Greenery and Plantation Research

Phormium cultivars and hybrids (New Zealand Flax)

New Zealand flax brings texture, color and foliage to the landscape year-round, especially welcome in otherwise barren fall and winter gardens. While falling leaves, a visible cue of the changing of the seasons, are always a visual treat, the end result is often a landscape filled with bare branches. Flax fares well alongside its deciduous neighbours with or without their foliage, its large leaves enhancing the landscape in every season.

- Water requirement: Little to moderate

- Sun requirement: Full sun to partial shade

- Mature size: 1 to 9 feet tall and wide, depending on species

- Benefits and tolerances: Tolerant of coastal conditions, soil and wind 

- Seasonal interest: Year-round foliage; flowers in spring or summer

- When to plant: Late spring or summer

Chamaedorea Seifrizii (Bamboo palm)

Chamaedorea seifrizii is a small graceful palm that commonly used in landscapes and indoor decoration. It is very popular and is very easy to grow and maintain. It can be used as a foundation planting, at the back of the border to create a textural backdrop for your other plants, or as a unique hedge.

- Appearance: The Chamaedorea seifrizii is a multitrunk palm that grows in clusters without forming a crownshaft. It is usually clumped together to form a srub-like speciments. Slender, long stems are 8-10ft tall and have about 10-15 fronds. Stems are ringed with scars and has cane-like appearance. Each frond has around 10-12 dark green narrow feather like leaflets.

- Flowers/Fruits: If it is exposed to more light, Bamboo Palm will produce gorgeous flowers during summer months. Flowers are yellow and emerge from the lower leaves. The Bamboo Palm is dioecious, with male and female flowers growing on different plants. Flowers are followed by pea-sized red berries that turn black when fully ripen. But be careful with the fruits, because these nice looking berries are not edible and can cause allergic reaction.

- Growth Rate: The Bamboo Palm grows at an average rate and can get up to 8-12 ft tall and 6-8ft wide.

- Light Req: Bamboo palm grows best in shade but tolerates brighter light if gradually acclimated to sunny conditions.

- Water Req: Moderate. Bamboo Palm Tree doesn’t require heavy watering and as most palm trees likes well drained soil.

- Maintenance: Overall this plant doesn’t require much care to maintain its gorgeous tropical appearance. Apply good quality palm fertilizer that has continues release formula twice a year during growing season.

Equisetum hyemale (Winter Scouring Rush)

Best grown in medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerates an extremely wide range of soils, however. Will grow in up to 4” of standing water. Spreads to form large colonies in the wild. Homeowners are often more interested in learning how to eradicate this plant from the landscape than how to grow it. It is a very aggressive plant which, if not preemptively restrained, will spread aggressively by branched, creeping rhizomes. Once established, it can be extremely difficult to remove by digging because its rhizomes spread wide and deep, and any small section of rhizome left behind can sprout a new plant. Consider using soil barriers to restrict growth. In water gardens or tub gardens, plant in pots at water bottom to contain growth (both height and spread).

- Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Very aggressive spreader.

- Garden Uses: Water gardens. Japanese gardens. Bog gardens. Stream or pond peripheries. Good plant for covering a wet low spot where nothing else will grow. Interesting plant for large patio containers. Provides strong vertical accent to any planting.

- Height: 2.00 to 4.00 feet

- Spread: 1.00 to 6.00 feet

- Bloom Description: Non-flowering

- Sun: Full sun to part shade

- Water: Medium to wet

- Maintenance: Medium

- Suggested Use: Water Plant, Naturalise, Rain Garden

- Tolerate: Heavy Shade

Aspidistra Elatior (Cast- Iron Plant)

Easily grown as a houseplant in St. Louis because, among other things, it tolerates a wide range of temperatures, does not require a humid atmosphere, may be grown in low light, will tolerate less than regular watering and is easily maintained. Best grown with a well-drained, peaty potting mixture. Best sited in bright indirect light, but tolerates full shade. Avoid direct sun. Water regularly from spring to fall, but reduce watering in winter as plant rests. Regular temperatures in summer and minimum 50F in winter.

Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet

Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet

Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer

Bloom Description: Creamy purple

Sun: Part shade to full shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Flower: Insignificant

Leaf: Evergreen

Tolerate: Drought, Heavy Shade

Epipremnum pinnatum (Golden Pothos Vine)

These plants grow to giant proportions in their native habitats. They can easily swallow 100-foot trees, and their mature leaves are as broad as basketballs. In home cultivation, they are exceptionally tough, both easy to propagate and maintain.

- Light: Bright, indirect light. Under full sun, the leaves will lose some of their distinctive yellow marbling.

- Water: Keep the soil moist through the growing period. In winter, reduce water, but do not allow the plant to dry out.

- Temperature: They prefer warmth and will cease growing below about 55ºF.

- Soil: A loose, rich well-drained potting mix.

- Fertilizer: Use a time-release fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season, or use liquid fertilizer with every feeding during the growing season. Reduce fertilizer during the winter.