Greenbriar is similax, but not all similax is greenbriar
Q: I recently read your very welcome column about vines in the paper. In your list of unwelcome vines, you had two separate entries for greenbrier and smilax. I thought greenbrier and smilax were the same thing. Are there two different types?
A: This is where common names cause confusion, and I added to that. There are 11 species of smilax found in Arkansas. They are all smilax, but the ones with thorns I lump into the greenbrier category, while those without thorns can be a rugged vine, which I refer to as smilax. Many floral designers like to use the thornless smilax as filler. Same genus, different common names. Fireblight targets apples, pears
Q: I have a flowering crabapple tree that is about 15 years old in my backyard. About the top two feet of some of the limbs appear to be dead. The leaves have curled up and turned brown. Another tree of the same species about 30 feet away died last year. Do you have any idea what’s going on?
A: Are the tips of the branches crooked at the top, like a shepherd’s crook and do the leaves look burned? If so, fireblight is the culprit. This bacterial disease is spread by bees during pollination. Some varieties of apples, pears and crabapples are highly susceptible to the disease. Once you see signs, it looks like the tips of the branches
are scorched. Sprays are not helpful once you see symptoms. Pruning out the damaged branches 8 to 10 inches beneath where you see visible symptoms can help. Some years are worse for the disease than others. To confirm the disease, take some digital images and send them to your local county extension agent. Coffee pods could work for seed starts
Q: I know coffee grounds are good for compost, but what about flavored coffee pods? Could they be used as seed starts?
A: I would read the ingredients listed. I looked at the Keurig coffee pods online and it said, “Natural and artificial flavorings added to coffee do not add any significant nutritional value” and that there is no sugar or fat in them. I see no difference in adding the coffee into the compost pile. I wouldn’t start seeds in any coffee grounds by themselves, but I do know people recycle the pods to
use as seed starters. I make my own pods by adding my home-ground coffee so I don’t have a bunch of pods to dispose of. Gardenias hearty, some sun-loving
Q: Received a 3-foottall gardenia bush for Mother’s Day. Can it be planted outside in Central Arkansas? What kind of light, watering, etc. How big will it grow?
A: Gardenias rank with my favorite plants. Not only are they among the most fragrant flowering plants, but they are evergreen. They should be perfectly hardy in Central Arkansas, but they do struggle some in the northern tier. As to mature size, that will vary based on variety. Some are dwarf varieties growing no taller than 3 feet, while others can grow up to 8 feet or taller. Hopefully, your plant came with a tag telling you the variety. If not, plant it in a location where the mature size won’t become a problem but where you can enjoy the blooms and the fragrance. Most gardenias prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, but some of the newer varieties take more sun. I have one, Jubilation, in full sun and it does amazingly well. Plant them in a well-drained soil. They are not drought-tolerant plants, so do water when they are dry. Winter hardiness is usually better with afternoon sun protection, but again, my Jubilation has had no winter damage. I have six gardenias in my yard, and all but one does get shade in the afternoon, and they all do bloom.
Retired after 38 years with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service,Janet Carson ranks among Arkansas’ best known horticulture experts. Her blog is at arkansasonline.com/ planitjanet. Write to her at P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203 or email jcarson@arkansasonline.com.