Q A couple of years ago we bought two palm trees and planted them in large pots, to have around the pool. We were concerned about wintering, so one year we put them in the cellar -- with terrible results. Last year we covered them, pots and all, with leaves -- also with poor results. Would it be better to plant them in the ground? We live in Paris.
A It depends on what variety of palms you are growing. There are many hardy palms that will survive uncovered outside in most winters. The past two colder-than-normal winters caused these plants some discoloration, but they came back great. If you don't know what varieties you have, then protection is advised, unless you are willing to toss up your arms and see what happens. For real hardiness, though, they would need to be planted in the ground. The soil in a container gets colder than the soil below ground, and container plants have a limited root system that's more likely to be clobbered by cold. If you want to move them inside, put them in a garage or under the crawl space of your house now. They won't look great when you bring them out, but they will not have frozen and died, so you can cut them back and wait for them to leaf out next spring. I have seen folks build a chicken-wire frame around in-ground figs and other mildly hardy plants; they lightly fill this cage up with leaves. I have seen others cover the whole frame with Remay (white protective cloth) and leave that covering in place. Last year I overwintered two bay leaf trees just by moving the pots between my shrubs and my house. They didn't have a burned leaf this spring.
Q I noticed a 3- to 4-inch, reddish orange, horn-shaped growth in my flower bed, and it had an unusual odor. A day or two later, I noticed it was on the ground, and there was a hole near the ground line. Eventually, several more horns came up. I did notice with the last horn that there were small, white, round, mushroom-looking growths in the ground at the base of the horn. I live in Maumelle and have for six years but have never seen these horns in my garden before. I wonder if all of the rain might have something to do with the horns. Have you ever heard or seen anything that might resemble what I described?
A You are experiencing one of the stinkhorn mushrooms. There are other less polite common names for this fungus as well. Regardless of what you call them, they do have an intense, noxious odor. They grow in damp wood mulch, and once mature, they emit a green slime that attracts flies and beetles to the area to help propagate them. After our recent rains, we have had quite a few mushrooms pop up, some more pleasant than others. It helps to knock them down as soon as you spot them and aerate the soil.
Q I would like to plant privacy hedge/shrubs that will screen the property next door. I read your response recently about thorny elaeagnus but I will need these shrubs to reach a height of 15 to 25 feet and get thick. I don't think the thorny elaeagnus will reach the height I desire. Do you have any advice on what I should plant? The area gets six to eight hours of sun. Is a willow hybrid or nonspreading bamboo a consideration?
A A hybrid willow is fast growing but probably will get too tall and be somewhat weak. It also is deciduous, and most people prefer a screen to be evergreen. If you can find the clumping, nonspreading bamboo, that is an option, but I think there are better choices. You could go with one of the smaller growing Southern magnolias -- Little Gem, Brackens Brown Beauty, etc. They eventually will get that tall, and they are dense, but they may be slower growing than you want. Consider some of the hollies: lusterleaf holly, Nellie Stevens and Burford holly will all grow at least 15 to 20 feet tall and are evergreen. Cryptomeria, deodar cedar and Green Giant arborvitae are other choices.
QCould you please identify the attached picture? My neighbor doesn't know what kind of bush this is that is blooming in her yard.
A The plant is a type of hardy hibiscus that only blooms in the fall. It is commonly called Confederate rose, or Hibiscus mutabilis. The carnation-like blooms open in the morning either light pink or white and fade to dark pink or pink, depending on the variety. In Arkansas, they are reliably winter-hardy from around Searcy south. If you want to ensure success, take some cuttings prior to a hard freeze and root them in water. This is also a way to develop new plants to share with friends. Next spring, plant the clippings outside. These plants like full sun and ample moisture, and even though they look like shrubs or small trees now, the woody stems die to the ground after a killing frost.
Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at 2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72204 or email her at
HomeStyle on 11/14/2015