by Gary Knox | Aug 19, 2014
A new IPM guide is making it easier to grow five common southeastern shrubs. Growing five southeastern shrubs is now easier thanks to a free, new IPM resource from the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group.
IPM for Shrubs in Southeastern U.S. Nursery Production is a compilation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) information for five major shrubs in nursery crop production in the southeast. This 175 page book covers sustainable management for insects, mites, diseases, and weeds for these shrubs, as well as nursery production information. This IPM resource was developed for nursery growers although professional landscape managers and collectors of these plants also will find the information valuable.
Individual chapters cover abelia (Abelia spp.), camellia (Camellia spp.), shrub rose (Rosa spp.), blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) and viburnum (Viburnum spp.). Each chapter provides comprehensive information on the species, primary cultivars and their nursery production. Major pests, diseases, weeds and abiotic disorders are presented for each genus along with sustainable management methods and tables listing labeled pesticides and fungicides by mode of action and site. An additional chapter discusses weed management in shrub production. Future volumes covering additional shrubs are anticipated.
Edited by Clemson University’s Sarah A. White and University of Tennessee’s William E. Klingeman, this free guide was developed by the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group, including University of Florida NFREC’s Gary Knox and Mathews Paret. The award-winning, multi-disciplinary group is composed of experts from universities across the southeast. This group formed in 2008 to develop and deliver educational programming to the southern U.S. nursery industry and Extension personnel. The team recently won the 2014 Bright Idea Award from the Friends of Southern IPM and Southern IPM Center.
This resource joins the tree IPM book previously released by this group, IPM for Select Deciduous Trees in Southeastern US Nursery Production. The tree IPM book is similar to the new resource in that it contains IPM information for insects, mites, diseases, and weeds of nine major tree crops as well as production information. Individual chapters cover birch (Betula spp.), cherry (Prunus spp.), crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), dogwood (Cornus spp.), chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), magnolia (Magnolia spp.), maple (Acer spp.), oak (Quercus spp.) and redbud (Cercis spp.).
Both books can be downloaded free through iTunes (http://www.apple.com/itunes/) or each chapter is available as a free pdf through the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group website, http://wiki.bugwood.org/SNIPM. A limited number of hardcopy books were printed and distributed to authors. Thanks to the Southern Region IPM Center for their generous support to make this resource possible!
by Matthew Orwat | Jan 27, 2014
Recently, I was working on a camellia identification project in a forgotten camellia garden of about 60 plants. Most camellias I observed were not yet in flower but one in particular caught my eye. I later identified this eye catcher as Camellia japonica ‘Magnoliaeflora’.
Flower of Camellia japonica ‘Magnoliaeflora’
Image Credit Matthew Orwat
Magnoliaeflora is so named due to its off white magnolia formed semi-double flowers. It’s petals have a distinctive curl and can sometimes resemble a star. Plants are slow-growing but can reach six feet tall and four feet wide after several decades. This slow growth makes it ideal for smaller landscapes where some giant japonica cultivars would be out-of-place.
Its buds and flowers are resistant to cold temperatures, thus flowering is able to occur in mid January, a tad earlier than many other japonicas. This classic camellia should be tried in more Northwest Florida landscapes, particularly newer ones where camellias seem all but absent.
Flower of Camellia japonica ‘Magnoliaeflora’
Image Credit Matthew Orwat
by Matthew Orwat | Jan 14, 2014
Want to learn how to graft Camellias?
Graft your favorite cultivar onto an adapted rootstock!
Saturday January 18th 9:00am – 12:00pm CST !
- Join us to learn how to graft your favorite camellia cultivar onto an adapted rootstock
- You can take home your own grafted camellia
- Hosted by Maphis Tree Farm and UF IFAS Extension Washington County
- You will engage in hands on grafting of Camellias for your gar-den. You will take home a grafted Camellia of your own All sup-plies will be furnished by Maphis Tree Farm at a cost of only $30.00 per person
- Maphis Tree Farm 1534 orange Hill Hwy Chipley, FL.
- Call or Email Maphis Tree Farm toregister at 850-638-8243
maphistreefarm@bellsouth.net
by Julie McConnell | Jan 31, 2013
White by the Gate, Magnoliaeflora, and Spellbound Camellia japonica flowers
Are you looking for an evergreen shrub with showy flowers in the fall or winter? Look no further than an old Southern favorite, the camellia.
Large camellias dot landscapes of historic homes throughout the Florida Panhandle, and although they look like they’ve been here forever camellias are not native to North America, but were originally brought here from Asia in 1797. There are many different types, but the most common camellias found in Florida are Camellia sasanqua which bloom in the fall (October – December) and Camellia japonica with larger leaves and a later bloom time of January through March. Some other types of camellias are Camellia reticulata, C. hiemalis, C. vernails and their hybrids; and Camellia sinensis is the source of tea which is made from the young leaves of this plant.
Flower colors range from a crisp white to a deep crimson and there are even some cultivars with variegated flowers! There are six recognized flower forms and they are single, semi-double, anemone, peony, formal double, and rose form double. Although most camellias have the potential to get over ten feet tall and five feet wide, there are some that grow slower and can be maintained at lower heights. Camellia sasanqua ‘Bonanza’ and C. sasanqua ‘Shishi Gashira’ have more horizontal branching habits and can be kept under five feet tall, however they will need more width than a more upright growing camellia.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Bonanza’
When choosing a site for your camellia, look for an area with light shade, good air flow, and well-drained soil. Test your soil to determine pH and fertilizer needs before planting; soil testing kits can be picked up at your local county extension office. Camellias prefer acidic soil with a target pH range of 5.0 to 6.5, and benefit from organic matter amendments in sandy soil. Plant camellias slightly higher than the natural grade; dig a hole that is wide and shallow. After planting check that the top of the root ball is one to two inches above the soil line to allow for some settling. Mulching helps to conserve moisture and regulate soil temperatures, but be careful not to cover the root ball with thick mulch layers.
For more information about camellias and their care in Florida, please see Camellias at a Glance at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP00200.pdf .
A new IPM guide is making it easier to grow five common southeastern shrubs. Growing five southeastern shrubs is now easier thanks to a free, new IPM resource from the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group.
