Angelonia is a beautiful and showy annual that has been a favorite of mine for years. It’s a popular flowering plant known for its spiky, snapdragon-like blooms. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it an excellent choice for hot summer gardens and containers. Angelonia comes in various colors and is often used for its long-lasting blooms and ability to attract pollinators.
Key Features of Angelonia:
- Snapdragon-like Flowers:
Angelonia produces spikes of small, snapdragon-like flowers in various colors like blue, pink, purple, and white.
- Upright Growth Habit:
These plants have an upright, bushy growth habit, with well-branched stems that hold the flowers above the foliage.
- Continuous Blooming:
Angelonia blooms continuously from late spring to early fall, providing long-lasting color in the garden.
- Drought and Heat Tolerance:
Angelonia is moderately drought-tolerant and thrives in hot, humid conditions, making it suitable for various climates.
- Fragrant Flowers:
The flowers have a sweet, grape-like fragrance that attracts pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
- Self-Cleaning:
Angelonia is a self-cleaning plant, meaning it doesn’t require deadheading.
- Versatile Use:
Angelonia can be used in flower beds, borders, containers, and hanging baskets.
- Low Maintenance:
Once established, Angelonia is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal care.
Perennial of the month: Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ is a striking perennial, also known as ‘Hot Lips Sage’ or ‘Texas Autumn Sage,’ prized for its unique two-toned, red and white blooms. These blooms appear in clusters on upright stems, attracting pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. The plant is relatively low-maintenance, drought-tolerant once established, and thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Key Features of Salvia Hot Lips:
- Unique Blooms:
The defining characteristic is the bicolor flowers, with red at the tips and white on the lower lip. During the hottest months, the flowers can turn all red, then revert to the two-toned pattern as the weather cools.
- Extended Bloom Time:
‘Hot Lips’ offers a long bloom season, from spring through fall, making it a vibrant addition to gardens for multiple months.
- Drought Tolerance:
After establishing, ‘Hot Lips’ can tolerate periods of drought, requiring minimal watering.
- Size and Shape:
The plant grows to approximately 3 feet tall and wide, forming a dense, bushy mound.
- Aromatic Foliage:
The leaves are small and fragrant, adding to the plant’s appeal.
- Ornamental Uses:
It’s well-suited for borders, rock gardens, containers, and mass plantings.
- Deer and Rabbit Resistance:
‘Hot Lips’ is generally resistant to deer and rabbits.
Tree of the month: The Kindred Spirit Oak (Quercus x warei ‘Nadler’) is a fast-growing, columnar hybrid oak tree, a cross between an English Oak and a Swamp Chestnut Oak. It’s known for its tight, columnar growth habit, making it ideal for narrow spaces and urban landscapes. The tree is also noted for its disease resistance, particularly its resistance to powdery mildew, and its tolerance of various soil types, including clay and salt.
Key Features of The Kindred Spirit Oak:
- Growth Habit: Narrow, columnar, making it suitable for tight spaces.
- Growth Rate: Fast, growing up to 1-1.5 feet per year.
- Size: Can reach 20-40 feet tall with a spread of 6-10 feet.
- Foliage: Dark green leaves that turn yellow to yellow-brown in the fall.
- Acorns: Produces acorns that provide food for small mammals.
- Fall Color: Yellow to yellow-brown.
- Adaptability: Tolerates urban soils, drought, and various soil types.
