The Holly and the Ivy: by Tina Clinefelter

The modern version of the Christmas carol ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ was crafted by Cecil Sharp (1859-1924), but the original song dates back to pagan times where it was associated with the winter solstice. The only reference to ivy is in the title, and in the first line of the first and last verses; so the song is essentially in praise of the virtues of holly.

For centuries holly has been used as a church and home decoration and is symbolic of the Christmas season, but it also brightens up the home landscape during the winter months. One of my reference books states that unless you are going to draw your curtains and hibernate, at least one variety of holly should be in your garden - the birds will thank you as the berries are an important food, but be aware that these same berries are mildly toxic to humans causing vomiting and diarrhea.

As there are over 600 species of holly, which one to choose might seem to be a problem, but as some are sub-tropical, some are vines, and some have specific soil preferences, there are some that would do well in our area, notably the winterberry shrub – Ilex verticillata. This is a deciduous, native shrub growing 8-10 feet tall, and as wide, with bright red berries clinging to the branches. There are a number of varieties and hybrids available, but all hollies require a male and female tree to ensure fruiting.
The familiar evergreen English holly has been hybridized with other varieties to make it cold-tolerant and this is the one most likely to be used as Christmas decorations with its blue-green, spiny leaves and brilliant berries. Note that this species (Blue holly) requires excellent drainage.
Hollies are easy to prune to maintain their size and shape, and prefer an acid soil, but they are quite adaptable even accepting a shady location.
What they do not adapt to is being grazed upon by deer! This is what happened to my ‘China Girl’ and ‘China Boy’ hollies – they lasted three seasons before giving up the ghost!

On a recent trip to Longwood Gardens I thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent decorations and thrilled to the sounds of the newly-restored organ, but I found a jarring note in the use of a winterberry shrub with pale orange berries. As pink poinsettias are not a Christmas color, neither are orange holly berries!

Having got that off my chest, let’s move onto the subject of ivy…

English ivy (Hedera helix) is fast becoming regarded as an invasive plant. It has been used extensively as a ground cover to control soil erosion in shady locations, but the problem arises when it reaches a tree-trunk to climb. The added exposure to sunlight causes the ivy to produce fruit – birds eat the berries – the birds poop in the woods – the seeds germinate – the vine grows and eventually slowly kills its host tree.

That is all I have to say about the virtues of ivy, but I have a couple of additional nuggets of interest concerning the very virtuous holly:
The holly symbolizes ‘Truth’, and that is a very good thing in this day and age; the white chess pieces were sometimes made from holly wood while the black pieces were made from ebony; and finally, holly and mistletoe were held to be sacred by the Druids, but I don’t think they would mind about our modern-day use of their symbols!

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Love, Tina, xoxox

Upcoming Pesticide Short Course: by Tom Butzler

Pesticides are sometimes used to control pests on lawns and landscapes. In some instances, a homeowner may feel comfortable dealing with the pest situation in their own manner. Often times, a problem presents itself in the landscape in which a professional is needed to correct the pest problem. On those occasions, the professional may apply a pesticide.

Pennsylvania’s Pesticide Control Act of 1973 requires licensing of any individual who is compensated for applying a pesticide to the property of another. Not only should landscapers be licensed but also other professionals who apply pesticides in the landscape. Other professionals include state park employees and grounds supervisors of schools, athletic fields, and golf courses.

To become certified, applicators must receive training and/or undergo testing to demonstrate that they are competent to handle and use pesticides. The Penn State Cooperative Extension – Clinton County Office is offering a Pesticide Short Course to assist green industry professionals in preparing for the Pesticide Applicators Exam. Several topics will be covered over a four-day period. Many topics cover general pesticide issues such as pesticide laws and recordkeeping, pesticide formulations and labels, spray equipment, and calibration of that equipment. In addition, the major pests of the landscape industry insects, weeds and diseases, will be discussed.

The Pesticide Short Course will be held in Clinton County at the Cooperative Extension Office on March 8, 9, 11, and 12 and the test on March 16). If you would like further information, give me a call at 570-726-0022 or email at tmb124@psu.edu

Plant Sex and Pollen: by Tom Butzler

I was getting my haircut today and was reading the December 2009 issue of National Geographic when I came across their article, How Plants Mate. Interesting read but it was the pictures that caught my eye. I'm a 'point and click' photographer (read-amateur)but the close-ups of pollen grains was really cool.

Take a peek at the pollen pictures.

High Altitude Trees: by Tom Butzler

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark is winding down as world leaders are converging to create a new game plan for tackling global warming. Many believe that man’s activities have led us down a path where many parts of our planet are going to experience a pretty drastic change in the climate. According to a map put out by the Union of Concerned Scientists, Pennsylvania will not be spared as our climate has the potential to be very similar to north Florida/ southern Georgia.

Changes in average summer “heat index”—a measure of how hot it actually feels with a given combination of temperature and humidity. Red arrows track what summers could feel like over the course of the century in eastern Pennsylvania under the higher-emissions scenario. Yellow arrows track what the summers could feel like under the lower-emissions scenario. Map created by Union of Concerned Scientists in the “Climate Change Impacts and Solutions for Pennsylvania”

In a previous blog, I briefly talked about some of the exciting southern plants that could be incorporated into our landscape if we truly experience a warmer climate. But with those exciting plants will be a loss of plants that are unable to adapt to a warmer climate. As I was reviewing the list of plants that we would lose, one thing really stood out, the potential loss of most of our conifers.

Many of our conifers prefer cooler climates and can be found in high elevations or the boreal forests which are located in Canada, Alaska, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia, as well as parts of the northern continental United States (cold areas).

One of my favorites is the concolor fir (Abies concolor). Its native range is New Mexico and Colorado and is found from 6000 ft. to 11,000 ft. in elevation in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico to the Coast Range in California and Oregon. This looks very nice in our landscapes because of its beautiful foliage (soft, silvery bluish-green needles borne on upper part of branch and curving upwards) and growth habit (pyramidal, rigid form with branches to the base). I particularly like the ‘tangerine’ smell when the needles are crushed. It makes a great Christmas tree.

The concolor fir is an attractive landscape and Christmas tree because of its soft, silvery bluish-green needles and pyramidal growth habit. Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension

Another high altitude tree that does well in the cooler parts of Pennsylvania is the Fraser fir (Abies fraseri). This tree native home is the higher locations in the southern Appalachian Mountains like western North Carolina. It has a nice form - uniformly pyramid-shape and attractive dark blue-green needles that not only make a nice specimen tree in the landscape but as a Christmas tree.

Most of the pines as we see today in our backyards will not fare well in this new ‘Georgia/Florida’ weather. Reading through Michael Dirr’s ‘Manual of Woody Landscape Plants’ on pines give you an idea of problems they will have with the new climate. Under white pine, he states that “they will grow reasonably well in Georgia but for some inexplicable reasons trees die out; possibly related to heat and drought stress.” He also mentions that Scotch pine will grow in Georgia but are not well adapted. Who wants to take a chance on planting a tree in the landscape that is not well adapted?

Spruces will not be spared either in a warmer climate. Most spruces such as Norway (Picea abies) and the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) might (let me emphasize might) survive but are not well adapted to Georgia like weather.

If we want to grow conifers in our future landscapes, we’ll have to leave the firs and spruces behind and look at southern pines such as the sand, slash, loblolly, and longleaf. In addition, many junipers are well adapted for hot conditions.

Plant Fantasies: by Tom Butzler

Let me start off today’s column by saying that I am not pushing one idea or another. The topic I am going to mention is a “hot potato” across the world right now and our airwaves are going to be filled with heated arguments on both sides. What is it? Climate change. Starting next week world leaders (including President Barack Obama) and climate experts will converge in Copenhagen, Denmark for a series of meetings at the UN Climate Change Conference. Their plan is to create a new game plan for tackling global warming.

I thought it would be an interesting exercise, if indeed our climate changes, to look at the potential implications in the horticulture world. According to a map put out by the Union of Concerned Scientists, Pennsylvania’s climate has the potential to be very similar to north Florida/ southern Georgia. .

Changes in average summer “heat index”—a measure of how hot it actually feels with a given combination of temperature and humidity. Red arrows track what summers could feel like over the course of the century in eastern Pennsylvania under the higher-emissions scenario. Yellow arrows track what the summers could feel like under the lower-emissions scenario. Map created by Union of Concerned Scientists in the “Climate Change Impacts and Solutions for Pennsylvania”
Now don’t start ripping out your landscape and inserting more heat tolerant plants just yet. This scenario doesn’t kick in until 2070 and it is assuming very high emissions.
Living down south for several years, there were several plants that I found very attractive and would look beautiful in our potential warmer climate. No, I probably won’t be around by that time but I can still fantasize.

The one tree/shrub that I can never get enough of when I venture down south is the crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia species). It has several ornamental characteristics that make it a worthwhile plant. It’s most popular attribute is its summer flowers. Depending on cultivar, the showy flowers may be shades of white, pink, red or lavender beginning in early summer and continue into fall. My favorite part of the tree is the trunk. Bark peels away to expose a trunk which ranges in color from many handsome shades of brown to gray. This is really showy during winter when leaves are absent. But don’t wish away the leaves to fast as the fall colors range from yellow to orange and red.

Depending on the crape myrtle cultivars, flowers may be shades of white, pink, red or lavender beginning in early summer and continue into fall. Photo courtesy of Texas A&M

Crape myrtle bark peels away to expose a trunk which ranges in color from many handsome shades of brown to gray. Photo courtesy of Clemson University


Our state tree, the eastern hemlock, will probably not adjust to this change very well. As a result, we may have to look for another symbol. Why not a palm? We could borrow South Carolina’s state tree the cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto, maybe the palm will not like their climate in 2070) and would give a tropical look to Pennsylvania. This palm can reach heights of 30 feet and has large, blue-green leaves with threadlike strands of fiber hanging off of each leaf.

Fragrance plays a big role in our landscapes; hence the planting of roses, lilacs, and viburnums. A warmer climate can add to this smelly list. Although a bit tricky to grow, the gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) would add some smell if placed near the porch or patio. The advantage of the gardenia to viburnums and lilacs is the long bloom time, about three months.

Another possibility for smells is Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense), also known as Chinese fringe-flower which flowers in the spring. It is easier to grow then the gardenia. Clemson University states they are usually grown in clusters or mixed screens as well as foundation plantings, and single specimens.

I am happy with the climate I live in and don’t hope for South Carolina weather but I do dream of some of these plants in my landscape. I suppose that is what vacations are for.

Holiday plant care: by Tina Clinefelter

Mention holiday plants at this time of the year and poinsettias and Christmas trees come to mind – in fact, I have a small, fake tree adorned with fake poinsettias in my living-room all year long; I like it!
But, my son-in-law strongly suggested, as the entire family will be visiting this year that I get a ‘real’ tree with ‘real’ poinsettias, and ‘I’m inclined to acquiesce to his request’! (To quote a certain pirate…)

All of this means is I’m going to share with you the pointers I have discovered in choosing and caring for the heretofore mentioned holiday plants:
Let’s begin with those cheery, bright red flowers – I prefer the red ones as pink just doesn’t quite make it as a Christmas color, and the white ones look too sickly off-white.
Choose bushy, dense plants with healthy, dark green foliage at least twice as tall as the container is wide. Avoid plants that are wilting, drooping or losing leaves, or that have really soggy soil. When carrying your plant to the car, protect it from cold, windy conditions by enclosing it in a ‘sleeve’ or a plastic bag. At home, poinsettias will do best in six hours of indirect sunlight at 68-70*F. They really resent cool drafts, or warmer winds from heating vents, and overwatering will result in root-rot. Another thing to keep in mind is no fertilizer is needed while the plant is in bloom.
Getting your poinsettia to re-bloom next year is a subject for another whole article so the last thing I want to mention here is that this plant has had a bum rap as far as being poisonous is concerned. I read somewhere recently that a child would have to consume 500 bracts (the red leaves) before reaching even a minimum dose of a slightly toxic substance, in fact, the plant is very helpful in removing indoor pollutants!

Now, on to the Christmas tree!
Live or cut - that is the question. Most folks know how best to deal with a cut tree – keep it watered – position it away from heat sources – spray with an anti-wilt or anti-desiccant to keep it as fresh as possible, but a live tree requires a lot more planning, beginning NOW.

First you must determine whether you have sufficient space in your yard for an ultimately large tree; where will it be placed? The hole for the tree should be dug as soon as possible – twice as wide as the root ball, and only as deep. This should make you consider a small tree, as the root ball of even a small tree is very heavy. Save the excavated soil on a tarp, in a frost free area. Fill the hole with leaves or mulch and cover with plywood and old blankets to keep it from freezing.
Now, purchase a tree, balled-and burlapped, or in a container, and gently introduce it slowly to your home - first onto an enclosed porch or garage for a couple of days, then into the coolest part of the room inside the house. Check the tree for hitch-hikers (insects) before bringing it into the house and spray with anti-desiccant to prevent drying out of the needles. Incidentally, protect it from wind-burn on the way home in the back of the pick-up truck!
Timing is everything – you can only keep a live tree in the house for a maximum of 7 -10 days if the house is cool. This is to prevent the tree from breaking dormancy.
Place the tree in a metal or plastic tub large enough to accommodate the entire root ball or container. Stabilize with bricks or rocks and fill with mulch. Water only the root ball or the container while the tree is in the house. Also remember to protect your floor under the tree with a pan of some kind.
To move the tree back outside, use the same introductory method in reverse – in gradual steps. Set the tree in the prepared hole slightly above the original planting level to allow for settling. Backfill with the earlier retained soil and water well. Mulch! (And keep your fingers crossed)!

To end on an anecdotal note – when I was a child (I was, you know), my father dug up my Christmas tree year after year, and it survived many times before becoming too large. Each of my siblings also had trees that were repeatedly dug up each year, and my father wound up with a row of trees along the property line. The people that bought my father’s house, after his demise, cut them down! Bummer!