Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates

by Dirr, Michael A.

• ISBN13: 9780881925258
• ISBN10: 088192525X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-01-26
• Publisher: Timber Pr

Summary

Following the phenomenal success of Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs, written for gardeners in the climates of USDA zones 36, this companion volume is a superlative photographic encyclopedia of trees, shrubs, and vines for "warm temperate" zones. In North America, these areas (zones 711) stretch from the Mid-Atlantic states to the South, include most of Texas and the Southwest, and encompass the entire West Coast, up to western Canada. Many parts of the British Isles, Australia, and New Zealand experience similar conditions. In a nutshell, any gardener who lives in an area where average winter temperatures do not fall below 0 Fahrenheit (18 Celsius) will want this book, and curious gardeners in colder zones may well want to test these select plants in their local microclimates. This remarkable volume shows both the habit and details flower, fruit, bark, fall color of more than 400 species and describes hundreds more cultivars and varieties. Certain genera offer myriad hybrids and selections, and photographs of many of the best of these are included as well nearly 40 named crapemyrtles, a dozen teaolives, and 11 loropetalums. In all, more than 1400 photographs join with the authoritative text to bring the plants to life. From Abelia to Ziziphus, gardeners will encounter many new and unfamiliar plants that thrive in warmer climates. Dirr gives special attention to hardy palms that can survive outside the subtropics. The book also reflects the author's inimitable personality, which holds nothing back when a plant deserves outright acclaim ("If prescriptions could be written for perfect garden plants, this species would come close to filling the order"), backhanded praise ("Use for accent, for novelty, or to drive visitors loony"), or frank condemnation ("Splays to the point of no redemption with time"). The book concludes with useful lists for selecting plants for a variety of conditions or for ornamental characteristics, such as flower color and fragrance, fruit, and fall color.

Author Biography

Michael A. Dirr is a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	8	(9)
Preface	9	(2)
Reflections on Garden-making in Georgia	11	(16)
A--Z Illustrated Guide to Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates	27	(1)
Abelia	28	(3)
Abies	31	(1)
Abutilon	31	(1)
Acacia	32	(1)
Acer	33	(2)
Actinidia	35	(1)
Adina	36	(1)
Aesculus	37	(3)
Agave	40	(1)
Alangium	41	(1)
Aleurites	42	(1)
Allamanda	43	(1)
Alnus	43	(2)
Antigonon	45	(1)
Araucaria	45	(2)
Arbutus	47	(3)
Ardisia	50	(1)
Aucuba	51	(2)
Baccharis	53	(2)
Bauhinia	55	(1)
Bougainvillea	55	(1)
Broussonetia	56	(1)
Brugmansia	57	(1)
Brunfelsia	58	(1)
Buddleia	58	(2)
Buxus	60	(1)
Callistemon	61	(1)
Camellia	62	(4)
Campsis	66	(1)
Carissa	66	(1)
Cassia	67	(1)
Castanea	68	(1)
Ceanothus	68	(2)
Cephalotaxus	70	(2)
Chilopsis	72	(1)
xChitalpa	73	(1)
Choisya	74	(1)
Cinnamomum	75	(1)
Cistus	76	(1)
Clethra	77	(1)
Cleyera	78	(1)
Cliftonia	79	(1)
Cocculus	80	(1)
Cornus	81	(1)
Cotoneaster	82	(1)
Crataegus	83	(1)
Croton	84	(1)
Cunninghamia	85	(1)
Cupressus	86	(4)
Cycas	90	(1)
Cyrilla	90	(2)
Cyrtomium	92	(1)
Danae	92	(1)
Daphne	93	(1)
Daphniphyllum	94	(1)
Decumaria	95	(1)
Desfontainia	96	(1)
Dicksonia	96	(2)
Diospyros	98	(1)
Distylium	99	(1)
Duranta	100	(1)
Edgeworthia	101	(1)
Ehretia	101	(1)
Elaeagnus	102	(4)
Elliottia	106	(1)
Emmenopterys	106	(1)
Epigaea	107	(1)
Eriobotrya	108	(1)
Erythrina	109	(1)
Escallonia	110	(1)
Eucalyptus	110	(2)
Eucryphia	112	(1)
Euonymus	112	(2)
Eurya	114	(1)
Euscaphis	115	(1)
xFatshedera	116	(1)
Fatsia	117	(1)
Feijoa	118	(1)
Ficus	119	(2)
Fontanesia	121	(1)
Fuchsia	122	(1)
Galphimia	123	(1)
Gardenia	123	(2)
Gaylussacia	125	(1)
Gelsemium	125	(1)
Gordonia	126	(1)
Grevillea	127	(1)
Hedera	128	(1)
Helianthemum	128	(1)
Hibiscus	129	(1)
Hypericum	130	(3)
Idesia	133	(1)
Ilex	134	(14)
Illicium	148	(4)
Indigofera	152	(3)
Ixora	155	(1)
Jasminum	155	(5)
Juniperus	160	(1)
Kadsura	161	(1)
Koelreuteria	161	(1)
Lagerstroemia	162	(19)
Lantana	181	(2)
Laurus	183	(1)
Lavandula	184	(1)
Leitneria	185	(1)
Leptospermum	186	(1)
Lespedeza	187	(3)
Leucophyllum	190	(1)
Leucothoe	191	(3)
Leycesteria	194	(1)
Ligustrum	195	(5)
Lindera	200	(1)
Liquidambar	201	(2)
Lithocarpus	203	(1)
Lonicera	204	(5)
Loropetalum	209	(3)
Lyonia	212	(1)
Magnolia	213	(9)
Mahonia	222	(3)
Malus	225	(3)
Malvaviscus	228	(1)
Mandevilla	228	(1)
Melia	229	(2)
Michelia	231	(1)
Millettia	232	(1)
Mitchella	233	(1)
Musa	233	(1)
Myrica	234	(3)
Myrtus	237	(1)
Nandina	238	(4)
Nerium	242	(1)
Nyssa	243	(1)
Orixa	244	(1)
Osmanthus	245	(8)
Pachysandra	253	(1)
Palms	253	(11)
Butia	254	(1)
Chamaerops	255	(1)
Livistona	255	(1)
Phoenix	256	(1)
Rhapidiophyllum	257	(1)
Rhapis	258	(1)
Sabal	258	(2)
Serenoa	260	(1)
Syagrus	261	(1)
Trachycarpus	261	(1)
Washingtonia	262	(2)
Parkinsonia	264	(1)
Parrotiopsis	265	(1)
Parthenocissus	265	(1)
Passiflora	266	(1)
Persea	266	(1)
Philadelphus	267	(1)
Phillyrea	268	(1)
Photinia	269	(4)
Pieris	273	(1)
Pinckneya	274	(1)
Pinus	275	(5)
Pistacia	280	(1)
Pittosporum	281	(2)
Plumbago	283	(1)
Podocarpus	284	(3)
Poliothyrsis	287	(1)
Prunus	288	(10)
Punica	298	(2)
Pyracantha	300	(1)
Quercus	301	(17)
Rhamnus	318	(1)
Rhaphiolepis	319	(1)
Rhododendron	320	(8)
Rhus	328	(1)
Rosa	329	(2)
Rosmarinus	331	(2)
Rubus	333	(2)
Ruscus	335	(1)
Santolina	336	(1)
Sapindus	337	(2)
Sapium	339	(1)
Sarcandra	340	(1)
Sarcococca	340	(3)
Sequoia	343	(2)
Sequoiadendron	345	(1)
Serissa	346	(1)
Sesbania	347	(1)
Sinocalycanthus	348	(1)
Sinojackia	349	(1)
Smilax	350	(1)
Sophora	350	(1)
Staphylea	351	(1)
Stewartia	352	(1)
Styrax	353	(1)
Sycopsis	354	(2)
Symplocos	356	(1)
Taxus	357	(1)
Tecomaria	358	(1)
Ternstroemia	359	(1)
Teucrium	360	(1)
Torreya	360	(1)
Trachelospermum	361	(3)
Trochodendron	364	(1)
Ulmus	365	(2)
Ungnadia	367	(1)
Vaccinium	368	(5)
Viburnum	373	(18)
Vinca	391	(3)
Vitex	394	(1)
Vitis	395	(1)
Wedelia	396	(1)
Wisteria	397	(1)
Zamia	398	(1)
Zanthoxylum	399	(1)
Zelkova	400	(1)
Ziziphus	401	(2)
Selecting Plants for Specific Characteristics or Purposes	403	(30)
Trees: Design Characteristics	404	(5)
Trees: Cultural Characteristics	409	(2)
Shrubs: Design Characteristics	411	(12)
Shrubs: Cultural Characteristics and Maintenance	423	(6)
Needle Evergreens: Design and Cultural Characteristics	429	(2)
Vines: Design and Cultural Characteristics	431	(1)
Palms	432	(1)
Groundcovers	432	(1)
U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone Map	433	(1)
Conversion Table for Metric Measurements	434	(1)
Index of Plant Scientific Names	435	(8)
Index of Plant Common Names	443

Excerpts

What a wonderful chance discovery about eight years past at an antebellum home across from the Georgia campus, where a low subshrub with pink wisteria-like flowers was growing in the shade of pecan trees. Another key-out quest was performed, with this species surfacing as the leading candidate. A suckering, spreading shrub with seven to thirteen, 1 to 2 1/2-inch long rich green leaflets per leaf. Flowers, each 3/4 in. long, pink, in 4 to 8 in. long, 20 to 40 flowered racemes, explode in May and continue sporadically into August and September on new growth. Have yet to observe fruit set. I hope to breed this species with the others for improved floral characteristics. Prefers moist, moderately fertile, acid soil in partial shade (best) to full sun. Some foliage lightening in full sun but no diminution in floral production. Displays excellent heat and drought tolerance. Use as a groundcover in shade, at the front of a border, and in bank plantings. Ond of Bonnie's favorite plants. Our fine colony prospers under the shade of a Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata. Grows 12 to 18 in. high, spreads indefinitely. Zones 6 tp 7(8). China, Japan.Cultivars and varieties. 'Alba', with white flowers, is in cultivation. 'Rosea' has deeper pink flowers with a hint of lavender.

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Excerpted from Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates: An Illustrated Encyclopedia by Michael A. Dirr
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.