I can’t seem to find information about growing butterfly bushes in containers. How do they fare, and is it worth trying?
Melinda: Butterfly bushes, as well as other trees, shrubs and perennials, can be grown in containers. You’ll have the greatest chance at winter survival growing plants that are at least one zone hardier than your region. In cold climates, you will need to provide extra winter protection. Move the plants into an unheated garage and water any time the soil is thawed and dry. Or cover the roots with wood chips and surround with bagged soil or some other type of insulation. Another option is to sink the pot in a vacant part of your garden that is sheltered.
I lost a hedgerow of ash trees to ash borer. I was going to replace with osage orange trees, but do you have any other hardwood recommendations? Lynn Taylor SAGINAW, MICHIGAN
Melinda: Consider using a mix of trees. Creating diverse plantings reduces the risk of an insect or disease destroying all of the plants. Osage orange trees are durable beauties, but they do produce grapefruit-size fruit when mature. Hackberry grows 40 to 60 feet tall, has a vaselike habit and yellow fall color. A variety of maples, including Miyabe and trident, have interesting bark and fall color. Turkish filbert tolerates drought, has an attractive pyramidal shape and produces edible fruit once it’s mature. Male clones (branch cuttings) of Amur cork tree, such as His Majesty, Macho and Shademaster, are adaptable, have corky bark and yellow-bronze fall color, and do not produce messy fruit.