12
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Can I force a dormant forsythia branch to bloom by bringing it inside?
Yes you can.
This actually an old German Advent/Christmas tradition in honour of St. Barbara's Day (Dec. 04) and it's usually done with branches of cherry or apple trees. Forsythia will work fine, ...
- 15.6k
10
votes
Is this part of my bougainvillea or a weed?
It looks like a mint or a very closely related labitae. Even the flower spike looks like mint. Is the stem squarish?
In any case it is certainly not part of your bougainvillea.
- 6,336
10
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What are these tall, tree-like shrubs and how often should I water them?
Judging by the new growth being red, I'd say these were Photinia fraserii 'Red Robin'. I can't tell if they're pleached or not, can't see any framework within the foliage, so its possible they're just ...
- 131k
9
votes
My long stemmed rose is growing new leaves
You can try rooting it if you want by snipping the stem just below a bud at the base, stripping off the thorns and leaves, leaving one leaf at the top if you like, but you can take them all off, and ...
- 131k
9
votes
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What is this small shrub with variegated glossy ovate leaves?
It looks like Griselinia littoralis "Variegata". It's an evergreen shrub native to New Zealand. Because of its dense growth, it is used widely in Britain and Ireland as a privacy hedge.
Identifying ...
- 7,159
8
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What is this red shrub in my garden?
I reckon its Prunus cerasifera, or a cultivar of, commonly known as Purple Leaf Flowering Plum or Myrobalan plum. The leaves should be toothed or serrated at the edges - some varieties are more ...
- 131k
8
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Is this part of my bougainvillea or a weed?
After some further research, and with the help of @Escoce's and @Bamboo's answers, I believe this is a Sweet Almond Bush.
Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Aloysia
Species: Virgata
©Dave's Garden / http:/...
- 252
8
votes
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Variegated Arboricola shrubs leaves wilting
The active ingredient of the herbicide used is Dicamba Mecoprop. It also affects broad leaf shrubs and trees. From this pdf by the International Society of Arborists
Once the material is absorbed ...
- 57.4k
8
votes
Accepted
Identifying these Pink and White Flowers
This is a Spiraea shrub. Here is a general article on the genus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiraea.
There are 10s of species and probably hundreds of cultivars. One of the most common garden ...
- 3,036
7
votes
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How do I save lilac seeds?
Growing lilacs from seeds isn’t easy, but it can be done. It can take up to three or four years for a seed-propagated lilac to bloom, though, so you’ll have to be patient and just enjoy watching the ...
7
votes
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What does 'standard' mean when referring to shrubs and vines?
Standard, in this context, means trained into tree form. Usually standard shrubs and vines are trained from a young age, allowing only one stem to grow from the ground, forming the trunk. This must be ...
- 51.6k
7
votes
Accepted
How can I save Yew bush branches severely bent by snow and ice?
The yew bushes in front of the building I work at are flattened by snow and ice every winter, (nobody cleans it off, and if the roof gets cleared, they get extra helpings on top.) They are poorly ...
- 20.2k
7
votes
My long stemmed rose is growing new leaves
I bought this rose at rite aid on clearance two years ago. We put it in water, and the stem never turned brown. After about 9 months in a glass of water, I put it in soil. It grew a bunch of new ...
7
votes
What is the proper way to plant a bush under an established fruit tree?
You can't - if you want to plant close to a tree, it has to be done when you first plant the tree, at the same time, in other words. You could plant near the apple tree, but not under the canopy.
- 131k
7
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What is this bush with small yellow flowers and an orange substance in the stems?
This is definetively Chelidonium majus or greater celandine. In the US it's a neophyte, probably imported by early settlers that used the orange milk to treat warts1 and other skin conditions.
It ...
- 15.6k
7
votes
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Can you identify this fragrant shrub?
This is a beautiful specimen of common privet (Ligustrum vulgare). The lanceolate dark glossy leaves, the intense scent and especially the four petals are quite distinctive.
- 15.6k
6
votes
My long stemmed rose is growing new leaves
Bamboo's answer is good. I agree with everything stated there, just wanted to add the method I used when I did this years ago.
I recut the cut ends (flat, and clean), but then topped the stems off (...
- 51.6k
6
votes
Accepted
How should I treat a weigela bush with a large section of dead branches?
If this plant still has a good root system and is not dying due to being water logged or root rot then the tough love approach works:
cut everything back to the ground
when new growth starts ...
- 57.4k
6
votes
Accepted
What is this shrub with large heads composed of single flowers?
Red Hydrangea macrophylla
Here we go...you lucky person!!!
- 40k
6
votes
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What is this tree/bush with thorns and small blue solid fruits?
I suspect it may be Prunus spinosa, commonly known as Sloe - should have had creamy white flowers in Spring, and does have stiff, thorny branches. If left unpruned will reach about 16 feet in height, ...
- 131k
6
votes
What is this extremely drought-tolerant bush with yellow flowers?
I believe this to be Acacia wirilda or retinoides or pycnantha. As I mentioned in my comment to your question, the Acacia genus is huge and it could be one of many. But I truly think that this is an ...
- 3,036
6
votes
Pink flowering shrub with tomato looking buds
Gosh, I've been wrong too often lately, but this sure as heck looks like Rosa rugosa a wild rose native to...Asian countries. Great hips to dry and use in teas full of vitamin C. Low maintenance!
- 40k
6
votes
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Pink flowering shrub with tomato looking buds
Agree with Stormy's ID, Rosa rugosa - the tomato looking things are called hips, which are seed cases, formed after the flowers are fertilized. They are indeed chock full of Vitamin C, but also full ...
- 131k
6
votes
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What is this plant with clusters of purple berries at junctions of opposite serrated leaves?
No, it isn't nightshade, its Callicarpa americana, commonly known as Beauty berry. Many websites warn the berries are poisonous -they're not - but aren't at all tasty to eat anyway.
http://www....
- 131k
6
votes
Accepted
What is this pale mint green shrub with hay-colored booms from Tenerife, Canary Islands?
It's Erysimum scoparium, (alhelí del Teide, Canary Islands' Wallflower). It's an endemic plant to the Islands and found at higher altitutes there.
- 3,036
6
votes
Accepted
What are the best fast growing field windbreaks?
There may be some difference between a fast windbreak and an ideal windbreak. Since many fast growing deciduous trees provide little wind breakage in the winter months, my go-to choice for screening/...
- 51.6k
6
votes
Can I mulch a plant bed before planting in it?
Yes you can. I've had to do that numerous times in order to help suppress weeds until I can get the shrubs in. I would, however, recommend against it. It can be pretty annoying to have to move all ...
- 1,699
6
votes
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Is the rapid new growth on this rose bush a sign of Rosette?
These are most likely rose suckers. You should trace it down to where they are originating from (most likely below where your rose was grafted). If that is the case, you want to remove it ASAP from ...
- 8,217
6
votes
Does anyone know the name of this young plant shrub?
The plant I had the question about had very small blooms on it in July, although it could have been late June. At that point I still didn't know what it was, but now (September 1, 2017) it has small ...
- 231
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