Re: Dodonea viscosa 'Purpurea' or 'Saratoga'

On 2/19/08, Sean A. O'Hara <sean@gimcw.org> wrote:
> Interesting to see such diverse discussion over what some would consider a
> very common, even overused plant.
>
> My observations are similar to Barry's - in the decades that I've seen Dodonea
> viscosa growing in the SF Bay Area, I have not noted that it was prone to
> self-seeding, moderately or vigorously.  This does not mean that it is not a
> problem in some area - it is always curious why this would be the case.  I was
> reminded of Rhamnus alaternus self-seeding fairly rampantly in some of our
> areas (something I have witnessed first hand) yet in my own Berkeley
> neighborhood, in which there are very old specimens that fruit copiously, this
> does not seem to be the case!

I agree, it might not be a problem here, but Nan's experience shows it
can be a problem. Perhaps it's the cooler year round weather that Sean
and I have that keeps them from going rampant.

>
> I like Dodonea for it's unique character - sort of an 'up-swept' habit.
> Personally, having grown tired of hedges planted in a single clone (usually
> the dark plum foliage form being discussed), I have found older plantings of
> seedling grown specimens much more to my liking.  Those I am thinking of have
> various foliar tones from drab green to more plummy, and the fruits also range
> from soft green through mauve or dusky pink, into darker plum.  Their heights
> can also vary, which might be undesirable, but then I have never been a big
> fan of carefully clipped hedging, preferring a one of a more informal
> character and even of mixed species.

I've always been fascinated with this plant. The bark is shaggy, and
the wood incredibly hard (I tried pruning some dead branches off of
our neighbor's plant and could barely clip off the branch). I like the
color as well, which fits in with both my purple form of Cotinus
coggygria and the purple leaved flowering plum. I have seen green
leaved specimens, and even some of the purple leaved forms sometimes
seem to revert to green).  For plants with mauve colored seed pods
they show much better on green plants (and I hear the green forms are
much hardier).  The color is also variable which keeps them
interesting. Something I've always found interesting is how wide their
distribution is, pretty much on all continents except Europe and
Antarctica.

I'm not a fan of clipped hedging either. I actually cringe over the
fact that the landscape maintenance people here at the university clip
everything, especially the native plants. Mind you, I don't mind it in
gardens that are designed to have it (such as parterres or Japanese
gardens where it is integral to the design), but I don't want it in
mine.

Along the newest main road here in town, they planted Dodonaea
viscosa, Fremontodendron, and Echium fastuosum which looks very nice,
and none of it has been clipped. They have done a little maintenance
to trim up the lower branches (i suspect to prevent people, or animals
using it for shelter), but it looks quite nice and I'm sure helps
muffle the sound of the traffic.
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