The pheasant tree, growing tips

Leycesteria formosa 'Golden Lanterns

The pheasant tree, Leycesteria formosa, is a shrub whose typical species has green foliage. The variety 'Golden Lanterns' has beautiful golden foliage and produces young copper-colored shoots. The purple-purple fruits stand out from the light foliage; Leycesteria formosa 'Golden Lanterns' is a colorful shrub!

Attention: to obtain this golden foliage, a sunny exposure is necessary. It needs at least a semi-shaded situation, with morning sun, for example. If it does not receive enough sun, the foliage will be more green-yellow.

In a more general way, the pheasant tree is a plant that appreciates the sun. However, it is advisable to preserve it from too 'burning' exposures.

Beware of the cold!

Although native to the Himalayas, the pheasant tree can be damaged by cold winter temperatures. But don't worry: the flowering will not be compromised. Since the flowers are produced on the year's wood, you only need to cut back the stems for the plant to start again from the stump, to bloom all summer long.

Pruning the pheasant tree

To obtain an aesthetic and leafy plant, it is best to prune it. Pruning encourages branching and prevents the bottom from balding. Cut back the pheasant tree every year.

Where to put the pheasant tree?

The pheasant tree can be installed in the garden, in a fresh soil, as an isolated subject or associated with other plants. It is also possible to grow it in a pot, but you will have to be careful when the temperatures drop in winter, as the roots are more exposed to frost.

Note: the pheasant tree is not a plant adapted to gardens located in the South. On the other hand, it will do well in regions where rainfall is frequent.

Bonus

The pheasant tree loses its leaves in winter, but the stems remain green, which makes it aesthetically pleasing even in winter.

Why the pheasant tree?

This shrub was introduced, on the edge of the forest, especially in Sologne, to feed the pheasants, hence its name!

The art of Japanese pruning or Niwaki

The Japanese pruning or creation of a Niwaki is an ancestral art whose foundations come essentially from the Shinto cult "The Way of the Gods", which was maintained and transmitted from the 12th century by the Zen Buddhist gardening monks, and whose primary goal is to obtain an impression of maturity in a subject.

Originally, Niwaki evokes the imprint left on the vegetation by natural elements (wind, snow, frost...) or animals (cattle, insects...).

There are big nurseries in Japan, breeding and pruning this kind of trees, and they are passed on from generation to generation.

Among the different types of Japanese pruning (compact karikomi, in the form of large bushes kokarikomi or small bushes okarikomi, linear "in plateaus" or "in tiers"...) the "in clouds" pruning is intended to give a tabular vegetation - various shapes in multiple domes - aiming at reproducing distant landscape sites.

Niwaki allows to represent hills and valleys of the countryside, to evoke clouds hanging in the depth of a forest or a tree isolated in the plumb of a cliff, this in the Japanese garden where all the elements are used to reproduce the whole natural landscape in a small space, in order to sublimate its beauty.

Japanese pruning is for all varieties of trees (except the most slender ones such as candle cypress or poplar) and shrubs, whether deciduous or evergreen, and for all subjects, from the smallest raised in a pot - for those who would not be lucky enough to have a garden - to the one raised in the ground.

The edgeworthia, a shrub with an original branch that blooms in winter

The Edgeworthia: an original plant

The Edgeworthia (Edgeworthia chrysantha or Paper Bush) has a very particular, rather rare habit: each branch branches out into three branches. And when the plant is adult, it forms a perfect globe, very graphic.

During the month of January, the Edgeworthia opens its flowers which exhale a delicious perfume, like the other members of the Daphne family, to which it belongs.

The varieties of Edgeworthia

There are several varieties of Edgeworthia, including :

• Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold', yellow blooming ;
• Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Akebono' or 'Red Dragon', with a red-orange bloom, a softer habit, and less graphic than 'Nanjing Gold' or the type.

Edgeworthia growing conditions

Soil

Edgeworthia are a bit demanding as to the nature of the soil that can accommodate them. They are plants that do not tolerate excess of water, nor big episodes of drought. They should therefore be planted in good garden soil and a good organic mulch (RCW, straw, lawn clippings) should be used to keep the plant cool at the foot of the plant and to encourage soil life.

Exposure

In regions with hot summers, choose a semi-shaded exposure (sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon).

In regions located further north (Brittany, Normandy, Hauts de France), it can be exposed to full sun.

Hardiness

The Edgeworthia resists to - 10°C.

Maintenance of Edgeworthia

It is very easy to maintain the Edgeworthia. Pruning is not necessary. It is a shrub that, once planted (with a contribution of compost) and well developed, will produce shoots from the base that should not be removed: this is the means of survival of the plant. After a few years, the main stem dies. The stems that appear at the base then take over.

Bonus: Edgeworthia have no known pests.

Multiplication of Edgeworthia

The propagation of Edgeworthia is quite complex. Professionals use an in vitro method under sterile conditions.

Tip: install the Edgeworthia near a place of passage to take advantage of the winter flowering.

The single-flowered Japanese cortea

Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea': large, single flowers for the Japanese cornice

The pompom flowers of the Japanese headstock 'Pleniflora', a shrub of good size (3 meters high) and very suckering, are widely known in the gardens. But today, Patrick NICOLAS presents us a variety with simple and rather large flowers, which is called the single-flowered Japanese crested: Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea'.

This variety is less tall and a little wider than Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora', since its adult size is between 1,50 m and 2 m. With a relatively light branching, less dense, allowing light to pass through, it has the advantage of allowing the planting of perennials around its foot.

Another important advantage is that Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea' is a shrub that is certainly slightly suckering, but much less so than the Japanese cortea 'Pleniflora'.

The single flowered Japanese cortea: a shrub for the 4 seasons

Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea' blooms in spring, with a late summer/early autumn repeat. Its foliage is deciduous, but its wood remains green, even in winter. Also, it remains very aesthetic regardless of the season.

Where to plant the Japanese cortea 'Golden Guinea'?

Soil: Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea' is content with normal garden soil, which does not dry out too much during the summer.

Each year, bring compost to stimulate the growth of the branches and the blooming.

Exposure: preferably sunny but not hot, or, possibly, a very bright light shade.

Even if Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea' can bear drought when it is temporary, avoid dry places in the garden.

Care of Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea

A simple grooming pruning is enough for the Japanese cortea. It is limited to the removal, at the end of winter, of the small branches that dry out each year. New stems will grow from the base.

Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea' is a cold-resistant shrub. However, if the tips of the stems turn brown due to very cold temperatures, it will be sufficient to prune them in the spring.

To know more 

There are also other species of Japanese cortea.

• Kerria japonica, the typical botanical species, with smaller single flowers;
• Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora', with pompon flowers;
• Kerria japonica 'Alba', with cream-colored flowers.

Pruning of shrubs

Some shrubs need pruning but why, when and how to prune?

Why prune ?

Pruning allows you to put your shrubs back in shape and to limit the space occupied by them. In small gardens, it is sometimes necessary to be able to control the expansion of its plantations.

Pruning increases the branching of shrubs by causing new branches to appear under the cut and often improves flowering.

When should we prune?

Shrubs should be pruned at the end of winter, in February or March after heavy frosts, except for winter or spring flowering shrubs for which we will wait until the end of flowering. It would be a shame not to take advantage of them, especially since they have been chosen for their flowers.

For example, for spring or winter flowering shrubs, we can mention the laurel, the forsythia, the flowering currant, the Japanese quince, the Japanese cortea, the spring spirea...

Other shrubs do not need pruning or even would not tolerate it like the rhododendron, the azalea, the magnolia, the camellia or the skimmia. You can however remove the faded flowers.

How to prune?

For maintenance pruning, we distinguish evergreen shrubs from deciduous shrubs.

For deciduous shrubs such as hydrangea, lilac or seringat :

• Remove dead or diseased branches and frost-burned branches.
• Cut back unsightly branches
• Cut off wilted flowers to prevent unnecessary fruit production
• Cut the oldest branches at 5 cm from the ground to aerate your shrub and allow light to penetrate inside
• Do a rejuvenation pruning

You can do a rejuvenation pruning every 3 or 4 years by cutting them back severely.

For evergreen shrubs such as laurel, cedar or yew:

• Remove dead or diseased branches and frost-burned branches.
• Cut back unsightly branches
• Prune for shape

Pruning summer flowering shrubs

Summer flowering shrubs illuminate the garden with their bright colors throughout the summer and sometimes until the first frost. To take full advantage of their beauty, a few pruning steps must be taken.

The right time to prune

The majority of summer flowering shrubs have the particularity of flowering on the year's branches. Pruning at the end of winter will be beneficial because it encourages branching and the emission of new shoots that will then flower abundantly in summer. To make this possible, pruning should not be too late as it would compromise or delay flowering. The best time to prune these shrubs is in February or March, outside of the frost period, before vegetation starts to grow again on deciduous species.

How to prune summer flowering shrubs?

Protect yourself with gloves and use pruning shears and a lopper if the shrubs have branches with a larger diameter.

Training pruning

On young and newly planted shrubs, a so-called "training" pruning may be necessary. It stimulates the growth of the plant while giving it a harmonious shape. It consists in reducing the stems by half by pruning above an outward facing eye or to put in place the carpenter branches. Indeed, keeping a low framework on certain shrubs will allow to make a maintenance pruning much lighter in order to keep the volume of the plant. A common trunk will then carry 5 to 6 carpenters which will each divide into 2 or 3 branches. Young baguenaudier, deciduous ceanothus, Hydrangea paniculata or arborescens, Spanish broom or summer tamarisk are concerned by this pruning.

Maintenance pruning

This is the most frequent pruning which allows to stimulate the departure of new flower-bearing shoots. It consists of removing all dead, diseased or damaged branches at the base of the shrub and also clearing the center of the shrub in order to bring in a maximum of light. The shrub is then aerated, the light rays penetrate in its center and a good air circulation is maintained. Pests and diseases will be less frequent on a pruned shrub.

To finish your maintenance pruning, cut the ends of the branches for a few centimeters always above a bud turned towards the outside, in order to give an aesthetic shape to the shrub and to stimulate the growth of new shoots which will bloom as soon as the summer. At the same time, cut off the branches that flowered the previous year. This pruning can be done on most summer flowering shrubs such as Buddleia, ceanothea, hibiscus, perovskia, summer spirea, caryopteris, lavatera or altheas.

Rejuvenation pruning

This is done on aging shrubs that bloom less and less or on very weak subjects that are still growing despite optimal care.

This pruning consists in cutting the stems at 20 or 30 cm from the ground. Caryopteris, rustic fuschia, Leycesteria, Lespedeza, shrub sage, but also Perovskia can be pruned this way.