Re: Another Front Yard Problem
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Another Front Yard Problem
- From: C* P* L*
- Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 01:00:41 -0600 (CST)
> I really need help. My front yard faces kind of south, south-west, with
> white house on the north side. Morning sun is blocked with 3 mature (really
> big canopy) Black Walnut trees, noon sun is non exixtent and afternoon sun
> is blocked with Maple tree and neigbors house which sits much closer to the
> street than ours. We had the walnuts trimmed last fall so it may (I hope) be
> shade instead of DEEP shade this year. I've spent a fortune trying to get
> something that will tolerate the black walnuts as well as the shade. Even my
> poor hostas seem stunted. My cousin gave me some solomon seal last summer,
> and that seems to be surviving. Everything else really seems to suffer. Most
> things that will tolerate the walnuts need a bit more sun than I have. Front
> yard is approx 75' x 90' so I have a lot of territory to cover. Need
> something for beds in front of the house as well as the front. Green alone
> can be so boring! I'm in the northern part of Zone 6.
Hi Lillian,
As you probably already know, black walnuts are allelopathic. This
means that they secrete chemicals to prevent the growth of other plants,
reducing competition for resources. In the black walnut's case, the
chemical is known as 'juglone'. Other allelopathic woody plant species
include rhododendrons, sycamores/planetrees, eucalyptus (which is one
reason that it's often used as mulch on paths and such).
My personal experiences have produced varied results. I've found that
most variegated hosta don't perform too well under black walnuts,
but the more robust, green forms do. Money plants (Lunaria annua)
also perform well, seeding readily.
Ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinaceae var. picta) grows very well,
although I'd recommend keeping it in a large tub or else you'll find
it everywhere. :) Foamflowers (Tiarella spp.) have also fared well
there.
Most hardy geranium species have *NOT* survived. The only one that
seem really happy is Geranium cantagbriense 'Biokovo'. I've lost
about a half dozen other species of Geranium in the same area.
Spiderworts (Tradescantia spp.) also seem very happy in the walnut's
shade, as does sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum). And of course, for
spring color you can't beat a blanket of grape hyacinth (Muscari
armeniacum), which will spread like mad. Tulips also perform well,
although they tend to become stunted after a few years because of
a lack of sunlight.
You can find a fair number of these plants at Munchkin Nursery, run
by our very own Gene Bush. His nursery is online at
http://www.munchkinnursery.com/
Hope this helps!
Chris
P.S. My snowdrops are fit to burst here in zone 5b. Will have to check
every day now...
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