What's in Bloom

What's in Bloom — Highlight 5.22.12

PHOTO: Rosa 'Moondance'

Moondance™ floribunda rose (Rosa 'Moondance™') is flowering in the All- America Selections bed in the Rose Garden.

Moondance™ floribunda rose (Rosa 'Moondance™ ') produces masses of creamy white flowers at the tips of branches clothed in glossy green leaves on a upright spreading shrub to 4 feet by 3 feet. The nicely scented flowers are much beloved by honeybees and butterflies.

All roses prefer full sun and moisture-retentive, loamy soils. Roses respond favorably to moderate fertilization through midsummer, but to avoid soft growth subject to freeze damage, no further fertilizer should be applied after August.

Black spot and powdery mildew are two of the more frequent diseases that affect roses. Both diseases become problematic when certain temperatures and relative humidities become common in summer. Planting the roses in areas with good air movement helps but can't prevent these diseases, and in a bad year pesticides must be applied to prevent the plants from defoliating.

Aphids and Japanese beetles are the two most frequent insect pests. Aphids can be reduced in numbers by spraying the infected sites with a strong spray of water (they catch cold), however, control of Japanese beetles is more problematic — they have to be hand-picked from plants. Adult Japanese beetles are virtually impervious to many insecticide sprays. Effective pesticidal treatments for the beetles involve the applications of spores to turf areas that feed upon the developing larvae.

The Moondance™ cultivar is a "sport" — the product of a bud mutation — that produces more flowers than the parent plant, Rosa 'Iceberg'. Typically, sports like this are part of the natural genetic variation, and are not induced through bioengineering.

	Trumpet Tangerine snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus 'Trumpet Tangerine') produces tall spikes of frosty bronze, bicolor flowers with an open face (the "snap" part of snapdragon stays open). The very sturdy, thick stems with large numbers of flowers make this a popular selection for gardeners and for the cut flower industry. Honeybees and other pollinating insects searching for a high-quality source of nectar find the openface characteristic of this cultivar very appealing. Trumpet Tangerine snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus 'Trumpet Tangerine') is in the Bulb Garden.
	Dark, silvery-purple, baseball-sized blooms on 24- to 30-inch stalks characterize Firmament onion (Allium 'Firmament'). For naturalizing, this cultivar is best grown in full sun in sandy/gravelly soils that remain dry from midsummer through fall. Alliums attract a number of pollinating insects including butterflies, moths, and bees. Chipmunks, rabbits, and deer find the strong onion flavor of the flowers, leaves, and bulbs objectional. Gardeners often interplant ornamental onions between their crocus and tulips in an effort to deter herbivores. Firmament onion (Allium 'Firmament') is in the Lakeside Garden.
	Dolorodell peony (Paeonia 'Dolorodell') produces lightly scented, shell- pink, 8-inch flowers with deeper pink centers on 3 foot by 3 foot plants. The coarsely divided, glossy leaves are attractive throughout the growing season. This herbaceous perennial flowers best when planted in moisture-retentive soils in full sun, and dislikes transplanting. Free of most insect and disease pests, the opening flowers are sometimes damaged by drying winds or very wet, humid conditions, both of which prevent the flower from fully opening. Glands on the outside of the flower buds secrete nectar, which ants, bees, wasps, and other pollinating insects find an irresistible prelude to the main event (when the flowers open). Dolorodell peony (Paonia 'Dolorodell') is in the west walkway of the Regenstein Center.
	Blue Bedder purple viper bugloss (Echium plantaginea 'Blue Bedder') produces pink flower buds that mature to cerulean blue, bell-shaped flowers on plants 20 inches by 20 inches in size. The hairs covering the stems and leaves are an effective deterrent to rabbits and deer, but butterflies and bees find the nectar in the flowers irresistible. This is a great plant for those hot, dry microclimates, where other plants flag during the heat of summer. Beekeepers love this plant, because the honey produced from it is light amber in color with a fragrant, floral taste. Blue Bedder purple viper bugloss (Echium plantagineum 'Blue Bedder') is in the English Walled Garden.

This week's photos courtesy of photographer Bill Bishoff.

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