May 1, 1997 Report

The SFASU Arboretum is a ten-acre garden that lies on the main campus of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. The Arboretum is bordered on the east by LaNana creek, a stream that neatly bisects the university and the city of Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas. Nacogdoches is deep in the piney woods of east Texas and receives an average of about 48 inches of rain per year. The following plants have performed well in the SFA Arboretum over a number of years and are deserving of greater testing. The Arboretum is a Zone 8b with 1989 experiencing a record 0o F low. Much of the collection is either not available in the Texas nursery trade or only slightly so. Most of those seen as "plants with promise" have prospered for several years, endured the hard freeze of 1989 (0o F), and survived the rage of several 1994 floods that pushed the LaNana Creek into the gardens. As a matter of principle, insecticides are not utilized (except for a never-ending attack on fire ant mounds) and plants are not pampered. Arboretum soils enjoy a pH that hovers near 6.0. Generous bark mulching and a solid-set sprinkler irrigation system has led to good survival percentages of introduced plants. Most plants were established as small one-gallon plants and given a little extra attention in the first two years. Plants have been obtained through exchanges with the North Carolina State University Arboretum, Arnold Arboretum, the National Arboretum, specialty nurseries, plant enthusiasts and plant-hunting/plant collecting expeditions in the South and Mexico. There are plenty of plants that deserve greater attention. Here are some of the plants that have been standouts in the SFASU Arboretums.

LARGE TREES

Quercus polymorpha, Quercus canbyi, Quercus risophylla and others - The Mexican oaks. This is exciting and somewhat uncharted territory for the plant testing world but these three have performed remarkably well in East Texas. Already in the trade, the trees establish easy and grow off well in the landscape; the northern limits are not exactly defined but the species have performed well at the Zone 7 North Carolina State University Arboretum. Our favorite is a 30' Q. risophylla, a very special tree: leathery, evergreen leaves, columnar habit when young, open and branching with age. Most peculiar, in an attack of cutworms several years back that took all foliage off the campus and Arboretum red and white oaks, the Mexican oaks were untouched (too much picante sauce?).

Liquidambar styraciflua 'Rotundiloba' is slowly making a name for itself, which it should. With attractive rounded lobed leaves and no fruit, this slower-growing cultivar is worthy of planting. Available as a grafted plant or from micropropagation or tissue culture. We have not seen vivid fall color on our specimens, nor have we observed very much cork development on the limb structure, attributes that give this native a special spot in East Texas landscapes. Worthy of planting. We have a tissue-cultured specimen going into the ground; will be interesting to see if the plant grows faster.

Pterocarya stenoptera and rhoifolia - the Wingnuts - from China and Japan, respectively, are unsurpassed for fast growth and durability. Not for the timid gardener, these two species have been the fastest growers in the Arboretum. In fact, we are about to eliminate one tree since it reached 30 feet in less than six years and has shaded out many other plants we wish to evaluate. Interesting foliage and seed hangs in long chains. Amazing sidelight: our trees have consistently been defoliated up to two or three times per year by webworms, the plants quickly releaf and appear not worse for the wear in just a month or two. Tough tree). In a proper site, this plant desperately wants to grow to an ultimate height over 100'. Easy to establish.

Taxodium mucronatum - the Montezuma cypress - is one of the big surprises in the Arboretum. We have found the species to be exceptionally hardy as it easily survived the 1989 hard freeze (0o F). The Montezuma cypress is a much faster grower than the bald cypress or the pond cypress, probably due to needle drop later in the fall and earlier foliage development in the spring. In one test planting on the Shelby county courthouse square, the Montezuma cypress is much larger after eight years than the bald and pond cypress. In the early fall of 1995, the Montezuma cypress lost its leaves in a drought, reinitiated a new green cloak after rains and kept good green foliage until mid-January. The species is reported to present less of a problem with knees. We have tested all three at several locations and have always found the Montezuma to outgrow the others. Worthy of planting in Houston and areas south and certainly worthy of further testing in Dallas/Fort Worth and areas north. Taxodium distichum 'Pendula' and 'Prairie Sentinel' are superior cultivars of the common bald cypress, although our ten-foot 'Pendula' does not appear very pendulous to most observers. Two other conifers worth mentioning: Glyptostrobus lineatus, the Chinese water cypress, and Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the Dawn Redwood. The former is extremely rare and surprised us by surviving the 1989 freeze with no damage. An old, well buttressed Dawn Redwood is worth the wait.. As a side note, we have not been able to achieve much survival with any Larix species, the true larches; however, we have some three years-in-the-ground Pseudolarix amabilis plants that look very strong.

Zelkova serrata - Japanese Zelkova - We have grown to appreciate these goblet-shaped trees and admire their shape, leaf interest, and (for us) fair autumn color. 'Green vase' is tall, vase-shaped with a bronze autumn color. Trouble-free in a well-drained, full-sun site. Responds well to fertilizer and extra moisture during the establishment years.

SMALL TREES - LARGE SHRUBS

Acer palmatum and other maples have been easy growers and excellent landscape candidates. Having lost control of our senses many years ago, we are now at over sixty varieties of A. palmatum and do not intend to stop. My only comment is that there is more out there than 'Bloodgood,' 'red,' and 'green'. From diminutive, dense shrub-like specimens like 'Oto hime' to intensely-cut leaf shapes to pendulous to variegated forms, there is something for everyone. We have found Japanese maples to be dependable, although prone to a little leaf burn in late summer, a condition that depends almost totally on the specific site chosen (wind and sun exposure). We find eastern exposures best and the full force of a western sun should be avoided. Once trees are well-established they seem to deal with additional sun (we've removed a lot of overstory trees to "open" up the Arb in the last few years). Deep shade means slow growth and often times poor color. Acer palmatum 'E.P.' a Sherwood Akin introduction is reported to be a good candidate for attempts at growing the species in full sun. We shall see. (Note: we recently added 27 varieties to our collection via an east coast June plant-hunting/horticulture study tour (this brings us to over 100 varieties) and, no, we still don't consider ourselves as addicts). Acer ginnala, the Amur maple, provides us with a vivid red each spring and our eight year old specimen is over 20 feet and shows no intention of stopping. We have a compact form that is 8' tall in the same amount of time.

Chamaecyparis funebris and many other conifers. It's impossible to single out one conifer that has performed the best; there are so many. We have been planting conifer species and cultivars since 1988. Chamaecyparis funebris was planted on the south side of the Art building in the Arboretum and was a 25' graceful tree (recently cut down because it blocked a security light on that side of the Art building). There has been little browning of the needles although that should develop with age. Other conifers that have made fast growth and are excellent candidates for commercial and residential screening projects. Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl' remains a knockout and one of our favorites in full sun.  Cupressocyparis leylandii and Cupressus species and cultivars appear to be fast growing and attractive when young. The Arboretum's Cupressus lusitnaica (?) from seed taken from specimens in Mexico's San Madre Oriental mountain range have made strong growth and features blue-green foliage and a conical growth habit. Cupressus glabra 'Carolina Sapphire' is impressive. We have six Thuja plicata cultivars under evaluation that look promising. Chamaecyparis and Cryptomeria species and cultivars deserve extensive testing. Cryptomeria fortunei has been a standout in a hot, full sun location. Many others do well in a part shade enivronment. Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Blue Boulevard' is a striking small specimen tree to ten feet in about that many years and is now available in Texas. Thuja occidentalis 'Filiformis Aurea' is bright yellow with long weeping needles. Thujopsis dolobrata has been a superior plant. In a trial of over forty Juniperus horizontalis cultivars established in 1988, 'Blue Chip' and 'Bar Harbor' were favorites. Foekinina hoginsii, Abies firma, Taxus chinensis, Taxus globosa, many Cephalotaxus species and varieties, and Torreya grandis are performing well. The conifer world is basically uncharted territory in east Texas.

Chilopsis linearis 'Bubba' - a Paul Cox find is a showy desert willow that we have had for years maybe the biggest in the state?). Our tree has really come into its own - and may be the largest in the world according to Paul Cox, the originator. On the north face of the Art building the tree has been in flower off and on since late spring. Very showy bright bicolor (lavender and dark purple) blooms are eye-catching. For us, the best sites are full sun, very well-drained sandy berms with two inches of composted pine bark mulch. This tree is vigorous. Tends to retain dead twigs after a harsh winter. When well-pruned and manicured, this is a knockout tree. We have found the young vigorous shoots easy to root; the more woody, the lower the rooting percentage. Plants can perform poorly in the container if under shade and poor media drainage-plant really jumps when placed in the garden.

Cinnamomum chekiangensis, a recently introduced species of Camphor tree, is a promising candidate for southern gardeners looking for an attractive broad-leaved evergreen tree. This species is difficult to locate in any references. Our tree was a gift of Kai Mei Parks, Camellia Forest Nursery, Chapel Hill, North Carolina and was collected in the 1980's in China by her husband, Clifford Parks, a botanist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The species is evidently quite hardy; only in the gardens four years, the tree has endured temperatures below 11o F. After seeing a twenty-foot specimen at Camellia Forest Nursery, I am convinced we now have a hardy camphor tree for our region. C. japonicum - the common camphor tree grown in semi-tropical and tropical locations is a guaranteed dead in just a few years in our area. The Lauraceae family is large with some 250 evergreen species, mostly strong zone 9 and 10 residents. This rare under-test species should be hardy into Zone 7. We have observed the tree at SFASU for three years and have found it to be durable and attractive. It was planted as a small specimen in a raised sandy loam bed in the bottomland section of the arboretum. The tree is twelve feet tall, an attractive dark-green pyramid, and endured a complete blow-down during the flood of October, 1994 (propped back up, some soil thrown, and then staked for a few months). We have been working with the rooting of this species for some time and find it slow - three to four months and the plant slow to grow off in the container. The plant has been slow to root and slow in the container. This species may be a good grow-bag candidate because, in the garden, the tree has been quite vigorous (4 to 6' growth per year). We have given away about 40 plants and will be disseminating more in the Fabulous Fall Festival Plant sale, October 4, 1997. I understand that Scott Reeves at Tree Search is getting good percentages, albeit slow rooting. There are three other broad-leaved evergreen trees that may find a place in landscapes: 1) Machilus thunbergi is an evergreen native of Asia, a member of the Magnoliaceae family, and looks promising in the deep South - provided selections are sought that come from cold-hardy stock plants. There is a twenty-five specimen in Aiken, South Carolina that has endured below zero freeze events (we now have ten seedlings from that tree under test), and we have one lone and somewhat haggard plant surviving of six clones planted just before the 1989 hard freeze, 2) Phoebe chekiangensis, another rare member of the Lauraceae family, has been a durable conical evergreen tree in our gardens. It flowered for the first time in the Arboretum this year; seed situation unknown at this time. We stuck about 50 cuttings in February, 1997 and only have five plants to show for the effort. Like the Cinamomum, I can find little in the literature concerning this plant. Having observed them in China as good-sized trees, I remain impressed. All three are interesting broad-leaved, small-statured evergreen trees. Closely related and with great promise is the bigger-than-ever group of Michelias and their crosses making their way into U.S. trials.

Crataegus brachycantha - the Blueberry Hawthorne is native to east Texas and Louisiana. It is rarely seen in commercial or residential landscapes. The species makes a very showy small tree with numerous attributes: interesting bark, graceful branch development, a delicate finely-cut leaf, and a bright show of white flowers in the spring. In the Arboretum, unlike many in the Crataegus genus, this species has not been prone to severe rust or other leaf and limb-defacing insects or diseases (note: this species will rust in the nursery, in shade and is prone to disease until well-situated in a full-sun site). The tree has few thorns. To twenty feet in the wild, a specimen is easily managed in a sun to part-shade to full sun environment. An excellent small specimen tree, this species is deserving of more use. Does better in the garden than in the container.

Daphniphyllum macropodum is a member of the Daphiphyllaceae family, one of 15 species of evergreen shrubs or trees. Native to Japan, China and Korea, this species is adapted to a Zone 7 hardiness zone and performs well in open woodlands. When well-grown, the species is a dense round evergreen mass; oblong leaves are eight inches long and three inches wide, shiny, often sporting red petioles and mid-ribs. Greenish flowers and blue-black seed are somewhat inconspicuous and not key features. D. humile is a related species of slightly smaller stature with similar requirements. Propagation is by seed in the spring or by greenwood cuttings under mist. Both species are under test in the Arboretum and performing well, albeit growth is much slower than I expected.

Diospyros texana - Texas Persimmon - from western Texas, this small tree to 15' sports interesting, exfoliating white-grey bark. The tree has a unique branching structure, small glossy leaves, is insect and disease resistant and dry-loving. Plant it.

Euscaphis japonica is one species in the genus and a member of the family Staphyleaceae. This is a small deciduous tree that appears to be very well adapted to the south. While not yet in the trade, my prediction is that it soon will be. Native to China and Japan, our original plants - grafted liners in 1989 - came to us via the NCSU Arboretum, directed by my friend Dr. J.C. Raulston. The species was collected by the National Arboretum in the 1980's. In shade, the species makes an open, small-statured tree; in sun, the tree is shorter, dense and attractive. Shoots are stout and attractively striated. Leaves are odd-pinnate to ten inches across and leaflets are ovate-lanceolate to four inches long. Summer flowers lead to the key attribute, an attractive fruit display. Bright red fruits hang from loose panicles, dehisce to reveal jet black seeds and persist for several months (September until leaf fall). We have been giving away this plant for two years and the word is not yet in on how it's doing. In the Arboretum, it's been a fast grower in the second and third years. The plant is slow in the container. Seed germination can be iffy; warm moist/cold moist/ then warm moist is the recommended approach. We have had few seedlings beneath our trees. Propagation by cuttings has been successful but percentages low. There is excellent opportunity for clonal selection of superior types.

Pistacia texana - the Texas Pistache - is rarely seen and a sharp-looking small tree when pencil-pruned into a multi-stem specimen. This is a plant that can't quite make up its mind whether it wants to be a tree . . . or a shrub. With terrific limb curvature and bark interest, the species is dependable in a full-sun, well-drained site. Pat McCracken at Taylor's Nursery, Raleigh, NC, has successfully grafted the species on top of Pistachia chinensis. Time will tell what the final growth habit will be but it's an interesting combination. Hardiness improvement is one possibility.

Sinojackia rehderiana - Eastern China with no name and I refuse to accept "jack" tree as a good choice. Fast growing, glossy leafed, easy-to-root and grow in the can, the plant enjoys Styrax-like, white, bell-shaped blooms. Our biggest tree is at 10' and still growing. S. xylocarpa is reported to reach 18'; we have a young specimen doing well.Sophora affinis or Eve's Necklace has been a standout over the years. While in the Texas trade, there are too many retail nurseries that do not sell this plant. They should. With light lilac tinted blooms and a striking black seed pod for winter interest, this has been a durable small tree in the Arboretum and in several of our test locations. Native to Arkansas and Texas, the species seems to make the most of any landscape situation as long as the site is well-drained and in full sun. We have found the tree to be exceptionally drought tolerant even during the critical establishment year. In this same vein of western natives, two others deserve mention: Leucanea retusa (Golden Lead-Ball tree) and Myrospermum sousanum (a rare Lynn Lowrey find from Mexico).

Sophora secundiflora, the Texas Mountain Laurel, must be mentioned as one of the sterling landscape candidates for East Texas. While commonly used in central and western sections of the state, it is our opinion that the plant should be used more in East Texas. It's a standout. With a little patience, sun, and a very well-drained site, a Texas mountain laurel cannot be beat: dense evergreen, outrageous blooms and a heavenly scent in the early morning (the kids on our tours cry out, "Grape Kool-Aid!"). We have a grey-leafed form and are searching for a white-flowering form, which, for some reason or another, we do not have in our collection. Lots of opportunity for selection but asexual propagation is difficult.

Styrax japonica cultivars are well adapted to East Texas (particularly the more northern portions) and are rarely available in the state. The Japanese snowbell makes an attractive small tree and features a showy spring bloom. 'Emerald Pagoda' is a large-leafed, large-flowered cultivar, a J.C. Raulston find from an expedition in the 1980's to Korea. Our tree may be the tallest in the U.S.? Already in the east coast nursery trade, this variety is deserving of much greater use in the south. 'Pink Chimes' is a faint pink, heavy flowering form. 'Carrilon' displays a weeping form (seedlings of 'Carrilon' are often weeping - good potential for selection). 'Isaii' is recently acquired and has not flowered in the arboretum. The Japanese snowbell is a good candidate for a part-shade environment and prefers a well-drained, humic soil and even moisture during the establishment years. There are many other species and varieties of the Styraceae family worthy of mention: Halesia diptera var. magniflora (a botanical variety from a community in Florida sporting larger flowers), Styrax obassia and other species from China look well adapted. Styrax americanum and S. grandifolium, southern U.S. natives, also deserve much greater use.

SHRUBS

Eleutherococcus sieboldianus 'Variegatus' - Variegated five-leaf aralia. - is not for everyone, but for the serious gardener looking for a bright shrub in shade this may be it. Bold light green and white variegation. Easy to propagate and slow to grow, a full-grown specimen or a colony in the woods is a special show. One of the few plants that will perform well in very dry, dark shade. Deciduous to six or seven feet, bold, stable variegation and very slow-growing. Easy to root.

Fatshedera X lizei 'Aureo-variegata' - another east coast find. Appears to be very hardy. Striking creamy yellow contrast with dark green leaf interiors. Great for shade. Easy to root. Grows fast in well-drained, humic, moist soils. Slight tip dieback winter kill on our collection in the shade garden this past winter with low of 11 degrees fahrenheit.

Itea virginica - Virginia sweetspire - has long been one of our favorites (we are often accused over using it here in the Arboretum). Easy to maintain at four to five feet, the species is a thicket-forming shrub with terrific flower interest in early May and good fall color if given enough sun. Sweetspires can handle full sun in East Texas if given mulch and moisture during the establishment years. There are four named varieties: 1) 'Henry's Garnet' is known for a 6-inch inflorescence and excellent fall color, 2) 'Longspire' has very long inflorescences, 3) 'Sarah Eve' has a smidgen of pink to the flower, and 4) the latest variety, 'Saturnalia', is more erect and shrub-like (a NCSU Arboretum promotion). There are other species of Itea worthy of use: Itea oldhammei and I. illicifolia in the Houston region and Itea chinensis in all regions are good candidates for the part-shade garden.

Mahonia gracilis, a native of Mexico, has been a stellar performer. Our oldest plant is placed in the worst possible site imaginable: a hard-packed, beat-down east Texas red clay right on the very edge of a hot parking lot in full sun. July is miserable in Nacogdoches. Not only that, the spot was out of reach of the nearest sprinkler head. That meant dry times ahead. We planted a small one-gallon plant there in 1988 as a companion to a strange "shrub oak" from Mexico and then mulched the area heavily with three to four inches of composted pine bark. While the oak has only survived, the Mahonia has slowly matured into a superlative specimen. Fully five feet across and three feet high, this evergreen plant has a lot to offer. New growth is a lustrous lime-green. The winter interest is terrific in full sun, a mixture of oranges, yellows and light green growth. Late-winter flowers are bright yellow and held on slightly erect racemes emerging from held near the terminal buds. Plants grown in part-shade tend to be taller and open. Propagation is difficult; we have failed to root a cutting and seedlings are slow and prone to damping off. We have an excellent seed crop this year and hope to establish plants for distribution. Actually, I think there are many Mahonias that should be planted in Texas for part shade winter and early spring interest. When planted in mass, few plants make a stronger impression. Mahonia fortunei has been dependable. There are several hybrids worthy of seeking out: Mahonia X media cultivars 'Underway', 'Winter Sun", and "Lionel Fortescue." The hybrid between Mahonia bealei and M. lomariifolia, "Arthur Menzies," is a knockout.

Rosa forever - the antique roses - there are too many - I won't name any favorites because I am resisting becoming a rose man for some reason or another. I fail to list a variety that has done better than others because I have not taken the time to sort through our forty cultivars (and the thousands that could be planted here). All appear to be durable and showy during the late spring and early summer. Whether used as a climber on a pergola, as a specimen in the landscape or mixed into a border . . . they have been dependable, trouble-free and attractive. Our many visitors to the Arboretum can always be found reaching into the border to catch a whiff of the fragrance or admire the blooms up close. In the Texas Heritage Garden, mid-April to mid-May is the best time to catch the show.

Viburnum propinquum is a handsome evergreen shrub to three or four feet (a terrific and uncommon height for a Viburnum!). This is an SFA Arboretum "Plant with Promise." Good foundation planting alternative. This evergreen species is rare to non-existent in the trade. Our original plant is on the east face of the Agriculture building and has been a consistent performer. The plant experienced very little freeze damage in 1989 and has cheerfully endured many dry stretches. Spring flowers are white in cymes about two inches across. Easy to propagate via cuttings most of the year and easy to establish in a well-drained location. Little slow to grow off in the container. The species makes an attractive, small evergreen shrub with good flower interest. It is native to central and western China, Taiwan and the Philippines. For ease of establishment, good use of natives, and flower interest, you just can't beat V. dentatum, nudum, nitidum and rufidulum. The latter can color beautifully in the fall if given enough sun. Yaupon-like Viburnum obovatum, Walter's Viburnum, is coming on strong in the trade for many reasons; flower interest, good evergreen stature, and responds well to pruning. There's a wealth of Viburnums worthy of more use.

GRASSES

Grasses lend a touch of class to any landscape and the variety available is increasing. Particularly effective in mass, use three to five types to provide texture and scale to a vista. Effective as a screen, grasses can be left throughout the winter and then cut to just above the ground as growth resumes in the spring.

Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' is probably my favorite but many others are well adapted and trouble free. Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' sports horizontal stripes but needs to be well grown. At SFASU, we find that one big handful of 8-9 month slow-release under Purple fountain grass (Penisetum) is enough to provide terrific growth. 'Cabaret' and 'Cosmopolitan' are striking. We have just acquired 'gigantea' and looking forward to seeing what this cultivar can do. Full sun, well-drained soils.

VINES

We have become vine-crazy at the SFASU Arboretum with a new theme garden that we call the "Lines of Vines." We have planted vines at the base of ten-foot posts and trained them into tree forms for easy maintenance and observation. We have five rows and about eighty plants.

Standouts include: Bignonia capreolata 'Atrosanguinea' - the red-flowering cross vine. Our original plant was a gift from the legendary Lynn Lowrey in 1987and we have given away hundreds of plants to nurserymen in our effort to provide this cultivar gets more attention. Outrageous floral display if the crown of the plant can grow into full sun. B. capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty' is a Raulston promotion with a bloom show not worth missing. Campsis grandiflora 'Morning Calm' - the Chinese trumpet creeper - is a must-plant for any landscaper that can find that full-sun spot. With outlandish pinkish salmon flowers to three inches wide, this bright petunia-on-a-stick look will raise the eyebrows of any who sees it. Actually, I get more phone calls on this species than any in the Arboretum. Much less invasive and obnoxious than our native C. radicans, the species roots easily from juvenile wood (going to be an interesting plant for the nurseryman looking for well-timed flowering of product for sales). In the landscape, flowering comes in a surge in late spring and early summer and then off and on the rest of the year, depending on the degree of pruning and training. There are several C. radicans and C. grandiflora X C. radicans clones floating around that offer flower interest and diversity - all are worth planting. Doremus Nursery is producing a bright scarlet flowering form that is an eye-opener when planted in full sun and given a sturdy support. Campsis grandiflora genetics in the U.S. is interesting and confusing. There may be just one clone in the U.S.; being self-sterile, this kind of closes the door on selection of superior types. Future work is justified; a bright, yellow or red would be a knock-out. There are reports of tip dieback and plant deaths in trial plants in Texas.

Kadsura japonica - Kadsura vine - East Texans should grow more of this glossy-foliaged vine - rarely seen in Texas Two variegated forms are particularly striking: 'Chirimen' and 'Fukurin.' Evergreen in most winters. Durable when well-established. There is a white-fruited form, 'Shiromi.' Easy to root via cuttings in mid-summer. Establishment in full sun is possible if grown similar to a clematis - early years of plant's life is shaded slightly - once well-established the species can prosper in full sun.

Lonicera sempervirens - the coral honeysuckle - a native, we are shooting for the world collection of this species . . all seem to perform well. About a dozen varieties in the line of vines. Excellent vine for full sun exposure in east Texas. Trained to a garden structure so that the head of the plant can develop completely in full sun . . . outstanding display.

Milletia japonica is a Wisteria relative with much smaller leaves and less aggressive habit than its more vigorous cousins. Rare in the trade but easy to propagate, we think this species is great for someone looking for a "small white-flowering wisteria." This plant will not overpower you. We have a ten year old Milletia reticulata, the evergreen wisteria, that has managed to swarm a nearby pine tree. Fragrant.

Wisteria frutescens - our native Wisteria - has a much smaller leaf and bloom than the invasive Wisteria sinensis that is commonly seen in the trade. A blue-flowering and white-flowering form is available and the species is easier to control. We have eight Wisteria floribunda cultivars and are looking for our first 36" long infloresence. We're not yet there but are getting closer. A recent addition, W. sinensis 'Avery Island', is reported to bloom at a very young age.