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The Garden Helper's 2012 Plants of the WeekEach week we will showcase a new plant that has a profile on The Garden HelperIf you like these quick peaks of the plants, please check out their full profile. You'll find many more profiled plants listed in the "More Plants and Flowers" column. Click on any photograph to enlarge. |
More Plants and FlowersOctober 2010November 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 Plants of 2011 |
January 1, 2012 Amaryllis Hippeastrum       Nothing can break the gloom, like a beautifully blooming House Plant in the dead of winter. The Amaryllis is one of the easiest of all flowering bulbs to force into bloom, making them very popular as gift plants during the holiday seasons. Amaryllis produce 4-6 huge, showy flowers on bare, 1-2 ft. stems. They are very easy to maintain in the home. Hardy in zones 9-11 |
January 7, 2012 Chinese Witch Hazel Hamamelis mollis   Witch Hazel is one of the earliest of all blooming shrubs, providing you with up to eight weeks of showy, fragrant flowers in the dead of winter. The foliage turns to a bright yellowish-orange in the fall. Branches that have already formed buds can be cut and forced to bloom indoors using the same method you used to force Forsythia or Quince sprigs. Hardy in zones 4-9 |
January 15, 2012 Flowering Quince Chaenomeles speciosa    For a few brief weeks in late winter and early spring, when there is little to enjoy in the garden, the Flowering Quince bursts into brilliance as the brightly colored flowers emerge from the leafless stems. Branches from the previous year can be cut in late winter and forced into bloom indoors. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9 |
January 22, 2012 Weeping Pussy Willow Salix caprea  For an early indoor bloom, cut branches from Pussy Willows can be brought in the house and set in a water filled vase in a sunny window, anytime after the middle of January. The catkins will develop and make an nice, long lasting display. As with most species of Willow, Pussy Willows grow best when given lots of water. Hardy in USDA zones 4-8 |
January 29, 2012 Golden Bells Forsythia intermedia One of the earliest signs that spring has arrived, is when the Forsythia bursts into a profusion of yellow blossoms spreading from the ground to the tip of each graceful, cascading branch. They vary in size from a compact, one foot plants to 8-10 feet in height and width. Forsythia branches can be cut and forced to bloom indoors. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9 |
February 5, 2012 BeautyBerry Callicarpa bodinieri  The foliage of the BeautyBerry plant is a beautiful bronze color as it emerges, but soon turns to a bright green. Small lavender flowers produce clusters of berries which ripen to an intensely purple color, and remain on the plant after the foliage drops, providing a beautiful contrast during the winter months. Hardy in USDA zones 6-8 |
February 12, 2012 Philodendrons Philodendrons are among the most popular, tolerant, and durable of all house plants. There are many different species of Philodendrons, each possessing it's own characteristics as to leaf size, shape or coloring. Some species climb while others remain in more of a shrub shape. What Philodendrons all have in common is there ability to survive neglect and adverse conditions. |
February 19, 2012 Camellia Camellias are long lived evergreen shrubs or small trees that can grow anywhere from 6-20 feet tall with up to a 10 foot spread, depending on the species and cultivar. They have glossy, dark green, 2"-4" foliage that is attractive even when the plant is out of bloom. The flower colors range from pure white to deep, dark red and there are even some bi-colored varieties. Hardy in USDA zones 7-10 |
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