The tree officially known as Liriodendron tulipifera is a tree, of course, but the tulip-shaped blossoms are a delight to those that come across them.  Since the tree can be very large, reaching well over 100 feet in ideal conditions, the blossoms that one sees up close are often those that were broken in a spring thunderstorm and found on the ground.  Such accidents allow us to appreciate the details of the beautiful flowers, including the orange markings inside them.

Common names for this tree include "tuliptree" and "tulip-poplar" and even "yellow-poplar".  This is not a true poplar tree (Populus), so the common names can be a bit confusing to some.  It is a fast growing tree in my area, usually growing straight and tall as an arrow.  Despite it's fast growth, the wood is strong.  I wish more nurseries would sell this tree to homeowners looking for fast growing shade trees. The natural range for this tree in Georgia is widespread throughout the state, from top to bottom and even out to the maritime counties.

It is a member of the Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae) and close examination of the buds and flowers reveal the resemblance.  There are only two individuals in the genus - our native one and one in China. Liriodendron tulipifera is considered the tallest hardwood in the eastern US, and the native range spans from Florida and Texas in the south all the way into southern New England and Canada and west to Iowa.

The tree is beneficial to wildlife in several ways.  The flowers are rich in nectar and so are an excellent food source for its pollinators, including hummingbirds.  It is the larval host plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) and others.  In the fall, mature trees produce abundant papery seeds that are eaten by cardinals, other birds and squirrels.






Next time you're looking for a fast growing shade tree, consider Liriodendron tulipifera.

Reference: USDA Forest Service publication

Azaleas in the springtime are every bit as familiar as our beloved native Dogwood (Cornus florida).  But the azaleas that most people buy, plant, and see in other gardens are azaleas from Asia.  Those azaleas have evergreen leaves and come in a wide range of colors.  Native azaleas, which used to be known as "wild honeysuckle", are every bit as beautiful but not as well known.

Georgia's native azaleas are members of the Rhododendron genus and are deciduous shrubs (they drop their leaves in the winter).  Georgia has an abundance of them naturally - twelve different species make their home here.  Some of them are delightfully fragrant - hence the common name of "wild honeysuckle".  Many of them are white but they also come in shades of pink, yellow, orange and red.  When different species are near each other, they can hybridize naturally and create new colors.  In my area there is both the fragrant Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens) and the colorful Oconee azalea (Rhododendron flammeum).  The Piedmont azalea lends its fragrance to the mix while the Oconee brings color.  In the pictures below, the flower on the left is likely a hybrid of Piedmont and Oconee while the flower on the right is pure Oconee - but that is just my personal guess!

In my personal collection I also have a spectacular red azalea - the late blooming Plumleaf azalea.  This azalea is normally found in the area around Callaway Gardens; in fact it is the symbol of Callaway Gardens as it was one of the reasons to preserve the area.  It blooms in late June and into July. 

Nurserymen have used the plumleaf azalea to hybridize with a number of other late blooming azaleas - in particular the swamp white azalea Rhododendron viscosum.  Last year I bought one of these hybrids and it is a beautiful plant that blooms in late May through June.  It is called 'Millenium' and has the color of the plumleaf with a slight fragrance of the swamp.  In addition the foliage is bluish-green which pairs nicely with the blooms.

Many other hybrids are in the trade and native azaleas are being more regularly stocked by mainstream nurseries - even stores like Home Depot.  But you can find a really good selection of them at the spring plant sale held by the Georgia Native Plant Society on Saturday, April 14, 2012 in Marietta, GA.

Bloodroot is the common name for Sanguinaria canadensis, a spring wildflower that is native to Georgia and much of the eastern United States.  In Georgia it is native to much of the state, from the northern most counties, down in the Piedmont region and even in  the upper region of the Coastal Plain. The common name springs from the watery red liquid that oozes from any cuts on the rhizome (the root portion).  Although I've never cut one on purpose, I have accidentally cut one with a shovel and seen it for myself.

Of course we mostly see the flowers, not the rhizome - the pure white petals braving the early spring winds and cool temperatures.  A favorite aspect of them is the way the single leaf wraps around the flower stem, as if to protect it from the elements.  The flower only lasts a few days and then the petals will drop and the seeds will mature.  The leaf can last for several months depending on the moisture and temperature conditions.  Some people feel that the leaves make an attractive groundcover.  Eventually the plant will go dormant so it is good to mark where they are so that you don't plant over them.

Bloodroot was voted by the members of the Georgia Native Plant Society as their 2012 Plant of the Year.  You can read more about the plant on their website.  It is certainly a very versatile and attractive plant, worthy of more inclusion in our gardens, especially in gardens that are integrated in woodland areas. You can find bloodroot for sale at the annual plant sale held by the Georgia Native Plant Society.  This year it will be Saturday, April 14th from 10 am to 2 pm in Marietta, GA.  More details here.