April is a grand month to plant a tree and it is no coincidence that most states and our federal government celebrate that fact during the month, with Earth Day April 22 and Arbor Day two days later. This week I will cover three different groups of trees: Japanese maple, flowering trees and Irene Koster.
I’ll start with the Japanese maple. This is the month when new leaves unfold on Japanese maples and there isn’t a more diverse plant than Acer palmatum when it comes to leaves. They range from yellow to green to orange or red and the leaf shapes and sizes can be as minute as the variety Fairy Hair and as large and bold as the Ed Wood.
Japanese maples come in a variety of forms, as well from the familiar mounding “lace leaf” flavors that can stay under 6 feet tall to the more upright ones that can reach 25 feet.
Many are well suited to growing in containers as my wife has discovered over the years. Some of my customers have become so transfixed with them that their collections number in the dozens.
In the landscape, Japanese maples offer four seasons of interest with their spectacular spring foliage, attractive summer leaves, incredible fall color and interesting winter form.
They are easy to grow as long as you provide good drainage. Most prefer full sun but many will perform better with some shade.
We are fortunate in the Northwest to be able to grow a wide variety of flowering trees and with a little planning a gardener can have a tree blooming from January to August — assuming that gardener has the room.
Starting in January with the Cornelian Cherry, with its delicate yellow blooms, and moving, in a warm year, to crepe myrtles in September, there is barely a month that goes by that there isn’t some tree blooming. In between are flowering plums, pears and magnolias in March, crab apples and cherries in April, dogwoods in May, snowbells and Stewartias in June and sourwoods in August.
Last, but not least, we have the Irene Koster. This attractive shrub is in a group of large shrubs called deciduous azaleas which come into bloom in late April.
If you start noticing loud masses of orange, coral, red or gold flowers in people’s yard, chances are they have deciduous azaleas. Also known as Exbury or Mollis azaleas, very few deciduous shrubs can equal deciduous azaleas for showiness and color range, not to mention fragrance (Irene Koster’s fragrance will knock your socks off). The foliage often turns brilliant orange red to maroon in the fall.
They will grow in full sun to part shade and generally need the same things that rhodies require only they are much less demanding. Garden centers throughout the Puget Sound region should be moving them front and center this month so you won’t miss them. In addition to Irene Koster, look for varieties from the Weston and Arneson series which are known for their exceptional fall color. Perhaps it’s time to add a couple to your garden.
Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached online at info@sunnysidenursery.net.
Classes
Trevor Cameron will be teaching two classes this weekend at Sunnyside Nursery. Japanese Maples: 10 a.m. Saturday, Cameron will share his passion for these delightful shrubs and trees. Flowering trees: 1 p.m. Sunday, Cameron will help gardeners find the perfect flowering tree for their garden. Both classes are free.
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