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In foliage and flower, “African Sunset” canna is flashy.
Photo by L.A. Jackson.
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A clean snake plant is a healthy snake plant.
Photo by L.A. Jackson.
The beginning of the year is when most gardeners’ green thumbs start to itch. Come on, spring! But while planting activities will have to wait, now, at least, is a good time to plan and prepare for the warm weather to come.
So, what will you grow this year? If you are ornamentally inclined, extend your pleasure with sassy plants flaunting flashy foliage that will last through the whole, long growing season. Here are some of my favorites:
Croton. Orange, red, yellow, green, purple—these are crotons’ colors, which come in streaks, splotches, splats, stripes and speckles on leaves that vary wildly in width and shape. Croton has been known as a dependable houseplant, but this dazzler is now being found more and more as potted outdoor accents on decks and porches during the summer.
Caladium. A Southern favorite for eons, this garden charmer brightens shaded areas with heart- or arrow-shaped leaves lit up in various combinations of red, green, pink and white splashes. Caladiums are obvious additions to the front of an ornamental bed, but they also look great spilling out of hanging baskets or window boxes.
Rex begonia. While many other begonias depend on their flowers for attention, Rex begonias rule in head-turning with their vibrant foliage, and in partial shade, no less. Green, pink, silver, lavender, red, maroon—these colors in swirls and twirls add the beautiful pizzazz to Rex begonias. Since they won’t survive freezing temperatures outdoors, plant them in pots so they can be moved to a protected place during the winter.
Coleus. The cultivars (and there are hundreds) of this eye-catching annual have many leaf shapes and (especially) color combinations, with just about the only hue missing being blue. They are the perfect pretties to light up summer border gardens or container plantings.
Canna. Grown from rhizomes, this popular perennial has been favored for its vivid flowers. But recent introductions—such as “African Sunset,” which sports orange, yellow, pink, green and maroon streaks on each leaf, and the popular “Tropicana” flaunting foliage screaming in intense yellows, reds, oranges and greens—now stop the show with their strong visual statements from spring until fall. Want to go to the dark side? The leaves of “Australia” smolder in a dusky burgundy-black.
January in the garden
• Extended periods of dry, sunny days in the winter can cause evergreens to lose moisture through transpiration, so if you planted such pretties in your landscape last fall, be sure to keep these newbies mulched and regularly watered while they are still becoming established.
• If you think the winter garden is a cold, desolate place, you would be wrong. On any pleasant day this month, visit nearby arboretums or botanical gardens—or local nurseries with display gardens—to check out the foliage and, yes, even flowers that defy the chilliest times of the year to show off.
Tip of the month
Enjoy pampering houseplants? Keep in mind indoor greenery such as fiddle-leaf fig, philodendron, peace lily, rubber plant, dracaena and snake plant that have large, smooth leaves will show off better if they are wiped at least once a month using a soft cloth moistened with warm water. This will not only dispatch the occasional six-legged pest, but it will also perk up foliage coloration. Perhaps more essentially, however, this leaf cleaning will remove surface dust and other particles that can interfere with these potted pretties’ all-important photosynthesis process.
L.A. JACKSON is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.