Category: Trees
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Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’
This pink flowered version of the Asian dogwood will slowly grow into a small deciduous tree to 4metres or so with flat tiers of branches on top of which sit the soft pink starry flowers in early summer. the Asian species don’t get the nasty Anthrachnose disease that attracts the North American forms and so
Stephen Ryan
Chionanthus retusa
You rarely see the Chinese fringe tree (or its American counterpart) planted in gardens and it is due to the fact that their are quite difficult to propagate so are rarely offered or asked for! This is a true shame as it is a hardy and stunning late spring flowering small tree ideal for a
Stephen Ryan
Azara Microphylla
This hardy small upright evergreen Chilean tree is a must in the garden with its light upright habit, its tiny gross green leaves and its incredible perfume. I have several around my garden as they make great quick screening plants that don’t grow too wide and I get to appreciate the scent from all over
Stephen Ryan
Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’
I love Dogwoods and in fact hold the national collection for ‘Plant Trust’ so they must be good! This salmon pink form of the Chinese dogwood is a stunning form with flat branches showing off the bracted flowers to perfection in the late spring after the early nonsense is over. It also has lovely berries in
Stephen Ryan
Araucaria angustifolia
This amazing evergreen conifer is native to Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and is rarely offered in Australia. It is commonly called the Candelabra Tree or Parana Pine.It will grow quite quickly in an open sunny site and you only have to look at the picture I have included of the tree planted in the Melbourne
Stephen Ryan
Cydonia sinensis
The Chinese Quince that was until recently called Pseudocydonia has to be one of the best small trees you could have! It has attractive deep pink flowers in mid spring followed by large oblong yellow fruit in summer that is by the way edible, then the foliage turns stunning colours in autumn and as if that wasn’t
Stephen Ryan
Wigandia caracasana
This amazing small tree has huge leaves that will entertain in more ways than one! they are bold to look at and can sting a bit like a weak stinging nettle, great to fool the unweary.In early summer it produces large clusters of deep mauve flowers to add to its exotic look. It is a
Stephen Ryan
Chionanthus retusus
This small genus is usually represented in horticulture by the American species C. virginicus and the Chinese one that is the topic of this blog. However both are worth growing and for sale at the moment in 15cm. pots for $28.50. Both are large deciduous shrubs or small trees that can reach 4 to 5 metres and
Stephen Ryan
Disanthus cercidifolius
Of all the autumn colouring plants I have grown this would have to be one of my favourites, albeit quite a prima donna. It requires a cool aspect and a moist acidic soil to do well which probably means you need to live at Mt. Macedon or a similar climate to even grow it. But
Stephen Ryan
Acer griseum
This has to be one of the most desirable small trees for its bark and autumnal colour so why don’t we see it more? The answer could be that seedling raised plants take two years to germinate and the seed has about one percent viability! It is also only recently that a compatible understock has
Stephen Ryan