Are you one of those gardeners who confides to others that you have been born with a brown thumb? Does everything you plant in your landscape seem to expire? What if I told you that every day, you are literally passing up some great native shrubs growing naturally right here in Pearl River County!
Just because a plant is native and mixed into a roadside edge does not mean it has any less value than the popular ornamental species discussed in your gardening magazines and seen at the garden center. In fact, more natives are becoming available in the commercial trade because of their dependable, low-care qualities. Consider that many of the plants that have a strong tradition such as southern magnolia, live oak, and American holly are all native species. Other favorite native plants include coral honeysuckle, southern crabapple, mayhaw, Grancy greybeard, oak leaf hydrangea, and pink honeysuckle azalea.
That plant list includes trees and shrubs with a stately appearance and glorious blooms, but what about plants that you might consider “boring” but are actually tried-and-true performers that will provide structure to your garden, benefit wildlife, and give you years of low-maintenance beauty when they are properly situated.
Let me introduce you to three shrub species found on Arboretum properties that you can find locally, if you know how to identify them and where to look. Do you enjoy starting new plants from cuttings? Perhaps you will know someone with these species on their property, so you can even have them for free!
For instance, the white flower heads of arrow-wood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) can be spotted growing along the northwest exit ramp of Exit 4 from I-59 as well as along the Arboretum’s Visitor Parking area. At first you may think you are seeing elderberry, but arrow-wood viburnum’s blooms, although prolific, are smaller.
This deciduous shrub typically grows 6 to 10 feet overall and is attractive to birds and butterflies. Native Americans used the straight growing branches for arrow shafts. Locate this plant in average, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.
If you have a damp area in your yard with areas of native vegetation, you might already have a titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) shrub. This summer blooming semi-evergreen can grow to be quite large, to 15 feet or more. It reminds me of the rhododendron groves seen in the Great Smoky Mountains. Its fragrant white tassels will soon be putting on a show. Easy to propagate, titi is an excellent choice for areas that tend to stay wet throughout the year but will also perform just fine in drier areas if watered until established. Locate in full sun for bushiest growth. Titi will also grow in shady areas, but it will be leggier.
The final shrub in this group of three is summersweet (Clethera alnifolia), also called sweet pepperbush. I only recently learned that this shrub occurs on the Arboretum property across Ridge Road, thanks to Terry Johnson, who revealed its location to Senior Curator Jill Mirkovich. Jill wasted no time in bringing in a bouquet of cuttings to root! I’ve seen this handsome, fragrant shrub displayed in botanical gardens, where it is stunning in full bloom. The bottlebrush-shaped blooms are very attractive to bees and butterflies. There are many cultivars available in the commercial trade, including the pink-flowering ‘Ruby Spice’ and ‘Pink Spire’ and the compact ‘Hummingbird’. Although Clethera prefers part shade and constantly moist acidic soils, it is adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions, from average to wet (well-drained) soils, and from full sun to part shade.
Learn more about our local native plants from an expert this Saturday, May 30, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dr. Mac Alford, Herbarium Curator and Associate Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi will lead a spring botany walk after a short indoor discussion of plant taxonomy and ecology. The program is free for members, and $5 non-members. Please call the office to sign up.
Mark your calendar for our Aquatic Plant Sale on Saturday, July 11, from 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pearl River County Master Gardener Eileen Hollander, an expert on Louisiana Iris, and Marc Pastorek, owner of the Meadowmakers native landscaping firm, will be giving presentations that day. Free admission to the sale and programs.
The Arboretum is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located in Picayune, off I-59 Exit 4, at 370 Ridge Road (south of Walmart and adjacent to I-59). For more information about our programs and events, see the website atwww.crosbyarboretum.msstate.edu or call 601-799-2311.
FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION: Read more about these native shrubs by visiting our website and selecting the image for the Arboretum Plant List, hosted by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and entering the name in the search field.
Photo by Pat Drackett