Plant This, Not That:
Autumn Edition
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Not every plant that looks great is actually great for your landscape. Some turn out to be invasive. Others fall victim to disease or insect damage, and some just aren't tough enough to thrive in Central Illinois long term. When that happens, we look for a plant that gives you the features you're looking for without the downside.
Here's our shortlist of plants we've been hearing about this fall, and what to plant instead.
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Burning Bush
For eight months out of the year, burning bush is a big green shrub that draws very little attention to itself. Then October arrives and it turns such a bright scarlet that people slow down to look while driving past. Some of them even stop by to ask what they saw, and whether we can sell them one.
The answer is yes, but there's a catch.
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Even though you'd barely notice the flowers, burning bush sets a lot of seed, and it gets spread around by birds. If you've ever hiked the Illinois River Bluff Trail in Peoria you might have spotted it in the forest, although its fall color is less eye-catching in the shade.
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To mitigate this issue, we offering Fireball, a sterile burning bush developed at North Carolina State University, where it was evaluated for ten years before release. You get the same big shrub and fantastic fall color, without any escapee plants.
Beyond Burning Bush
If you're not specifically set on burning bush, there are plenty more options for spectacular shrubs.
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Top images: Viburnum plicatum, flowering in spring and showing off in fall
Bottom images: Aronia in fall, with ornamental berries, and flowering in spring
Viburnums offer a kaleidoscope of color: reds, burgundies, oranges and yellows. Like burning bush, they tend to be on the larger size, great for privacy and bigger landscapes. But unlike burning bush, they also feature spring flowers, and in some cases, ornamental fruit.
If you want seasonal color in a smaller shrub, opt for aronia. It's a native that stays compact, with a shower of little white flowers in spring.
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Maiden grass with better manners
Maiden grass is popular for its stature and its showy plumes, but it also has a tendency to stray via seedlings. To address this issue, we've been stocking sterile varieties like My Fair Maiden, Scout (pictured below) and Morning Sun. We’re also growing the yellow-striped and sterile High Voltage, which will be available next year.
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Beautiful Trees, Better Alternatives 🌲
There are two trees that we stopped growing years ago, though people still ask. The first is ornamental pear, another invasive plant, so much so that the state of Missouri has offered a bounty to get these trees cut down. It’s also prone to fireblight, a bacterial disease that turns the branches black and often kills the tree. People loved it for its white spring flowers and good fall color. For a similar look, we recommend Spring flurry serviceberry, which is both an Illinois native and a Hoerr Nursery Tried & True tree.
The other tree we've discontinued that we get a lot of questions about is the Colorado blue spruce. It suffers from needle cast, a fungal disease that kills the tree from the bottom up. We’ve trialed a number of alternatives over the years, with some turning out to be more genetically vulnerable than we'd hoped.
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If you mostly want a large evergreen, Norway spruce (pictured left) is a great option, and it's another Hoerr Nursery Tried & True tree. If it really has to be blue, concolor fir gets you the look without the same vulnerability. We’re sold out on concolors for the season because they’re a little tough to track down, but we expect more in spring. We’re also trialing some promising new varieties in the field. We'll keep you posted!
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Trees and shrubs are a long-term investment, and we go the extra mile to make sure we find the best options for Central Illinois. That's why we put so much effort into choosing the right plants to offer, and why we back the trees, shrubs and perennials that we sell with our one-year warranty. We'd rather steer you toward a plant that will thrive than make a quick sale.
If you're not sure what kind of plant might suit the space you have, bring us a photo of the spot, along with the approximate dimensions of the plant you're looking for, and we'll help you decide on the best options.
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Hoerr Nursery Workshops:
Bring the Season Home
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At Hoerr Nursery, we believe that the best decor is nature's own art. Leaves, seedheads and flowers are all sources of inspiration. This fall we’re hosting a series of workshops that offer ways to display this seasonal beauty, from pressed-flower pumpkins to a new grapevine wreath project. These are relaxed, hands-on opportunities to gather your friends for some quality time.
Take a look below for our lineup. We hope to see you soon!
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Pressed Flower Pumpkin
- Saturday, October 24th, 10am ($35)
- Cost: $35, all materials included
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The first session was a lot of fun, and we're offering one more! You'll choose a Hoerr homegrown pumpkin and decorate it with real pressed leaves and flowers using decoupage, which is the craft of sealing flat materials under a clear finish. Our designers will guide you through it, and you’ll go home with a one-of-a-kind pumpkin that shows off the colors of the season.
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Kids' Mini Pumpkin House
- Saturday, October 24th, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Cost: free
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If you missed our drop-in kids' pumpkin craft last Saturday, you've got one more chance to join in! Kids (and any interested adults) can make a Mini Pumpkin House, complete with a little garden made of dried plant material. We're offering the craft for free from 11am-2pm on October 24th, all materials included.
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Kokedama Houseplants: Grow Without a Pot
Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m.
$40, all materials included
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Want a new way to display your favorite houseplants? Try kokedama.
This Japanese planting style involves growing a houseplant in a ball of soil and moss—no pot required. Display your finished kokedama on a dish, set it in a decorative bowl, or hang it up like a living ornament. They're easy to care for, as long as you know how.
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New! Winter Woodland Grapevine Wreath
Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m.
$45, all materials included
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Join us to customize a grapevine wreath featuring natural textures like acorns, antlers, and birch bark bows, and take home a beautiful decoration for the fall and winter season.
Single crafters and groups are both welcome, and all supplies are included.
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Come make something with us this fall. We’ll supply the materials and the know-how, and you bring the friends, the kids, or just yourself. Details and sign-up are at hoerrnursery.com/workshops.
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