Utah Juniper: Nature's Caretaker by Charlotte Coles

 

Utah Juniper All photos by Charlotte Coles

The Utah Juniper, Juniperus osteosperma, is one of nature's caretakers. Utah Juniper is a multi-trunked tree or shrub. Roots are vast and shallow growing in gravelly loam or clay alkaline soil (pH 7.4-8.0). The Utah Juniper grows 0.5 inch per year and may live up to 600 years. They are best suited for elevations of 3000-8000 feet. This monoecious tree or shrub is able to reproduce in distant areas by wind or animals. Each berry contains 1-2 seeds and the staminate are small soft cones.

New Plants for 2021 from Plant Select by Nancy Shepard

Antirrhinum sempervirens ‘P020S’ — Drew’s Folly™ Hardy Snapdragon

[This article was originally published in the Jan/Feb 2021 issue of Colorado Green, a landscape professionals publication, and contributed by James E. Klett, professor and extension horticulturist, Colorado State University, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in Fort Collins.] 

Plant Select, a collaborative effort between Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens and horticulturists around the world, announced three new introductions being promoted for 2021 and is giving additional promotion to other plants that they have previously introduced. Now entering its 24th year, Plant Select is a leading source of plants that thrive in the High Plains and intermountain region and is a non-profit organization. These plants provide gardeners and landscape professionals with smart, stunning and successful gardens using less water and fewer resources, ultimately having a more positive environmental impact. To find out where to buy these plants, see https://plantselect.org/ 

2021 New Introductions

Helichrysum trilineatum ‘P021S’ — SteppeSuns® Hokubetsi

Hokubetsi is the native Basotho name for Helichrysum trilineatum that grows high up in the Maloti mountain range of southern Africa. SteppeSuns® Hokubetsi is a selection that forms a rounded, dense, silver shrub with clusters of bright yellow strawflowers. Hokubetsi is adaptable, tolerating extremes in temperature, water, and soil types. Fuzzy stems and foliage protect this plant from intense solar radiation and insulate it through bitterly cold winters. Small silver leaves curl up or fall off during winter, leaving a soft ever-silver statement in the garden. It grows to about 3 feet in height and 4 feet in width. During the winter the small silver leaves curl up or fall off, leaving a soft ever-silver statement in the garden. 

Antirrhinum sempervirens ‘P020S’ — Drew’s Folly™ Hardy Snapdragon

DREW’S FOLLY™ Hardy Snapdragon (Antirrhinum sempervirens ‘P020S’) flowers so heavily that when in full bloom, its foliage is almost completely masked. Drew’s Folly is a natural for the rock garden or edge of a flagstone patio. This plant will thrive in a wide range of soil types, in dry conditions with occasional irrigation, with very little maintenance required. It grows to about 12 inches in height and 16 inches in width. 

Penstemon strictus ‘PWWG06S’ — Blanca Peak® Rocky Mountain Beardtongue

Blanca Peak® Rocky Mountain Beardtongue provides a 3 to 4 week-long eye-catching display of white tubular flowers in late spring. Light green foliage forms a low growing evergreen mat. Blanca Peak® is a long-lived perennial native to the higher elevations of AZ, CO, NM, UT, and WY. Thank you to David Salman for bringing this fantastic penstemon to the Plant Select program. It was Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms staff’s favorite in 2019! It grows to about 20-24 inches in height and 15-18 inches in width.

Past Introductions that Deserve More Planting

Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’ PP15,023 — Hot Wings® Tatarian Maple

Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’ PP15,023 — Hot Wings® Tatarian Maple

Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’ PP15,023 — Hot Wings® Tatarian Maple

Enjoy the contrast of the scarlet red samaras against rich green foliage in midsummer on either a single planting or multi-planting of this small tree. Hot Wings® is adaptable to alkaline soil and will grow in full sun or part shade. A rounded upright growth habit with sturdy branching makes it less prone to storm damage. It grows to about 15 to 18 feet in height and width. Perfect as a single specimen or set in a large-scale shrub border.

Viburnum burejaeticum ‘P017S’ — Mini Man™ dwarf Manchurian Viburnum

Viburnum burejaeticum ‘P017S’ — Mini Man™ dwarf Manchurian Viburnum

This compact form of Manchurian viburnum has clusters of white flowers in spring followed by persistent red to blue-black fruit. Mini Man™ is native to Russia and northern China. It grows to about 4 to 6 feet in height and width. A cold hardy, low-water shrub with velvety green leaves that is adaptable to sun or filtered shade.

Plants for Hummingbirds by Nancy Shepard

Red Birds in a Tree Scrophularia macrantha
Photo: High Country Gardens

I had more hummingbirds visiting my garden last year than ever and I can’t help but think it was the two new perennials I put in: Red Birds in a Tree (Scrophularia macrantha) and Sunset hyssop (Agastache rupestris.)  The hummingbirds came in the spring and in the fall and rarely touched my bright red hummingbird feeder but instead went for these plants. Both of these plants have tubular flowers that hummingbirds love!

Spring Drought 2021 by Nancy Shepard

 

With all the excess snow and rain we’ve had this spring, I was surprised to see this drought map recently released by the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University. Only the upper right quadrant shows favorable conditions from all this spring precipitation. The Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) is a relatively new drought index based only on precipitation. It's an index based on the probability of precipitation for any time scale.

After seeing this I realized that my business-as-usual approach to planting spring annuals needed some tweaking. What are some of the alternatives for annuals that can take the heat?

Cleome ‘Senorita Rosalita’

Known as the Spider Flower, Cleome 'Senorita Rosalita' is easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun but tolerates light shade. It does better with consistent watering during the growing season. Once established, it tolerates heat and drought. This cleome is a sterile plant that will not reseed in the garden. It is winter hardy to USDA Zones 9-10 and is grown as an annual in Zones 3-8.

PINK CRYSTALS® ruby grass Melinis nerviglumis
Photo: Plant Select

Melinis nerviglumis is an annual here and many gardeners consider the shimmering heads of bright ruby and silver flowers the most beautiful new contribution to bedding or the border. It sparkles like champagne bubbles. Tips from the pros: Plant larger plants as they will bloom earlier and provide longer bloom.

Silver Dollar Plant Plectranthus argentatus
Photo: Plant Select

The plush, silver, heavily textured leaves of Plectranthus argentatus make a trim mound through the summer months. Very easy and adaptable in a variety of sites and soils, it is considered a xeriscape plant. Excellent as an accent or massed, in containers, in annual plantings or borders. 

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Autumn Colors’

Gloriosa Daisy hybrids are short-lived perennials, sometimes treated as annuals. Often these will survive a few winters or at least self seed. This mid-sized strain produces large brown-eyed daisy flowers for months on end, in a range of bicolor shades from yellow through gold, orange and bronzy-red. An outstanding cut flower. Removing faded blossoms regularly will greatly increase the flowering time.

For a larger list of xeriscape perennials and annuals see:

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/xeriscaping-perennials-and-annual-flowers-7-231/