Scenes of winter
Dragon-claw thorns, twisting branches or stunning streaks of color keep a garden interesting in a bleak season
By L.A. Jackson
Lagerstromia Natchez has shown resistance to powdery mildew, a problem of crape myrtles in summer.
Landscapers often use the word interest to refer to plants that provide eye-catching snap to a garden scene. The word might seem ill-fitting in winter, when lifeless grays and sullen browns dominate the landscape.
But it doesn't have to be.
Some plants wait until winter to put on flashy or unusual displays and don't rely on flowers to show off. This unexpected exhibition makes them all the more spectacular.
So if you want to apply the term winter interest to your garden, consider adding these cold-weather beauties to your landscape.
Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon'
True to its name, this shrub seems to be festooned with claws – inch-long, curved, deep green spikes. But the beauty in the beast is unveiled when this deciduous shrub loses its leaves late in the year and reveals the masses of thorns that form intricate patterns on twisting limbs, echoed by their shadows in the low winter sun.
Sure, it can be a sinister sight. But it's certainly one that will draw attention.
Also called “hardy orange” – yes, it will survive winters in North Carolina – it is a true citrus plant and greets the spring with delicate, white, fragrant blossoms that are followed by small fruits in the summer. These undersize oranges are not much bigger than a pingpong ball and are bitter to the point of being inedible. But they yield seeds that sprout easily, so the plant can become invasive if the fallen fruit isn't raked up.
This shrub can grow into a dragon-size tree more than 10 feet tall if not pruned. Snipping the branches after flowering every few years will keep the beast at bay.
Corylus avellana 'Contorta'
If you want a kinder, gentler alternative to the Flying Dragon, consider the delightful and thornless twists and turns of Harry Lauder's walking stick. Botanically known as Corylus avellana 'Contorta,' it was named after the early 20th century British entertainer who would walk on stage with a gnarled, twisted cane.
This is a plant that refuses to grow up. Its branches spiral, swirl, curl, coil, curve and crisscross, but rarely do they grow upward. In summer, foliage hides much of the amazing contortions. But when the plant is free of leaves in the winter, it's hard to miss the mass of seemingly confused limbs as the winter sun penetrates the branches to create a playful puzzle of light and shadows.
Many local nurseries carry this snake of a plant. Ask whether their Harry Lauders are on “own root” or grafted stock. Grafted specimens are on Corylus species rootstock and will occasionally have straight stems emerging from the lower root portion, thus spoiling some of the contorted effect. This can be countered, though, by pruning out any root shoots that do not bend and bow.
Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku' Japanese coral bark maple
Bright are the branches of Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku' (Japanese for “coral tower”) that warm in the cold to hues of orange, salmon and red. It's a tree to enjoy for its typically beautiful Japanese maple foliage in the warmer months. But after leaf fall, the limbs of this small tree begin to intensify in color to the point of almost glowing.
As with many Japanese maples, 'Sango-kaku' is tougher than it looks because it adapts to many soil conditions and is drought tolerant. It will grow well in moderate shade to full sun, but more exposure to sunlight will result in brighter branch color in the winter.
The best winter colors are usually on branches less than 2 years old, with more mature branches becoming less intense.
Dogwoods
No, not the state flower kind of dogwood, Cornus florida. Try Cornus sericea, a small native tree also known as the red-twig dogwood. It lives up to its name with young branches that deepen to the redder end of the spectrum as winter gets its grip on the garden. Although not quite as flashy as the 'Sango-kaku' coral bark maple, it does cast a similar hue in the coldest of times and is a much less expensive plant.
If you don't want to see red in the winter, look for cultivars of C. sericea that are actually bright yellow. 'Bud's Yellow' and 'Flaviramea' (also known as 'Lutea') are the more common selections found at garden shops.
The C. sericea selections act more like shrubs, not growing much taller than 6 feet and about as wide. Since the brightest colors come from young branches, the best way to prune to maintain its sizzling looks is to clip older, less colorful stems all the way to the ground.
Although not native, another twiggy dogwood with excellent winter branch color is the bloodtwig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea). This winter beauty can show off young limbs that range from yellowish-orange to pinkish red. 'Winter Flame,' 'Midwinter Fire' and 'Winter Beauty' are common cultivars that can be found in the nursery trade.
Crape myrtles
Crape myrtles have long been treasured by gardeners for their flashy displays of flowers in the warmest heat of summer. Some crape cultivars put on a fire and ice show with a sizzling bloom in summer and an encore of color in the deep freeze of winter. The crape's cold weather display comes from the trunks and older limbs, which exfoliate to reveal glowing cinnamon or reddish-orange new bark.
One group is known as the Indian tribe group. This series was created by the U.S. National Arboretum and includes such beauties as 'Osage,' 'Tuskegee,' 'Miami,' 'Seminole,' 'Tuscarora' and 'Natchez.' As a bonus, these cultivars have shown improved resistance to powdery mildew, a common foliage problem of crapes in the summer.