Released April 8, 2009
LINCOLN, Neb. — The GreatPlants program announces the 2009 Plants of the Year – new or overlooked trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses that show superior qualities for Nebraska landscapes. True to the GreatPlants selection process, they are hardy, ornamental plants that are not commonly planted but deserve a place in the Great Plains landscape.
The 2009 recommended shrub, creeping mahonia, has beautiful holly-like evergreen leaves that turn bronzy purple in winter. GreatPlants coordinator Bob Henrickson is especially eager to begin promoting this "surprisingly underused native evergreen groundcover that is hardy, drought-tolerant and has spring flowers, late summer fruits and exceptional color throughout the year."
Tree of the Year – Corneliancherry dogwood, Cornus mas
This durable small tree has rounded clusters of tiny yellow flowers in early spring before leaves appear, and lustrous dark green leaves and bright cherry red fruit in late summer. Olive-shaped fruits are relished by songbirds or can be used to make jam or jelly. Bark is an attractive mix of gray and brown that exfoliates on mature branches. The main trunk is typically very low, with low branches hovering just above the ground. It can be trimmed up at the base to make it more tree-like and better reveal the exfoliating bark. This slow-growing European native remains free of insect, disease and cold injuries. It prefers rich, well-drained soils, but tolerates high pH and heavy clay better than any dogwood. It grows best in full sun, but tolerates some shade. Ideal for a small yard as an accent plant or planted in groups as a hedge or screen. Zone 5. ('Redstone' is a USDA release from Elsberry, Mo., selected for seedling vigor, dense growth, glossy foliage and no pest problems in 44 years of evaluations. Hardy to zone 5a.) 20-25 feet high, 15-20 feet wide
Conifer of the Year – Serbian spruce, Picea omorika
This handsome spruce offers an alternative to Norway and blue spruce. It has a slender trunk with short, ascending or drooping branches – creating a graceful, ballerina effect. Lustrous dark green needles have silver bands underneath. Winter hardy throughout the Great Plains, it grows best in full sun to light shade. Not useful as a windbreak since needles are prone to winterburn; also struggles in wet clay and irrigated landscapes. Few diseases but white pine weevil can destroy the leader and disfigure it if not controlled. Hardy to zone 4. 50 feet high, 20-35 feet wide
Shrub of the Year – Creeping mahonia or creeping barberry, Mahonia repens
This stoloniferous groundcover grows along the rocky ridges and under the thick evergreen canopy of western Nebraska's Pine Ridge. The stiff, spine-tipped leaves, reminiscent of holly leaves, turn a rich bronzy purple in late fall, lasting through the winter months. Clusters of fragrant, yellow flowers in early spring are followed by grape-like, dark purple berries in late summer. Planted en masse, it spreads slowly to make an attractive evergreen groundcover, but grows best in part shade or dry dappled shade, especially in acidic areas under conifers. Growing only 12-15 inches high, this drought-tolerant gem is best protected from winter winds.
Perennial of the Year – Arkansas bluestar, Amsonia hubrichtii
An excellent, dependable plant, worthy of any garden, with upright stems in early spring that rapidly extend to mature size. Starry, pale blue flowers in May and June. Fine, thread-like dark green leaves unfold along the thin stems to form a fine-textured mound of foliage. In autumn, the foliage turns a lovely golden-yellow; brightest when planted in full sun. Takes several years to mature, but dependable and long-lived in rich, well-drained soils. Very effective planted en masse or as a specimen. Hardy to zone 4. 3 feet high, 3 feet wide
Grass of the Year – Shenandoah switchgrass, Panicum 'Shenandoah'
The bright green leaves of this switchgrass are tipped with dark red by mid-summer, turning entirely red and orange in fall. Only 4-5 feet tall in flower, this slower-growing selection is very adaptable, tolerating drought and soggy soils, high pH and full, hot sun. One of the best grasses for maintaining upright habit and tight clump form in the garden. This North American prairie native was selected by Germany's Hans Simon. It can be planted as a single specimen, in masses or as a companion to perennials with bold foliage. Hardy to zone 4.
GreatPlants Releases for 2009
The following plants are named cultivars released by the GreatPlants program for 2009.
Prairie Gypsy Monarda, Monarda 'Prairie Gypsy'
This wonderful new Monarda has 3 inch wide, raspberry-colored flowers with purple spots on the petals. This selection does not spread aggressively by rhizomes like other beebalms and its attractive minty-scented leaves are mildew-resistant. A hybrid of Bradbury's beebalm (Monarda bradburiana ), 'Prairie Gypsy' inherited its clean foliage, shade tolerance, compact stature and earlier bloom time (late May to early June) than other species. Selected by Harlan Hamernik of Bluebird Nursery. 2-3 feet, 2 feet wide.
Prairie Jewel Mistflower, Eupatorium 'Prairie Jewel'
Attractive cream and green mottled foliage brightly emerges in spring and grows up to a nice upright mound by late summer. Clusters of small white flower buds cover the plant in fall and slowly open over several weeks. It's a durable plant that's easy to grow in well-drained, moderately dry soils and is pest-free. This native prairie plant is most likely a hybrid between boneset, Eupatorium altissimum and white snakeroot, Eupatorium rugosum . Discovered by Ed Rasmussen of The Fragrant Path, Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. 4 feet high, 3 feet wide
Mongolian Snowflakes Clematis, Clematis hexapetala 'Mongolian Snowflakes'
Clusters of white, fragrant flowers top this shrubby clematis in late spring and feathery, silver seedheads put on a spectacular show in July and August. Rich, dark green linear leaves. Grows best in well-drained, moderately dry soils and will take a few years to grow into a 3 foot mound. A rare clematis collected by Harlan Hamernik in China.
Contact Bob Henrickson at rhenrickson2@unl.edu or (402) 472-7855 for more information about these plants. GreatPlants is a joint program of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and the Nebraska Nursery & Landscape Association. More at GreatPlants, http://arboretum.unl.edu/greatplants./
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http://ianrnews.unl.edu/static/0904080.shtml
Contacts: Bob Henrickson, (402) 472-2971
Karma Larsen, (402)472-7923
