Sun Exposure: What The Label Really Means

The Manatee County Master Gardener Newsletter June 2013 ‐ Volume 12 – Issue 6 Sun Exposure:
What the Label
Really Means
By Amy Stripe, Master Gardener
When you read plant care instructions on the little
label in the pot at the nursery or big box store, do
you really know what they mean?
Take sun exposure, for example. Aren’t “partial
shade” and “partial sun” saying the same thing?
Doesn’t “full sun” mean sun all day long? How
can “filtered light” also be “bright”?
indicates more shade than sun, possibly only 2 to 4
hours of sun per day. The same guidelines apply to
dappled sun or dappled shade except that
“dappled” means the sun or shade hits the
plant in patches, as in under a tree canopy, for
example.
Another common term is filtered sun. This means
that no direct sun hits the plant, but is shielded by
another object to reduce the glare of the sun. A
good example of this is a window plant when the
sun is filtered through a curtain. Thus it can be
“bright, filtered light” if the curtain is a sheer or
lightweight fabric.
Shade does not mean no sun; rather, it means
minimal sun, less than two hours or so per day.
There are no consistent definitions about specifics
of these terms (even university sources do not
agree) but there is consistency about the
differences between them. So partial sun and
partial shade are NOT the same thing.
Here are some acceptable guidelines:
Full sun generally means 6 to 8 hours of direct
sun per day. However, this exposure does not have
to be continuous. It could mean 4 hours in the
morning and then 4 hours later in the afternoon.
One note of caution: full sun plants may need
regular water under warmer conditions.
With partial sun the point is that the plant gets
more sun than shade, maybe between 4 to 6
hours of sun per day, whereas partial shade
“I have never had so many good ideas day after day as when I worked in the garden.” ~ John Erskine
Manatee County Agriculture and Extension Service
1303 17th Street West - Palmetto, FL 34221
Telephone: (941) 722-4524
http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu
Master Gardeners Amy Stripe & Joy Derksen, Co-editors
Contents reviewed & edited by Lisa Hickey, Extension Agent.
Send a photo or gardening problem via e-mail to the Master Gardeners
at [email protected] or visit them at the County Extension Office
Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed on Wednesday.
What’s This?
by Amy L. Stripe, Master Gardener 2008
Soon after moving to a new neighborhood, I spotted a beautiful large tree in a
neighbor’s yard with large seed pods attached on top of, rather than hanging
down from, its branches. This fruit persisted on the tree for months, from
summer to the following spring. It was so unique-looking that it didn’t take me
long to find out what it was: Swietenia mahagoni, or West Indies mahogany.
A native of South Florida and the Caribbean, this mahogany species makes a
magnificent showcase tree, with a broad, dense canopy of dainty, pinnately
compound leaves that provide dappled shade, allowing grass or other plants to
grow underneath. In another startling development, this semi-evergreen tree
will turn reddish brown in the spring and shed the entire canopy virtually
overnight. The fruit splits open, dispensing winged seeds. Within days, it will
put on new growth of yellow-green leaves.
Mahogany is a fast grower and most specimens get to 40 feet or so, with a
spread of 30 to 40 feet. Keep this in mind if you are considering one for your
yard. Plant it well away from driveways, sidewalks and foundations, as roots
will cause damage.
Cold sensitive, mahogany is rated for zones 10B and 11 (essentially, the coastal
areas of our county), but it is drought tolerant (although will do better with
regular watering) and salt-air tolerant. It is highly wind-resistant if properly
trained. This means maintaining a central leader trunk with major branches
spaced several feet apart. It can grow in almost any kind of soil and a variety of
light conditions.
Prized for its dense, durable wood in the manufacture of furniture and
cabinetry, mahogany trees were harvested to virtual extinction in central
Florida. In fact, S. mahagoni is on the “threatened” species list of the
Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act, meaning it is in rapid decline.
Widespread poaching of mahogany trees in the wild has made large specimens
extremely rare.
Today, most mahogany wood comes from the taller Honduras mahogany (S.
macrophylla). All Swietenia genera are protected under CITES (the U.N.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora).
Considering a magnificent mahogany of your own? Native plant nurseries in
your area might be your best bet at sourcing one. For more information on
mahogany, visit http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st608.
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Firebush Confusion
By Norma Kisida, Master Gardener 2012
One of the first shrubs I fell in love with when I moved to
this area and researched native landscape shrubs was
firebush. I purchased several from a plant nursery that
specializes in native plants and was not disappointed. This
shrub has beautiful leaves, tubular bright orange-red
blossoms and is a real magnet for birds, bees, and
butterflies including our state butterfly, the Zebra
Longwing. The small dark purple berries provide food for
many seed-eating birds. It is hardy in Zones 9-11 although
it may die back in freezes; it quickly recovers in the spring.
In looking to purchase additional plants at other garden
centers I became very confused. Was there really a dwarf
variety? Were other cultivars native and why do we care if
it has the same attributes? What were all these other names
– Mexican Firebush, African Firebush, Hummingbird
Bush, Scarlet Bush? How do I tell the difference?
Hamelia patens var. patens is the native shrub and occurs
in Central and South Florida, the Florida Keys, the West
Indies, Mexico and into South America. It is a member of
the Rubiaceae or coffee family. It is distinguished by the
orange-red flowers and hairy leaf texture. The petioles
and young stems also have a reddish color. The native
firebush is usually 5-8 feet tall but can reach heights of 1015 feet or more if left unpruned. It produces a mounded
shape and more flowers in full sun but will tolerate shade
and have a more open leggy shape. It is easy to grow and
is drought tolerant.
The common non-native form, Hamelia patens var.
glabra (glabra means “without hairs”) has more yellowishorange flowers and a smooth leaf texture. This plant
originated in Central America and Mexico but was brought
here from South Africa and thus is often sold as Hamelia
patens ‘Africa’ and often mistakenly sold as a native. It is
also known as Hamelia patens ‘Dwarf’ or ‘Compacta.’
Don’t be fooled by the dwarf name. Although it may be
smaller than the native firebush it can still exceed 8 feet or
more unless pruned. Hamelia patens ‘Firefly’ is a cultivar
of the Florida native and is similar to the native but the
form is more compact and the leaves and flowers are much
smaller. This cultivar is reported to mature at 3-5 feet.
Confused yet? Another species that has become popular is
Hamelia cuprea, which may be sold as “Bahama Firebush”
(aka Golden Bells), although it is not native to the
Bahamas but to Jamaica, Cuba, and the Caymen Islands
and is actually a small tree. To complicate issues more, the
native firebush (Hamelia patens) hybridizes with Hamelia
cuprea, producing flowers that are intermediate between
the two species.
One concern about the non-native species is that they may
escape into natural areas in Florida and become
problematic by displacing native plants. Another concern
is that the non-native Hamelia patens var. ‘glabra’ seeds
readily and may change the gene pool of our native
firebush through hybridization as the non-native becomes
more popular. My lesson from all this is to be careful and
know the origin or cultivar of what I buy as well as the
growth habit which may not be as “dwarf” as it sounds.
Now, should I go ”lick” my firebushes to see which ones
are hairy, as one blogger reportedly did, or get out my
magnifying glass?
“Hamelia Mess”
http://www.floridanativenurseries.org/info/plants/thehamelia-mess/
“Firefly Firebush”
http://baker.ifas.ufl.edu/Horticulture/FirebushFirefly.html
“Fired up Natives and Near-Natives”
http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu/News%20columns/Firebush.
htm.
3
Great Plant Picks for Florida FNGLA’s 2013 Florida Garden Select Plants by Amy Stripe, Master Gardener 2008 Every year, the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association® (FNGLA) adds six or more plants based
on their appeal, marketability and, importantly, suitability to Florida’s range of climate conditions, to their
Florida Garden Select Plant list. The 2013 picks are shown below (all photos courtesy of FNGLA):
Center Stripe Agave (Agave iopantha, cv. ‘Splendida’) Low maintenance succulent, cold hardy for zones 7
through 10, spreads via underground rhizomes, 1
foot tall, 18” to 24” wide, flower spike in late spring
or early summer will reach 12 feet tall. Native of
South Texas and Mexico, prefers well-drained soil,
needs little water once established.
Giant Elephant Ear (Alocasia x portidora) Tropical‐looking specimen plant, cold hardy for zones 7b through 10, fast grower, 8 feet tall by wide, can be grown in large pot, full sun. Yellow Trumpet / Tabebuia Tree (Handroanthus umbellatus) Tropical flowering tree, ideal for patios, lawns or as
specimen, cold hardy for zones 8b through 11, 15
feet tall, up to 40 foot spread, blooms in late spring,
thrives in dry weather, distinctive silvery foliage &
bark.
Wendy’s Wish Salvia (Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’) Perennial herbaceous plant, cold hardy for zones
8a through 11, magenta blooms spring through
fall, 3 to 4 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide, proceeds from the sale of this plant are donated to the
Make-A-Wish®Foundation Australia.
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Orange Marmalade Crossandra (Crossandra infundibliformis cv. ‘Orange Marmalade’) Bridal Bouquet (Plumeria pudica) Perennial shrub or tree, may be grown in
containers, cold hardy for zones 9b through 11,
grows rapidly, 11 feet tall, 8 feet wide, flowers
have no fragrance, blooms about 6 months of
the year. Somewhat drought tolerant.
Perennial border or container plant, cold hardy
for zones 9 through 11, blooms in all warm
months of the year, 1 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet
wide, protect from frosts and freezes, full sun to
partial shade.
Loss of a Leader
Dwarf Fakahatchee Grass (Tripsacum floridanum) On April 5, 2013, the University of Florida
Extension Program in Manatee County mourned
the passing of Robert William “Bob” Egolf, a
longtime Master Gardener, Master Naturalist,
and dedicated member, as well as past president,
of the Florida Native Plant Society. Bob’s
memory was celebrated on April 13 with a
display of photos at Brown’s Funeral Home in
Bradenton that was later shown at the FNPS
annual meeting in Jacksonville, and at the local
Serenoa Chapter meeting in Sarasota. He was 71
years old and a Master Gardener since 2002. He
will be missed and condolences are extended to
his survivors.
Perennial low maintenance grass, provides a
good ground covering or mass planting, cold
hardy for zones 8 through 11, 2 to 3 feet high
and wide, prefers damp soils, sun to part sun
locations, native of South Florida. Also called
Florida gamagrass.
5
Flying Jaws, Chiggers & Chizzywinks
Betty Ann Price , Master Gardener 2012
As the dog days of summer settle upon us, so
do annoying warm weather pests. They
arrive by land, sea, and air to challenge our
summer activities. In this segment, we
examine a few varieties of common nuisance
pests, some of which carry a wicked bite in a
miniscule package.
minimize their penetration into a screened
lanai.
Biting Midges
(aka Flying Jaws, No-see’ums)
Biting midges (Culicoides) have earned a
variety of monikers: no-see’ums, punkies,
sand flies, five-O’s, pinyon gnats, moose
flies and flying jaws. They are active during
early morning and evenings, and during the
daytime on cloudy days when winds are
calm. These tiny pests can readily penetrate
standard mesh screens to bite humans. They
are particularly attracted to persons laboring
outdoors.
Typically, flying jaw bites are immediately
irritating, painful, and may cause longlasting painful lesions for some people. Like
mosquitoes, adult female no-see’ums require
blood to develop their eggs; males do not
bite.
Biting midge adults are less than 1/16 inch
long. In Florida, biting midge larvae can be
found in mangroves or estuarine areas with
sandy beaches year-round with the period of
greatest adult activity during June, July, and
August. Eventually, the larvae enter the pupa
stage on floating debris or at the water’s
edge where they remain until emerging as
adults.
Adult activity is associated with lack of air
movement. Subsequently, feeding activity is
reduced in the presence of a breeze or high
velocity fan. Smaller size screen mesh can
No-see’um (Culicoides)
Photo credit: Ed T. Schmidtmann, USDA/ARS
Chiggers (aka Red Bugs)
Chigger bites are caused by the larvae of
mites belonging to the family Trombiculidae.
While some mites (e.g., scabies) burrow
under the skin of the host, chigger larvae
suck fluids directly from the skin surface of
the host animal. Chiggers attach themselves
to the skin, hair follicles, or pores by
inserting their piercing mouthparts. They
specifically feed on partially digested skin
cells and lymph broken down by their saliva.
Chiggers are most often found in low, damp
areas with vegetation overgrowth and wild
animals. Chiggers seem to be most abundant
in areas covered with shrubs and small trees
where rodents are numerous. However,
chiggers may persist in home lawns.
Chiggers are easily removed from the skin
by taking a hot bath or shower and lathering
with soap several times. The bath will kill
both attached chiggers and others that are not
attached. If you are going into areas
suspected of being infested with chiggers,
wear protective clothing. Repellents should
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be applied to the legs, ankles, cuffs, waist,
and sleeves of clothing or directly to the
body as directed by the label.
Chigger infestations may be eliminated
through habitat reduction. Frequent mowing
of lawns and clearing shrubbery and weeds
removes the protective cover that chiggers
need to survive. To locate infested areas,
place a piece of black cardboard edgewise on
the ground. If chiggers are present, they will
climb to the top and congregate there. They
will appear as tiny yellow or pink dots
moving across the dark cardboard
background.
emerge from ponds in large numbers,
primarily in the warm summer months.
Extraordinary numbers of midges negatively
impact quality of life for residents, as the
adult midges can be inhaled or fly into the
mouth, eyes, or ears. Dead midges have a
smell similar to rotting fish as they decay.
During hot summer days, midges fly to cool
shady places. At night they are attracted to
lights around houses and businesses. When
large numbers are present, they stain paint,
stucco and other wall finishes. Automobiles
become soiled, and headlights and
windshields get covered with dead midges.
The bodies, when mashed on painted
surfaces, cause permanent staining. Also,
blind mosquitoes will fly indoors as doors
are opened and closed. Problems indoors
such as ruining laundry and staining indoor
walls, ceilings, draperies, and other
furnishings cause severe annoyance for
residents.
Integrated pest management for blind mosquitos
includes algae control in ponds, stocking ponds
with insectivore fish, using illumination traps,
and insect growth regulators (IGR).
Chigger (Trombiculidae)
Uncredited photo IFAS publication
Aquatic Midge (aka Blind
Mosquito, Chizzywink)
Freshwater aquatic midges are mosquito-like
Diptera. Blind mosquitoes are one of the
most abundant organisms in natural and
man-made water systems. In Florida, the
larvae are abundant in small and large
natural lakes, waste water channels, sewage
oxidation and settling ponds, and residentialrecreational lakes.
Aquatic Midge (Chironomid)
Credit: James Castner, University of Florida
Adult midges do not bite or suck blood.
Adult midges become a problem when they
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June
Calendar
of Events
Date
Time
Event
2nd & 4th Saturday Ask a Master Gardener – Rocky Bluff Library – 6750 US Highway 301 N., Ellenton. Visit the Extension
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Master Gardener information table and get answers to your gardening questions. Ask a Master Gardener – South Manatee Library – 6081 26th Street West, Bradenton. Visit the Extension nd
2 Saturday 10:00 a.m.‐1:00 p.m. Master Gardener information table and get answers to your gardening questions. Lingering Lawn Maintenance Tasks ‐ What upkeep is required for different grass types that grow in our Florida environment? Learn the different turf grass types (touch and feel examples), weed management, June 8 9:30 a.m.‐11:30 a.m. general diseases and pest problems, and the maintenance required for a healthy Florida lawn. Is that even possible and how much time do I need? Presented by Lisa Hickey, Extension Agent. Register online at http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu or call the Master Gardeners at (941) 722‐4524. Florida‐Friendly Landscaping™ Combo – Compost and Rain Barrel Workshop ‐ Learn how to turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into useful soil amendments with details on how to set up home compost bins. Leave with a bin to start creating your own compost. Fee for compost bin. Learn how to install, June 15 9:00 a.m.‐Noon paint, and maintain a functional rain barrel. Bring your truck or car with a large trunk and leave with your own rain barrel. Start conserving today! Fee for rain barrel. Presented by Michelle Atkinson, Florida‐
Friendly Landscaping™ Coordinator. Register online at http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu or call the Master Gardeners at (941) 722‐4524. Hypertufa What? Make a Fun Garden Project! ‐ Make your own garden containers, fake rocks, stepping stones and decorative garden accents. This lightweight artificial stone is easy to make and has many uses. 9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Take home the items you create in class along with the recipe to make hypertufa at home. Presented by June 22 11:00 a.m.‐12:30 p.m. Master Gardener Beth Komyati. This class fills up fast. Advance payment of $10 for materials due June 14 and guarantees your spot in class. Check or cash only, make checks payable to Friends of Extension. Register online at http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu or call the Master Gardeners at (941) 722‐4524. Backyard Rain Gardens ‐ Building a rain garden in your backyard is easy! By following a few simple guidelines, rain gardens can easily be installed on your residential lot. By building a rain garden, you can divert your gutter water into an attractive planting bed that works like a sponge and natural filter to clean June 26 10:00 a.m.‐Noon the water and let it percolate slowly into the surrounding soil. Presented by Michelle Atkinson, Florida‐
Friendly LandscapingTM Coordinator. Register online at http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu or call the Master Gardeners at (941) 722‐4524. Agriculture and Extension Service ‐ Manatee County Community Services Department Located at 1303 17th St. W., Palmetto, FL 34221 Telephone: (941) 722‐4524 Web site: http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu E‐mail: [email protected]
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non‐discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations. Correction: in the April 2013 issue of The Master Gardening Bench, we failed to include Geoffrey Todd, Master Gardener 2012, as an author on “Houseplants: Nature’s Clean Air Machines.” Sorry, Geoffrey, and thanks for your contribution! – The Eds.