WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:06.320 Coming to you from Iconic Studio, a at proven winners, 2 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:10.199 Color Choice Shrubs. It's time for the Gardening Simplified radio 3 00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:14.839 podcast and YouTube show with Stacey Hervella, me, Rick Weist, 4 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:19.000 and our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson. Well, the trees 5 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:21.239 are going to take some much deserved time off and 6 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:26.839 we will benefit fall color. My favorites have always been 7 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:32.479 maples and dogwoods, it Ta and fother Gia which Hazel's 8 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:35.240 a favorite of mind and of course gink O. I 9 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:40.960 love Ginko trees, Viburnham, service berry, oak leaf, Hydrangea and 10 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:44.840 many more as favorites for fall color. And there's many 11 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:47.479 great choices. As a matter of fact, Stacey, I think 12 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:51.799 I have a new fall color favorite. Kodiak Orangevella. 13 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:54.880 Oh, great choice. That's a great class. 14 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:58.799 Just beautiful and also Spice Girl Korean Spice Viburnham. That 15 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:03.799 would be Viburnham CARLICII. Right, yep, nailed it. I'm hot already. 16 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:08.000 It's a standout choice for adding spectacular fall color to 17 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:10.959 your landscape. And we love our fall color. It's a 18 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:14.640 magical time of the year. One of my favorite fall 19 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:18.159 color spots is Lake of the Clouds, it's in the 20 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:22.280 Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan. Way up there 21 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.040 in the up you can see the fall color from 22 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:30.840 dramatic cliffs. If you're watching on YouTube, you can see 23 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:33.439 some of the pictures that I took, or will put 24 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.599 them in our shown notes. But Stacy, everybody has their 25 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:39.519 favorite fall color spot. 26 00:01:39.560 --> 00:01:43.920 I would think, I mean, I don't, No, I don't 27 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:46.519 like I wouldn't say that I have one particular spot 28 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:48.760 because it's kind of just like wherever, you know, wherever 29 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:51.200 I'm going. Yeah, but I do have a favorite fall 30 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:52.000 color tree. 31 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:52.400 You do. 32 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:53.480 Oh yeah, sugar maple. 33 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:55.439 Yeah, it's got to be sugar got to be sugar mapole. 34 00:01:55.560 --> 00:02:00.640 The star of northeast US. The color is sugar maples 35 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:06.239 than the backbone of New England's stunning fall foliage. And 36 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:11.719 they're talking about its distribution possibly moving further north due 37 00:02:11.879 --> 00:02:15.639 to climate change over the next century. So that would 38 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:19.319 be let's see if I get this right, Stacey, Acer sacarum. 39 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:21.319 That's correct, close enough. 40 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:23.719 Yes, and not to be confused, even though this is 41 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:28.199 very confusing with Acer saccharinum, which is the silver maple. 42 00:02:28.280 --> 00:02:30.840 I don't know why taxonomists did this to us. They 43 00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:35.560 must hate us. So acer saicarum, sugar maple good, acersaccharinum 44 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:37.080 silver maple bad. 45 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:38.759 Got it? Got it? 46 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:39.360 Well? 47 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:41.960 I love sugar maples. I mean, think about maple syrup, 48 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:46.280 and of course the fall color. But it's claim to 49 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:49.599 fame actually because of its tight grain and light color. 50 00:02:49.879 --> 00:02:52.919 It's the kind of wood that makes up twenty nine 51 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:57.800 of the thirty NBA hardwood basketball courts. That's what they 52 00:02:57.800 --> 00:02:58.360 make basket. 53 00:02:58.439 --> 00:02:59.960 I did not know that that is interesting. 54 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:04.879 Yeah, so there you go. Now it's somewhat autumnated. Did 55 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:05.840 you see what I did there? 56 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:09.639 Well, I read it first, so I had at. 57 00:03:08.759 --> 00:03:10.639 I know I had it here in my notes. The 58 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:14.960 timing of color production is quite consistent from year to year, 59 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:20.000 although unusual weather patterns can affect it, diminish or advance timing. 60 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:22.560 Of course, this past year we dealt with some drought. 61 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:28.560 We want sunny days and chili nights to get the 62 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:32.520 anto cyanins. That's the red color. I mean, I think 63 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:37.000 it's it's pretty predictable. We're going to get great yellows 64 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:42.840 and oranges, but that antho cyanin pigment creates the reds. 65 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:46.199 And if we get rainy and windy weather, it could 66 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:51.199 affect the color, okay, So we're looking for sunny days 67 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:54.479 and chilly nights and that will bring out that pigment. 68 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:58.280 Of course, we love anthocyanins. Anto cyanins are found in 69 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:02.159 lots of foods like blueberries and grapes, supposed to be 70 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:05.240 really good for you. You can get your antho cyanins 71 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:07.520 from a good glass of red wine. So it's a 72 00:04:07.560 --> 00:04:08.520 great fall color. 73 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:10.360 Thank goodness for the anthocyanins. 74 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:16.279 I love it now. Chrysanthemums are to fall what turkeys 75 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:21.519 are to Thanksgiving. Fall combinations now have become very very popular, 76 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:24.680 and I've been hearing more and more people, for example, 77 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:30.800 using supertunias in fall combinations because petunias are somewhat light 78 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:35.240 frost tolerant. So it's a great, a great thing to do. 79 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:37.920 And I like fall color in my perennials too. Hu 80 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:43.240 karas like the adulce toffee tart and fall in love sweetly. 81 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:44.879 Japanese anemonies. 82 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:48.480 I love Japanese and eemonies are so pretty. They can 83 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:51.639 be a bit rambunctious, but you know, if you put 84 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:53.399 them in the right spot, and they don't really make 85 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:55.319 a pest of themselves. You're so grateful for them because 86 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.120 those flowers are so unbelievably pretty, so abundant. I mean, 87 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:01.120 it's like a no rainer kind of plant. If you've 88 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:03.240 got the right spot for it, you're right rambunctious. 89 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:06.879 They have a rhizotomous type of root. They look delicate, 90 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:10.399 but they're very, very tough. And who needs friends when 91 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:12.439 you've got anemonees. 92 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:13.920 Well, you'll need friends because you're going to want to 93 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:16.079 split them up and share them inspired the wealth around, 94 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:17.040 so you will need friends. 95 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:20.560 In fact, there you go, And I love autumn crocus. 96 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:24.240 It's not a true crocus. It's culture cum, a group 97 00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:27.560 of fall flowering bulbs in the lily family. Other names 98 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:31.639 for these plants include meadow, saffron, Naked Lady, and of 99 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.519 course culture com. 100 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:37.160 Well. Culture cooms are really such an amazing plant because 101 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.079 they're not a plant that you a color that you 102 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.759 expect to see in fall. They have this like really 103 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.480 crazy pastel kind of color. But the trick with culture coms, 104 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:49.759 especially coming off the heels of our bulbs show, is 105 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:53.360 that they are fall planted fall bloomers. Yes, so most 106 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:55.000 things that are going to plant are going to bloom 107 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:57.480 later in the season. You're planting in spring like Lily's 108 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:00.879 and that kind of thing. Whereas culture cum, you're only 109 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:02.319 going to find it in the fall. You're going to 110 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:05.240 plant it, it's going to flower, and then it puts 111 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:08.720 out this really ugly foliage in the spring. They get 112 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:10.959 super ratty looking, but you got to put up with it. 113 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:13.079 But it's worth it because when that comes back in fall. 114 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:14.879 And you know, that's why they call them naked ladies, 115 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:16.680 is because there is nothing and then all of a sudden, 116 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:19.120 you go out one morning and there's this purple flower 117 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:21.560 and you're like, what, I totally forgot a planet this there. 118 00:06:21.720 --> 00:06:23.920 They're an amazing thing, but they are a plant, I 119 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:28.000 think for savier gardeners who know to look for them 120 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:30.199 and to plant them in fall. So kind of a 121 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:34.959 little tricky little trick there to enjoying good culture comes. 122 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:38.079 And in fall, like you said, blooming with the I'm 123 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:42.439 going to call it easter colors. Yes in fall, and yes, 124 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:45.079 if you can find them. Sometimes in garden centers you'll 125 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:48.720 find them blooming on display right if they haven't been 126 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.800 cared for, cooled properly. But certainly a great plant to 127 00:06:52.839 --> 00:06:53.959 add to your landscape. 128 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:56.680 So say something else interesting about culture. Yeah, so a 129 00:06:56.680 --> 00:06:59.360 lot of people don't realize this, but a chemical derived 130 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:06.040 from culture culture keene is the original plant mutator chemical 131 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:09.199 that they used to induce mutations in plant breeding. So 132 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:11.199 there's been a lot of changes since then, but it 133 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:13.800 was really the extract from colchicum that was one of 134 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:16.160 the first things they could treat seed and so forthwith 135 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:18.680 to try to induce the mutations that would bring about 136 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:20.560 new colors, new forms, all. 137 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:24.399 That kind of stuff that's fascinating, that is really cool. Well, 138 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:27.240 we get inspired by fall color, and I get inspired 139 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:29.759 to write a limb of rick. So here it comes, 140 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:33.920 whether you're ready or not. Colors that compel a visual 141 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:37.480 ground swell. Fall color is the buzz. We love it 142 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:43.759 just because falls. Well that ends well, so growing season, goodbye. 143 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:48.800 The winter Season's nine, So start the coffee debate. Pumpkin 144 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:54.319 flavor to celebrate. Nope, no more, mister spice guy, I'm 145 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:57.519 not into pumpkin spice. Are you do you like pumpkin spice? 146 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:02.319 You know, I like this spice. This is that accompany 147 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.680 that kind of thing, But no, I do not wish 148 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:05.959 to have pumpkin in my coffee. 149 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:09.680 Yeah, same here, same here, all right, Well, for more 150 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:13.759 color in fall. Of course, we appreciate and enjoy asters. 151 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:19.399 I mentioned before mums and asters are just like mums. 152 00:08:19.800 --> 00:08:22.560 I believe it's important to set on your schedule to 153 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:27.839 pinch those guys in spring into early summer so they're shorter, 154 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:32.720 squattier and full of flour. In fall, pansies and viola's 155 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:36.519 of course, crab apples and their fruit. Wow, what great 156 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:41.279 fall color, and of course dogwood fruit also. Now with pansies, 157 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:45.840 remember the roots cannot absorb water from frozen soil, so 158 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:49.799 they will overwinter. But I have found that pansies perform 159 00:08:49.960 --> 00:08:52.440 really well in the north where we get snow covered. 160 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:52.919 Yeah. 161 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:56.799 When you don't get snow cover, sometimes you can lose 162 00:08:57.600 --> 00:08:59.759 the pansy beds because that snow is. 163 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:01.600 Yeah and dry out. 164 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:05.559 Yeah, yeah, it's insulating for the pansies. So there's many 165 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:07.960 wonderful ways to add great color. And of course we 166 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:13.120 have ornamental kale and cabbage, swiss charred, a variety of plants. 167 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:16.519 And again, Stacy, I see more and more in garden centers, 168 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:22.159 in greenhouses, combination planters. I'm seeing more of that instead 169 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:24.000 of just chrysanthemal. 170 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:26.080 Yeah. And you know what else has become really popular 171 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:29.679 over the last several years is the ornamental hot peppers. Yes, 172 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:31.440 those are very cool to see because those bring a 173 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:34.039 lot of color and people always say, can I eat them? 174 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:37.799 And I mean the answer to that is, I guess 175 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:41.200 if you want. They're not usually developed for flavor, so 176 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:43.240 a lot of times, you know, what's the breeding goal? 177 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:46.080 These were developed for color and containers. They might not 178 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:48.720 be the tastiest pepper. They might be extremely hot, they 179 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:51.440 might be extremely mild. But yes, in theory, if you 180 00:09:51.480 --> 00:09:54.120 are sure that it is a pepper and not. You know, 181 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:56.320 I don't think they even sell those Jerusalem cherries anymore. 182 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:58.480 I remember those back in the day. Yeah, oh yeah, 183 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:05.039 it's a long time out. Oh but that's another new 184 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:06.600 cool thing that you see around. 185 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:09.919 We'll see what colorful plant Stacy has to share with 186 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:13.840 us in Plants on Trial. That's coming up next here 187 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:16.480 on the Gardening Simplified. 188 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:24.480 Show, Prooven Winners Colored Choice Shrubs cares about your success 189 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:27.000 in the garden. That's why we trial and test all 190 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:29.519 of our shrubs for eight to ten years, making sure 191 00:10:29.559 --> 00:10:32.360 they outperform everything else on the market. Look for them 192 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:37.720 and the distinctive white container at your local garden center. Greetings, 193 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:40.759 gardening friends, and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show, 194 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:43.399 where the order of the day is fall color. You're 195 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:45.879 seeing it, We're seeing it. You can't go anywhere without 196 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:49.600 seeing it. And you know, of course you've got flowers. 197 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:52.080 We haven't talked a lot about flowers that are colorful 198 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:53.639 in fall. But you know, one thing when you're talking 199 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:56.519 about moms and astors and all of that in the 200 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:00.480 previous segment, are you familiar with the perennial Sheffield mums? 201 00:11:01.080 --> 00:11:03.120 Sheffield mums, I've heard of it, not. 202 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:06.360 Yeah, so they are a fall perennial. This is not 203 00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:08.200 today's plant on trial. But I did want to get 204 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:10.480 this out because you were talking about like how people 205 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:14.480 over winter try to grow their regular decorative mums as perennials, 206 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:16.639 and in many cases that is possible. I think that 207 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:19.480 increasingly a lot of the varieties that they are selling 208 00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:22.559 at the market are just not suited to growing year round, 209 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:26.000 so people try to overwinter these things grow them permanently 210 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:29.000 in their garden, and it is possible. But Sheffield mums 211 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:33.080 are true perennials, and they have like a daisy kind 212 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:36.919 of shape, a pale pink kind of nice, almost fern 213 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:42.080 like foliage, and the most beautiful fragrance. And these are 214 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:47.159 true perennials that will actually spread quite nicely in your garden. 215 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:48.720 And this is another one, like when we were talking 216 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:51.480 about bulbs, when we were talking about fall berries. You know, 217 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:53.879 these are plants that typically suffer from the fact that 218 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.159 they don't look like much when the majority of people 219 00:11:56.200 --> 00:11:58.799 are in the garden. So it's a good idea to 220 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:01.159 take note of these things. Now, in fact, you might 221 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:02.519 still be able to get them in the garden center 222 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:04.519 because now they're like, well, people might actually buy these 223 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:08.440 since they're covered in flowers. But I would say Sheffield 224 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:11.480 moms are a perennial that you should definitely keep an 225 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:13.840 eye out for and consider adding to your garden if 226 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:17.399 you're looking for more flower color in fall in your garden. 227 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:17.960 See they're nice. 228 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:20.799 Yeah, yeah, they're nice, And I just looked them up. 229 00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:23.000 They're very nice and you can buy them in a 230 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:23.720 lot of places. 231 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:25.879 Yeah, they just deserved. It's just one of those things, 232 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:27.519 like the culture, you just need to know that they're 233 00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:30.360 out there and know what you're looking for. So We've 234 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:32.919 talked about flowers, we've talked about colorful fruit, and fall, 235 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:35.480 we've talked about colorful foliage because of course that's what 236 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:37.399 gets all the credit. Fall. 237 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.240 I think it was munbelievable. 238 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:43.639 Yes, but you know one thing that we don't really 239 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:49.000 talk about is evergreens, broad leaf evergreens getting color because 240 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:51.759 we talk about fall foliage. And what's happening, of course, 241 00:12:51.879 --> 00:12:56.559 is that the plant is converting taking all of that chlorophyl. 242 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:59.159 It's been using the chlorophyll to make energy and sugars 243 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:02.480 all season long, and you know, the shorter days are 244 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:06.120 triggering that to stop. So it translocates all of that chlorophyll, 245 00:13:06.440 --> 00:13:08.480 stores all that energy to help it get through winter, 246 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:12.720 and that unmasks all the pigments that were there all along. 247 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:15.039 So the fall color is there under the green all 248 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:17.399 season long, and then the green goes away and you 249 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:21.559 see these amazing colors. But that's not the only way 250 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:25.600 that foliage can change color, because the cooler temperatures these 251 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:30.320 shorter days also trigger color change in some broad leaf evergreens. 252 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:32.320 I'm glad you brought that up. Let me quickly ask 253 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:35.840 PGM rhododendric, would you agree that's great? Fall color. 254 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:39.679 Yeah, PJM. Rhododendron is an evergreen and it turns purple, 255 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:42.480 like a deep purple. That can be quite interesting. Now, 256 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:44.240 I think that it tends to be best if you 257 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:46.960 set it off with something brighter. A lot of those 258 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:49.519 really dark colors sometimes they just become kind of a 259 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:52.960 black hole in the garden. But like, imagine pairing that 260 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:56.159 with something like Msnia hubric dii, which is like that yellow, 261 00:13:57.080 --> 00:13:59.960 and it turns yellow really fine thread like foliage in 262 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:03.600 fall just beautiful. So there are these other ways that 263 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.600 fall color can develop, and you will certainly see that 264 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:11.639 in today's plant on trial, which is trace amigos abelia. 265 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:15.480 Wow, that plant is a chameleion. 266 00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:17.720 It is kind of a chamelion and not like that 267 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:20.320 bed chameleon plant that we've been talking about a bunch 268 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:22.320 of the summer right, totally different. You don't have to 269 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:25.279 worry about this and taking over your garden. So okay, 270 00:14:25.320 --> 00:14:27.240 Trace Amigos, as you might be able to guess by 271 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:31.120 the name three Friends, is really a bunch of different 272 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:34.159 colors at once. It is a variegated abelia. So under 273 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:37.399 normal circumstances throughout the summer, the foliage is just going 274 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:39.879 to be a nice, tidy, kind of mint green and 275 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:42.919 white variegated. And I know variegation, of course, can be 276 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:45.879 very polarizing. Some people like it, some people don't. I 277 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:47.879 do think this is one of those variegations that is 278 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:51.159 quite neat and tidy, so people do tend to like it. 279 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:54.559 And in spring, again when the days are shorter and 280 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:58.000 the temperatures are cooler, as well as in fall, this 281 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:01.399 plant turns all sort of colors. You really have to 282 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:03.759 see it to believe it. So most notably, what you're 283 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:06.559 going to notice is that the top of the new 284 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:10.879 growth turns a bright pink, so that variegation maintains. It's 285 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:14.799 just that the white turns a really pretty pink and 286 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:17.759 just completely lights up the plant. And then as that 287 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:21.759 starts to age, what happens is that's turning yellow and orange, 288 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:25.039 and so that white margin is all lit up in 289 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:27.720 all of these different colors. Now that goes away during 290 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:29.679 the heat of summer when the days are the longest 291 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:32.720 and the weather is the warmest. But again in spring 292 00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:37.240 and fall, you get this amazing development of color like 293 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:40.159 you really haven't seen, and that pink color it's very 294 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:43.120 similar to what's happening with panicle hydranges later in the 295 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:46.480 season too. It's just bringing about these changes in the 296 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:50.279 plant cells that let these colors flourish. And I think 297 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:53.639 people don't really consider that you can have an evergreen 298 00:15:53.960 --> 00:15:55.960 that's still actually kind of colorful and fall. 299 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.639 Yeah, that's very cool. Yes, I guess that's why I 300 00:15:58.679 --> 00:16:00.279 call it a chameleon. 301 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.360 Because it's yeah, right. So you'll certainly see pictures of this, 302 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:04.960 of course if you're joining us on YouTube, or you 303 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:07.039 can go to our show notes at Gardening Simplified on 304 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:09.559 air dot com and see pictures of this, because it 305 00:16:09.679 --> 00:16:11.360 is something that you really are going to want to 306 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:14.559 see for yourself. Now. I talked about Abelia a couple 307 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:17.399 months ago when we did our dog show, our show 308 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:20.159 All about Dogs, because Abelia is a very tough plant, 309 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:24.159 and I think it's an especially underappreciated plant. Now, partly 310 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:27.600 it's because it most abelias and Tracey and Migos is 311 00:16:27.639 --> 00:16:32.120 no exception here are more warm or mild climate plants. 312 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:34.639 Tracey and Migos is hardy down to usda' Zone six 313 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:38.080 heat tolerant through USDA Zone nine. We have no problem 314 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:41.679 growing at whatsoever here in Michigan. In the cooler end 315 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:44.399 of its range is going to be semi evergreen, which 316 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:46.679 means that it's going to keep pretty much just the 317 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:48.600 leaves at the tips of the branches, and the inner 318 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:51.320 leaves will fall off and be replaced next year. In 319 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.600 milder areas than that, it will be completely evergreen and 320 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:58.320 you will enjoy this color change really probably all through 321 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:03.360 winter clear until next spring due to those cooler, cooler 322 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:07.480 temperatures and shorter days. But what I really Abelias are 323 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:10.799 great foliage plants, but I think that the flowers are 324 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:13.559 especially something that deserves more attention. Now I have a 325 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:16.240 hearty abelia in my garden. It's a variety that we 326 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:19.880 used to offer through proven winners called Ruby Anniversary. The 327 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:22.440 thing has been flowering now for a solid two and 328 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:27.720 a half months. The flowers are extremely fragrant, and they 329 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:32.240 attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and mumblebees like they are just flocking 330 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:35.400 to this thing. Now. With a plant like Trace a Migos, 331 00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:39.000 because you have this variegated foliage, a lot of times 332 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:41.319 those flowers just get lost. Because the flowers on Trace 333 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:44.920 and Migos are white. They're really nice, pure white, and 334 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:47.000 because it's a variegated plant. You can't really, they're not 335 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:48.480 popping out of the foliage. 336 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:50.279 Yeah, And let me ask you real quickly with the 337 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:54.160 white flowers, to you, does it smell like jasmine? 338 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:57.400 I'm yeah, you could probably say that. I would say, 339 00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:01.359 strike one of the closest corollaries to it. It's definitely 340 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:03.839 like a light floral scent. I would say if I 341 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:07.039 had to compare it to any other flowering plant, that 342 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:08.720 would probably be like the closest. 343 00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:11.160 Okay, that's why pollinators love it. 344 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.759 Yeah, yeah, they do. And that's what's really cool about 345 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:15.960 this is you don't necessarily see the flowers, but you'll 346 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:18.599 smell the flowers, and you will see all of this 347 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:21.680 activity being attracted to the flowers, and so it's just 348 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:25.440 kind of like a fun little feature. And I like 349 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:28.559 personally that Abelia is not one of those plants that 350 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:31.240 just like has its moment where it's just covered in 351 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:33.599 flowers and then nothing, like there's something to be said 352 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:35.559 for that. You should definitely have those plants in your garden, 353 00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:38.480 but you should also have plants like Abelia that just 354 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:41.599 kind of like always have flowers on them from everywhere 355 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:45.880 from like June until frost. Because it's really never without 356 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:48.519 some flowers. It's never like that stop you in your 357 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:51.359 tracks and you know, can't believe what you're seeing. But 358 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:55.319 it's just consistently flower I like that, like reliability, it's 359 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:59.119 something you can turn to and it's going to look really, 360 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:01.960 really great. Tracing me Abelia comes to us from mine 361 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:05.799 nurseries in France, where abelia tend to be a lot 362 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:08.839 more popular and even treated almost as like a gift plant. 363 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:12.799 So especially like these foliage abelias, they will sell them 364 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:16.240 at garden centers in colorful little pots that you know, 365 00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:19.680 kind of complement the foliage and just use them as 366 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.799 a tabletop decoration. You know, here we need to, oh God, 367 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:25.400 dig a big hole in the yard and plants your abelia. 368 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:29.279 We haven't quite adapted that mentality. Usually if we're like, hey, 369 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:30.960 this is a shrub, I'm going to want to plant 370 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:32.759 this in my garden. I want it to be with 371 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.880 me for the rest of my life and I need 372 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:37.319 to be successful with it. So it kind of has 373 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:40.799 that novelty feature that had, you know, something that you 374 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:43.119 just want to buy as an impulse item, as well 375 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:46.640 as really fantastic presence in the landscape. 376 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:48.279 But if I'm going to plant it and have it 377 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:50.400 with me the rest of my life. Are the deer 378 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:51.240 going to eat it? 379 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.319 The deer are not going to eat it. So Abelia 380 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:57.039 is very deer resistant. The deer have never touched my 381 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:59.319 ruby anniversary, and I think that tends to be true 382 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:02.880 of the rest of the Abelias. Their foliage is. They 383 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:05.000 don't have like a bad smell or you know, hairs 384 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:08.519 or thorns or any of those things that normally deter deer. 385 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:11.599 But the foliage is kind of glossy and leathery, and 386 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:14.680 so maybe they just don't like that it's not toxic. 387 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:16.440 I don't really know exactly what it is that they 388 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:18.000 don't like it for, but I will take it because 389 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:20.240 I'm not going to question. They can go eat all 390 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:23.079 the toxic taxes that they want and leave the non 391 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:27.400 toxic abilia alone. That's when when for us as gardeners. So, 392 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:29.519 like I said, this is going to be hardy down 393 00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:32.680 to Usdzone six, heat tallerant through USDA Zone nine, definitely 394 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:35.759 going to benefit from some mulch because it has shallow roots. 395 00:20:36.440 --> 00:20:39.119 If you are in zone six, I would recommend adding 396 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:41.440 this to your spring planting list rather than trying to 397 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:44.400 plant it now. But other if you're in zone seven 398 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:46.839 through nine, definitely plant it now. It's going to reach 399 00:20:46.839 --> 00:20:48.880 two to three feet tall by about three to five 400 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:51.559 feet wide, so a nice front of the border, front 401 00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:55.160