New cultivars renewing interest in old plants

TONY BERTAUSKI

New varieties of loropetalum have darker foliage and denser forms.

Here's to trying new things.

I went to an Indigo Girls concert a month ago. For starters, this was not a Van Halen crowd. I only knew one song, but it didn't matter. The row in front of us was more than entertaining. They all seemed to really, really like each other in a PG-13 sort of way.

I learned about new plants at the S.C. Horticulture Trade Show the same weekend. That's the best thing about being an avid gardener: finding new and exciting plants. I have no idea how well they'll do in the Lowcountry, or how soon they will be available to the general public, but I can't wait to put them in my yard to find out.

--Abelia was a shrub I was starting to dislike because it was often leggy. However, Kaleidscope, Mardi Gras and Bronze Anniversary are three brightly colored cultivars that I am willing to give another shot. They are compact and only grow 3 feet tall.

--Loropetalum is another one that has renewed my interest. Purple Diamond is one of the darkest plum colors yet. Ever Red has red blooms in stead of pink.

Purple Pixie is a dwarf loropetalum that gets only 3 feet tall.

--Hydrangeas are premier shade shrubs. Twist and Shout hydrangea has red stems and continuous blooms, meaning it flowers on old and new growth. Pinky Winky hydrangea and Ripple hydrangea have very unique mop-top flowers, and the names are just plain fun to say. Mini Penny gets about only 3 feet tall. It's also a rebloomer. And for those who don't like blue hydrangea flowers, Limelight has large, white blooms.

--Knock Out roses have been available the last couple of years. Pink Double Knock Out will be readily available in 2008 and looks great. However, I'm fascinated by another rose called the Tequila Star rose. It's disease resistant with deep orange blooms. I put an exclamation point by that one when I was taking notes, so you know it's good.

--Gardenia cultivars vary in size and, to some extent, bloom. Personally, I find the scent sickly sweet and the spent blooms awful. However, a soon-to-be released gardenia called Shooting Star (or Heaven Scent) boasts a smaller, compact form with incredible blooming potential. I think the presenter said she counted more than 200 flowers on it at one time. I want to say she said it was more than 700, but that seems absurd now that I think about it. Wish I'd written down what she said.

--Mock orange (Philidelphus) has been considered an old-fashioned shrub, but a new variety called Snow White intends to reinvent the species. I don't see this shrub around much anymore, so I'm interested to see what all the fuss is about.

--Hypericum shrubs are a virtual unknown in the landscape, but there's a Mystical series of hypericums loaded with black, red, pink or white berries in the fall (depending on which Mystical cultivar you choose). This will be an interesting selection to get color late in the season.

--Shirazz Japanese maple has deeply cut foliage that is variegated green and bright pink, and almost looks like it's glowing. The pictures are impressive. Another interesting tree is the Lavender Twist redbud, which is small and contorted. It's a striking form that would make a great specimen plant.

--There are numerous varieties of maidenhair grass (Miscanthus), but the new Gold Bar cultivar is heavily banded. It'll make a remarkable accent in the summer.

--There are new varieties of fountaingrass (Pennisetum). Prince is a medium-size clump of burgundy/green foliage similar to Japanese fountaingrass, but Prince gets 5 feet tall and is supposed to be a true perennial. There's also a Princess cultivar that is a smaller version of Prince, only getting a few feet tall.

You should Google these plants to see the pictures (www.google.com). Once you see them, you'll be hooked. However, you'll get some strange images searching Tequila Star rose. Ye be warned.

Tony Bertauski is a horticulture instructor at Trident Technical College. To give feedback or request specific column topics, e-mail Tony at tony.bertauski@tridenttech.edu.