EDITOR'S NOTE: A University of Florida faculty member and Nassau County Extension Horticultural Agent, Rebecca Jordi addresses some of the questions she receives about landscaping and gardening in northeast Florida, in GARDEN TALK. The Extension also offers helpful clinics throughout the year, providing assistance to local gardeners on Amelia Island and in the surrounding areas of Nassau County, Florida. __________
Lace Cap Hydrangea
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JORDI: I am attaching the newest research document from the University of Florida to give you the best perspective on these new hydrangeas. Hydrangea plants will do extremely well here but I would plant them in areas where they will be protected from direct, summer afternoon sun. Morning sun will suit them well.
Lace cap hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla, is the same genus species as the mop heads. The lace cap hydrangea get their name from the structure of the flowers which have center, small, bud-like structures surrounded by large, open individual hydrangea flowers. I recently purchased three to add to my landscape and I am extremely happy with them. The photo is of one of my recent additions, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Mariesii'.
Not long ago, I was asked why ‘Lady in Red', which is a current popular hydrangea cultivar, had pink flowers and not red flowers. She is called ‘Lady in Red' because the flower petioles or stems are red. This particular hydrangea stem provides a nice contrast against the large green leaves and pink flowers. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP287
QUESTION: I am tired of replacing the strip of lawn between the sidewalk and the road. If I try to water it properly so much water ends up on the road and the sidewalk and then down the storm drain that I find it discouraging. Now I have to replace it again. Can you give me some other ideas that might be acceptable to my homeowner association?
JORDI: We all know how frustrating it must be to keep those small patches of grass healthy without being wasteful of water and we appreciate your interest in alternatives. Because of the difficulty and wastefulness of these small strips your HOA should be willing to consider some other choices.
If you have full sun at this location then you might consider using perennial peanut, Asiatic jasmine, Powderpuff vine or Beach sunflower. Perennial peanut, Arachis glabrata, Benth, spreads by underground rhizomes but does not produce seed which means it will not be carried to wildlife areas by wind or birds. Irrigation will be needed to get the plants established but afterward normal rainfall should be sufficient. It is currently growing at the UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension satellite office in Yulee so take time to come by and see it. Perennial peanut would also be an excellent alternative to grass over sloping berm and it can be planted any time of year. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP135
Asiatic jasmine, Trachelospermum asiaticum, is a fast growing, evergreen, creeping vine which should completely cover the area within 2 years and should be planted on 18 inch centers. It can easily be edged to keep it in check. It is growing in the Nassau County Demonstration garden at James S. Pages Governmental Complex in Yulee if you wish to see its growth habit. http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/TRASSIA.PDF
Powderpuff or Mimosa vine, Mimosa strigillosa, is one of three common native wildflower mimosa vines. Powderpuff is the one most commonly produced for landscapes as it spreads quickly. In a 200 – 300 square feet area only four or five 4 inch pots are needed to cover the area sufficiently. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP343
Beach sunflower, Helianthus debilis, is a native plant which grows from 2-4 feet tall, can live in any type of soil, and is salt and drought tolerant. The best time of year to plant it is between May and July. For those of you living near the coastal areas, Beach sunflower is an excellent choice. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/F245
These are all attractive and easy to maintain plant choices which should be considered for those common areas in both commercial and residential sites.
QUESTION: I found the largest beetle I have ever seen. Could it possibly be from one of the Caribbean countries? I found it on one of the tropical plants which comes from a warmer climate. CB
JORDI: Actually, I have discussed this beetle in a previous column but the photo I used was of a female which had no horns. Your beetle was a male with a set of “C” shaped horns. Since he is such a beautiful beetle, with unusual horns, I thought I would share a photo of him with everyone.
The large beetle is the Eastern Hercules beetle, Dynastes tityus. The adults are beige or yellow-green in color. Some have mottled spotting on the outer forewings, called elytra, while others have no spots at all. The grubs spend six months to one year feeding underground on decaying matter typically found in forest areas. Eastern Hercules beetle grubs can grow up to 4 ½ inches long, whereas the adults reach only 2 ½ inches. Because of their large size, these grubs are often sought after by a variety of predators such as raccoons, skunks, centipedes and spiders. Even the eggs are preyed upon by mites and fly maggots.
All of these adversaries keep the Eastern Hercules beetle population to small numbers, which is probably why so few of us see them lumbering about our landscapes. The horns on the males are used to vie for a mating opportunity with a female. Generally, no deaths occur but one male beetle must ultimately yield. If you see one of these adult beetles count yourself lucky. In all my time searching for insects, I have yet to come across one. There is little reason to reach for an insecticide as they seldom cause severe damage to any of our landscape plants.
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Rebecca L. Jordi, University of Florida/IFAS,
Nassau County Extension, Environmental Horticulture Agent
543350 U. S. Highway #1, Callahan, FL 32011
904-548-1116 or 904-879-1019
http://nassau.ifas.ufl.edu