WASHINGTON GARDENER Winter Plant Picks – Part 2
BY KATHY JENTZ Last winter, we shared five plants in this column to add to your gar - den for flower, foliage and bark interest when the rest of the garden is bare and gray. Here are three more selections to consider adding — or adding more of — to your garden for winter interest and beyond, as well as two plants to have fun growing indoors from forced bulbs for
moist soils, as the common name would indicate. Be sure to give it extra water during any drought periods. It tolerates most kinds of soils and likes a heavy mulching over its root zone, but the mulch should not touch the tree’s bark. There is no need to fertilize River Birch. If you must prune it, do so after August as early season pruning can cause a sap to run from its wounds. Stinking Hellebore Stinking Hellebore ( Hel-
the new year. River Birch
River Birch ( Betula nig- ra ) is a fast-growing tree that is a good choice for home land- scapes. It is popularly known for its attractive peeling bark and multi-stem growth habit. It is known alternatively as Water Birch or Red Birch. It looks similar to Paper Birch ( Betula papyrifera ), but Riv- er Birch is more heat tolerant, while Paper Birch has a purer white bark color. River Birch is native to the
leborus foetidus ) is a peren- nial plant that is native to the mountains of Europe and south-west Asia. Despite the common name, the flowers don’t smell bad at all. In fact, to notice the “stink” you will have to actually crush the foli- age and take a whiff of that. So don’t let that scary name keep you from growing it. This tough plant has beau- tiful, finely cut leaves and
bright-green flowers. They bloom in late winter and early spring. It is very low-maintenance. In mid-spring, you can prune off any spent flowers as well as any old, tattered foliage. The plants spread fairly quickly and form large clumps that can be divided every few years. Plant the divisions immediately and water them in well to give them a good start. Stinking Hellebore thrives
Eastern United States and hardy from zones 4-9. It can grow up to 70 feet tall, but there are dwarf varieties available. These include ‘Sum- mer Cascade’, ‘Fox Valley’, and ‘Shiloh Splash’. Look at local garden centers and nurseries for ‘Heritage,’ which is more tolerant of heat than the straight species. This cultivar was named the “Urban Tree of the Year” in 2002 by the Society of Municipal Arborists. Plant it in spring or fall in a full sun location. River Birch prefers
in part-shade and rich, well-draining soils. It is hardy to USDA zones 6 through 9. They are fairly drought-toler- ant once established. Like its Hellebore cousins, it is poi- sonous if ingested and there- fore deer-resistant. Boxwood Boxwood ( Buxus species ) is an evergreen shrub that has been grown ornamentally for thousands of years. It is used
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44—PATHWAYS—Winter 23
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