Lianas (woody creeping plants) can easily add an artistic touch to any landscape, unless one of them is an aggressive invasive. Most Lianas hang onto tall canopy trees for structural support throughout their lifespan. Although not detrimental to the host tree itself, they can dominate the canopy layer and compete for nutrients, light and space. One particular Liana that caught my attention this week was Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet) hanging onto a wild Cherry tree along the periphery of London Town. The striking yellow and orange berries hanging delicately on the twisted stems, paint quite an intricate picture. Unfortunately, this Liana is bad news for the Eastern ecosystems. Oriental Bittersweet is a very aggressive vine with a dominant habit that is invading in the Eastern ecosystem since the mid-1800s. The native species Celastrus scandens (American Bittersweet) is actually in decline in forests. "In the Northeast, Oriental bittersweet appears to be displacing the native climbing bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, through competition and hybridization." (https://www.invasive.org/eastern/midatlantic/ceor.html). Correct identification is crucial, since the two vines have close resemblance. Here is a good link to understand the difference: https://www.fs.usda.gov/In…/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_017307.pdf. What I find most intriguing about Oriental Bittersweet is that it is probably very successful as an invasive, because it shows symbiotic relationship with Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi). "A determining factor regarding Oriental bittersweet's ability to outcompete native plant species is its ability to form mutualistic associations with mycorrhizal fungi, specifically arbuscular mycorrhizal. Oriental bittersweet growth is highly dependent on the absorption of phosphorus. In a recent study, growth was found to be greater when arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were present in soil with low phosphorus concentrations. The results from this study show the importance of symbiotic relationships in allowing Oriental bittersweet to effectively uptake nutrients from its surroundings" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celastrus_orbiculatus) Oriental Bittersweet also has the advantage of having a thicker and longer stem than the native species. Plants with an extremely aggressive and invasive habit can be detrimental to any ecosystem. Oriental Bittersweet is found on roadsides, forests and even areas with poor nutrient quality. It has been observed to cover half an acre in just 10 years! Of course they have AM fungi to the rescue that helps it grow faster. Oriental Bittersweet fruits are quit attractive and very popular in Floriculture for making wreaths and seasonal arrangements. But by using Oriental Bittersweet for wreaths, it sets a greater risk for the seeds to be spread by their best dispersal agents, birds! When handling the vines with fruits, it is best to use them for indoor arrangements with caution for seed dispersal, and bagging it to discard it when finished using for decorations. But once identified correctly, this Liana must be eradicated by best management practices for preservation of natural ecosystems. #liana #orientalbittersweet #americanbittersweet #fungi #fungus

Camellia sasanqua 'Hana Jiman' (picture courtesy: Dinny White) Crossing plants is certainly a fine craft and more so when it comes to Camellias. London Town was extremely fortunate to have Dr. William Ackerman use London Town woodland gardens as a test site for his crosses. Seed propagation, vegetative propagation (cuttings/air-layering) has its own value but to get finer more specific traits, controlled crossing- hybridizing is the best method. Camellia 'Pink icicle' (Camellia x williamsii 'November Pink' x Camellia oleifera) (Picture courtesy, Dinny White) Hybridizing of species is usually done to create an enhanced variety of plant that shows finer traits than its parent plant. In agriculture, crossing is mostly done for improved yield and commercial value of a crop. Now species can be crossed within the same genus, called - interspecific hybridizing (eg. Camellia oleifera x Camellia sasanqua) or crossing can be done with two different genus- intregeneric hybridizing. For eg., some of Dr. Ackerman amazing work includes: crossing Franklinia sps. and Camellia sps. Camellia japonica 'Herme' (Picture courtesy, Dinny White) Let's have a look at some of the key cold hardy crosses done by Dr. Ackerman that are excelling in the trade. The brutal winters in the late 1970's killed many Camellias with only some spring flowering C. japonica surviving and some fall blooming C. sasanqua and C. hiemalis. Later C. oleifera came into highlight when the urgent need for cold hardy varieties was realized in early 1980's.The two varieties that proved to be most cold tolerant and superior parents for crossing were 'Lu Shan Snow' and 'Plain Jane'. Camellia oleifera 'Lu Shan Snow' (Picture courtesy, Dinny White) Cross 2: The highest yield of viable plants was observed between interspecific crosses between C. oleifera and C. sasanqua. C. oleifera being a variety with higher cold tolerance it was used as one of the parents with many different varieties. An excellent example at London Town is: 'Pink Icicle': Camellia x williamsii 'November Pink' x Camellia oleifera. Note that C. x williamsii itself is a hybrid of C. japonica and C. saluenensis. Camellia 'Winter's Peony' (C. oleifera 'Plain Jane' x C. sasanqua 'Narumi-gata' x C. hiemalis 'Shishi-gashira') (Picture courtesy, Dinny White) A superb example of crossing 3 species is another London Town specialty: 'Winter's Peony': it is a combination of three parents C. oleifera 'Plain Jane' x C. sasanqua 'Narumi-gata' x C. hiemalis 'Shishi-gashira'. Camellia 'Winter's Star' (C. oleifera 'Lu Shan Snow' x C. hiemalis 'Showa-no-sakae') Crossing species involves countless hours worth of work with an anticipation and waiting for long periods of which parent will be the dominant one. According to Dr. Ackerman is his book 'Beyond the Camellia belt', he mentions that you do not have to be a professional breeder to conduct your own experiments. However, one needs specific goals. He mentions that "three goals that have had a degree of success over the past several decades are the search of floral fragrance, greater cold hardiness and yellow flower color". Controlled crossing of Camellias has been ongoing on for years, but if you want to see some of the parents of the cold hardy varieties, a trek down the Camellia trail at London Town will take you up close to the fall and spring blooming parents. Follow us for more pictures and crossing information on Camellias, soon.. #camellia #hybrid #ackerman

Oak stump cross section. Towering the tallest canopy layers in the woodland gardens at London Town, you will mostly find the grand Willow Oaks, Pines, Red Oaks and Tulip Poplars. Disease, drought, water logging, insect damage, there are many reasons for loss of a tree. When a tree is cut down to its base, as sad as it is to lose one of the oldest members of the canopy, it exposes the beautiful arrangement of the rings of life. The rings of the tree visible in a stump section reveal much more than the age of a tree. It also shows the stressed time zones in its life span as well as the healthy ones. Each spring and summer a tree adds new layers to its main trunk. In spring, the wood grows faster and is lighter because it consists of larger cells. The wood growth in summer is slower than spring and thus the summer wood has smaller cells and is darker. The spring and summer growth of rings appear as alternating rings of light and dark wood. Spring and summer bands of dark and light. The rings seen in the cross section of a tree tell more than just the age. The rings tell a story of the phases of stress a tree has seen in its life cycle. Disease, drought spells, tree competition, nutrient stress, there are ample stories revealed in a wide cross section of a stump. Pine tree trunk cross section. Counting from the center, about 35 rings in, you will notice the rings getting tighter, this shows onset of periods of extreme stress. One of the cross sections’ pictures of the trunk with this post shows that at around 35 years of age, the Pine tree went through a long-stressed period when water and nutrient content was low. Also, the rings look closer as the tree grows half its length due to stress from competition with other canopy layers. Recently, we lost a huge Red Oak, Pine and some others that gave way to disease or just were at the end of the lifecycle. Every year London Town gardens does a tree survey with Integrity Tree Service to check on trees that are dying or have dead wood. Sometimes the dead trees are apparent if you look at the top 'Crown,' and sometimes, the bark gives indicators. Integrity Tree Service Barks are an excellent way to look for tree stresses: mushrooms growing on the base of a tree, excessive lichens, sawdust and holes on the trunk, splitting at the base, there are many early indicators to watch for. But most often there aren't any good indicators for sudden stress related death. For eg. a prolonged drought, very excessive water logging, fungal disease, any of these on top of added stress can lead to sudden death. Maple on its last lag. The mushrooms at the base are an indicator of the sudden end of the Maples lifecycle. A century old Willow Oak gradually lost to disease In woodland gardens, losing trees to stress, age or diseases is a given. Losing the tallest canopy layers can be good when it opens up large sun windows, but it can be detrimental to the undercover growth that was used to its deep shade. That’s why at London Town we are actively looking at adding successional canopy layers. It is easy to fix the loss of small shrubs, but it takes years to replace the tallest layers. Successional canopy cover planting is done for reforestation but is also key for woodland gardens. Follow us in the coming months to learn more about what layers are we replacing our dead tallest trees with. Beautiful weaved Tulip Polar bark. We are watching closely for any splits/damage to the base. #treerings

It is turning out to be a slow-paced beautiful fall so far this year. The warm fall leaf colors of the Black Gum, Maple and Gingko trees are a stark contrast to the Oaks and other deciduous trees that are still holding on to their greens and seem far from dropping their leaves. The woodland garden canopy layers at London Town have some stunning hidden treasures that are stealing the show with their bold colors amongst the deep green layers. Orange and pink mostly looks good on flower petals, but for a plant like Euonymous americanus, the fruit and seeds get to show off these stunning colors. Euonymus alatus is a more popular species commonly called the "burning bush" with its bright fiery red leaves, used often as a border bush. But the more elegant Euonymus species is the americanus that is a native. Euonymus americanus is also commonly called the “hearts A’busting” or the “strawberry bush” because of its gorgeous fruit with orange seeds hanging out. The plant has a rather airy habit and is well suited for clay soils, shaded woods and prefers well drained yet wet feet. As stunning as the colors on the fruits are, the red should probably be taken as a warning, because the fruits are poisonous. This shrub is a gorgeous addition to any garden bed, more so in a naturalized area, but beware since the deer love it. In fact it also called as the 'ice-cream plant' for the deer! At London Town you can enjoy a well grown E. americanus right by one of our main paths that is close to the natural areas. The deer probably leave it alone because of the hard wood on it, it is at least 15 years old. Another stunning beauty that is stealing the show in the beginning of the woodland garden is the Witch Hazel Hamamelis intermedia which has fiery red leaves. All year round this shrub is pretty inconspicuous, but as fall approaches, it is the highlight of the garden, each day turning more intense. I am also sharing today pictures of Camelia sinensis and some other Camellia species. Camellias have just sent out their first blooms at London Town, and I have to share them with you. Notice a spider hanging upside down enjoying the tea plant blooms. If you look closely, the C. sinensis flowers hang downwards, kind of hidden under foliage. I also captured yellow cucumber beetle which is mostly harmless to the plant. The ants on the leaves or open flowers are however a sign that the aphids might be attacking the Camellias. "Aphids are small green ant-like insects that are usually visible in the spring when the new growth appears. You can treat with insecticides to control aphids which can damage the foliage on your camellias. Aphids also attract ants that feed on their secretions" (https://internationalcamellia.org/pests-and-diseases-of-cam…). Scales on Camellias can also cause damage and should be removed. London Town has fall and spring blooming Camellias. Both of which were test species of Dr. William Ackerman. The bloom time for these range from October to March. As more blooms open up in this window, we will be sharing more pictures. Of all blooms though, C. sinensis the "tea plant," is one of the most fragrant. Very subtle creamy white flower with a very lingering fragrance. The best part of the shrub are of course the shiny leaves with its high caffeine content. These plants are a quick snapshot of the fall colors and blooms at London Town. Come on site to enjoy more! #Euonymousamericanus #Euonymusalatus #burningbush #heartsAbusting #strawberrybush #witchhazel #Hamamelisintermedia #Cameliasinensis #aphids

Around the time that the sugar Maples starts showing off the fall leaf colors with an array of yellow, orange and red mixed together, there is one plant that is turning rich golden yellow quickly. The exquisite leaves of the one and only Gingko species turns from dark green to chartreuse green mixed with yellow and then turning all golden yellow before they drop. Gingko Biloba (Family: Gingkoaceae) is suitable for a wide range of plant hardiness zones from Zone 3A to 8A. They tolerate moist compacted soil and usually grow slowly getting upto 75 ft. tall. The common name is Maiden hair tree which is also similar to "Maiden hair fern" Adiantum sps. and both these species have fan shaped leaves. For commercial plantings, usually a male Gingko tree is used, the females are wider and have a pungent order to its fruit.The leaves however are the best aesthetic feature of this plant, turning golden yellow for a very short period in early fall. Now what has this elegant, one of a kind Ginkgo tree got to with the gigantic Dinosaurs? "The first Ginkgo leaves were found from the Triassic period, but there were many species of Ginkgo during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods as well" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgoales). It is a monotypic genus, only one genus and species and is an extant (only species alive) of the Ginkogales. The oldest fossil of a Ginkgo leaf its around 200 million years ago! They are the oldest tree on the planet and aptly called the living fossil plants on the Earth. The term "Living fossil" was first coined by Charles Darwin, the great biologist and naturalist who coined the theory of evolution. Ginkgo biloba is also a species that has survived with little changes over a large span of time. From a botanical view point, the extant Ginkgo biloba is of very high value to understand evolution of flowering plants. But this tree should certainly be of interest to anyone, especially children since the dinosaurs roamed freely around them! Another very interesting group of plants found growing at London Town and Gardens are the Star Anise Illicium sps. Illiciums are from the cretaceous times. In fact, since they developed in the deeply shaded cretaceous conifer forests, they can't tolerate much direct sunlight and only prefer deep dappled shade. The leaves start yellowing instantly when placed in too much sun. The attractive and important horticulture facet of this plant is the start shaped fruit called "start anise" which is used as a condiment. (In Indian cuisines, it is used to flavor rice and the taste is similar to licorice and cumin mixed). But beware, some species of Illiciums are very poisonous, including the native Illicium floridanum (deep red flowers). Illicums are one of the earliest flowering plants on Earth, infact their vascular structure very closely resembles gymnosperms. The basal angiosperms, the earliest flowering plants on this planet are grouped together in the "ANITA grade". Illiciums belong to the ANITA grade and to give you a preceptive of how far back these date "the first three branches of the angiosperm phylogenetic tree consist of eight families with ~201 species of plants (the ANITA grade). The oldest flower fossil for the group is dated to the Early Cretaceous (115 – 125 Mya)" (https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/33527). Come and enjoy these living fossils growing at London Town, while you also stroll through the woodland gardens which are speedily preparing for the dormant season.

Slowly but surely, many leaves have started to show off their fall colors. The pigments in the leaves that are responsible for the beautiful warm colors are anthocyanins, carotenoids or xanthophyll. As the primary pigment, chlorophyll fades and the green color diminishes, other pretty fall colors start coming through. There is ample information and research on plant pigments responsible for fall colors. But there is little information on the anatomical and physiological changes and what actually happens inside the plants as the leaves start falling form the tree. Ethylene (plant hormone responsible for ripening and senescence), Abscisic acid -ABA (stress hormone), and Auxin (growth hormone) all play a symphony and cause 'Abscission- falling/separation of leaf tissue' from the plant. What is commonly seen as leaves falling from the tree, is really abscission of a leaf tissue at the base that makes the leaf drop. When Abscission happens, an abscission zone is developed at the base of the petiole (stem of leaf). But why and how is this abscission layer formed? Here is a simple way to understand it: when plants are stressed, they go from full growth stage into a survival mode. When the plants undergo stress, the stress hormone (ABA) levels rise and the growth hormone (auxin) level that promote cell elongation, reduces. When cell elongation reduces, meaning the plant gets a signal that growth has reduced/stopped in certain parts, the plant gets a signal for senescence (death of tissue) and an abscission layer starts forming. That's when Ethylene levels increase to fasten senescence. For a long time, abscission was connected with Abscisic acid-ABA, which was thought to be solely responsible for abscission (breaking of leaf from petiole), but research shows that Ethylene is actually responsible for completing senescence. Ethylene acting as a hormone in plants, exists as a gas at trace levels and causes not only abscission, but also fruit ripening and opening of flowers. "Ethylene has been used in practice since the ancient Egyptians, who would gas figs in order to stimulate ripening. The ancient Chinese would burn incense in closed rooms to enhance the ripening of pears". (https://pages.wustl.edu/ipgsa/ethylene). “Commercial ripening rooms use "catalytic generators" to make ethylene gas from a liquid supply of ethanol. Farmers in Florida would commonly get their crops to ripen in sheds by lighting kerosene lamps, which was originally thought to induce ripening from the heat”. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene). Fall colors of leaves are a treat to the senses. It is also a reminder for a seasonal change. What is happening inside the plant is also a change and preparation for a stressful cold period. Plants dropping all their leaves, is a survival mode for plants wherein it is conserving its energy and sending it to the roots and branches instead of the leaves. It is important to note that senescence is also a natural phase in the life cycle of a plant. With fall colors currently at the brim, Ethylene at trace levels is surely going to be very active in millions of leaves instead of ABA which was originally thought to be leading senescence. Enjoy the vibrant warm colors of leaves before abscission starts and leaves actually drop down. Here is a good link for fall color prediction map for this year: https://smokymountains.com/fall-foliage-map/ #ethylene #abscisicacid

Mums, asters and pansies have filled up nurseries to the brim, and many are already blooming in garden beds as fall prep. Around this time, nurseries also bring in many indoor delights other than just tropical foliage. Out of the many indoor choices, two plants that caught my attention right away this fall were the easy to care for ornamental Chili peppers and the ever so exotic and regal looking Bromeliads. Both these plants are excellent choices for any adventurous novice gardeners to try their green thumbs. In the coming weeks, I will be sharing with you many indoor treasures, but let’s begin the indoor treats series with two of these easy to grow: 'Capsicum annuum- Prairie fire' and 'Aechmea fasciata'. Of all the Bromeliads, Aechmea is considered to be easy to care for. You just have to remember to fill up its tank! What is a tank in a plant? Plant species are extremely diverse with variety of different growth habits. Bromeliads have a special growth habit wherein the plants foliage grows without a stem. The sturdy thick leaves form a rosette forming a tight cup that is called its ‘tank’ or ‘urn’ at the top, which needs to be filled up with water for the plant to survive. The plants set out a flower stalk that is mostly towards the end of its life cycle. Once the flower stalk matures, it can be carefully cut back to push the plant to send out more vegetative growth. The mother plant forms new baby plants at the base, commonly called 'pups'. Each individual pup can make a whole new plant. Another interesting fact about Bromeliads is that they take in nutrients from the foliage instead of its base. When grown indoors, it could use a foliar spray fertilizer once in a year. The soil type to use is similar to a cactus/Orchid plant. It prefers bright but filtered sunlight. Also, when grown indoors, the top urn/tank water will need to be replaced every couple of months. When outdoors in zone 10-11 for example, rain water flushes out the tanks. When buying a new Aechmea, buy one with young pink bracts and closed blue buds. The blue flowers will fade quickly but the pink bracts lasts for at least 6 months! There is ample to share about the regal Bromeliads, but nothing compares to seeing them growing down in Florida in the outdoor gardens. With Aechmea being a nursery favorite, it is now easy to bring in a reminder of the hot sunny zones to treat your senses during the dreary cold weather days. But what could top the hot capsaicin in the 'Prairie fire' beauty of the Capsicum family! As hot as these peppers are and as bright as their colors are, they are tender and shouldn't be kept outdoors below 55°F. They are best as indoor plants. If you regularly pinch their new growth, it helps the plant to get more bushy. As the fruits mature, enjoy the reds, oranges and purple shades, all on one single plant! Instead of the regular mums, try ornamental cabbages with ornamental chilies for an artistic flare to your planters. Follow us for more 'indoor treats series' as we get closer to the cooler weather. For now, enjoy the warm weather and plant while you still can! #bromeliad #aechmea #chilipeppers

Groundcovers and understory shrub layers are an essential core of a woodland garden. The canopy layers in a woodland forest are a mixed package of different species that have survived weather adversities, dormancy and many other natural events to create a sustainable habitat. The most resilient and aggressive species thrive, and the least aggressive ones struggle to survive. Well, in a planned woodland garden, if you don't plant species that can complement each other and create a harmonious habitat, more often the ornamental species will struggle to survive, and the aggressive weeds will take over. The woodland gardens at London Town are interspersed with many habitat pockets that are thriving in their own microclimate. One of the primary collections and the backbone layers of the gardens are the Azaleas and Rhododendrons. These beautiful evergreen shrubs form a prefect canopy layer under the tall Tulip Trees, Magnolias, Oaks, Pines and Dogwood Trees. The evergreen varieties of Azaleas also give an excellent backdrop to lower layers of ferns and other ground covers. Very recently, London Town was approached by the Potomac Valley Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, with a request to add a memorial bench for the well-known Azaleas propagator, Gray Carter. Gray was a renowned propagator who donated ample of his successful species to many chapters, and London Town gardens are honored to have a bench in his memory in the core areas of our Azaleas and Rhododendrons. But what makes this even more special is the partnership that we have developed with the Potomac Valley Chapter members that have donated over 45 Azaleas and Rhododendrons and are willing to help us with many more! The woodland garden restoration work at London Town involves invasive removal, adding ground covers and re-establishing core collections that have faded over the time. The new Azaleas and Rhododendrons are going to add mauves, lavender, frills of pink and white swirls, fragrant yellows, and stunning reds to the existing pastel colors in the Azalea glade. The Potomac Valley Chapter is graciously helping us redesign a lost vision of a layered and aesthetic sustainable woodland garden, we couldn't be more thankful! Aesthetic appeal is an essential design component of any landscape design. But to create a sustainable landscape, the habitats have to have the right companions that complement each other instead of competing with each other for light, space and nutrients. A couple of other examples of complementing companions for a woodland garden include Mahonias-Camellias-Azaleas planted together, all evergreen and different in height and habit. If you want intense texture, try mixing spiky Mahonia leaves with soft frills of Corydalis leaves or angled Epimedium leaves with wind flowers. Companions sharing the likeness for the same habitat will intertwine smoothly and create their own spaces while thriving to survive together in a unified healthy understory. When habitats match, the plants will seem like peas in a pod! #azaleas #rhododendrons #woodland

Woodland gardens have room for many plants that can tolerate deep shade, yet create interest and have a lasting impact even within the thickets of canopy layers. Let's look at two plants that always work well when paired together. Ferns and toad lilies are almost a perfect couple for a dappled shade or deep shade woodland garden. I got my first introduction to Toad lilies (Tricyritis sps.) at Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Sonoma, CA where I worked hands on with numerous of their Asian species. The deep 'quarries' in the gardens were filled with orchid-like flowers that gave an excellent backdrop to the dense canopy of trees and the rolling hills of Sonoma in the backdrop. Tricyritis is an Asian species, which has stems with an arching habit, slender leaves, and one of the most intricate flowers. Tricyritis comes from the Greek word "three" and "kyrtos" for bulging sac/nectaries found at the base of the tepals. As intricate and beautiful as this flower is, the common name "toad lily" doesn't do any justice to it. But the thickly speckled tepals and bulging sacs at the base might be a reason for the reference to toads. They like moist soils but not too wet like a bog. To create an impact in the woodland gardens, these could be planted where the flowers could be enjoyed best at eye level, for they are one of its best features and unlike any other lily flower. Ferns are of course one of the best ground covers for woodland gardens. Marginal fern "Dryopteris" is one of the most ornate ferns, due to its large compound leaves. Both toad lilies and ferns can self spread and don't need any cutting back. They are almost maintenance free once paired together in the right spot. Even though the marginal fern is a native, its leathery leaf does give an exotic appearance and pairs well with the toad lilies. Oak leaf litter is best for both of these plants, and they do prefer wind protected woodlands. Toad lilies and marginal ferns, both being perennial and with the same habit (moist), when paired together can make a lasting impression. The fern gives a good backdrop to the deeply speckled Tricyritis flowers, and both can paint an artistic canvas as thick ground covers in the otherwise deep dull shade of woodland gardens in late summer. Companion planting is one of the garden design principles that sometimes is more commonly applied only for vegetable plants. But there are many annual, perennial as well as canopy layering woodland garden design tricks when it comes to companion plantings. When applied correctly, one can create artistic as well as sustainable landscapes. Read on more next week to learn more about few other companion planting garden designs found at London Town's woodland gardens! #toadlilies #ferns

Nicotiana alata is a nightshade family marvel that is an easy summer backdrop plant for garden beds as well as containers. It can fill up a large space with delicate blooms in deep summer months, lasting well into early fall. The nightshade family or 'Solanaceae family' consists of close to 100 genera and is found on mostly all continents with its largest distribution being in South America. The most economical species in this family include the common vegetables, potato, tomatoes, eggplants, etc. “Now there are some genera under the Nightshade family that are poisonous. For eg., Bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) is poisonous to humans but the birds enjoy it. With this dissemination help, along with creeping, rooting stems, the plant has become a stubbornly noxious weed in much of the United States. It’s a resilient little plant that can grow in denuded soils and low-light corners.” Source Nightshades, like the name suggests, prefer to grow in shade, and the flowers open at night. Some flowers are extremely fragrant. Nicotiana sylvestris ‘flowering tobacco’ has sweet scented flowers that smell like jasmine especially in the evening to attract the Sphinx moth. “The Nicotiana genus came about in 1753 in recognition of the Frenchman Jean Nicot, ambassador to Portugal, who brought powdered tobacco to France as a cure for migraine headaches“ Source According to The North American Guide to Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms (Nancy J. Turner and Patrick von Aderkas, Timber Press 2009), "All tobaccos should be considered poisonous to consume (smoking brings its own risks); some have caused fatalities. […] Poisoning through intentional or accidental misuse of nicotine and products containing it is a relatively common occurrence. Related species may contain other toxic alkaloids, chemically similar to nicotine." For this reason, we suggest that you enjoy Nicotiana sylvestris, N. alata, and other ornamental species for their flowers only. Also avoid growing Nicotiana near plants like tomatoes and others in the Solanaceae which are susceptible to tobacco mosaic virus (In fact, don't touch those plants after handling Nicotiana, or smoking tobacco products). Source One of my favorites of the ornamental Nicotiana group is “Nicotiana alata” lime green, which is an excellent backdrop for geraniums, begonias and other colorful annuals/perennials. The chartreuse green flowers are a great contrast to have in any summer garden. They are an absolute delight to the eyes, extremely fragrant at night and to top it all, the hummingbirds and butterflies cherish them! #tobacco #jasminetobacco #nightshade #solanaceae #nicotiana

Barks have many tales to tell: age, stress, genus, disease, and predators. Barks can also be an excellent tool for plant identification when flowers, fruits and leaves aren't accessible. Barks differ in texture, shape, size, color, peeling or fused bark or clean finish layer. Bark is the outermost protective layer of the trees' trunk and stems of woody plants. "Periderm" is a more technical term for bark. The colors of the bark can vary depending on the genus. It is the chemical compounds in it called "tannins" that give it the tan/red/orange colors. Maples, Crepe Myrtles, Stewartias, and Camellias are some examples of trees that show stunning bark color with shades of red-orange-tan. Enjoy the pictures of just a fraction of the variety of different barks seen in the woodland and ornamental gardens at London Town. The picture of peeling orange bark belongs to the Crepe Myrtle, while the softer peeling orange bark is Acer griseum. The rectangular block pattern bark belongs to the Persimmon trees, and the braided look bark is of the Tulip tree. Here is a tip to add interest to your gardens in deep summer or late winter: choose peeling/colored barks that are loaded with tannins. But even without color, the variety of textures alone will add ample depth to your garden. Barks do have ample tales to tell. But unlike bright flowers, they don't show off their vivid colors in quick blooms. They stand with the tree in solitude throughout its life span, withstanding adverse weather, and protecting the delicate inner layers. #bark #tannins #periderm

Seed germination is one of the most critical points in the life cycle of a plant. Seeds vary in size, structure, texture and a whole lot more. Seeds are an evolved critical dispersal unit for higher plants. The time from when the seed is formed till it germinates is very critical and involves many growth phases as well as dormancy stages. "Many garden plants have seeds that will germinate readily as soon as they have water and are warm enough, though their wild ancestors had dormancy. These cultivated plants lack seed dormancy because of generations of selective pressure by plant breeders and gardeners that grew and kept plants that lacked dormancy." Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_dormancy Dormancy is simply preventing untimely germination. Viable seeds that have longer dormancy periods are able to survive many adverse conditions, can be dispersed at longer distance, and can usually germinate under favorable conditions. But when these seeds belong to an invasive shrub, that is not helpful for any habitat. For eg. in an invasive species like 'Cytisus scoparius', its long seed dormancy is not beneficial to its neighboring habitats. The seeds can stay dormant for 50 years! Dormancy levels vary by species. Plant propagators however have many tricks to surpass dormancy and initiate germination sooner. A few of those dormancy breaking techniques that our plant propagation group is using include: Stratification: some seeds need a period of warm or cold temperatures before it can germination. Cold stratification is when the seeds can be exposed to cold temperatures and then brought out in warm temperatures to speed fast germination. We are using a regular freezer to store seeds in cold temperatures and then bringing them out in warm temperatures. Seeds are stored in peat moss/directly in soil but are covered in air tight bags to prevent moisture leak. Scarification: some seeds have a very hard seed coat. These could use manual scarification; removal of part of seed coat to enable moisture to penetrate and act as a catalyst to lead to germination (see picture of Peony seeds) Light treatment: some thin seeds can germinate faster when exposed to light for a certain duration. For eg., Azalea seeds could use 16-24 hours of direct cool white fluorescent light, at least 8 inches above, to fasten germination. Moisture treatment: this is the easiest for seeds with a harder seed coat. The thicker the seed coat, the longer you could soak them to loosen the seed coat. Hot water shock for couple of hours/days of soaking in water can fasten water imbibition to start germination. Featured are pictures of the plant propagation group working hard in the greenhouse as well as some water treatment and scarification effects on seeds. Seeds are fascinating! Did you know that some seeds need fire, smoke, or the right animal dispersal agents to start the catalytic activity and germinate? Dormancy varies in type and duration. After all, dormancy is a plant's way to try harder to create better chances for its offspring to survive, ride out adverse conditions, and also keep a bank ready in the soil, in case of bad weather. Dormancy can act as good back up plan! #seeds #dormancy #propagation #germination #peony