Tag Archives: Zone 7

Nanking Cherry

We got this Nanking Cherry as a bare root plant in 2015

We got this Nanking Cherry as a bare root plant. Planted May 2015.

Back in February 2015 we ordered five bare root Nanking Cherry plants (Prunus tomentosa) from the Timp-Nebo/Alpine Tree sale. We received them in mid April. We planted them right away in 1 gallon pots and they leafed out pretty good. We got around to planting them in the ground at the end of May. We’ll add some chicken wire around the tomato cages to keep the rabbits and deer away while the plants get a start.

They are said to grow 6′-10′ tall and up to a 15′ spread. We didn’t leave enough room for that kind of growth, but we’ll deal with when and if they grow. They should grow 1′-2′ per year.

  • Adapts well to cold winters, hot summers and drought.
  • Blooms in early spring, with pink buds opening up into fragrant pale pink or white flowers.
  • The cherries are tart and tangy scarlet-colored and can be eaten fresh or used in pies, jams and jellies.
  • Two or more shrubs should be planted within 100′ of each other to ensure cross-pollination. It isn’t self-fertile.
  • Can be planted 4–5′ apart to form a hedge.
  • Adapts to a variety of soil conditions and pH levels. It prefers well-drained soil but will tolerate drought and can grow in semi-arid conditions.

I’m anxious to see what kind of cherries we get off these $3 plants.

Orange Rocket Barberry

Orange Rocket Barberry - Spring 2015

Orange Rocket Barberry – Spring 2015

The Orange Rocket Barberry starts out coral-orange/red in the Spring, green in the summer and ruby red in the Fall. They grow up to 4-1/2′ tall and 1-1/2′ wide.

  • Height: 4-1/2′
  • Width: 1-1/2′
  • Full Sun/Partial Sun

Pros

  • Pros: Deer Resistant.
  • Makes a good hedge

Cons:

  • Thorns – sharp thorns.
  • Lots of color in the Spring and Fall.

Orange Rocket and Lime Glow Barberries

Lime Glow Barberry

Lime Glo Barberry, Spring 2015

Lime Glo Barberry, Spring 2015

Lime Glow Barberry can grow up to 5′ tall and 4′ wide. It is a slow grower and will need regular watering when it is hot. It should turn a brilliant red in the Fall, I can’t wait to see it and get some pictures on here.

  • Height: 5′
  • Width: 4′
  • Full Sun

Pros

  • Deer Resistant
  • Leaves can handle the sun, some light green/yellow barberries do not

Cons

  • Thorns (this can be a plus if you want to deter people from an area)
  • Slow growing
Orange Rocket and Lime Glow Barberries

Orange Rocket and Lime Glow Barberries

Russian Sage

Russian sage thrives in the heat, tolerates poor soil and is resistant to deer and pests. It looks good with succulents and ornamental grasses. When we were planting I stepped on one of the 3″ plants we bought and broke it down to a 1/2″ stem with a single leaf. It didn’t bother it one bit. By the end of the summer that plant was full-size like the rest. It grows great int the rocky, alkaline soil in Eagle Mountain. Sounds good right?

Here is why I’ll never plant it again. It spreads. It sends roots out 20-30′ to pop up a new plant and it just won’t die. It is nearly impossible to remove from a yard. You’ve been warned.

russian_sage

Russian sage with purpler flowers. Also in the photo, Artimis Powis Castle, and an ornamental grass.

  • Height: 3-4′
  • Width: 3-4′
  • Sun: Full sun
  • Flowers: Summer
  • Low water requirements

Ornamental Grasses

So far any ornamental grass we have put in has thrived with little to no maintenance at all, with one exception – Compact Pampas Grass. In the fall or early spring you will need to cut most of the grasses down to the ground. Our large ones we wrapped with twine before cutting to make clean up easier.

Feather Reed Grass ‘Karl Foerster’

  • 5 Ft Tall
  • 2-3 Ft Spread
  • Full Sun
  • Zones 5-9

Compact Pampas Grass ‘Pumila’

This was a gorgeous grass but it was not a perennial here in Eagle Mountain. It didn’t last the first winter.

  • 4-5 Ft Tall
  • 2-4 Ft Spread
  • Full Sun
  • Zones 6-10

Miscanthus ‘Little Dwarf’

  • 3-4 Ft Tall
  • 2-3ft Spread
  • Full Sun
  • Zones 5-9

Blue Fescue “Elijah Blue’

  • 8-10 inches tall and wide
  • Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Zones 4-8

Mockorange

I love this plant. It suffered in a highly windy area, all the flowers were gone with one gusty day. We moved it to a more protected area and it grew much better. The smell of this plant is so good! It does not require much care other than the wind protection. We didn’t have any disease issues in 4 years.

  • Botanical Name: Philadelphus x virginalis
  • Height: 6-7′
  • Spacing: 4-6′
  • Spread: 4-5′
  • Sun/Shade: Full sun to partial sun
  • Color: White blossoms
  • Foliage: Ovate 3 inch medium green leaves
  • Blooms: May – early June

Rose Glow Barberry

Barberry-roseglow

Rose Glow Japanese Barberry can grow up to 5′ tall and 4′ wide, but it is a slow grower. It will need water weekly or more often in the heat.

  • Height: 5′
  • Width: 4′
  • Full Sun

Pros

  • Pros: Deer Resistant.
  • In a mild winter they will keep many of the leaves and berries so you can have some winter color.

Cons:

  • Thorns – sharp thorns.

Bosnian Pine

Pine-Bosnian

 

The Bosnian Pine was completely carefree in our last yard and we have planted it again in the new yard. No complaints, super healthy, no pest problems. When we planted it we ran 3′ of perforated drain pipe around the root ball and watered it off the drip system. The pipe let the water get down to the roots instead of running down the hill on the surface. It tolerated the rocky, alkaline soil and put on new growth every year.

At 7-10′ wide, the Bosnian Pine is nice for smaller areas. It can reach up to 40′ tall.