Garden Inventory: Black Pine (Pinus nigra)

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Douglas E. Welch

Garden Inventory is a series where I begin an inventory of all the plants and trees in my garden. Along with some of my own pictures, I will link to various sources of information about each plant and tree so we can learn a little more together.

I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas

Garden Inventory: Black Pine (Pinus nigra)

“Pinus nigra is a tree of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. The majority of the range is in Turkey. It is found in the higher elevations of the South Apennine mixed montane forests ecoregion in southern Italy and the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests ecoregion in Sicily. There are remnant populations in the Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests ecoregion, and in the higher Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria.” — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_nigra

My Black Pines are tiny little things, compared to their wild brothers. They have been kept heavily pruned over the years, first by the previous owners of this property and now by me. I describe it almost as a “bonsai” method applied to mature trees. I prune them specifically for a gnarled and weathered look and this keeps them fairly small. They do get a bit bushy at times, so about every 2 years I prune them back again. I have about 7 of these pines in the garden and I do like the way they look when pruned like this.

I think the previous owners were going for Japanese theme in the garden, but the Japanese Black Pine, traditionally found in Japanese Gardens are a different species, Pinus thunbergii, I believe. From my browsing through photos online, they seem to have a different needle and growing habit. They are also used as the pine for traditional bonsai pruning style.

Photos of Black Pine (Pinus nigra) with closeups of needles, branches, trunk and bark

Here is a video I did back in August 2012 on how I prune these trees in the garden

More information on Black Pine (Pinus nigra):

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Garden Inventory: Snowflakes (Leucojum)

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Douglas E. Welch

I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas

Garden Inventory: Snowflake (Leucojum)

“The snowflakes are native to southern Europe, from the Pyrenées to Romania and western Russia, but they have been introduced and have naturalized in many other areas, including the east coast of North America. They have narrow, strap-like, dark green leaves. The flowers are small and bell-shaped, white with a green (or occasionally yellow) spot at the end of each tepal. They have a slight fragrance. — http://www.thefullwiki.org/Snowflake_(botany)

I have been going around and around on these flowers. I think it is the usage of common names that is messing me up. I have heard them called Snowdrops, Snowbells and now, more correctly, I think, Snowflakes aka Leucojum. Based on the pictures I have seen online, I am going with Leucojum.

These are usually the second bulbs to flower in the garden each Winter (Spring for us here in the San Fernando Vally of Los Angeles). First the paperwhites, then these, then the Daffodils. Their bloom varies a week or so each way, according to my Google Calendar-based gardening journal, but it is always associated with the first rains of our Winter rainy season.

I love the delicate nature of these flowers. You don’t even notice the little green dots at the end of each petal until you get right down on their level and check them out. I love macro photography, so I often “get in the face” of various plants and these always yield pleasant surprises.

Just as I have planted more daffodils over the last 3 years, I think I am going to find a source for more of these and scatter them about the garden more. They seem to like it here.

Photos of Snowflakes leaves and stems

More information on Snowflakes (Leucojum):

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Garden Inventory: Ming Fern Asparagus (Aspargaus retrofractus)

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Douglas E. Welch

I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas

Garden Inventory: Ming Fern Asparagus (Aspargaus retrofractus)

“A clumping, woody perennial to 5-6′ tall, with soft, wispy foliage on open stems. Increases in height and vigor as it becomes more established. Flowers are small and white in open sprays that carry the aroma of coconut. Very decorative orange berries follow. Full sun to shade with little summer water once established in the ground.” — PlantLust.com

I am open to any assistance and direction on this identification, as I am not sure I have it exactly correct. When I first looked this up a while ago, I thought I had identified as something else, but my research online today seems to indicate that it is Aspargaus retrofractus. The photos and descriptions seem to match what I am seeing in my garden. Again, if you have any further guidance, please pass it along in the comments.

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Photos of Ming Fern Asparagus with closeups of leaves, flowers and stems

More information on Ming Fern Asparagus (Aspargaus retrofractus):

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Garden Inventory: Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus)

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Douglas E. Welch

I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas

Garden Inventory: Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus)

“Narcissus papyraceus (from papyrus and aceus; meaning paper-like[1]), one of a few species known as “Paperwhite,” is a perennial bulbous plant native to the Mediterranean region. The white flowers are borne in bunches and are strongly fragrant. It is frequently grown as a house plant, often forced to flower at Christmas. Paperwhites are part of the Narcissus genus which includes plants known as daffodils. — Wikipedia.org

These paperwhites appear each “Spring” (meaning during the Winter rainy season here in Southern California). They are the first bulbs to push up foliage in the garden, followed soon after by the snowbells and then the daffodils. Some people find the smell of paperwhites unpleasant, although I enjoy it. Unfortunately, I once read somewhere that paperwhites can smell like smoldering electrical wiring and, sure enough, that is exactly what I smell now. It can sometimes catch me off-guard when I walk out into the garden.

The previous owners had planted a lot of paperwhites in various beds and they reliably return every year. Where I have added to the daffodils in the garden each year, the paperwhites and snowbells seem to be plentiful enough. There are definitely some spots that could benefit from a few more bulbs, though, so maybe next year I will invest in a bag of paperwhite bulbs.

Photos of Paperwhites with closeups of leaves, flowers and stems

More information on Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus):

Previously on Garden Inventory:

Garden Inventory: Azalea

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Douglas E. Welch

I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas

Garden Inventory: Azalea

“Azaleas (pron.: /əˈzeɪliə/) are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Tsutsuji (evergreen) and Pentanthera (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in spring in the Northern hemisphere and in winter in the Southern hemisphere, their flowers often lasting several weeks. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees.” — Wikipedia.org

This house came with a veritable boat-load of azalea. The previous owners obviously loved the, as much as they loved trees. There are a variety of naturalistic plantings featured along the house foundation and then a series of geometric beds, shaped into triangles, that contained heavy plantings of azalea and juniper. These were kept close-cropped, using hedge trimmers.

Unfortunately, these triangular beds have suffered heavily over the years from bad pruning habits, overcrowding and drought. We have removed 2 complete beds so far and will probably end up removing nearly all of them eventually. The junipers, especially, died under the onslaught of the spreading azalea. In some cases, I am preserving 2-3 azalea in each bed and “re-naturalizing” them — allowing them to spread out naturally instead of trying to prime them into a specific shape.

All of my azalea are pink, as can be seen the photos, but they also come in white, and red varieties. Mine all bloom around this time of year every year, although there was at least one year when I pruned at the wrong time and reduced my blooms to nearly nothing. I have since learned that you should prune them as soon as the current flowering ends so that you don’t accidentally chop off all the buds forming for the next season.

Azalea can look both vibrant and yet exceedingly delicate when you inspect the center of the flower with its filament-like stamen and pistils.

Azalea will propagate themselves fairly easily using a technique know as layering. Wherever a branch touches appropriate soil, roots can form, allowing you to eventually trim off the newly formed plant for use elsewhere in your garden. (See Propagating Azaleas using Layering for more info)

Photos of Azalea plant with closeups of leaves, flowers and stems

More information on Azalea:

Previously on Garden Inventory:

Garden Inventory: Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo)

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Douglas E. Welch

I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas

Garden Inventory: Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo)

Nandina is a incredibly common landscape plant here in Southern California although it looks as if it were in favor more in the past then currently. Older properties like mine usually have it somewhere in the yard or garden. In my case I have probably removed 4-6 plantings of Nandina over the years, but there are still these two, along with two more in another part of the garden. This garden was originally themed as an Japanese garden, so the Nandina would have been an integral part of the look when planted by the previous owners.

Photos of Nandina plant with closeups of leaves, new and mature fruit, and new growth

For me, Nandina is a “set it and forget it” type of plant. It doesn’t really require much care or feeding, or even water. It doesn’t grow too quickly or too large. Nandina is not really a bamboo at all, but I am sure it’s similar appearance to traditional bamboo led to its common name. While Nandina is not as invasive as some bamboos can be, it is still classified as invasive in many area of the United States. According to the Wikipedia article linked below, it was first imported from China to the UK in 1804 as a landscaping plant. Nandina grows as a clump and does not spread quickly at all. It doesn’t need much pruning, if any at all and usually looks nice, if a bit unexceptional, no matter where you plant it.

I had never known it, but the plant is somewhat poisonous, although supposedly non-toxic to humans, but could be considered toxic to cats and grazing animals.

Here in Southern California, Nandina provides lovely red berries to use as Christmas decorations, since holly does not grow well at all here in Los Angeles, despite the name of Hollywood just over the hill from us. The developers of Hollywoodland discovered this to their detriment when they tried to plant holly as part of this housing development.

Nandina can be useful if you are looking for a well-behaved shrub that can function in shade or sun. It can be a place holder until you find a more decorative plant or a filler for larger areas such as along fences.

More information on Nandina domestica:

Previously on Garden Inventory:

Eucalyptus

New Series: Garden Inventory: Eucalyptus

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Douglas E. Welch

I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas

Garden Inventory: Eucalyptus

One of the largest — and most striking trees — in our garden is this large eucalyptus planted by the previous owners. It used to have a matching twin, but that tree threatened to come crashing down on the garden, power and phone lines during a past, rain heavy, El Niño year here in Southern California.

It is said that eucalyptus were originally brought to California from Australia to be used as cheap wood for railroad ties during the settling of the American West. It was only after they were heavily planted, though, that the people realized they were nearly worthless due to tendency of the wood to twist and split. In fact, it is this same tendency which seems to make the eucalyptus shed limbs at a rather frightening rate. It is typical after a strong wind storm to see eucalyptus limbs scattered about. Still, with our tree, we have been very lucky as it has not had any major structural failures in the 16 years we have owned the property.

Instead of railroad ties, eucalyptus is now heavily used as windbreak trees throughout the Southern California area. You will find them nearly anywhere you visit, but especially lining farm fields and citrus groves.

Eucalyptus are mostly native to Australia, although some species do grow elsewhere in Indonesia.

Eucalyptus oil is often used in cough and cold remedies and in the past I have taken a small branch of leaves to hang just outside my shower. The steam from the shower helps to release the oils. It smells wonderful and can help to relieve basic chest and sinus congestion.

More information on eucalyptus:

A Gardener's Notebook

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Category Archives: Garden Inventory

Garden Inventory: Black Pine (Pinus nigra)

Garden Inventory: Snowflakes (Leucojum)

Garden Inventory: Ming Fern Asparagus (Aspargaus retrofractus)

Garden Inventory: Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus)

Garden Inventory: Azalea

Garden Inventory: Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo)

New Series: Garden Inventory: Eucalyptus

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