Swapping Huckleberries
Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album) Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album) has been an attractive feature along our north-facing foundation since I planted it in 2016. You will have to take my word for it since I cannot locate a photo although I know one exists somewhere in the realm of the Internet or floating on a cloud somewhere. I did locate a photo of how it looked when it was first planted - It took a few years to fill out but it did so nicely to an attractive mound about 2 feet high by 3 feet wide. Last year, it started to look bad. I cut it back but it had not improved and this is how it looked a few weeks ago - I decided to rip it out and plant another huckleberry - this time Vaccinium ovatum , more commonly known as the "Evergreen Huckleberry". This is a plant that I've wanted for ages and kept putting off getting one because I could not find a good place for it. By most accounts, this is an amazing plant, a native one and excellent for
I too love pomegranates. I am not positive on what zone you are in, but guess that it will be hardy for you. I am in 8a, but I know of several old specimens in 7b, maybe it is a coastal thing. In years past we have sold maybe 15 pomegranates a year, but like you I have noticed that they are very popular now. People do not want the ornamental ones, they are looking for the fruiting types. It could be the anti-oxidants. Anyway, we sold close to 100 this year and had to re-order.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, the pomegranate scent in bath & body products is very "in" now too.
ReplyDeleteNice photo, Phillip. I grew up with pomegranates in Arizona--I always thought that they were some kind of citrus and needed really warm weather, so I was surpised to hear that they do well in Virginia. Maybe a new addition to Salix's orchard? Dave's says they are deer resistant . . .
ReplyDeleteI've always loved those bright orange blooms. My mother loves pomegrantes and when ever I see them I instantly think of her.
ReplyDeleteLove the plant...there is nothing like a road trip and finding new plants!
ReplyDeleteGail
I have not yet seen a pomegranate tree in full bloom! Love the fruit and the flowers are hot! Your previous post made some of the common flowers, i.e. daylily, look uncommonly good!
ReplyDeleteHi Phillip, we had a pomegranate when we lived in Southern CA, it was a dwarf and very cute. I would love to have one also, but for ornament, rather than to harvest. Maybe they are so popular right now because of those healthy eating lists. They always include the juice, which is very expensive. On the David garden tour in Austin during the spring fling, they had an exquisite specimen of the pom tree in their front garden. I want one. I will be watching to see how your does, even though you are a zone warmer than us. Microclimates can be found!
ReplyDeleteLes, I'm in zone 7b. I've seen very large pomegranate shrubs growing around the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteFrances, I will be growing it for the flowers as well. I'll keep you posted on how it does.
I love the color though I'm not sure how I feel about he fruit. By the way, the pic of the Lily on your last post was gorgeous. Oh..I wish we had a whole foods grocery around these parts..but I'm just lucky to have a grocery store within a decent distance..LOL
ReplyDeletePhillip, pomegranates will grow here, I'm just down the road from you in Moulton, we left one at our last house and it had gotten maybe 5'tall. We write for the same magazune, I have the wedding garden. See my blog at //GillespieGardens.blogspot.com and come see it sometime
ReplyDeletephillip, if you can't get to my blog at the above address, try leaving off the//
ReplyDeleteI loved the quality of your photo's in the last issue, I'm having trouble sending mine, when Shane gets them, they seem to be too small
Hi Phillip,
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Lawrence talked about pomegranates, saying they grew throughout the Middle South, and that she grew them in North Carolina. My pomegranate made a few flowers this spring but didn't set fruit.
I'd like both - hope yours does well for you!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
The Spanish brought them to California and planted them at every Mission. Unfortunately, they need more summer warmth to fruit than I can provide in my garden. The flowers are nice tho'.
ReplyDeleteThey can take any kind of pruning, which is nice in a small space.
Oh, and Memphis is a groovy town. I've been there.
ReplyDeleteCorky's BBQ!
Phillip,
ReplyDeleteLike you, I also stop at nurseries on road trips and always find a "must have" plant. To heck with regular souvenirs...plants rule. Good luck with your pomegranate...I suggest you plant it now and keep it well watered and mulched. That should give it time to get well established and set fruit next year. There are some great ones around town here in Vicksburg and they make beautiful specimens planted alone in full sun. Jon at Mississippi Garden blog on 7-13-08
Go ahead and plant it! I'm in zone 7b as well, and there are several in our neighborhood, many of which are very large shrubs now. I have the dwarf variety (hardy for 10 years so far), and I just planted "Nochi Shibari", which is another double variety which has paler orange petals with a white edging.
ReplyDeleteHere's the listing at the PDN website:
http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/06659.html
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog while doing some research to see if I could grow a pom tree here in Memphis. I grew up in SoCal & used to pick them on the way to school. Looks like I can! Glad you like our town!
Chuck b., next time you come to Memphis, try Neely's BBQ instead of Corky's. Much more Memphis.:)