Re: This & that.
On the subject of Kalmias and shade -- these shrubs will grow in
quite deep shade. In the wild, they often grow in the middle of
forest. At my last house, they grew in a narrow space between a
three-story house on the south and an eight-foot wall on the north,
with assorted small trees partly blocking east and west. They had to
get their odd rays only in the early morning and late afternoon. But
they were perfectly healthy -- they were just very lanky. Actually,
lanky mountain laurels can be appealing -- it shows off their twisty
branches. In the wild they often grow as clumps of ten-foot bushes,
with the branches bare and contorted up to six feet. Granted, this
is not an effect every gardeners is seeking, but it's quite
picturesque.
Naturally, if they get more sun, they will be more compact,
densely-leafed, and give more flowers.
Janet
zone 6b, Connecticut
>Well, bummer, Nancy. If the evergreen Kousa doesn't do well for you,
>I have no earthly chance up here.
>
>Your comment about Kalmias is most interesting. Mine get only the
>odd ray about mid day and that is lessening as time passes. Might
>need to think about moving those guys one of these days. Have not
>seen these in the wild except once years ago.
>
>Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>mtalt@clark.net
>Editor: Gardening in Shade
>-----------------------------------------------
>Current Article: Clearing Woods - Shrubs - Part 2 - Wild Rose
>http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
>------------------------------------------------
>Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
>http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
>------------------------------------------------
>All Suite101.com garden topics :
>http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
>
>----------
>> From: nancy swell <swell@EROLS.COM>
>> Date: Monday, December 18, 2000 10:59 AM
>> Marge,
>> A couple of comments....... Have one of the evergreen Kousa's. Not
>reliably
>> hardy in Richmond, VA. Each year it dies back some and hasn't
>bloomed yet.
>> Got mine from JC.
>> Kalmia seems to like as much sun as it can get. They always are on
>the edge
>> of shade, and try to get as much sun as possible. As far as
>camelias are
>> concerned, mine died to the ground in the same freeze that wiped
>out the DC
>> area. Had a couple of small seedlings that didn't ruffle a leaf.
>These seem
>> to be much hardier than the named ones. Have a couple of double red
>ones
>> that seem to be perfectly hardy. I think I would try them in zone
>6. ......
>> Nancy
>>
>> Nancy Swell <swell@erols.com>
> > Richmond VA Zone 7 --- colder than Raleigh and Norfolk, warmer
>than
> > Baltimore and Blacksburg
