PHS Gold Medal Plant Award Winners for 2000

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Gold Medal Plant Awards honor little-known and underutilized woody ornamentals that are well suited to the mid-Atlantic region (USDA Hardiness Zones 5-7) and have low maintenance requirements, high disease resistance and extraordinary beauty. Horticultural researchers, commercial growers and garden designers evaluate award candidates growing at sites between New York City and Washington, D.C. Anyone may nominate a plant for consideration (at least three landscape-sized specimens must be assessable for evaluation and a program of propagation must be underway); for an entry form call 215-988-8800. The deadline for submission is November 15.

Six Gold Medal Plant Award winners for 2000 were recently announced in the PHS Green Scene magazine (an excellent source of information for East Coast gardeners and a bargain at just $16.95 for six bimonthly issues; order from The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, P. O. Box 7780-1839, Philadelphia, PA 19182-1642). Below are brief descriptions of the winners with retail mail-order nursery sources for each. You could also check with your local garden centers. These plants will be promoted in the nursery trade to ensure their availability; this effort is receiving substantial financial support from the Chanticleer Foundation of Pennsylvania.

Acer buergerianum (trident maple): Hardy in Zones 5-9; "an ideal small tree for today's landscape"; native to China; grows slowly to 20-30 feet high and 20-30 feet across; tends to have multiple low branches but can be trained with one stem; three-lobed leaves are bronze to purple when new, becoming glossy dark green and then yellow, orange and red in late October or early November; seed pods are light brown when mature; can self-seed but won't become a nuisance; light shade facilitates grass growth beneath the canopy; exfoliating bark of older trees is gray -brown-orange; few problems but can be damaged by winter storms and can require supplementary water in drought periods when young; best performance in good soil; tolerant of pollution. Sources: Arbor Village Farm Nursery, Box 227, Holt, MO 64048, phone 816-264-3911; Camellia Forest Nursery, 125 Carolina Forest Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, phone 919-968-0504; Colvos Creek Nursery, Box 1512, Vashon Island, WA 98070, phone 206-749-9508; Greer Gardens, 1280 Goodpasture Island Road, Eugene, OR 97401-1794, phone 541-686-8266; Beaver Creek Nursery, 7526 Pelleaux Road, Knoxville, TN 37938, phone 423-922-3961; Woodlanders, Inc., 1128 Colleton Ave., Aiken, SC 29801, phone 803-648-7522; Louisiana Nursery, 5853 Hwy. 182, Opelousas, LA 70570.

Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima' (red chokeberry): Hardy in Zones 4-9; a deciduous shrub native to the eastern U.S.; grows slowly to 5-10 feet high and 3-5 feet across; upright and multi-stemmed; gradually forms colonies as it spreads by suckers; in spring, flowers are pinkish white; glossy, dark green leaves turn scarlet in fall; glossy red fruits attract birds in late winter; easy to transplant; tolerant of poor soil; best fruiting in full sun, but tolerates half shade; withstands flooding and salt; not threatened by pests or diseases; can become "leggy"; recommended for mass plantings. Sources: Arbor Village Farm Nursery (address above)); Green Gardens (address above); Beaver Creek Nursery (address above); Woodlanders, Inc. (Address above); Windrose Nursery, 1093 Mill Road, Pen Argyl, PA 18072-9670, phone 610-588-1037; Fairweather Gardens, P. O. Box 330, Greenwich, NJ 08323, phone 856-451-6261; Eastern Plant Specialties, Box 226, Georgetown, ME 04548, phone 732-382-2508; Louisiana Nursery (address above).

Parrotia persica (parrotia): Hardy in Zones 4-8; an "elegant" small single or multi-stemmed tree or multi-stemmed shrub related to witch hazel and native to Iran; grows to 20-40 feet high and 15-30 feet across; new leaves are reddish purple, changing to shiny green and then yellow orange and scarlet in late fall; flowering is very early (February to April); very attractive exfoliating bark on older trees; highly tolerant of dry, windy, hot and cold conditions; subject to transplant shock; best in well-drained, slightly acid soil and full sun; recommended for specimen planting and as a street tree in cramped quarters. Sources: Arbor Village Farm Nursery (address above); Greer Gardens (address above); Beaver Creek Nursery (address above); Woodlanders, Inc. (Address above); Roslyn Nursery, 211 Burrs Lane, Dix Hills, NY 11746, phone 516-643-9374; WE-DU Nursery, Rt. 5, Box 724, Marion, NC 28752, phone 828-738-8300; Windrose Nursery (address above); Fairweather Gardens (address above); Louisiana Nursery (address above).

Quercus alba (white oak): Hardy in Zones 3-9; common in eastern deciduous forests, but underutilized in landscapes (in part due to production difficulties associated with its deep tap root), this stately tree grows slowly to 80-100 feet height and spread; attractive fall foliage color; acorns attract wildlife; best in acid soil and full sun; tolerates salt, but susceptible to ozone pollution, flooding and soil compaction and grade changes; some minor pests; generally more expensive at nurseries than pin oaks or red oaks. Sources: Arbor Village Farm Nursery (address above); Woodlanders, Inc. (Address above); Windrose Nursery (address above); Louisiana Nursery (address above).

Syringa meyeri 'Palabin' (Meyer lilac): Hardy in Zones 3-7; a small shrub native to northern China; grows to 4-8 feet high and about 4 feet across; dense branches; leaves are resistant to mildew, unlike those of common lilac (Syringa vulgaris); flowers profusely and very fragrantly in May (at the same time as Wisteria floribunda); requires very little attention (pruning to groundline recommended every four years, once flowering has begun); best in good soil and full sun; useful for massing and in borders. Sources: Arbor Village Farm Nursery (address above); Greer Gardens (address above); Beaver Creek Nursery (address above); Woodlanders, Inc. (Address above); Roslyn Nursery (address above); Windrose Nursery(address above).

Weigela florida 'Alexandra' Wine & Roses™ (weigela): Hardy in Zones 4-8; an "old-fashioned" shrub originally brought to the U. S. from Japan in the 1800s; out of favor currently, mainly due to somewhat sloppy-looking habit and unattractive texture in winter, but well-suited to urban landscapes; grows to 4-5 feet high and wide; dark purple leaves; rose-pink blooms in May and June (on the previous year's growth); no major pests or diseases; tolerant of pollution; best in moist but well-drained soil and full sun; attractive to hummingbirds; Sources: Arbor Village Farm Nursery (address above); Roslyn Nursery (address above); Fairweather Gardens (address above).

Spring 2000
Perennial Plant of the Year | Fertilizing Your Lawn in Spring | Home Study Lawn Care Course | Stay Safe When Mowing Your Lawn | PHS Gold Medal Plant Award | Penn State Expert Offers Tree Shoppers Well-Rooted Advice | Cybergarden Sites | Bug Bites | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Healthy Body-The New Year's Resolution | Water: An Essential Nutrient | Asparagus: Queen of Spring Vegetables | Gardening: My Cousin Broccoli | Health and Household Tips | Did You Know?

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