As we discussed last week, woody floral plants are any woody plant species that has a colorful or unusually shaped stem, bud, flower, fruit or leaf. Last week we looked at a few plants with colorful or interesting shaped stems that can be grown in the home garden. This week we’ll discuss plants with attractive buds or fruits.
A common plant having attractive, fuzzy buds is a pleasant childhood memory for many, namely pussy willow and its relatives. Pussy willow,
Salix caprea, it usually treated as a shrub in the home landscapes, but unpruned it grows into a small tree reaching 15-25 feet at maturity.
It’s most arresting feature are the 1-2 inch long, fuzzy, whitish buds that appear in March and early April. Pussy willow stems can be cut in winter, while the buds are still covered with reddish bud scales, and brought into the house where water and warmth causes them to open. The stems can also be used in home floral arrangements or other decorations. Other plants in the willow family with attractive buds include:
- Black pussy willow, S. melanostachys, has deep purple-black, fuzzy buds with brick red anthers. It is an unusual and attractive plant that reaches a mature height of 6-10 feet. Zone (4) 5
- Rosegold pussy willow, S. gracilistyla, has pinkish or reddish-tinged silky buds, although there is a great deal of variation in the degree of bud coloration. The plant is smaller than Pussy willow and better suited to small home landscapes, reaching a mature height of 6-10 feet. Zone 5
Plants with attractive fruits, such as bittersweet and holly, are commonly incorporated into fall and holiday decorations. In the plant world, both bittersweet and holly are unusual because they have separate male and female flowers on separate plants. This means that two plants are required, a male to pollinate the female flowers and a female to develop the attractive fruits we desire. Bittersweet,
Celastrus scandens, is a vigorous twining vine with deep glossy green leaves that needs a lot of space to grow. Not a great plant for small home gardens where it will quickly overrun every small shrub and tree in sight, but nice for rough areas where it can be allowed to scramble over fences or brush piles.
Traditional holly can be a challenging plant to grow in Nebraska but winterberry holly,
Ilex verticillata, is a great alternative. Winterberry is a deciduous holly that loses its leaves in winter, but produces beautiful red berries on bare stems that can be cut and used indoors. Look for females 'Winter Red', 'Red Sprite', 'Berry Nice' or 'Sparkleberry' and males 'Jim Dandy', 'Southern Gentleman' or 'Appollo'. Winterberry prefers full or partial sun and moist soils (great for wet areas of the landscape) with high organic matter. Soil amendment with organic matter or compost before planting is beneficial.
Growing these and other species of woody floral plants is a viable small enterprise for acreages or small farms and will be the subject of an a program held tomorrow Saturday November 12, from 9-11 a.m., at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Dodge County, 1206 W. 23rd Street, Fremont, NE. The program, entitled "Growing Woody Florals for Profit", will focus on the basics of growing these plants for sale, including what plant species to use, planting and growing requirements, and harvesting techniques. Sources of plant material and marketing will also be discussed. The program fee is $15.00 per person at the door. Everyone interested in learning more about growing woody floral plants for profit is welcome to attend.
Sarah Browning is a Horticulture Extension Educator with the University of Nebraska- Lincoln Extension in Dodge and Saunders Counties. She can be contacted by phone at 727-2775: by mail at 1206 W. 23rd Street, Fremont, NE 68025: or by e-mail at sbrowning2@unl.edu
