“Dog Days” Reveal Which Plants are Tough Guys

A slow walk through the landscape at this time of year will reveal which colorful annuals, perennials and shrubs are best adapted to our summers. The dog days bring our hottest and most humid weather and the less hardy species will be in a state of decline by August.

Unless you have the time and enjoy nurturing sickly plants, use this information when planning other plantings. The gardener’s time is too short to be spent growing plants that are not adapted to our muggy summer conditions.

The really tough, best-adapted flowering plants will be evident. Crape myrtles are at their peak right now and the hotter and brighter the days, the better they flower. The Chaste-Tree is enjoying its second flush of bloom.

Hibiscus plants are loaded with blossoms at this time of year. Though somewhat sensitive to our winter temperatures they make up for this shortcoming by growing vigorously and flowering profusely during the heat of summer. Other dependable summer flowering shrubs include Abelia, Lantana and Oleander.

Many of the typical spring planted bedding plants are goners by now, or are at least looking weak unless they were well cared for. On the other hand, if plants were carefully chosen for summer, there are many other bedding plants that should still be thriving. These include: Coleus, Celosia, Gaillardia, Pentas and Zinnia.

The flowering perennials are catching on fast and there are several that are at their best during summer. Tibouchina, commonly known as glory bush, produce satiny purple flowers until winter. The black-eyed susans, particularly the “Goldsturm” cultivar, are at their peak. Other good choices include: blackberry lily, blue daze, butterfly weed, cone flower, bush daisy, fire spike, shrimp plant, goldenrod, Jacobinia, Russian sage, salvia, Stokes aster, Verbena and Veronica.

Question of the Week: Several different kinds of mushrooms are growing in my yard. Can you tell me which ones I should avoid and the ones that are safe to eat?

Answer: No, mushroom identification is best left to the experts. Currently, there are estimates of between 3,000 and 5,000 different mushroom species occurring in the South. Nearly 1,000 of these species have been described as new species from Florida. Obviously, few people can identify them all.

Mushrooms make for a fascinating study and some of them are edible, but only after verification. Obtain reputable information, such as field guides, before beginning.

One of the best sources of information on mushrooms is now available from the University of Florida. The book, Common Florida Mushrooms, by Dr. James Kimbrough is a 342 page reference. It contains full color photos, a color-tabbed reference and a section on cooking with mushrooms.

Orders by credit card can be made by calling 1-800-226-1764. Call 352-392-1764 for shipping or handling information, or shop the University’s on-line catalog at IFASbooks.ufl.edu.

Note to Fresh Vegetable Lovers: The acreage planted in vegetable crops is up this year. Support local producers by purchasing this farm fresh produce. Butterbeans are expected to be in good supply and several farmers have a second crop of melons. Watch for information regarding the seasonal availability of these and other crops.