Distylium

[Manalto]

Yesterday I went for a ride to Murray's Nursery in Moss Point, Mississippi to pick up a fifth sweet olive (Osmanthus fragrans) so now those in the four corners of the yard have an anchor in the center. If you've never experienced the fragrance of sweet olive and are able to grow one, I urge you to do so; they're scrumptious.  A classic companion to camellia, their tiny blossoms fill the air with clean, elegant perfume.  More than once I overheard visitors to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond (where I used to work) comment on the fragrance of the (scentless) camellias when they were really enjoying osmanthus. But I digress...

I inquired about a low evergreen border shrub at Murray's and they introduced me to distylium.  Not every plant in the garden can be the star of the show - in fact, if you try to do that, you might wind up with a competitive, jumbled mess. We need quieter plants for background, borders and to tie our focal points together. Distylium fits the bill quite nicely for me in that regard with its graceful horizontal branching. I got a few 'Cinnamon Girl' to border the walkway of a new bed and a 'Vintage Jade' for the foundation planting. (Photos to come when there's daylight, although they're little and don't look like much yet.) I'm looking forward to the deep red flowers of this witch-hazel relative. Not sure if it's fragrant, but I suspect not since I've seen no mention in the sources I've checked. Rated for hardiness zones 7-9 and said to be adaptable to a variety of conditions, to my eye it's a handsome accompaniment to palms. I've got my new Livistona chinensis sandwiched between a big old camellia and the new 'Vintage Jade', both of them with deep green foliage and boy does the fresh green of the livistona pop! I'd love to hear about your experience with this plant.

Edited December 25, 2020 by Manalto
spelling

[Manalto]

'Vintage Jade' - the contrast with it and the Chinese Fan is apparent when they're both in the same light. Old camellia behind.

'Cinnamon Girl' in the new bed

As I said, still small and no show-stoppers, that's for sure, but choices for front-of the border low evergreens for shade are meager in this zone and as much as I appreciate perennials, in the winter they're hibernating. Naturalized Sabal minor and more camellias in the background. Clothesline is here inflicting its visual assault.

Would it be suitably Christmassy if these had their red blooms? Well, maybe next year.

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by Manalto

[Tracy]

On 12/24/2020 at 4:28 PM, Manalto said:

Not every plant in the garden can be the star of the show - in fact, if you try to do that, you might wind up with a competitive, jumbled mess.

I guess I don't agree with that.  I always bring things into the garden because I want them to be the "star of the show" when your eye land on them, or when they push out a spectacular bloom, when they are flushing, or their leaves have some interesting texture or color.  I want a garden that isn't monochrome, that demands you look up, but are also wowed when you look down or next to a rock.

 

On 12/25/2020 at 8:44 AM, Manalto said:

Would it be suitably Christmassy if these had their red blooms? Well, maybe next year.

It appears that you are even disagreeing with yourself, looking forward to the eye being drawn downward to their blooms next Christmas.  Rather than settling for the pine needles as your lower color and texture palette, you have settled on a green texture below which occasionally will add their red blooms.  So just maybe we are saying the same thing but looking at it from slightly different perspectives.

[Manalto]

Our problem is semantic. When I say "star of the show" or "focal point" I don't mean "interest." I'm referring to those specimens that visually demand your attention by virtue of their size, form, color and/or texture. Although it contributes some interest, the lowly distylium, even in full bloom, would not in my mind function as a focal point, nor would the pinestraw mulch (newly applied; its copper color will soon fade). It's just mulch, here tasked with keeping weeds at bay when I go away for a month or two.

I think all gardeners like to have something going on throughout the seasons, so any gratifying planting won't be static. At this house, I've been trying to plan so that there is visual calm around those more dramatic plants: 'August Beauty' gardenia with a dark podocarpus hedge backdrop, a Dr. Seussy weeping yaupon surrounded by sedate pittosporum and boxwood, and a big, fluffy Cycas debaoensis (fingers crossed for its survival) underplanted by distylium, for example. My "rule" is to avoid placing showy, attention-getting plants together to avoid losing the impact of one through competition with the other.  I just find this arrangement more soothing. This is a general policy I'm following here; I don't mean to suggest that it should be applied universally. When I was in South Florida, entrance gardens with a riot of lush, tropical foliage and flowers were more my style. Another thing to consider is the speed at which these plantings will be viewed. We have the ability to entertain people where they linger. Patio plantings might call for more intricacy (and fragrance) than front foundations glanced from a car going by at 40 MPH.

I agree with what you're saying about creating visual interest at multiple levels. To do otherwise would ignore the mobility of our necks and eyeballs.

And, thank you for commenting on my sleepy distylium post.  I was curious what others thought of the plant but it didn't generate much interest. Maybe it's still too new on the market - or maybe it's just not that interesting!

[Chester B]

I've seen it around here at a couple of nurseries in small quantities, but don't ever recall see it planted out yet.  

And there is nothing wrong with "filler" plants or ones that don't scream "Look at me!".  If they were all like that it would be tiring to look at.

[Manalto]

Thank you for articulating this better than me. A good example is podocarpus. It's most definitely a background plant in my yard, but I love the texture and general appearance of the plant.

[Chester B]

1 hour ago, Manalto said:

Thank you for articulating this better than me. A good example is podocarpus. It's most definitely a background plant in my yard, but I love the texture and general appearance of the plant.

I want a couple of those, you just don't see them around here at all.  One of the nurseries carries decent sized ones, but there is no space left in my yard.

[Swolte]

Let me yank this back on topic!! Thanks for posting about the dystylium!! I decided to try the vintage jade 2 years ago and it has certainly lived up to its reputation of being the next boxwood. I mean that in the most positive sense. I planted it in a somewhat sheltered, partly-shaded location in an unirrigated part of the garden (it still receives some full blistering afternoon sun in summer while I am impatiently waiting for live oak canopy to grow). So, I am talking basic neglect (no fertilizer) in central Texas with poor soil here. I didn't even take care of it much the first year I planted it (wasn't a 'priority' plant and it always looked ok). If you look at the pic I just took, it is still green and I can tell you it is looking a bit better every growing season (very slowly though but I guess I could have taken better care of it...).  I can't wait for it to fill up! So yeah, my verdict is very positive. There are few plants that survive these condition and let alone still retain a decent green (and trust me, I try a lot of plants...).  I have high hopes it will form one of those tough evergreen backbone plants.

Agreed we don't want our gardens to remind us of the Walmart... 
:p
 

On 12/29/2020 at 3:02 AM, Manalto said:

Another thing to consider is the speed at which these plantings will be viewed. We have the ability to entertain people where they linger.

That's a great point, thanks. I should definitely consider this more when planting. Another related point to consider is blooming or fruiting time. Sometimes plants that are background can become focal points during early spring (e.g., redbuds) whereas others may take over that role in the summer (e.g., crepe myrtles). I am slowly trying to make the garden look more interesting during winter as it is often such a pleasant time to be outside in these parts. The distylium actually fulfills that role with some of its bright green leaves (the pic doesn't really do it justice)!

Edited January 3, 2021 by Swolte

[Manalto]

Thanks for posting  this, Steven. I see you have your plants labeled; I'm jealous of your organizational skills.

Filling the calendar with something always going on (AKA interest) in the garden has always been a goal of mine. I've gotten a little lazy here on the Gulf Coast because plants seem to accommodate that requirement naturally here (mostly camellias) but I should really up my game. I needed the reminder.

It's good to know that distylium holds up in adverse conditions; we can get extended droughts here. Has it bloomed for you?

[Swolte]

I use g-tasks on the calendar which works great to keep me organized. Mine hasn't bloomed yet but maybe it will this year. I believe they may bloom around February. Since they do so well I should really look into some new varieties of Distylium!
*adds to calendar*

[Chester B]

I have a few more winter flowering evergreen plants for you.  I'm not sure how available they are in the east or even if they will do well, but these are a few we grow out here.

Grevillea species - lots of different choices and they flower all winter providing food for our hummingbirds.  I currently grow the one called "Neil Bell".  Very unusual and exotic looking - from Australia.

Azara microphylla - Box leaf azara - comes in regular green and variegated

Daphne odora - I grow a variegated form

Sarcococca hookeriana - Himalayan sweet box - good for shady spots

[Manalto]

I have the sarcococca (var. Humilis, I think;  the short one) which I took divisions from and transplanted from Connecticut where it very rarely bloomed, only when the winter was mild.

 Daphne odora is a wonderful plant. One of the best fragrances, in my opinion. I doubt however that will tolerate our hot humid summers.

 I'll check the others out. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Nj Palms]

You may also want to try some hardy citrus.  'Thomasville Citrangequat'  and Citrus reticulata 'Changsha' have edible and ornamental fruit. There are many more hybrids you can choose from down there. Here in 7a there's only a few worth a try and they are barely edible.

[Manalto]

I love citrus. They've got everything: handsome foliage, fragrant blooms and (sometimes) delicious, showy fruit. I have a Satsuma 'Owari' I bought from my local mom & pop hardware store (there are still a few around). The owner advised me that 'Owari' does the best here. This was the first year it bloomed and it did so profusely. I cut off the flowers to allow it to put its energy into growth rather than fruit production. I'm a little confused about C. reticulata and C. unshiu.

Thomasville Citrangequat is worth a try. I have a 'Fukushu' kumquat, had a 'Meiwa' which perished, and a Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon' which I'm going to propagate for a security hedge. 

I think I may be rambling. This thread was about distylium!