Q: My wife and I saw this buddleia (see reader photo) in Oaklawn on June 7. Can you identify the variety?
A: I don’t know the exact variety, but I can say it’s one of the new compact forms with large flowers. There are several series. The Pugster series from Proven Winners only grows to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide, but produces large flowers. The Chrysalis series from Ball Seed comes in five colors and grows up to 28 inches tall and wide. Other compact buddleias include the Flutterby Petite and Dapper series. They all do well in full sun. If I were to bet, I’d bet on Pugster Blue, but that’s just an educated guess.
Q: Can you identify this milkweed from the photo (see reader photo)? It has broad leaves and large, thick seed pods; I don’t know what color or flower type it has. I thought it was swamp milkweed, but another gardener up here doubts that.
A: To me it looks more like common milkweed – Asclepias syriaca. From my observations it has larger leaves and more warty fruits than marsh milkweed.
Q: Do these seeds come from an oak tree (see reader photo)? I noticed several trees in the area that have dropped these seeds.
A: Unfortunately, they are not seeds, but the droppings of a caterpillar that feeds on the oak tree. So it is droppings! The feeding of the caterpillars does not usually harm the tree, but in large numbers they can become a nuisance and leave waste on patios and swimming pools. The seeds of oak trees are acorns and they are not yet ripe.
Q: About eight years ago I planted two amaryllis bulbs in my garden in full sun, about 2.5 meters apart. In the years since then I have not mulched, fertilized or done any work to these plants. They die back each year and the foliage piles up on top. In the spring they grow magnificently and have spread into a few clumps about 3 feet across. Currently they have masses of beautiful pink flowers and lush foliage. They have never been watered, fertilized or cared for in any way. The terrible cold of the last few years does not seem to have harmed them in any way and I am not sure if I have some “super plants” or what the reason for the above is! I am in my early 80s and weakness – not laziness – is the reason for my lack of active care of the plants. Does this sound reasonable to you – given the terrible winters we have had recently?
A:I don’t think you have a special variety, but it’s a bit of an anomaly. When you read about amaryllis bulbs and hardiness, they shouldn’t overwinter outdoors in Arkansas, but many gardeners have had the same experience as you. Winter drainage will be important, as they could rot in waterlogged soil. Obviously yours are in the perfect location and are happy. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Enjoy.
Q:To reduce the height of my 42 year old corn plant, I simply sawed off the top and replanted it in new soil. It has done well so far, but this year the best part looked good, and I took it to my granddaughter’s. When we unloaded it in the sun, I noticed there was a black coating about 7 inches long on the stem. I smelled it, and some of the mold smell that I had attributed to the soil after I let a few plants fall over because I watered them too much was coming from the plant. The plant was beautiful and thriving, but I’m afraid the mold is killing it. How can I treat this?
A:I suspect you have sooty mold, a byproduct that grows on sticky honeydew – the droppings of sucking insects like aphids or scale insects. Check the plant for insects and treat them. You can wash the black sooty mold off. Once the insects are dead and no longer producing honeydew, there should be no mold.
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By the way, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wants to see photos of your garden. Submit your photo here to be entered into a drawing for a $10 gift card to a local nursery. Submitted photos will also be featured in an ArkansasOnline gallery.
Janet Carson, retired after 38 years with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, is one of Arkansas’ best-known horticultural experts. Her blog can be found at arkansasonline.com/planitjanet. Write to her at PO Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203 or email IN THE GARDEN: Buddleia loves full sun(email protected)
