Bibb master gardeners offer gardening advice

Bibb County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers are trained in horticulture by the University of Georgia. Below, they have answered two recent gardening questions for Macon and Central Georgia. 

Q: I like boxwoods; however, I’ve heard they have problems. What could I use instead? 

Boxwoods are understandably popular in southern gardens. They provide green all year and can be pruned into formal hedges or hide unattractive foundations. However, they can suffer from many diseases and pests in the humid heat and clay soils of middle Georgia. 

Fortunately, there are alternatives that are worth considering. Dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’) is native to the southeast and reaches 3-5 feet tall and 3-6 feet wide. Soft touch holly (Ilex crenata ‘Soft Touch’) gets 2-3 feet tall and wide. Inkberry (Ilex glabra) reaches 5-8 feet tall and wide and prefers moist soil conditions. It has a looser texture more like English boxwoods, but it does not tolerate drought.

If evergreen is what you are looking for, but you are open to different shapes and textures, another alternative to consider is ‘Vintage Jade’ distylium. This would be a good option for partly shady areas. These plants grow 3-4 feet high and 4-5 feet wide. While it does not have the delicate texture of boxwoods, it is a great alternative to add interest to your landscape design. For more information, search for UGA’s online publication: ‘Think Outside the Boxwood: Alternative Plants for Gardens and Landscapes.’

Answered by Laurie F.

Q: Why does my flower look so strange?

While a misshaped flower could be cause for alarm, the ones in these pictures are not anything to be worried about. Instead, these flowers are displaying what is known as fasciation. This is a physiological disorder resulting from abnormal activity in the growing tip of the plant. It may be caused by genetic mutation, viral or bacterial infection, or damage to the plant from frost, insects, or chemicals, even mechanical injury, such as hoeing or forking around the plant’s roots. 

Fasciation usually presents itself on a single stem, with the rest of the flowers looking completely normal. Most commonly, one will see flattened stems, shoots that are composed of fused shoots, or, as in this case, flattened, elongated, or misshapen flowers. Ring fasciation, or “hen and chicks,” is when a ring of flowerheads is produced around a normal, central flower. Some plants are more susceptible to fasciation, such as delphiniums, euphorbias, forsythia, foxgloves, lilies, primulas and Veronicastrum. Believe it or not, some fasciated plants are grown specifically for their oddly shaped forms! Certain varieties of ferns and cacti are particularly prized, with names like “Monstrosa” and “Tortulosa.”

The bottom line is that this is nothing to worry about and likely will not reappear next year. It has little effect on the health of the plant, and you do not need to take any special action. Enjoy the oddity in your garden this summer!

Answered by Anne T.

Please send your gardening questions to bibb.extension@uga.edu or call us at 478-310-5350.