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Botanists travelling with the Spanish\nconquistadores discovered the Tree Dahlia and brought it to the Royal Gardens\nof Madrid by the late 1700s. The genus became popular throughout Europe and was\nrecorded in the United States bas early as 1821. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In one\nseason, a Tree Dahlia with established roots will grow up to twenty feet tall,\nwith clusters of lavender pink blossoms high in the air, to be enjoyed from\nbelow. The blossoms are free of fragrance, which is not a problem given their\nheight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a Tree\nDahlia were to be planted below a deck of just the right height, people could\nappreciate the blossoms more closely. That would be a fine deck-plant\ncombination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The magical\nnature of this plant is its annual cycle. Around March, after it finishes\nblooming and its leaves have faded, the canes can be cut to about six inches\nfrom the ground to stimulate new growth from the roots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The canes\ncan then be cut into sections and planted to start new plants. Each section\nshould have at least four leaf nodes and still leaking liquid sap. These\ncuttings are then planted right side up in sandy soil or potting mix and\nwatered from time to time, until they show new green shoots. This plant is not\ndifficult to propagate! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I first\nencountered the Tree Dahlia several years at a Master Gardener workshop, when\nsomeone shared cane sections. I planted those sections at the edge of my\ngarden, in a partially shaded area. They grew quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This plant\nis available commercially at least occasionally from Annie\u2019s Annuals and\nPerennials, and few other sources. It\u2019s a good example of a \u201cpass-along plant.\u201d\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given an\nappropriate site, it is a spectacular seasonal addition to the landscape. A second favorite plant at this time of the year is\nanother Mexican native, the Daisy Tree (Montanoa Grandiflora). This is an upright, evergreen shrub that grows\nup to ten feet tall and wide. It develops large, deeply lobed, rather leathery\ntropical looking leaves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In November,\nit produces clouds of daisy-like flowers, white with yellow centers, with the\nfragrance of chocolate or freshly baked cookies. After about a month, the\nblossoms are replaced with long lasting \u201cbouquet-worthy\u201d chartreuse seed heads.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the early\nspring, the branches should be cut to the ground to stimulate a new cycle of\ngrowth. Like the Tree Dahlia, this plant grows vigorously from its roots to\nproduce a striking new presentation each year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n My first\nintroduction to the Daisy Tree was during a visit to the Esalen Institute on\nBig Sur, during a stop on a tour hosted by the Pacific Horticultural Society. I\nwas impressed by the plant, and searched diligently for a small plant for my\ngarden. It\u2019s not offered widely, but I found it it eventually at Annie\u2019s\nAnnuals & Perennials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a\nlarge shrub, so it works best in the landscape if it\u2019s placed in a space large\nenough to accommodate its spread, and close enough to a walkway to enjoy its\nfragrance. While it is evergreen, the recommended practice for rejuvenation pruning\nmeans that the garden design should anticipate its periodic absence. When the\ngardener cuts down the Daisy Tree, he or she might plan to fill the void with\nwildflowers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Plants like\nthe Daisy Tree and the Tree Dahlia bring dynamic qualities to the landscape, and\nwelcome gifts to the holiday season. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There\u2019s a lot that I\u2019m thankful for, including a couple fall-season bloomers in my garden. I have recently mentioned these two plants, which are natives of Mexico, but they are blooming right now and deserving of attention. The first is … Continue reading
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