Perennials Work Beyond the Blooms

May flowers are getting all of the attention right now.  And in the next few weeks this explosion of color will be spectacular!  As you see bright purples, pinks, and yellows pop up, if you are like me, you will head to the garden center to obtain the 'perennial of the week'.  Just be aware that in a few weeks, perennials blossoms will fade and you will just have the foliage to view in the landscape.

Beyond the blooms will be months of what can be a landscape full of interest, textures, contrasts, and soothing colors.  As the progression of flowers comes and goes, think about the setting, not as a Monet, but as a sunrise or sunset. The swirls and blends of soothing shades of leaves will be a delight. And who doesn't like to view a sunset?

Bright

 leaves of heuchera are brilliant examples of color available in foliage plants. I've grouped these closely so the shading will play off of its neighbor.  A mass planting , say five or seven plants, of just one of these would be an eye catching element in the garden, too. 

 

Ferns and Hosta (this hosta is H. Gin and Tonic) work in the shady garden.  The broad leaves of the hosta and the light, airy fern compliment each other well. 

This combination of Catmint (Nepeta), with its small  leaves, and open clump, sits next to Hosta, and a large Sycamore Tree. The tree trunk bark has alot of texture and adds to the tapestry .   The Sunny spot behind the tree is a Gold Thread Juniper. Don't forget to consider year-round interest when placing plants in the garden.  Our winters can be long and cold here in Zone 5b, and the evergreens and tree trunks put on a show all year long! 

The bright contrast of the euonymous is a year round event, too.  The chartreuse next to the deep green is stunning.  I've tucked a Hosta in the mix here.  The large leaf of the Hosta, and the smaller leaves of the euonymous have a nice effect.( And note:  no flowers!)

Some other elements that offers visual texture to the landscape are stones and boulders. 

The rocks have an edge, and the plant material tucked up close, softens the edges for a calming feeling.

When choosing plants the foliage and textural contrasts play an important role in the overall feeling of the garden.  Wide leaves next to light airy fronds or light colors beside dark shades all complement the eye.  The low round plant next to a tall, spikey one will go a long way to add interest to your yard.

Veriagated foliage, as in this Loriope, can bring a brightness to a group of plants and offer its own sublety.

It may not scream 'Look at me!' but the minds eye will quietly appreciate the effort.

I've presented an insight to my psyche.  I like the long term relationship of plants. I love the blooms when they are here, but the steadfastness of the full season soothes any loss I feel  beyond the blooms. Enjoy.

Asian Longhorn Beetle Threatens Trees

Many Tree Species Are At Risk

Another foreign intruder, the Asian Longhorn Beetle, has been detected in the US.  Originating in China, this destructive beetle has been introduced on freight containers entering the US. 


The State of Ohio is only the fifth US state to report this infestation of this wood-boring beetle.  The first infestation was reported in 1996 in New York. New Jersey, Illinois, and Massachusetts have reported the ALB. 
  Risk Map here is just that – the potential risk in a given area.  The red shadings are higher possibility of infestation due to the types of forest in the region. The blue areas are less likely to be come infested since the desirable host trees are less available.

 
The hardwood species such as the Maple family of trees is highly preferred.  The Norway, sugar, silver and red maples, as well as box elder, and the State of Ohio Tree, the buckeye are host plants for the ALB.
One reason this beetle is so feared is that the list of preferred or host trees is quite extensive.  Besides Maples, and Buckeye, other trees on this list are elm, birch, sycamore, hackberry, ash, poplar and willow. 

Sycamore, Plane Tree              Willow

The preferred Maple varieties are potentially disastrous to Ohio as there are 7 billion board feet of maple wood currently in Ohio. This is a $2.5 billion of maples in Ohio, not to mention the $5 billion nursery trade and the 240,000 people employed in the green industry.   The New Hampshire maple syrup industry would be devastated by an ALB infestation.

So, how do we determine if this pest is present?   This is the second reason this beetle is so dreaded.  The female mates and deposits her eggs into the bark of the host. 
  As the larvae hatch, they burrow further into the tree.  They create tunnels in the tree's heartwood as they eat.  This greatly weakens the tree.

The tunneling takes place for up to a year from the ovipositing of the eggs to the emergence of the next generation of adult beetle. 
Female depositing eggs, with male keeping guard.
The exit holes are about 3/8” and there are many holes on a heavily infested tree.  Sawdust and/or sap may be seen at the exit site. June through October are the months when the adults emerge, and the search for a mate starts the process all over again.  The fact that this process takes a year before the visible exit holes, a lot of damage can take place before we are even aware of the activity deep in the tree. 
Since there are no biological predators, the  steps to contain this pest are rather drastic.  Complete removal of infected trees is mandatory.  This may seem logical, but the expense is high.  No wood can be transported out of a quarantined  area – so all wood is chipped or burned.  Even the stumps and roots must be eliminated.
 
The beetle can transport itself up to a half mile – therefore, host trees showing oviposit sites are targeted to be removed in that 1/2 mile radius of the infected tree.  Other host trees not showing sign of infestation are being treated with a chemical,  Imidacloprid, which is the active ingredient in Merit ™, an insecticide in the commercial and retail market.  Bayer Advanced™ is labeled for the homeowner and also has Imidacloprid in this systemic product.  
 
This injectable application of Merit ™ is available and the bark and root flare needs to be treated.  The treated  tree takes several months for the chemical to be drawn up into the tree and branches.  Early spring applications are most effective, as the tree needs time to take up the product to poison the nymphs and adults as they eat. Unfortunately, the expense continues to mount with this pest, as chemical treatments need to be repeated yearly until new infestations are under control.
Even as there is some promise of containment,  the exceptions are cause for concern.  The Imidacloprid has not been approved for use on Maple trees that are harvested for the maple syrup industry.  Always  follow label instructions – the Label is the Law
Nematodes may become a natural control for the ALB, but so far they are not readily available or proven to be easily distributed into the forests.
  Dead larvae by a nematode.
Tree removal is the first line of defense in the fight to limit spread of the ALB.  More than 29,000 trees have been removed in the Worchester area of New Hampshire.  And the pest has been successfully eradicated in Illinois and part of New Jersey.  In Ohio, Clermont County is the only infected region, and  monitoring is ongoing in other areas of the state. 



IF the tell-tale symptoms of ovipositing or exiting become evident in your landscape, notify your County Extension Office or Department of Natural Resources.