Would an Arrowwood pollinate a Wentworth?
Xty G (z4)
8 years ago
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years agoEmbothrium
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
Viburnums pollination, propagation, provenance: Oh my!
Comments (43)Thanks for such a well-written explanation! I purchased viburnum trilobum compactum plants from Forestfarm several years ago-- and although they survived for ten years or longer, they never did anything. Now I understand why they never produced fruit . . . but actually, they barely even bloomed! I finally gave up and pulled them out this spring. Very disappointing. As to why plants of different provenance bloom at different times even if they are of the same species, maybe you could think of it this way: every species has some genetic variability within the species. A group of specimens growing in a certain area would tend to produce seedlings that bloomed at several different times. However, the seedlings that bloomed at the best time for that location would have a natural advantage over the seedlings that bloomed a little too early, or a little too late. Therefore, by natural selection, the bloom time that is best for the area would eventually become the most commonly found genetically-programmed bloom time amongst plants in that area. In other words, the gene pool of seedlings in that location would have been narrowed. Similarly, seedlings from a different part of the country would slowly narrow their genetic pool to reflect whatever bloom time is best for their location. When you then order plants from the two different locations, even though you are now growing them in identical conditions, their bloom times will continue to be influenced by their genetic programming as well as their current growing conditions-- and this will be true for as long as those two plants live, even if they are growing side-by-side. Does that make sense? I realize that I'm not explaining it very clearly. :( (Maybe another way to understand it is to think about humans: we are all one species, but we look a lot different according to our ethnic backgrounds because when groups of people were isolated geographically from other groups, an unusual or recessive trait-- red hair, for example-- had the opportunity of becoming very common within that specific isolated population.)...See Morewill my viburnums cross-pollinate?
Comments (8)Viburnum fruit are quite edible (at least the ones that can be grown in the midwest that I've consumed) though they aren't all very tasty. Birds will most likely clean up all the arrowwood fruit soon after they ripen, so worrying about kids/fruit shouldn't be a problem. Rachel: get a compact V. carlesii in addition to the V. x juddii, and you should have appropriate partners for future fruiting. As far as what people should know: I've been a horticulturist about 20 years, and a landscape architect (including school) for about 10. I can't claim to know everything, but I darn sure try to learn it when it's obvious that I don't and need to. Same with this instance. Learning all the viburnum lore came with first attraction to the possibilities of the genus, and then the need to make all the possibilities happen when the plants were acquired and planted. I had the advantage of many years of acquiring texts on woody plants, so a little reading got me steered in the right direction. Not every plant/design professional is so oriented (unfortunately) and sometimes only is exposed to the knowledge level of those they work with, or the limited amount of information that can be provided during the short time in school. I admire, and look for in those I work with or hire, that thirst for CONTINUING LIFELONG EDUCATION (of which GW is one additional source) which illustrates a passion for higher standards and results. It is promising that the landscaper you admire bothered to source more info for you. It is not promising to suggest that you are overthinking things. I'd be interested in hearing what "tons of viburnums" she plants; what clones of which species; and what happens when she only plants one clone of a species that is rarely represented in Chicagoland. There is the rub. To make the point, you also might ask her if it is overthinking things to only plant Ilex verticillata Winter Red, and no male pollinator, especially if you are in a relatively isolated locale. I bet the various clones of V. dentatum are well represented around Chicago, since several of them were selected there and have been planted for years. Not so with quite a few others though, like V. nudum Winterthur. You may NEVER see fruit on this fine plant without a dissimilar V. nudum around, since it blooms quite a bit after almost every other common viburnum species. So.......you are on the right track, and hopefully have many more viburnum experience opportunities ahead. And, if you've helped a design/landscape professional learn a little something along the way, the world will be a better place for it....See MoreViburnum dentatum 'Blue Muffin' needs a pollinator
Comments (38)So -- I just bought two Blue Muffins thinking they would pollinate each other. Now I know they won't. And I don't want to struggle along with a plant if it's not likely to fruit. It's going to be in THE prominent place in front of the house, so I want it to be a good one ... So I'm thinking about returning them and buying something that's going to flower AND produce berries ... without me having to get yet another plant to pollinate. I have several American Cranberry Bushes in the yard. I also have a Witherod, Blackhaws, and a Onondaga cultivar. Oh, and several very young Mapleleaf viburnum. Can you guys recommend a beautiful native, or native cultivar, that would get no larger than 8-10' wide ... look good against a red house ... and berry? I really love the Cranberry Bushes (Trilobium) but I've resisted because I'm concerned the red berries won't show against the house. I might give in. My Witherod is very young and I haven't actually seen it bloom yet ... a possibility? I still am not entirely clear either on whether a single native Arrowwood (Dentadum, not cultivar) would fruit on its own with these others around....See MoreNorthern Arrowwood, V. recognitum
Comments (27)Thanks vonyon for the heads-up! My V. dentatum (variety unidentified by the producer) LOOKS like slowly recovering this spring from his fierce beetle attack of last year. Had been recently transplanted BTW, therefore more stressed I suppose, plus from that chokingly hot summer perhaps... FYI, the whole of my other Viburnums (that is, trilobum, cassinoides, lentago, alnifolia and lantana, and whether they're specimens from nurseries or from the wild), all in the same 100x75 ft suburban patch, is totally unaffected so far by that specific beetle. BTW, the dentatum-related species that is native in the area here (S-W Quebec) is raffinesquianum... which I have never even seen in my life, but that looks so lovely on the photos! Bet it's resistant!!...See Morewisconsitom
8 years agoXty G (z4)
8 years agowisconsitom
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoEmbothrium
8 years agomattp321
8 years agoXty G (z4)
8 years agomattp321
8 years ago
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