Testing Roses

Conard Pyle Company is famous for its Star Roses. They work closely with the Meilland International rose breeders in France on introducing new roses to the world. I requested the best No-Spray roses they had for trial in South Florida. They sent 8 roses for testing which have been potted up and growing by now. I will discuss the 2012 releases for this blog.

The Drift series of roses are small front of the bed type plants that grow about 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. They sent ‘Apricot Drift’ and ‘Sweet Drift’ to represent this hopefully trouble free group of roses. Disease resistance is touted as excellent. Repeat bloom comes from the miniature roses and disease resistance from ground cover roses. Blooms are 1/1/2 inches across and blooms continuous. Glossy foliage is another attribute. ‘Apricot Drift’ blooms fade to some pink. ‘Sweet Drift’ blooms open medium pink and fade to light pink.

‘Tequila Gold’ has 3/1/2 inches wide gold blooms with above average disease resistance. Bright green foliage is attractive. Continuous bloom is another benefit on a Floribunda/landscape shrub reaching 5feet by 5 feet.  The plant is great on the west coast but may need extra attention on the east coast.

‘Sunshine Daydream’ is an AARS 2012 winner. The rose grows to 6 feet in height and 5 feet in width. The flowers average 3/1/2 inches wide and with double blooms that fall cleanly from the shrub. This plant grows on its own roots.  Blooms open light yellow and fade to creamy yellow.

New Plant Problems on Impatiens

I checked with the University of Florida on the use of Imidacloprid at the reduced rare of 0.235 percent concentration on citrus to control the pysillid that causes citrus greening. The product can be used on citrus up to 6 feet in height and must be applied 2 weeks before the new growth to be effective. There are reports of colony collapse to bee colonies because of this product. Nothing should be sprayed when bees are flying and pollinating plants. I still remain leery of this product with its systemic action.

A new foliar disease is killing Impatiens walleriana and interspecific hybrids with Impatiens walleriana as a parent. The New Guinea Impatiens, Impatiens hawkeri are very tolerant of the foliar diseases. Plasmopara obducens, Downy Mildew, is the causal agent causing the destruction of the Impatiens. Symptoms are yellow to pale green foliage, and mild mottling. Advanced symptoms include: Stunting of plant growth and malformed leaves and flower buds, Foliage is downward curling and distorted, wilting, plant collapse, severe defoliation. Management practices should include: Sanitation and scouting, Rotation of effective fungicides with different modes of action, Homeowner fungicides include: Concern Copper Soap Fungicide, Fertilome Broad Spectrum Landscape & Garden Fungicide, Monterey Agri-Fos, Ortho Max Garden Disease Control, Southern Ag Liquid Copper Fungicide, Southern Ag Triple Action Neem Oil. Do not replant Impatiens into landscape beds where downy mildew was identified during the previous season.  You should water in the morning so foliage can dry out before evening.

Thanks to Margery Daughtrey of Cornell University, Syngenta, and Cheryl Ricker for bringing this to my attention.

Nesting Whiteflies

There is a new whitefly in town, the Nesting Whitefly, Paraleyrodes bondari. This new pest has the potential to equal or better the damage the spiral Whitefly is causing. Most whiteflies are found on the leaf undersides. Nesting whitefly occurs on both sides of the foliage and causes even more severe production of black sooty mold and sticky surfaces on the roof, paving, furniture, cars, boats and anything else under the Nesting Whitefly. The host range will be similar to the Spiral Whitefly. Host plants include: citrus, Ficus, avocado, hibiscus, Surinam cherry, gumbo limbo, coconut, vanilla, banana, and guava so far. This pest was just discovered and is rapidly getting established. This Whitefly is 1/3 the size of the Spiral Whitefly. Nesting Whitefly activity looks like a circle of white feathers that is very noticeable against the black sooty mold. Another worry about this whitefly is that it is active during the winter cool months indicating greater hardiness.

This Nesting Whitefly is controlled the same way as the other whiteflies. Trunk injections or soil drenches using Imidacloprid systemic insecticide will give good control for 8-9 months or longer. Products like Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed and Ortho Max. Native predators are the best long term solution. Aleuroctonus vittatus, (Eulophidae) is a tiny predatory wasp that is especially effective against the Whitefly. This wasp will attack the Whitefly and is effective when populations of the Whitefly are high.

Unfortunately, most people are not aware that they have a whitefly problem until the situation is very severe with black sooty mold and stick surfaces.

Spiral Whitefly Natural Controls

Softscapes, Landscape for Living, recently released native ladybeetles, Delphastus cataliniae and native green lacewings, Chrsoperla carnea, and Chrysoperla rufilabris to feed on the highly invasive spiral whitefly which is causing great damage to both native and exotic trees and shrubs in South Florida. Pesticides kill both good and bad insects and affect our drinking water and health.

Ladybeetles are voracious predators and feed on whitefly, aphids, mites, insect eggs, scale and mealy bug. The release site should be thoroughly watered before releasing the ladybeetles in the evening.  Flowering plants that produce pollen are helpful. Ladybeetles will even eat honeydew. The results at Softscapes were amazing with ladybeetles going to work right away on the spiral whitefly.

Green lacewings are nocturnal predators feeding on whitefly, aphids, scale, and mealy bug The larval form are the aggressive predators. Eggs and adults are also available.

The spiral whitefly attacks many plants. Favorites include gumbo limbo, coconut palm, white bird of paradise, banana, and many others. I did notice that plants with fuzzy leaf undersides like silver buttonwood do not seem to be affected with this pest.

Softscapes is located at

19 SW 19^th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The phone number is 954-463-7404.

 

 

Garden Care

The garden has slowed down some but everything is still growing. We have not had our usual noticeable cool down and we have temperatures in the low 80’s and lows about 70. The lawn maintenance companies are making extra money as they keep up the summer mowing schedule of cutting every 10 days to two weeks. We can have surprise freezes anytime from mid-December to mid-March. That event puts the brakes on all growing. Our weather is continuing warm so when the cold arrives everything will be in shock. Rainfall has been reasonable so far which also enhances everything growing.

The warm Gulf Stream is a major temperature modifier in South East Florida. I can remember in the early 1980’s when the temperature was 35 degrees at the Fort Lauderdale Airport which is one mile from the ocean. The University of Florida research center in Davie, Florida is 10 miles west of the ocean and the temperature there was 27degrees. Highway 27 is 20 miles west of the ocean and the temperature there was 19 degrees.

If a freeze is expected pull mulch back from the base of your plants. The warm soil will radiate warm soil temperatures up to the plants and help protect them. Water the day the freeze is expected which will help warm soil temperatures to reach the plants. Bring tender potted plants inside to avoid the cold. Cover tender outside plants with sheets or blankets to protect from freeze damage. Never use plastic as it will warm up quickly when the sun hits it.  Plant growth will turn to mush and put the plant in shock. The second night of the freeze is colder than the first night as the wind stops and the sky is clear. Warmer temperatures from the day radiate out to space. The third day is usually warm enough to pull coverings from the plants.

Clock Bush

Thunbergia erecta receives mixed reviews in most landscapes. I have seen it used in shady landscapes as a foundation planting and it does not perform well. Plants are very sparse in the shade and are not vigorous enough to be competitive with aggressive root systems. I noted this plant used as a low hedge under black olive trees and it was not happy. My plant receives full sun and is doing almost to well.

Plants with small foliage are preferred for hedging use as the foliage is not ripped by repeat pruning with electric hedge shears. Clock bush has showy, purple, trumpet shaped blooms, and small foliage. Hedges are normally pruned every 2-3 weeks and the flower buds are cut off before the plant can bloom. Your flowering plant is a green hedge without color. Plants like hibiscus, ixora, and others never bloom because of the constant pruning. One of the big complaints at condominiums is that there is no color in the landscape. Hedge plants should be selected that have small leaves and lack showy flowers.

The Ficus hedge met these requirements but had invasive roots and now whitefly concerns. I noted that plants with fuzzy or rough leaf undersides are not preferred by the spiral whitefly. Silver buttonwood is a possible choice but needs full sun and does not take extended pruning without some branch dieback. This plant is better as a small tree. One of the best choices may be Viburnum suspensum which has rough leaf undersides and takes sun or shade and does well as a hedge.  I have not seen this plant under whitefly conditions but suspect it may be a good choice.

Justicia spicigera ‘Sidicaro’

The common name ‘Orange Plume’ describes this shrub very well. It certainly has done more than well on my small property. Turf grass rules here with $50 fines if your wheels touch the grass. I find grass the most boring, high maintenance, expensive plant around. It is hard to get enthusiastic about it. Neat nicks in our retirement community do get exercise hand picking weeds out of the lawn. Getting back up after weeding is the challenge.

I planted ‘Orange Plume’ out by the street to block out traffic sounds and provide green and privacy. The shrub is flanked by areca palms that are dying from Ganaderma butt rot. I tied orchids into the palms and now one areca is dead. The other areca is about ½ gone.  Ganaderma has no cure so these palms are doomed. Weed whackers provide entry wounds for the Ganaderma to attack the trees.

‘Orange Plume’ is doing a great job in filling in for the dead and dying palms. The shrub must be 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide. I have to prune it back a bit on the street side but other wise leave it alone. The orange blooms are showy and certainly more interesting than the dead palm stems. Now, what to do about the orchids.

Clotilde Soupert Rose

This beautiful Polyantha rose was introduced in 1890 and is unusual for its wonderful old rose fragrance and large flowers. Most roses in the Polyantha class do not have fragrance. The blooms have a pronounced deep pink center in colder weather and the blooms increase in size. Flowers can be up to 3 inches across in the coolest part of the year. Mine are two inches across now and are mostly white with a hint of pink at the center. The coldest temperatures we have had so far have been in the upper 50’s. The blooms have over 100 petals which is very unusual for this class of roses. This rose is almost thorn free.

This rose requires special attention as far as planting location is concerned. You should choose a location with full sun, good air movement and drainage, and located away from concrete. The rose will be trouble free if you site the plant correctly. ‘Clotilde Soupert’ can get powdery mildew and black spot but seems immune to thrip and Sri Lankan weevil which attacked my ‘Knock Out’ rose which I just retired.

I have not had any problems with my ‘Clotilde Soupert’. Polyantha roses show occasional old stem dieback which is normal. The rose can eventually grow to 4-5 feet in height and spread. Plants are available at Jesse Durko’s Nursery in Davie, 954-792-2297

My ‘Mrs. B. R. Cant’ rose is starting to bloom again on what is left of the plant. This plant is struggling as the graft union is failing and the rose is gradually dying. The flowers are superb reaching 4 inches in diameter during the cooler winter months.  The foliage is healthy and has not been bothered by the Sri Lankan weevil and thrip that has knocked out the supposedly impervious ‘Knock Out’ rose. I hate to lose this beautiful but thorny rose. Grafted plants are often a problem as the graft union can fail as my rose is suffering from. Roses and gardenias are the most commonly grafted plants in Florida.

Plants are grafted to a root stock that is resistant to pests in our soil. Root knot nematodes are the most common root pest in Florida and most hybrid tea and other roses are grafted. This is an advantage for the old China antique roses which can be grown from cuttings and grow on their own roots.

Below are photos of my ‘Mrs. B. R. Cant’ rose showing clean foliage and blooms. I will try to take a photo of the bad graft union. I will also take a photo of the highly touted ‘Knock Out’ rose.

Radermachera elmerii

My Radermachera elmerii, is starting to shade the patio and eventually the air conditioning unit which should provide energy savings of up to 20% yearly. I love saving money on energy bills and this little tree should do it by next year. The tree is growing faster than I expected which is fine with me. I was thrilled with the 3-4 feet added to the overall height this growing season.

Nixon Smiley, author and garden columnist for the Miami Herald in the 1940’s loved this tree.  He reported it coming through unscathed after the 1945 hurricane that hit Miami with 145 mph winds. He liked the small size of the tree which is mature in the 20-25 foot range. He praised the beauty and neatness of the foliage which does not seem to drop at all. Flower drop is a problem with all blooming trees so they should be only used over lawn areas.

My experience with the tree has all been positive except for its tendency to produce sucker growth along the trunk and branches. This is easy to control by rubbing the tiny suckers off the trunk/branches before they get started.  This seems to be a characteristic of the Radermachera genus as my Radermachera ‘Kunming’, Dwarf Tree Jasmine does the same thing.

Blooms on Radermachera elmerii are pink, trumpet shaped, with a yellow throat. The flowers average 2 inches wide and carried on spikes above the leaves. I have not detected any fragrance from the blooms but have not tried at night when many plants become fragrant. The tree flowers over much of the year but takes a break during the coldest part of the year. This tree is a real beauty and deserves a good common name.