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Creating a Tree of 40 Different Fruit

Sam Van Aken successfully grafted 40 different types of fruit to a single tree to create a gorgeous piece of art that produces beautiful blooms in the spring and a bounty of fruit in the summertime. If you have the time and patience, you can also create your own 40 fruit tree at home!

The technique of grafting trees together has been around since humans began to domesticate plants and animals. There have been mentions of grafting as early as 2000 BCE in China, where they grafted pear twigs onto crab apple, jujube, and pomegranate stock.

Since then, grafting has become a common horticulture technique that allows plants to take on different properties such as improved hardiness and faster growth to maturity.

Of course, in order to produce a successful graft, the trees need to be compatible with each other. You cannot, for example, graft a grape vine to an apple tree and expect to produce anything.

In general, the closer two plants are genetically, the more likely the graft union will form. Artist and professor Sam Van Aken took grafting to the next level to create a tree that bears 40 different types of fruit.

How It Began

Van Aken grew up on a family farm in Reading, Pennsylvania but turned to art when he attended college and entered the working world.

In 2008, Van Aken learned that an orchard at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station would be shut down due to lack of funding. This orchard grew several heirloom, antique, and native varieties of stone fruit, with some trees being 150 to 200 years old.

To preserve the trees and the different stone fruit varieties, Van Aken decided to buy the orchard. Then, Van Aken started experimenting with grafting and released his Eden exhibition.

The Goal of the Tree of 40 Fruit

While Van Aken’s initial goal was to create a transformational work of art, he discovered how few varieties of stone fruit are commercially available. Due to industrialization and the creation of monocultures, many varieties of fruit are disappearing.

Because of this, Van Aken believes that his trees are a way of preserving these native and antique varieties.

Since his first tree, he has amassed more than 250 varieties of stone fruit, which he has primarily found through local farmers and growers. Not only does he preserve these varieties in his orchard, but he grafts them onto different trees.

Van Aken hopes that he can preserve the agricultural history of each area in his trees and spread awareness of the rich variety of fruit available in the world.

And it seems to have worked. The beautiful blossoms in the spring attract people from all around, but it’s the fruits themselves that spark conversation.

For many who are not aware of farming and growing, the different flavors of these local and heirloom varieties found on the tree make people question why there are only a handful of plum, peaches, and apricots varieties at their local market.

How to Make Your Own Tree of 40 Fruit

Van Aken takes around five years to develop each tree and graft the 40 different varieties onto it. Therefore, patience is key if you want to create your own Tree of 40 Fruit.

Van Aken uses a chip grafting method. Below are the steps he takes to create a Tree of 40 Fruit:

Cut a chip of wood containing a bud from the scion with the desirable properties
Cut a similarly shaped chip out of the rootstock
Place the scion in the rootstock cut so that the cambium layers match
Attach the two pieces with grafting tape.
Color code each branch so you don’t forget what you’ve grafted!

While you can do this method in mid-to-late summer, Van Aken does his grafting during the spring. Depending on sap flow, the bud might not grow until the following spring. You can tell if the grafting was a success by seeing whether the bud swells or shrivels.

As with any grafting, you’ll want to choose plants that are genetically similar to each other for best results. It’s one of the reasons why Van Aken chose to graft stone fruits together. They share many qualities, but there’s still a lot of different varieties available from local farmers.

Of course, you can try different fruits and even flowers to create your own piece of art.

What started off initially as an experimental artwork has evolved to explore and reintroduce different stone fruit varieties to the public. One day, Van Aken hopes to fill a small orchard with his creation.

With time and patience, you too can create your own Tree of 40 Fruit!

A Guide to Potting and Re-potting Your Plants

A Guide to Potting and Re-Potting Your Plants

When your plants get too big for their container, it’s time to move them somewhere more spacious. Learn how to safely pot or repot your plants to ensure that they have the space they need to thrive.

Potted plants can improve any décor, but it doesn’t take long for them to start looking worse for wear. This constrained environment means that even small changes in your plant’s size, water intake, or soil quality can make a significant difference in how healthy it is.

If you want to keep your potted plants in prime condition, you need to learn how to pot and re-pot them. Here’s a guide for getting started.

Why Re-Pot Plants?

Re-potting plants serves two purposes. First, it provides the opportunity to give expanding plant roots more space to grow. Second, it allows you to change out the potting soil when it becomes nutritionally depleted.

In general, plants need to be re-potted every 12 to 18 months, but this can vary based on how vigorously it’s growing. Slow-growing plants might stay content within the same pot for years, though you may need to refresh the soil on occasion.

It’s usually best to re-pot plants in early spring before they hit their growth surge for the year. However, you may need to do so sooner if you sense your plant is struggling.

10 Signs You Need to Re-Pot Your Plants

How can you tell it’s time to re-pot your plant? Here are ten tell-tale signs it’s time for an upgrade.

The plant takes up more than three times as much space as the pot.
The plant is making the pot top-heavy and tips over easily.
You see the roots growing through the drainage hole at the bottom.
Or the roots are coming out of the soil and pushing the plant up above the planter.

You notice a sudden slow-down in overall growth that’s not seasonally appropriate.
The plant is drying out quickly and requires frequent waterings.
You see signs of salt and mineral buildup on the dried soil surface.
Water sits on the top of the soil and doesn’t absorb into it.
It’s been years (if ever) since you last replanted it.
You want to take cuttings from one large plant to split it into several smaller ones.

Do You Really Need a Bigger Pot?

The first step for re-potting a plant is determining whether the planter itself needs to be replaced. Often, refreshing the soil is all that’s necessary to perk up one that’s wilting.

If you do replace the pot, don’t fall for the common mistake of believing you need to go as big as possible. Scale up too large, and you may unknowingly attempt to compensate for it by overwatering. Too much water combined with the stress of transplanting can quickly weaken a healthy plant.

As a general rule, try to keep the pot’s size within three inches (7.5 cm) diameter of the previous pot for tabletop planters and within six inches (15 cm) for floor planters. It’s better to scale your planter up to a large final size in multiple small steps rather than going too big at once.

6 Steps for Potting or Re-Potting Plants

Here are the basic steps for potting or re-potting your plants for the best chance of success.

1. Gather Supplies

First, collect what you need for potting. This includes the plant itself, the planter you are moving it into (if required), fresh potting mix, and a trowel. You may want a handful of lava rocks or similar material for drainage, but they aren’t necessary if the planter already has a drainage hole.

2. Remove Plant From Current Pot

You want to move your plant from its current location as seamlessly as possible to reduce the risk of transplant shock. If possible, turn it sideways so you can gently grip the main stem and tap along the bottom of the pot until you feel the soil loosen. It should start sliding out, and if not, give it a few tugs until it does.

3. Spread Apart the Roots

Next, use your fingers to gently loosen the plant’s roots and prune off any threadlike or extra-long pieces. You’ll know the roots are rootbound if they formed themselves into a tight circle at the base of the pot. If so, carefully unwind them to provide extra room to stretch out.

4. Prepare the Pot

The steps here vary slightly based on whether you are reusing the same pot or starting fresh.

If reusing, pour out the old soil and wash it with water. It’s a good idea to disinfect it with a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water for at least ten minutes—especially if you saw signs of disease on the plant in it previously. This reduces the chance that pathogens will linger and recontaminate it.

After this point, the steps are the same. Add lava rocks or other bulky material to the bottom if there aren’t drainage holes, and pour in a layer of new potting soil into the planter, packing it down with your fingers to remove air pockets. Aim to fill it about ¾ of the way full.

5. Add the Plant

Grab the plant and place it where desired in the planter. Centered is better from a root growth standpoint, but you may prefer it off-centered if you plan to plant more than one within the same pot.

Holding the plant upright with one hand, gently add more potting mix around its base to cover the roots. Keep adding soil until it seems stable, but refrain from packing it in too tightly around the stem, as you want the roots to breathe.

6. Water Thoroughly

Help your plant feel at home again by giving it a generous drink. Water slowly and thoroughly, noting if the plant shifts in the planter, as that’s a sign of released air bubbles.

You may need to add more potting soil as it starts to settle. Ensure the planter is on a runoff tray to collect excess water and water it until you see it seeping through the bottom.

Potting and re-potting your plants is a straightforward process, but it takes careful attention to perform correctly.

Take the time to observe your plants so you can determine if and when they need a new planter and give them the best chance of a healthy life in your home.

Flower of the Week: Sunflower

When it comes to the “little suns” that bloom in summer, one has to mention sunflowers, a vibrant plant of the Compositae family. Sunflower’s large, rounded capitulum grows high at the apex of the stalk, impressing viewers with an intense visual impact.

Tall sunflowers make a great garden backdrop, and you can also plant them in the innermost part of the flowerbed. While its golden-yellow image has taken firm hold in people’s minds, you can also choose to plant wine red, reddish-brown, or chocolate-brown varieties depending on your preference.

Its seeds can be eaten or pressed for oil, making it greatly valuable in the kitchen. If you want to harvest sunflower seeds, remember to put up bird-proof nets before the seeds mature.

An Inspiration for Arts and Avant-Garde Fashion

Speaking of sunflower-related artwork, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers series is certain to come to mind. Van Gogh painted many sunflowers during his lifetime, 11 paintings of which survive today. The two most famous paintings are Vase with Twelve Sunflowers and Still Life: Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers.

Nowadays, you can see these paintings at places like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, and the National Gallery, London.

Vincent van Gogh (1888) Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers

After Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin painted Sunflowers in Tahiti in 1901. It is considered to be his tribute to his friendship with Van Gogh. In 1888, the two artists spent a meaningful period of time working and living together in Arles, France.

Paul Gauguin (1901) Sunflowers

In the late 19th century, sunflowers and lilies became hallmarks of the Aestheticist Movement popular in the British literature and art circles. Oscar Wilde, the iconic figure of the Aestheticism Movement, always had these two flowers at hand when he visited Paris or traveled to America. His home was also always decorated with sunflowers and lilies accompanied by equally ornate and iconic peacock feathers, celadon china, and various objet d’art.

Opponents of Aestheticism went so far as to use sunflowers to mock the movement. The flower has been repeatedly featured in various satirical works.

George Frederick Keller (1882) The Modern Messiah

Directional Indicator

The sunflower is also a popular plant in the famous game Minecraft. The game designers set a rule that sunflowers are always facing east, making it one of the tools players use to identify directions.

In reality, sunflowers’ discs only follow the sun’s movement across the sky in the early stages of their growth. After they mature, they remain facing east to catch the first rays of the morning sun.

Eco-friendly Sunflower

Compared to the average plant, sunflowers’ root systems can absorb more harmful substances such as lead and arsenic, as well as radioactive elements such as uranium and cesium. As a result, it is often planted for cleansing contaminated soil and water.

After the Chernobyl disaster, sunflowers were planted on rafts to slowly absorb cesium and strontium from local ponds. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the government also distributed sunflower seeds to local residents. Sunflowers not only served as a defense against radiation but also brought psychological solace.

How do I Grow Sunflower Well?

Sunflower is quite easy to care for. Simply provide it with its preferred soil, light, and moisture conditions, and you can count on the blooming of glorious beauty in the summer.

Sunflower is a tough annual plant, so it can grow in most areas. It is suitable for growing in fertile, moist, well-drained, weakly alkaline soil. It does not require much moisture and can reasonably tolerate drought. Simply wait until the soil is dry to water it.

It prefers ample sunlight and needs at least 6 hours of light per day. It can be planted in a bright and sheltered location to prevent high winds from breaking its stems.

Size: 60-300 cm (2-10 in) tall

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 2-11

Light: Full Sun

Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained, weakly alkaline

Bloom Time: Summer

How to Control Lawn Weeds

Weeds are an unsightly bane on all of those who care deeply about their lawns. This article will provide you with all the information you need to prevent and remove weeds to keep your lawn beautiful and healthy.

How do lawns get so weedy? When lawns have disturbed soil, it brings the weed seeds to the surface and then establish themselves in your lawn. The seeds can also blow in from neighboring areas, once again establishing themselves in your lawn.

Identification of Lawn Weeds

Before dealing with weeds, knowing the types of them can help us choose a more targeted solution.

1. Identify Annual Grassy Weeds

Annual grassy weeds such as crab grass reseed themselves at the end of the growing season and then die. The following spring, the seeds germinate to grow new plants.

2. Identify Broadleaf Weeds

Broadleaf weeds include weeds with leaves, such as clover and dandelions that grow in lawns with low nitrogen fertility.

3. Identify Perennial Grassy Weeds

Perennial grassy weeds go dormant in the winter along with your lawn grass and come back in the spring. They tend to spread through the roots and seeds.

All these weeds will establish themselves in lawns that have a mower blade set too low, have compacted soil, or are overwatered.

How To Remove Weeds in Your Lawn

You may need these:

Required Tools

Required Materials

Ways of Weeding

It’s recommended to remove the weeds when they are young before they spread or grow seed.

Kill broadleaf weeds by using a dial sprayer. When connected to a garden hose, a dial sprayer kills weeds over a wide area.
Kill perennial grassy weeds one at a time by using a non-selective plant killer to coat the weeds with a glove dipped in an herbicide solution.
Use pre-emergent herbicides before the weed seeds germinate and plants emerge, which will be utilized in the soil surface and move into the soil with rainfall or irrigation. This is the easiest way to keep your lawn free of weeds.
Use post-emergent herbicides to the whole lawn or directly on the unwanted actively growing weeds.

Preventing Weeds in Your Lawn

Mow your grass when it is about one-third above the standard cutting height. Keep other nearby plant areas immaculate. (Mowing every 3 to 5 days during growth periods helps keep your lawn at an appropriate height during the summer months.)
Before the weed seeds grow, mow the grass at a taller height. Once the grass grows tall and thick which shades the soil, weed seeds are not as able to sprout and grow. Before the weed seeds form, mow your lawn again.
Make sure to water deeply and infrequently. It helps your lawn grow deeper roots so it can better compete with weeds.
Feed your lawn on a regular basis. A stressed-out lawn has a higher chance of being taken over by weeds.

In this way, appropriate mowing, irrigation and fertilization habits can prevent most weed difficulties. Be sure to leave the grass clippings on the grass after mowing. This helps to provide approximately 20% of the fertilization needs of most grass types.

How to Pinch a Plant for Full Growth and High Yields

Sometimes the best way to get gorgeous blooms and control a plant’s shape is to pinch it. Learn what it means to pinch a plant and the best strategies to ensure you get bigger, better blossoms this summer.

Growing great plants takes lots of maintenance, and that often includes pinching them. Far from hurting your garden, pinching plants can encourage bloom production and promotes branching to help them achieve a better shape.

Here’s how to pinch a plant for the best results.

What Does It Mean to Pinch a Plant?

“Pinching” a plant is actually a form of pruning where you remove parts of the main stem to encourage fuller growth and a longer blooming period.

A soft pinch involves merely taking the top inch off stems, similar to deadheading.

A hard pinch, in contrast, involves removing several tiers of leaves and multiple inches from the top. In many cases, you will remove the main stem directly above its leaf nodes in order to force the plant to grow two new stems from the shoot.

Not all flowers are suitable for pinching, but species that respond well include petunia, dahlia, marigold, sweet peas, and geranium, as well as herbs like basil, tarragon, thyme, and sage.

Be careful not to pinch campanula, delphinium, dill, larkspur, and most sunflowers, as removing their main stem will stop flower production altogether.

Why Pinch Out Plants?

Pinching certain plants offers many benefits, including the following.

Leads to denser, fuller plants
May extend the harvesting time for leafy herbs by preventing them from developing flowers and going to seed
Keeps plants compact and confined to smaller growing spaces
Encourages more blooms as well as a longer blooming period
May increase the size of individual flowers

How to Pinch Out Plants

Although pinching plants is a form of pruning, it’s possible to do so with little more than your fingernails. However, garden shears can make the job easier, especially if you have multiple plants to pinch at once.

Plan to pinch early in the season so that you encourage bushing and spreading during the plant’s most vigorous growing time.

To pinch, simply put your thumb and forefinger around the new growth, squeezing with your fingernails until it comes off the plant. You want to take care to pull it off in a seamless way, so you don’t unnecessarily tear the plant and leave a large wound.

Make sure you pinch as close to the leaf nodes as possible, taking care not to hurt the pair of tiny buds forming there. Each of these leaf nodes will turn into a new stem, meaning that you’ll get two new branches for each one you pinch off.

It’s possible to pinch plants again once they have produced two or three more sets of leaves. Plan to stop pinching once you achieve your desired shape, and give the plant a generous dose of a phosphorus-based liquid fertilizer to keep the plant from getting stressed and to promote healthy flower production.

You can prolong the blooming season further by deadheading dry, withered blooms as you see them. If you want to stagger flowers throughout the summer for late-season bloomers like asters and sage, pinch back half of your plants by one-third. These pinched plants will then bloom later than the others and prolong your flower season.

It’s important to stop pinching plants by the middle of the growing season if your goal is seed production. Leave these late blooms in place so that they can successfully go to seed before the end of warm weather.

Pinch Plants for Better Blooms This Summer

Pinching plants is an easy way to maximize the beauty of your garden. Do you research about which varieties respond best to pinching, and you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous flowers for far longer than you would otherwise.

13 Best Trees for Hot Dry Summers Days

Many trees often overheat and can quickly die. Protect your garden and plants by choosing from our curated list of heat-tolerant trees. Create your ideal garden today that will stand the test of time.

Eastern white pine

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is a long-lived evergreen tree native to mixed forests of temperate zones in eastern North America. It is considered one of the tallest trees in its native area. Eastern white pine has a straight-grained lightweight wood, highly valued in construction.

American basswood

American basswood (Tilia americana) is a deciduous tree with a wide, rounded crown, very similar to its European cousin Tilia cordata. A subtle difference between the species can be found on the bark – if an orange hue is present in the valleys on the bark, then it is T. cordata.

Cider gum

The Cider gum is a hardy evergreen tree that can be grown as a sound barrier and privacy screen. Juvenile branches are often used in cut floral arrangements for their sweet aroma. These trees are easy to grow, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, and deer resistant.

Silver wattle

Silver wattle is a fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 50 feet (15 meters) tall. The leaves are blue-green to silvery grey and thinly divided, which makes them attractive all year long. The flowers of the Silver wattle are bright balls of color made up of yellow flowerheads of 13–42 individual flowers.

Black poplar

Black poplar (Populus nigra) is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree which can be naturally found in many alluvial European forests. It is a fast-growing tree, with a wide crown which is a common nesting place for different species of birds. Due to the degradation of its natural habitat, Black poplar has become an endangered species in certain areas.

Eastern red cedar

Eastern red cedar is a coniferous evergreen tree that is native to North America. The fruit of this tree, juniper berries, is an important food source for birds in the winter. The wood of the Eastern red cedar is used in fencing as it is resistant to heat and rot, and it is also used to line closets and chests since it also resists moths.

Common hackberry

Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) is a medium-sized deciduous tree, native to North America. It looks similar to elms and some other hackberry trees at first glance, but you can distinguish it by looking at the bark – if it is verrucous and has corky texture, then it is probably Common hackberry.

Red buckeye

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a flowering plant native to the midwestern and southern United States. Red buckeye is also called the firecracker plant. This plant attracts bees while its seeds are poisonous. The Red buckeye can be used to make soap.

Common juniper

Common juniper (Juniperus communis) has the largest geographical range of any woody type of plant. It grows on every inhabited continent. It is cultivated for ornamentation, essential oil, and lumber. Common juniper berries and twigs are used as a culinary flavoring, perhaps most popularly in gin. The berries can cause stomach discomfort if eaten in large quantities, however.

Cigartree

Catalpa bignonioides, commonly known as Cigartree, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to North America. This species is widely used for ornamental purposes due to its favorable growing qualities and magnificent clusters of showy flowers.

Northern red oak

Arguably the most popular hardwood in the US, lumber from Northern red oak is used for cabinets, flooring, veneers, trim, and more. When growing, the tree is large and reaches between 50 to 75 feet (15 to 23 meters) tall. The foliage on this tree is stunning, with dark green leaves in summer giving away to brilliant red in the fall.

Common ash

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is a large deciduous tree featured in Norse mythology and Scottish folklore. Common ash is native to mainland Europe. This species is susceptible to the disease Ash dieback which is caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Common ash often grows in basic soils on calcareous substrates.

Crepe myrtle

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a highly ornamental small tropical tree or shrub, often multi-stemmed. It is native to India, Southeastern Asia, and Japan, and features a characteristic vase-shaped crown and beautifully-ruffled pink blooms that can last from early summer to autumn. It is also a popular nesting shrub for small birds.

As Your Landscape Grows, Think Dynamically

As landscapes grow and evolve, it pays to create a long-term plan that takes into account mature plant sizes and seasonal maintenance.

Most people will agree that landscape and garden design is an art form, but unlike other types of artwork, a landscape is never finished.

Landscapes are continually growing, changing, and evolving. This is one of the primary reasons why it pays to take your time creating a design for your garden before you start planting — consider the mature sizes of plants and shrubs, as well as how their growth will change the garden dynamics. Even tiny, flowering ornamental plants and bulbs can grow tall and spread out far wider than you initially dreamed possible.

As your landscape grows, you must think dynamically. This means having a plan for seasonal maintenance, annual cutbacks, and a multi-year plan.

Plan Ahead

When you first design your garden, use graph paper and make a drawing to scale so that you can sketch out where everything will go.

Calculate the mature sizes of the plants you have chosen, and draw them in at the mature size. This will help you to make sure there is enough space to accommodate the plants you want.

Think about the flowering seasons and fall colors, and draw out your garden in every season. You don’t have to be a great artist, just think in colors, shapes, and sizes.

Look at where the shrubs and trees will cast shade, and plan for how that will change the garden as they grow. The more you plan in advance, the easier it will be for you to make decisions about the landscape as it grows and changes.

Shape and Manicure

In addition to designing a landscape with the mature sizes of plants in mind, you should also consider how you may want to shape shrubs and ornamental trees as the landscape matures.

As shrubs and ornamental trees grow, they can become unruly and cast shade onto understory plants, affecting their growth and flowering. Cutting them back will keep the landscape in balance and can add a beautiful overall design element.

There are many different methods for manicuring ornamental trees — from pollarding to topiary — so look at the different ways that you can mold them to fit into your aesthetic.

Shaping small trees and shrubs isn’t only practical, it adds geometry, whimsy, and stronger lines to your landscape.

Multiply, Divide, and Add

Just as a family might add an extra bedroom to their home when they have another child, you should consider expanding your garden beds over time to make room for new plants and to adjust for the growth of older, more mature ones.

Some of this expansion will happen naturally — for instance, with flowering bulbs that multiply over time. Every few years, bulbs like to be divided, which means digging them up and removing half or more of them to create space for the bulbs to thrive.

While this can be a great opportunity to share with friends and neighbors, it also means that you can increase the number of bulbs in your garden — often by expanding existing flower beds or creating new ones.

If you are running out of flower bed space, you might want to consider giving up some of your lawn to create larger planting areas that leave only pathways between planted areas.

Take the Inside Outside

When you first begin to plan your garden, look at your space and imagine how it might evolve over time.

It doesn’t matter if you are only beginning with one small corner of the yard — always think about the big picture and how it will look in one, 5, or 10 years. Over time, landscapes often grow to the extent that they begin to encroach on your outdoor living spaces.

As garden beds creep closer to porches, patios, and decks, one of the most natural progressions is to incorporate outdoor living spaces into the garden.

A simple pergola or gazebo can turn part of your landscape into an extension of your home. Flowering vines like wisteria or jasmine can provide shade in the summer, and an outdoor heater and curtains can extend the season into late fall or even early winter.

One thing about having a beautiful garden is that you want to be in it as much as possible. Creating outdoor living spaces gives you an opportunity to do that.

Outdoor kitchens, showers, sitting areas, and even small meditation spaces are all ways that you can transition some of your time spent indoors to being outside.

Don’t look at the landscape as just a decorative part of your home, but rather as an extension of your living space.

Be Open to Change

As landscapes grow, things will inevitably change. Trees may become sick and die, ornamental plants may become too aggressive and begin to take over, and extreme weather can take its toll.

Wherever you are forced to adjust to change in the garden, look at it as an opportunity.

If an area of the landscape never seems to drain properly, instead of fighting it you may choose to install a rain garden or a water feature.

If you struggle to provide enough water for your garden, it might be a good idea to install more of a drought-resistant landscape.

If an ornamental plant you installed begins to take over, remove it and replace it with something less aggressive.

If a tree or shrub is dying, take the opportunity to figure out why and replace it with a more appropriate species.

Landscapes are always changing, and the more open you are to change, the happier you will be when things don’t go as planned.

Be prepared for growth with plans for expansion, adaptation, and maintenance. But also be prepared for unfortunate weather events, pests, and plant diseases. Your landscape is a work in progress — and a great adventure.

The Hottest Plants on Social Media Right Now

Make room on your wish list! We’ve collected a list of the most talked-about plants of the season, including rare colors, striking leaves, and new trends.

There’s no doubt that the houseplant hobby has blown up in the past few years. And with this popularity comes an increased demand for the rare and the unusual. Check out some of the most coveted plants that everyone seems to be talking about on social media.

Variegated Monsteras

The iconic shape of the Monstera leaf has already taken over as the main symbol of today’s plant craze, and its appeal is only magnified by the color variations seen in the gorgeous leaves of these high-demand variants.

They sell for hundreds of dollars, sometimes even just for a single leaf cutting, with the largest plants going for thousands on auction sites.

The jaw-dropping ‘Albo Variegata’

The highest demand is currently for the Monstera Deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’, which sprouts “half moon” leaves with a solid line dividing bright green and pure white halves, and for the Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai Constellation’, which features a speckled or marbled look in its white-and-green leaves.

A large ‘Thai Constellation’ leaf

All variegated varieties are destined to be expensive and rare, not only due to demand, but because they grow more slowly than the all-green Monstera.

This is because the white portion of each leaf contains no chlorophyll, and thus barely contributes no nutrients to the growth of the plant. This makes them not only slow-growers, but also a bit more finicky and difficult to care for than the average plant.

None of this deters people from spending exorbitant amounts on this striking addition to their collections.

Plants With Fenestrated Leaves

Speaking of iconic leaves, the demand is high right now for any species with fenestrated leaves. “Fenestrations” are those holes and slits that give some tropical leaves such a distinctive shape.

For people who love that shape but aren’t crazy about the size or expense of a Monstera Deliciosa (or who don’t want to wait for the plant to grow large enough to develop those gorgeous fenestrations), the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma is quickly emerging as a popular choice.

A potted Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma

Sometimes called the “Mini Monstera” or Philodendron “Mini Ginny,” this plant is actually from an entirely different genus, although its care needs are very similar to those other, more-well-known plant types.

The leaves of this plant are both fenestrated and small, each one coming out the size of a hand or less no matter how mature this plant gets. It grows as a vine, creating gorgeous possibilities for interior design.

Trained to grow up a pole, the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma can create a vertical accent for any room with bright indirect light

Pink Philodendrons

While the Philodendron has been a mainstay in the houseplant world for generations, today’s plant lovers are craving the unique look of varieties with different color patterns on the leaves — and pink is by far the hottest color.

The Philodendron ‘Pink Princess’ has been popular since it was created in the 1970s, and variants such as the Philodendron ‘White Princess’, which grows both white and pink variegation, and the ‘Strawberry Shake’, featuring a rare quadricolor variegation with orange, pink, and yellow all possible on the same plant, are becoming one of the hottest new trends among Instagram influencers.

The leaves of the Pink Princess Philodendron show a variegation pattern against a dark, almost black leaf

Philodendrons with pink leaves became so popular in the past few years that they have even spawned fakes and scams, so beware.

The ‘Pink Congo’ is a green Philodendron dosed with ethylene, which temporarily turns the leaves fully pink. Unfortunately, these leaves will revert to green a short time after an unsuspecting customer takes one home.

Natural plant variegation typically does not involve the whole leaf (remember green means chlorophyll, which keeps a plant alive).

Moonshine Sansevieria

The snake plant has enjoyed skyrocketing popularity in interior design lately, and this easy-care plant is often a newbie’s very first purchase when entering the houseplant hobby.

This doesn’t mean, however, that experienced plant lovers look down on the plant, especially when there are so many choices in leaf color and pattern.

A pale Moonshine Sansevieria, center, in front of several other varieties of the Snake Plant

The hottest snake plant right now is the Moonshine Sansevieria. Its uniquely pale leaves, sage green in color, provide a beautiful contrast to the richer foliage of most other plants.

Raven ZZ plant

Another mainstay of the easy-care houseplant world, the ZZ plant has a hot new little sibling: Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Dowon’ the Raven ZZ.

The Raven ZZ plant’s leaves start off as electric green, then mature into a rich, deep color that contrasts starkly with the standard form of this plant.

A new twist on an old favorite is always a delight, and on social media people love showing off their new finds!

Fiddle Leaf Fig

Possibly the reigning queen of the indoor jungle, the giant leaves of this ficus tree are used to fill indoor spaces with life and rich green color.

Look closely at the indoor jungle photos posted to Instagram and Twitter, and you’ll notice that a full, majestic Fiddle Leaf Fig is often creating much of the effect of lushness and greenery in the background.

Perhaps it is their reputation for being finicky and difficult to care for that keeps them reigning supreme: Keeping one of these happy and thriving in their home may provide the ultimate proof that a “plant influencer” is truly an expert.

Flower of the Week: Poppy

Poppies bloom in sunny places, bringing a colorfully energetic boost in late spring and early summer. They do not require frequent maintenance thanks to their hardy vitality, making them ideal ornamental plants for decorating gardens, beautifying courtyards, serving as potted flower or cut flowers, etc.

Poppy is an annual herb native to Eurasia. It has strong fecundity and often grows on farms. European farmers once regarded it as a weed, but now it is considered an important ornamental flower.

There are many names for poppy, including “common poppy”, “red poppy”, “corn poppy”, “field poppy”, and more.

A black wheat field full of cornflower and poppy

The most common poppy color is a deep, gorgeous red. However, red is far from the only color. People have also cultivated white, purple, pink, and yellow flowers. Poppies can also take on patterns that include multiple colors, inner colors, spots, and so on.

A famously cultivated variety, the Shirley poppy, has many light colors, spots, or lace color patterns. These gorgeous flowers have 4 nearly-round petals, some double petals, and some semi-double petals which overlap each other to flaunt its beauty.

Place of Interest

If you wish to run in a field of poppies, you can visit the town of Bewdley Worcestershire, UK. The sea of poppy flowers here has been rated as one of the “ten most beautiful flower gardens in the world”. The Worcestershire Wildlife Foundation has set up a nature reserve here, planting a large field of poppies to signify a symbol of hope and encouragement for local plants and wildlife to return to the wild.

The best time to visit Bewdley Worcestershire is in late June every year. At that time, poppies will be in full bloom and you can enjoy the most beautiful red flower garden.

Symbolizing Hope and Death

Poppy is the national flower of Belgium. In 1753, Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, formally named and described the plant in his inaugural publication, “Species Plantarum“.

In 1873, Monet created a perspective oil painting called “Poppy Field”, which depicts a mother and her son both far away and close up on a hillside where poppies are blooming. The picture is both serene and lively. Poppy represents hope and is said to illustrate Monet’s happy moments after marriage.

Poppy Field by Claude Monet (1873)

In 1915, Canadian surgeon John Alexander McCrae wrote the famous poem, “In Flanders Fields”, to mourn the fallen soldiers in the first World War. Poppy appeared in the first chapter, implying death and mourning.

In Memory of Soldiers and Love

In 1921, a bright red poppy became the symbol of mourning war victims. Every year, November 11 is designated as a national memorial day in Britain and Canada. People wear a paper or plastic poppy chest-flower to commemorate the fallen soldiers in the first and second world wars.

In China, poppy was named after Yu Ji, the mistress of Xiang Yu, the overlord of ancient Western Chu. According to folklore, after Yu Ji committed suicide for Xiang Yu, there were red and bleeding flowers across the land. People called these flowers “poppy” to commemorate Yu Ji’s loyalty to love.

In Persian Literature, the red poppy is also closely related to love. They are often called “eternal lover flowers”, symbolizing people who die for love.

What Is an Opium Poppy?

The opium poppy is a somewhat dangerous plant from which drugs can be extracted. Both poppy and opium poppy belong to the Papaveraceae family, but they are actually two different plants.

To tell the two apart, it is helpful to know that the whole plant of the common poppy has fluffy hairs, and has a small flower diameter of about 2 inch (5-6cm). This poppy has tender, thin petals and small fruit. On the other hand, there is only sparse, hard hair on the stem of the opium poppy. The diameter of the flower is larger, ranging up to 4 inch (10 cm). Also, the petals of opium poppy are thick and glossy, and the fruit is larger.

Poppy flowers and fruits

Of the whole poppy genus, opium poppy is the only one that we can extract drugs from. Other than that, poppies are just typical, harmless, ornamental plants.

Can I Grow a Decent Poppy?

Poppy doesn’t require special care or maintenance to become a pleasant and eye-catching ornamental plant. It should be noted that there are only a few fibrous roots in poppy, so avoid transplanting as much as possible. It can thrive once it has suitable amounts of light, soil, watering, and pruning.

Poppy prefers a place with plenty of sunlight and good ventilation. The plant is hardy but struggles in the summer heat. Its soil requirements are not demanding; simply use sandy loam with good drainage and fertility. Ground-planted poppy does not need to be watered often. However, potted plants should be watered once every 3-5 days, more in spring and less in winter. Prune the branches of the flowers properly so that they can produce more and larger flowers.

Size: Up to 90 cm (35 inches)

Cold resistance: USDA cold resistance interval 3-9

Sunlight: Full sun

Soil: Well-drained and fertile sandy loam

Blooming time: Late spring to early summer

How to Care for Your Plants During a Hot Summer

Are you looking for tips on caring for your plants during the upcoming summer weather?

As the temperatures rise, it is time to get your plants ready to take on the summer heat. There are many sun-loving plants that are quite admirably adapted to the elevated temperatures and low water levels, such as succulent and cacti. However, if these plants are used to being inside, they will not be able to manage the elevated temperatures of being outside. Leafy tropical plants are very prone to heat damage and may not recover from the heat.

Although your first reaction to elevated summer temperatures is to panic and run for the water hose, slow down as it might not be the best thing for your plants. Stay tuned to learn more on how to keep your plants healthy during the summer heat.

Signs of Heat Stress in Plants

Most of the stress for plants are either from too much heat or too little water. Therefore, you want to learn to recognize the signs of heat stress, which include the following:

Thinking ahead of time can help you catch stress problems before they arise on your plants. Following are more signs of heat stress and how you can combat them:

Leaf Drop: Many times, plants and flowers drop flowers when they are heat stressed. When this happens, be sure to check the water situation. Water the plants if needed and wait for the heat to abate.
Stop flowering: There are a few plants that stop flowering during extreme heat such as peppers and tomatoes. They will simply lose their leaves, or they may not flower at all until the temperature comes down.
Bolting: Bolting occurs when a plant prematurely grows flower stalks and produces seeds, preventing the plant from bearing a robust harvest. This is also called "running to seed" or "going to seed”.
Blossom End Rot: During extreme heat, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers may present black spots on their bottoms. This is usually caused by a calcium deficiency by inconsistent soil moisture. So, the best thing to do for this problem is to water deeply and mulch well.

But be careful not to overwater your plants. Some plants wilt regardless of the amount of water in the soil. Using too much water can lead to fungal diseases. Make sure you provide enough water to maintain the best soil moisture level. If you use mulch in your flower beds, make sure you have a 3-inch layer over the root zones, which insulates them from the heat.

How to Protect Plants from Heat Stress

Use a shade cloth, and bring portable plants into shade
Water in the mornings before hot days
Water deeply (but avoid overwatering)
Remember that potted plants dry out quicker
Measure soil dryness if possible
Sprinkle your plants sparingly
Do not use fertilizer
Avoid pruning/removing damaged foliage
Do not repot your plants during a heat wave
Promote high humidity and keep your plants cool

Water is a vital requirement of all a plant’s biology. Since they are mostly water, keeping the cells hydrated is crucial to maintaining the health and growth of plants. When you water deeply, you encourage the plant to grow sturdier, larger, live longer, and deliver greater yields.