kruckeberg Botanic Gardens, 20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline 98177.


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Kruckeberg Plant of the Month

Friday, July 11, 2014


Plant name: Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides 
Plant location: In the meadow

The shrubby serpentine variety of the tanbark oak, Lithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides is a charming shrub for any sunny dry landscape. A naturally occurring dwarf variety of shrub tanbark oak, this plant will never get taller than 10 feet. Young leaves are covered in small fuzzy hairs and its unique inflorescence adds an interesting texture to the summer garden landscape.

Our specimen is growing in the small serpentine bed in the meadow. KBGF staff collected some cuttings of this plant during our trip to the Siskiyous in 2013 to grow in the garden.


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Kruckeberg Gardens: Plant of the Month

Friday, June 20, 2014

Kruckeberg Gardens - June Plant of the Month
Cornus kousa

Plant Location: By parking lot and in courtyard.

Plant Notes: The Korean dogwood, or Cornus kousa, is a majestic tree that provides subtle color when it blooms in early summer.

Native to Korea, Japan, and China, its large white bracts resemble our native dogwood (Cornus nuttalli) but does not suffer from the anthracnose infections that trouble our native trees.

It is low maintenance, provides excellent fall color, and has striking red fruits. There are several specimens in the garden, and now is the time to enjoy their flowers.

The largest specimen is putting on quite a show in the parking lot ... you can view it by simply driving by.

This tree is available at MsK Nursery.

Kruckeberg Botanic Gardens is located at 20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline, WA  98177.
206-546-1281 or email.


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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Dead Man’s Fingers

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Dead Man's Fingers.
By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

Dead man’s fingers (Decaisnea fargesii) is a quirky plant, as its name suggests. Plant it where you can enjoy its best feature: The shockingly blue, bean-like seedpods that dangle from it each fall. They are edible, but creepy, and with a name like ‘dead man’s fingers,’ very fitting for Halloween.

Decaisnea is grown in gardens for its bold, tropical-looking foliage and decorative fruit. It comes from a family of plants known primarily for its vines, including Akebia and Holboellia. It's tall and lanky to about fifteen feet in height. With a narrow form and foliage clustered at the top, Decaisnea works best when planted amongst other shrubs rather than as a stand-alone specimen. Be sure to plant it where you can appreciate its bizarre seedpods up close.

Decaisnea is found from the Himalayas to western China. All you need to grow it successfully is full sun to part shade, and good loamy soil. The plants are easy to grow in cooler temperate climates and are frost hardy, tolerating temperatures down to 5°F. 

This is a unique, yet easy-to-grow plant that thrives in our Puget Sound gardens.



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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the month: Pearly everlasting

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Pearly everlasting
By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) is a Northwest native found throughout the northern hemisphere, often on dry roadsides, vacant lots, and waste areas. Its native range is extensive, encompassing NE Asia and much of North America. It has naturalized in Europe. Some may consider it weedy, but it is also a beautiful native plant that thrives on sun, drought, and neglect, a desirable characteristic for many gardeners. Whether you consider it a wildflower or a weed is your choice!

Pearly everlasting’s long lasting white flowers bloom in late summer. Its leaf undersides are covered in tiny hairs, giving the leaves a wooly feel and lovely silvery appearance. For best results, plant it in full sun to part shade. Moist, fertile, well-drained soil is best, but it can thrive in a variety of soil types.

Pearly everlasting is useful for the home garden. It is popular for dried flower gatherers; the stems, leaves, and flowers make lovely additions to dried flower arrangements. Those who plant with wildlife in mind, take note: Pearly everlasting attracts butterflies, making a great addition to butterfly gardens, and also provides a nectar source for the beneficial insects that savvy gardeners know they should attract.

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden is located at 20312 15th Ave NW. For more information, see the website  or call 206-546-1281. The Garden is located in a residential area with limited on-street parking. When visiting, please carpool or use alternate means of transportation when possible.


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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Sea Thrift

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Photo from Wikimedia Commons
By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

Summer is the time to enjoy our Puget Sound beaches and the native plants that can be found there. Sea thrift (Armeria maritima) is a low growing beach perennial native to the arctic coasts and Europe as well as our own coast. It has several subspecies, and is appreciated in gardens worldwide for its cheerful pink flowers and hardy constitution.

Though typically found on the coast, sea thrift can also grow inland along riverbanks and meadows at low elevations. This adaptable plant is equally comfortable in the home garden. It does great in a sunny, dry spot. Use it to fill in those garden areas with poor soil and little water where less tough plants slowly perish.

Sea thrift reaches about eight inches in height when in flower. These tap-rooted perennials form hummocks as the plant ages. When grown in its preferred conditions, thrift requires little maintenance except occasional division. Remove the spent flowers if desired, or cut them off before they fade for a great addition to dried flower arrangements

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden is located at 20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline. For more information call 206-546-1281 or email



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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Devil's club

Friday, June 24, 2011

Oplopanax horridus
Photo from Wikimedia
By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

As its name implies, Devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus) is a fearsome, thorny plant. The plant is covered with small spines that break off easily when handled, and its large size and leaves give it a primordial appearance perfect for its preferred habitat: The dense, misty, old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest.

As a relative of ginseng, a popular medicinal plant, Devil’s club has numerous medicinal qualities traditionally valued by the Northwest’s Native Americans. The plant was used to treat tumors and diabetes. Some herbalists believe that, like ginseng, the plant can increase resistance to anxiety, stress, and exhaustion. It has been harvested for this purpose and sold as "Alaskan ginseng."

With striking foliage and form, and dramatic clusters of red berries, Devil’s club makes a unique garden plant but is seldom used as such. It can thrive in shady home gardens when placed in moist, acidic soil. It is generally slow growing, reaching up to nine feet in height, but is well worth the wait for the patient gardener! Devil’s club flowers in the spring and is available to purchase in the MsK Nursery.

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden and MsK Rare and Native Plant Nursery is located at 20312 15th Ave NW in Shoreline, WA 98177.

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Korean Dogwood

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Korean dogwood. Photo by Sarah Baker.
By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden has several Korean dogwood trees (Cornus kousa), a testament to Garden co-founder Mareen Kruckeberg’s fondness for the species. She loved them, with good reason. 

This Asian native shines with copious flowers in early summer and red foliage in fall. Reaching only around 30 feet tall, the species is also praised by Art Kruckeberg as one of his favorite trees for small gardens.

Cornus kousa is immune to the fungal disease that plagues our native Pacific flowering dogwood, Cornus nutallii. Though our native is worth the effort to grow, Korean dogwood’s lack of disease and pest problems makes it a tempting alternative. 

For best success, plant it in full or partial sun in a moist, acidic, and well-drained soil. It is tolerant of less than ideal conditions, however. If in full sun, newly planted trees may need summer water for several years until well established.

Korean dogwood is an attractive, hardy tree that is a suitable size for most urban or suburban gardens. There are cultivars available, but why bother when the original is practically perfect?

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden is located at 20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline. For more information about the Garden, see the website.


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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month – Epimedium perralderianum

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Epimedium. Photo by Roseann Barnhill
Savvy Northwest gardeners know that epimediums are one of our most successful groundcovers for shade. Epimedium perralderianum is a favorite at the Garden and a great plant for winter interest. The new leaves of this evergreen plant are unfurling now with a reddish, marbled coloration that fades to green. Its airy sprays of tiny yellow flowers bloom above the plant in March and April.

The epimedium genus contains many species native to Asia and the eastern Mediterranean. They stay low – around a foot or so in height – and form dense patches over time. Many do well with little summer water. Those found around the Mediterranean can tolerate drier conditions than those native to the temperate areas of Asia.

The dry, shady conditions under our native conifers present a challenge but also an opportunity. Only tough plants can compete. Epimediums fall into this category, as do many of our native groundcovers. After all, our natives are no strangers to Northwest forests!

Epimedium perralderianum is available in the MsK Nursery anytime, and in the Garden to enjoy this month.

--Sarah Baker, Garden Director, Kruckeberg Botanic Garden

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Cornelian cherry

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Cornus mas.  Photo by Roseann Barnhill.
The Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) is not a cherry at all, but rather a dogwood, and is getting ready to flower in the Garden in the coming weeks. This species provide a delightful show of small, pale yellow flowers, and we are lucky that Mareen Kruckeberg’s artful pruning shaped several specimens in the Garden beautifully. In summer the birds relish its edible red fruits.

The species is native to central and southern Europe, where it was once commonly cultivated for its fruit. It is mainly used for making jam. In eastern Europe it is distilled into liquor, while in Iran and Turkey it is eaten as a snack. Several cultivars have been selected for increased fruit production.

Cornus mas is a small tree reaching around 20' in height. It prefers sun or partial shade. Though tolerant, it does best in rich, moist, and well-drained soil. It is typically multi-stemmed, but limbing up from the base can give it an elegant, tree-like shape when done well.

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden is located at 20312 15th Ave NW and is open to the public Friday-Sunday from 10am - 3pm. The on-site MsK Nursery sells native and exotic plants well suited for Northwest gardens. For more information, contact the Garden at 206-546-1281 or the website.

--Sarah Baker, Director, MsK Rare and Native Plant Nursery

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Kruckeberg Plant of the Month: California Fescue

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Festuca californica
By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

Ornamental grasses seem to have seen a recent surge in popularity, and rightly so. They lend a naturalistic look to the garden and their attractive seed heads often ripen in late summer, persisting on the plant to provide interest to your landscape long into the fall and winter season.

California fescue (Festuca californica) is one such grass. Native to California and Oregon, its clumps of blue-green evergreen foliage are two feet tall. In summer, the showy flower stalks rise another two feet above the foliage. The flowers fade to a golden tan. It is best used in naturalistic plantings or tucked into a low-water use landscape. Like many ornamental grasses, California fescue prefers a sunny spot and tolerates drought once established, though it generally looks better with some summer water.

Grasses play an important role for wildlife, providing cover to hide in and soft, supple nesting materials for your garden’s bird residents. Some gardeners argue that grasses can look messy; however, an occasional grooming to remove dead leaves and old flower stalks is generally all that is required to keep them looking tidy.

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden is located in Richmond Beach neighborhood and is part of the City of Shoreline Department of Parks.


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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month – Pére David’s Maple

Friday, September 17, 2010


Acer davidii.  Photo by Sarah Baker.

By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

Pére David’s maple (Acer davidii), also known as a stripebark or snakebark maple, is appreciated at the Garden for its golden fall color. With alternating green and white stripes, the plant’s eye-catching bark is its other notable feature. Acer davidii belongs to a group of maples collectively referred to as snakebark maples that are characterized by their striped bark in varying shades of green, light pink, white and brown.

This Chinese native was named for Pére Armand David, a French Catholic priest sent to China in the 1860’s. Though he went as a missionary, he also began to collect specimens for the natural history museum in Paris and brought numerous Chinese plants and animals to the attention of western science. He has other plants named for him as well, including the Chinese white pine (Pinus armandii) and dove tree (Davidia involucrata).

Pere David’s maple grows well in our climate. It prefers full to partial sun and tolerates various soil types. It is fast growing when young, slowing as it reaches its ultimate height of 30-50 feet. Plant it where the bark can be appreciated up close, and where the plant’s pendulous seed clusters can be viewed higher in the tree. Acer davidii shares space at the Garden with two other snakebark maple species. They readily hybridize, producing seedlings that are often a mysterious mix of parentage.

Want to learn more about maples? Join our Maples Tour at the Garden on September 23. See the Kruckeberg website for more information.


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Kruckeberg Garden Plant of the Month

Wednesday, August 11, 2010


Photo Walter Siegmund. WikiCommons
By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

Evergreen conifer trees such often fade into a garden’s background, overshadowed by the more showy flowering plants. However, they simply must be appreciated for their beauty, steadfastness, and in August, shade! Shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) is one such conifer that we appreciate at the Garden. One of several pine species native to the Northwest, our shore pine was planted in the 1960’s. Now, it is full sized and is one of many conifer species found in the Garden.

Pinus contorta is a widespread native from Puget Sound to the other side of the Cascades. Such a widespread species is certain to have some discrete varieties. Variety contorta, shore pine, is found along the coast from southern Alaska to California. Variety latifolia, lodgepole pine, a taller and more montane form, grows east of the Cascades and in the Rocky mountains. Other varieties exist, but are not found in Washington.

Tough and tolerant of a variety of habitats, shore pine is a great evergreen tree for gardens that can accommodate its eventual height of 40-50 feet. Preferring full sun, it will tolerate almost any dry to wet soil, even including boggy conditions.

Keep shore pine in mind when planting with for wildlife. Its relatively small stature is a gift for space-limited gardeners who are intimidated by our larger native conifers. Conifer trees are essential habitat components, providing year-round shelter for birds and food for many butterflies and moths. Suburban and urban areas often have few conifers tree remaining, so plant one when you can.

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Talking Trees Plant of the Month – Dove Tree

Monday, July 12, 2010

 Davida involucrata, the dove tree.  Photo from Wikimedia.

By Sarah Baker, Kruckeberg Garden Director

Did you know that you can now hear Dr. Art Kruckeberg discuss the Garden’s plant collection using your phone? Simply use your cell phone to try our Talking Trees audio tour on your next Garden visit.

Look for the directions at the kiosk. Or, give it a try from home with an early summer-blooming favorite, the dove tree (Davidia involucrata).  Dial 206-708-2220 and enter the dove tree’s code number, 270, when prompted.


The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, located in Richmond Beach at 20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline 98177, is part of the Shoreline Parks department.

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month - Goatsbeard

Thursday, July 8, 2010


Aruncus dioicus, goatsbeard.  Photo from Wikimedia.

By Sarah Baker, Kruckeberg Garden Director

Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus var. acuminatus) is a northwest native perennial with large, feathery plumes of tiny white flowers in early summer. Its common names, goatsbeard and bride’s feathers, are clearly inspired by the plant’s creamy white blossoms.

The plant resembles an astilbe in appearance. It may take a season to get going after planting, but once established is a reliable and spectacular garden specimen when given decent soil with sufficient moisture, dappled shade, and enough room to properly show off. When happy, goatsbeard can reach a spread of around 6 feet.

The genus Aruncus has from one to four species – opinions among botanists differ. Aruncus dioicus is native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere, occurring throughout the cooler parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. Aruncus aethusifolius, a Korean relative with a charming, compact form, is also available in the nursery trade.

Goatsbeard, a Kruckeberg Botanic Garden favorite, is lovely when used at woodland edges or in other shady plantings. We recommend it highly as garden plant and are happy to have it available to customers in the MsK Nursery, located at the Garden.


The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, located in Richmond Beach at 20312 15th Ave NW, Shoreline 98177, is part of the Shoreline Parks department.

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month – Western Meadow Rue

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

Western meadow rue (Thalictrum occidentale) is a wonderful, though generally underappreciated, native plant for northwest gardens. 

The leaves are comprised of delicate leaflets that evoke maidenhair fern. Its subtle beauty becomes dramatic when grouped in drifts, and its airy appearance provides a pleasing contrast to more robust perennials. 

The plants are also appreciated for the male plants’ panicles of small green flowers with dangling maroon stamens.
(Right) Photo of Thalictrum by Roseann Barnhill


Despite its fragile-looking appearance, western meadow rue is a reliable perennial for a woodland or border in your garden. 

The plants will thrive in full to part shade or dappled sun, and moist soil high in organic matter. The plants reach up to 3 feet in height.

About 100 species of Thalictrum are distributed through the mountains and forests of the Northern hemisphere. 

Six are native to the Pacific Northwest, and all thrive in the meadow and moist woodland conditions favored by western meadow rue.

Photo of Thalictrum flower from wikimedia commons by J. Schmidt, National Parks Service
 

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month – Wood Anemone

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

By Sarah Baker, Garden Director

The wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa ‘vestal’) is always a charmer in spring.  A dependable groundcover, its delicate leaves and cheerful white flowers add color and texture to the woodland floor. It naturalizes well in our area and is a yearly favorite among visitors to the Garden and the MsK Nursery, located within the Garden.
Photo by Vicki Demetre


In the Garden, wood anemone joins its relatives Anemone blanda and A. nemorosa ‘Robinsoniana’ as one of the most widespread spring flowers. The three mix harmoniously with other groundcovers, such as the ferns, hardy cyclamen, and numerous native groundcovers that fill the Garden. All are happiest when planted in drifts in rich soil and light shade.

Anemone nemorosa ‘vestal’ differs from its relatives in its burst of petaloid stamens in the flower’s center, which creates an elegant puff effect. This changes the purpose of the stamens to form rather than reproductive function, rendering the flowers sterile but long lasting in the landscape. This is an undesirable characteristic for the plant, but a boon for the gardener. 

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month – Vine Hill Manzanita

Monday, March 15, 2010

 By Sarah Baker,
Garden Director


One of the Garden’s most admired plants year-round is the elegantly shaped Vine Hill manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora). Each spring, tiny pink flowers grace its slender, sinuously shaped branches. While in flower, it is guaranteed to catch your eye. 

Vine Hill manzanita possesses the attractive evergreen foliage, peeling dark red bark, and bell-shaped flowers that are common among manzanitas. Almost all manzanita species are found in the chaparral regions of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia south to much of northern and central Mexico. Interestingly, three Arctostaphylos species, the bearberries, are instead adapted to arctic and subarctic climates and have a circumpolar distribution in North America, Asia and Europe.

Endemic to a small area in the California chaparral, and considered endangered in its native range, Vine Hill manzanita is truly a unique and interesting plant for a Northwest garden. Despite its limited distribution in nature, it can thrive in our area when given full sun, well-drained soil, and good air circulation. This is a shrub that loves drought once established. No need to bother with summer watering!

Vine Hill manzanita is available to purchase at the Kruckeberg Garden, and several cultivars are available in other nurseries that offer variations in size, form, hardiness, and flower color. All are lovely additions to a sunny area in any gardener’s collection.

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Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Chinese witchhazel

Saturday, January 16, 2010

By Sarah Baker, Kruckeberg Garden Directror
Special to the ShorelineAreaNews

Is there a better way to banish the January blues than with fragrant, cheerful flowers? We don’t think so. Chinese witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis) is fabulous in January and February as its filamentous yellow flowers open and release their perfume into the air. Native to eastern China, it has also been hybridized with Japanese witchhazel to form several popular cultivars that also flower in winter.

Though worth growing for its fragrance alone, this shrub also has other attributes. In the autumn, the downy gray-green leaves add some color to the garden as they turn from yellow to red. In the winter, the flowers’ pollen is a food source for hummingbirds during the cold, lean months. This remarkably tolerant shrub has few insect and disease problems, and little pruning is usually needed.

In their native habitat, Chinese witchhazels grow best in the understory or at woodland edges. They need decent soil and a blend of sun and dappled shade to reach their full potential. Plant one where you will walk near it in the winter, and enjoy!
Photos by Vicki Demetre, Kruckeberg Gardens

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Kruckeberg Plant of the Month

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Plant of the Month: Holly osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus)  
By Sarah Baker, Kruckeberg Garden Directror
Special to the ShorelineAreaNews
 English Holly (Ilex aquifolium), with its glossy evergreen leaves and bright red berries, has been valued since ancient times for its beauty during the winter season. It became part of Solstice and Christmas celebrations, and as these traditions spread around the world holly maintained its prominence as a part of holiday décor. 
 
Holly may be a valued holiday tradition, but ecologically it’s a bit of a tragedy. Our Pacific Northwest climate is similar to its native range which allows it to thrive in our area. Birds eat the plentiful fruits, spreading them to our native forests and forest remnants in urban areas. The result is that English holly is now frequently found where it shouldn’t be; naturalizing in Puget Sound lowland forests.
 

If you have holly in your garden, consider a great alternative: Osmanthus heterophyllus. Also known as false holly or tea olive, osmanthus is a well-behaved holly look-a-like that generally stays where it’s planted. The leaves of this plant are so holly-like that the two plants are often confused. Unlike holly, however, osmanthus has noticeable and fragrant flowers that bloom in the late fall when little else does. This unusual timing means that the flowers are appreciated by hummingbirds, everyone’s favorite garden visitor. Dark blue/black fruits follow the flowers. 
Photo by Sten Porse
 

This tough and dependable shrub thrives at the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden with little or no care. It is drought tolerant, thrives in our shady woodland gardens, and works well as a screen along fences. We let it grow in its natural shape, though osmanthus responds well to heavy pruning and is a popular hedge plant. It grows at a moderate pace, eventually reaching a height of 8-10 feet.
Photo by wakanmuri 


It can be hard to replace a valued but villainous plant in your landscape. However, there are many great alternatives available when replacing English holly. Besides osmanthus, these include: 
 
• Tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) – This tough native shrub lacks the robust shape of English holly, but has a similarly shaped and spiny evergreen leaf. In the spring it is covered with yellow flowers that form copious blue berries in late summer. 

Photo by nautical2k
 
• Hybrid hollies – Cultivars of the hybrid holly Ilex x meserveae are non-invasive, with lovely holly foliage and lots of red berries. However, because male and female flowers are on separate plants you must plant a plant of each gender to get berries. Thus, the cultivars have names like ‘Blue Boy’ and ‘Blue Girl’, ‘Blue Prince’ and ‘Blue Princess,’ and ‘China Girl’ and ‘China Boy’ that denote the plant’s gender.

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