Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
In the garden
QI have two large lantanas planted in whiskey barrels on my deck in Dardanelle. Is it possible to plant them in a flower bed and have them come back next spring? My neighbor has them in her flower beds, and they are really pretty.
ALantanas are a moderate perennial in central Arkansas. Cold winters can take a toll. I had none of mine return after last winter and they were planted in the ground, but some gardeners did have lantanas come back. Those in containers will be less hardy, since the soil is elevated and gets colder. Planting them now in a flower bed would not allow enough time to get a root system established for overwintering. I would leave them in the whiskey barrels, and after a killing frost, mulch the pots heavily and see what happens. If the predic- tions of a colder winter than last year come to fruition, I would not expect to see lantanas return next season.
QWe have a 3-year-old azalea, supplied and planted by a landscaper, which has only bloomed in the fall. I have never experienced an azalea like this one. Is this of a variety
developed specifically for fall blooming?
A I suspect you have an Encore azalea. They normally bloom in the spring and the fall, but I do think their fall show is better than their spring display. It is possible you had some winter injury on the spring blooms this year. Q I have two crotons in large pots that I move seasonally. I will soon be moving them indoors for the winter and was wondering when is the best time to trim them back? They are pretty top heavy since I didn’t trim them before I set them out for the summer. I have trimmed them before setting them out, but it takes nearly half the summer for their beautiful leaves to come to full foliage. Should this be done before setting them out or before bringing them indoors?
A Crotons thrive in warm, humid conditions. They should do the most growing in the warm months, and so would rebound from pruning then. Inside, they usually survive but don’t thrive. You have two options. I would cut them back when moving them outdoors, but I would also take the tops that you cut off and put them in a pot and see if they root and grow. Also consider the light they are getting when you move them outdoors. In Costa Rica, we saw a field of commercially grown crotons. They had shade cloth Q I bought this plant at a native plant booth at a Garvan Woodland Gardens plant sale several years ago [the reader sent a photo]. I think it may have small yellow blooms in spring. This summer I noticed something on the stems that looked like a growth and now this. I love it, but would like to know exactly what it is. Do you have any ideas?
A The plant is an Euonymus americanus, commonly called strawberry euonymus or heart’s a bursting. It is a great native deciduous shade plant. The flowers are small and yellowish green, but its claim to fame is when the small fruits burst open in the fall to show the bright orange seeds. Q I have had these [the reader sent a photo] in my yard for 16 years (at least) and have asked people and no one knows the name of these flowers. It seems they bloom sometime in late June, maybe even early July. I had a small “start” of this plant and now it is at least 6 feet in diameter, and the reddish pink flowers look like small rosebuds when they first open. They are beautiful.
A The plant is Malvaviscus arborea, commonly called Turk’s cap or Turk’s turban. It is in the hibiscus family and typically blooms from late July through October. Hummingbirds and butterflies love it. It is hardy from central Arkansas south and occasionally will come back in the northern tier. It thrives in full sun and likes a bit of water. Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at 2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72204 or email her at