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Mark Govan
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Many of my readers have expressed an interest in a few plants that can withstand the cool weather this fall and winter will bring. Well, I have a few ideas of plants that I think you will like and be able to use in your landscape. These plants will not mind any of the cool weather and in fact can withstand freezing temperatures. The plants I want to talk about today are the Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans), the Camellia (Camellia japonica), and for those of you that like a small tree with fragrant blossoms, the
I found my first Tea Olive plant at the Bok Tower Gardens in Central Florida . I was not really looking for the plant but rather I was drawn to the plant because of its fragrance. Tea Olive produces extremely small white flowers along the stems of the plant. If you did not know what to look for you may not even see the plant. This is what had happened to me when I chance encountered this specimen. The fragrance is what catches you by surprise. The sweet smell of the blossoms beckoned me and as I searched for the source I finally found the plants. Three of the plants had been growing in a semi-circle behind a row of chenille plants. I had to ask a worker at the gardens what the name of the plant was and he told me that it was a Tea Olive.
Tea Olive grows upright and open. Little or no care is needed for these plants as growth is slow but steady. Flowers are produced approximately three times per year on both current and old growth parts of the plant. I understand that the further north this plant is grown the taller the plant will become. I have grown this plant for almost twenty years and the tallest plants in my collection are a mere seven to eight feet in height. As noted above I rarely prune the plant but when I do I merely prune the tips of the plants to give them a consistent height. Because of this slow growth rate and open structure, do not look to make this a hedge plant but rather use this plant close to your structure and plant your colorful plants in front of them. Tea Olive will make a nice foundation plant and when it goes into bloom the fragrance will delight you for three to four weeks at a time.
Camellias are another plant I like to use in cool weather gardens and just to clarify, cool weather gardens are northern exposure gardens in areas that occasionally get frosts and freezes. In the case of Camellias, these plants are happy during the cooler weather and do not mind if you get several freezes. I like to plant my camellias in an area which gets morning sun and filtered afternoon light. Plantings grown beneath pine trees actually are better for the camellias as they enjoy the acidity given off by the pine needles.
Gardeners in central Florida
The cultivars I like to plant and have grown well in central Florida
Another good thing about camellias is the fact that these plants are slow growers which require only modest pruning or shaping. Once per year you may need to prune an individual branch which is growing out of place. Pruning is done only after the bloom season has been completed. If you prune at the wrong time of year your plants may not bloom properly in the winter. Over time, camellias can achieve a height of fifteen feet or more. However, for most homeowners this is a rare occurrence and will take many years.
Not all nurseries carry this specimen tree but they are easily found on the internet. Because this tree is not a large tree, homeowners should be able to find a spot in the landscape this tree will flourish. Be sure to give the tree plenty of water and do not worry about any pests. When the cool weather arrives in central Florida
This past week has been great for working in the garden. I am hoping we will have at least a little cool season to make gardening even more enjoyable. The plants I have mentioned this week will give you additional choices to use in the garden and still give you color. Best of all, these are all cold hardy plants and require minimum maintenance. Keep you garden beautiful and remember, without plants we would not be here.