Wine Spritzer™ Beautyberry is the Toast of the Town

With its distinctive variegation, landscapers are clinking wine glasses over this beautiful new shrub. 

Wine Spritzer™ Beautyberry is the spectacular new variegated beautyberry with dazzling leaves that are heavily speckled and splashed with green and cream on wine-colored stems.  Beautyberry has rough or coarse leaves and rough stems similar to its close relative Lantana, also in the Verbena Family. In the case of Wine Spritzer™ the large leaves are almost white with green speckles and are the ornamental feature of this new introduction. The leaves look like they have been heavily painted or “spritzed” and in autumn the cream and green leaves turn yellow and green.

Slender branches arch gracefully on this Asian beauty and in summer tiny, pollen-laden, pink to pale-lavender flowers appear in the axils of the opposite leaves, appealing to butterflies and bees. Wine Spritzer™ is not a prolific bloomer or fruit setter. The foliage carries the full burden of beauty and interest, and it does it very well indeed. When berries do appear, they persist as a late-season fruiting food source for birds after other berries are gone. Mature berries are not damaged by frost.  

This moderate to vigorous growing shrub matures at 5-6 feet tall with a slightly larger spread. Wine Spritzer™ is cold hardy to USDA Zones 5-8, since the species is more cold tolerant than species native to the southeastern U.S. WineSpritzer™ Beautyberry prefers well-drained soil, and color is terrific in sun to partial shade.

Use Wine Spritzer™ by Garden Debut(R) as a specimen in the landscape for the outstanding variegated leaves, also perfect for mass plantings or screens. Multiple plants in close proximity will boost berry production. Shrub size can be controlled with yearly pruning in late winter; The Manuel of Woody Landscape Plants recommends cutting beautyberry to the ground before growth begins to take full advantage of vigorous leaves on new growth.

An interesting but little-known fact about beautyberry; modern research by Ag Research Services of the U.S.D.A. has substantiated the “old mouse’s tale” that rubbing beautyberry leaves on human skin or on animals is an effective repellent against mosquitoes and ticks.  

For more information on Wine Spritzer™ Callicarpa and other superior plant introductions from GardenDebut® brought to gardeners by Greenleaf Nursery Company, visit www.greenleafnursery.com.     

Statistics Chart for Wine Spritzer(TM) Beautyberry PPAF, Callicarpa dichotoma 'Shija Murasaki'. 

Plant Category:	Coarse textured, deciduous shrub
Mature Height:	4-5 feet;  if cut to the ground each winter (to promote  large leaves on new growth), then shrub may not reach full height
Mature Spread:	4-5 feet
Mature Form:	Rounded
Branches:	Rough, but does not carry spines or thorns
Growth Rate:	Vigorous
Sun Exposure:	Versatile; direct sun to partial shade Full sun (recommended) will bring out the strongest color, but light shade will help with drought resistance
Soil Type:	Sand, loam, clay; very adaptable
Soil Moisture:	Well-drained soils, dry to average, drought resistant once established
Flowers:	Pink or light lavender in leaf axils; attracts bees and butterflies
Native:	Native to China
Foliage:	Papery thin
Fruit:	This variegated cultivar fruits sparsely; increase fruit production by planting multiple plants together
Fall Color:	Variegation stays true until leaves drop
Landscape Uses:	Wine Spritzer is a tough plant that tolerates heat, humidity, deer, rabbits and slopes; use as specimen or accent plant, border, in front of the foundation planting, container, massing, screening, and striking when planted next to pastel flowers or yellow- or silvery- blue foliage plants to contrast with the burgundy foliage.
Root system :	Vigorous once established, with a moderate salinity tolerance
pH Level:	6.0 – 7.5 neutral to slightly acid soils
Climate Zones:	6-9 (winter lows  -10 degrees F.)
Heredity:	Japan, cultivar introduced by Southern Plant Group, Atlanta, GA

Garden Debut® great new plants!

Fragrant, Long-blooming, Asian Moon Butterfly Bush is Sterile

Doesn't set seeds, so flowers keep on blooming Spring-through-Fall for butterflies and hummingbirds. 

Looking for a way to invite butterflies and hummingbirds into the garden? Fragrant yet tough Asian Moon Butterfly Bush is a classic summer-flowering shrub (sometimes called summer lilac) that begins flowering in June and continues in profusion through late fall. Tiny, bright lavender tubular flowers have orange throughs and are clustered on upright panicles that are held out like candles all over the shrub. 

The flowers are very attractive to butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other nectar drinkers, outcompeting most native plants, and are a keystone of the butterfly garden. Long, narrow leaves (6 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide) are finely toothed along the edges and gray-green above, with silver undersides; the shrub is coarse in texture overall.  

Originator Jon Lindstrom of the University of Arkansas is a member of the Garden Debut(R) consortium of breeders, growers, retailers and marketers. His Asian Moon Buddleia is a large, symmetrical shrub that can reach 7 feet, but is easily cut back to maintain size and promote reblooming on new wood. Asian Moon's special advantage is its sterile flowers that do not set seed, a great alternative for U.S. gardeners in parts of the U.S. that have prohibited fertile Buddlieas. The sterile flowers have a prolonged bloom period compared to fertile varieties, a gardening bonus! 

Like the rest of its tribe, Asian Moon Buddleia is a fast growing deciduous shrub that will require some pruning each spring to keep it fresh.It is best kept within bounds by coppicing or cutting to the ground in late winter, while in late July cutting the shrub back by half will control size and encourage heavy reblooming. Also like other members of the genus, Asian Moon is nearly indestructible, adaptable to gardens from Boston to Florida (USDA Zones 5-9). Consider Asian Moon Butterfly Bush as an easy-care selection that provides plenty of garden color and fragrance in full sun.  

Useful in the landscape for summer bloom and to attract butterflies, used in masses, not as a specimen, can be treated as a herbaceous perennial to give height in the mixed border, or underplanted with low perennials. 

For more information on Asian Moon Butterfly Bush and other superior plant introductions from GardenDebut® brought to gardeners by Greenleaf Nursery Company, visit www.greenleafnursery.com.  

                   

Statistics Chart for Asian Moon Butterfly Bush, Buddleia davidii cv. Asian Moon.

Plant Category:	Deciduous woody shrub
Mature Height:	Reaches 7 feet, can be cut back to 3 feet in mid-summer or to the ground in late-winter
Mature Spread:	Symmetrical shrub about 6 feet wide
Mature Form:	Upright, with upright panicles like candles covering the shrub
Stems:	Squarish stems, bark light gray- brown with orange streaks, exfoliates slightly with vertical shreds
Growth Rate:	Rapid
Sun Exposure:	Full sun is recommended, will tolerate a little light shade
Soil Type:	Clay, silt, sand; very adaptable
Soil Moisture:	Adaptable, semi-arid to moist; will withstand dry soils once established
Flowers:	Tiny, individual purple or orchid tubular flowers with orange throats clustered on upright panicles, attractive to nectar feeders, very fragrant
Native:	Native to China
Foliage:	Coarse texture, narrow leaves about 6 inches long x 1 ½ inches wide, opposite arrangement along an angled stem
Foliage Color:	Dark green above, silvery glaucous beneath
Fall Color:	Negligible
Bark:	Light brown and brittle, with orange streaks
Tolerant:	Tolerant of deer and drought
pH Level:	5.5 – 7, very adaptable
Climate Zones:	U.S.D.A. Zones 5-10 , (winter lows  -10 to 0 degrees F.) Can sometimes die back to ground in colder climates, and resprout, reaching 7 feet in one season.
Heredity:	U.S., Dr. Jon Linstrom, University of Arkansas

 Garden Debut® great new plants!

Fire Master™ Black Gum PPAF thrives anywhere it’s planted

The perfect choice for a slow-growing native shade tree that is master of the autumn countryside, an ideal solution to landscape challenge areas and recommended as a long-lived commemorative tree.

Fire Master(TM) Black Gum is an easy care native shade tree introduced by Garden Debut(R) in late 2010 with exceptional coloration. In the wild, Black Gum (also known as Tupelo) grows across the entire eastern half of North America, but at low densities of 1 to 3 percent in native forests. Nyssa is one of the few species that is both fire resistant and shade tolerant, and both young and old trees show excellent growth even under dense shade, indicated by the species name, sylvatica, meaning woods. 


Landscape architects note that Black Gum grows in conditions that range from flooding to drought, and can grow on almost any type of soil or site, from swamps, floodplains and bottomlands to xeric sites, uplands and dry ridges. Nyssa is slow-growing which may explain its great longevity, being the longest-lived hardwood in the Eastern U.S. with a mininum age topping 650 years. 

With a pedigree like that, Fire Master(TM) Black Gum PPAF is the first choice for a slow-growing shade tree for any type of difficult landscape situation. And what's more, it adds show-stopping color to the canopy with new spring growth ranging from soft, dusty pink to red and lime, then maturing to shiny, dark green summer leaves. In fall, the foliage turns many shades of yellow, orange and reaches a firey climax of brilliant, Chinese-lacquer red on high-gloss leaves. Even the petioles and veins are red. 


This slow-growing, pyramidal tree matures at a height around 50 - 60 feet tall and spreading to about 25 feet wide after 40 - 50 years, a great size for many urban yards, ideal in scale, without towering over one- and two- story homes. 


For added horticultural interest, Fire Master(TM) Black Gum sports small, greenish white blossoms in spring, the source of nectar and pollen for Tupelo honey, followed by 1/2 inch ong purple-black fruits that resemble tiny prune plums with a waxy bloom. These are quickly eaten by birds and wildlife when they ripen in September (before other wild native fruits are ready), yet do not stain driveways nor decks. Its bark matures to medium gray and resembles textured alligator hide. Fire Master(TM) Black Gum is relatively immune to insects and diseases. 


Landscape uses for Fire Master(TM) Black Gum include: specimen use adding color, form and texture; as a shade tree; commemorative tree; planted at the sunny edge of woodlands; planted in the dense shade of trees or buildings; or selected for landscape problem areas such as wet, sticky soils or dry, parched ridges. Reduced maintenance required by this native cultivar syncs with faster contemporary lifestyles and the demand for lowered maintenance. Fire Master(TM) Black Gum was selected for resistance to insects and diseases, as well as for improved hardiness and general ease of transplanting and growth. 


The best color is produced in full sun, but Fire Master(TM) Black Gum also tolerates dense shade and will grow on a broad variety of soil types, so it solves many "problem areas" in landscape design. And because Fire Master(TM) Black Gum is so long-lived, it is the ideal dedication or legacy tree planted to commemorate happy occasions. Its versatility makes it an ideal commemorative tree to plant to recognize milestones in life.  


Keep newly planted trees moist for the season after planting while the roots grow into the native soil, and add an organic mulch to maintain soil moisture levels. After becoming established, Fire Master(TM) Black Gum has carefree watering needs. 

For more information on Fire Master™ Black Gum and other superior plant introductions from Garden Debut® brought to gardeners by Greenleaf Nursery Company. 

Statistics Chart for Fire Master™ Black Gum, Nyssa sylvatica 'PRP1' PPAF

Plant Category:	Native deciduous tree
Mature Height:	Reaches 50-60 feet in 40-50 years
Mature Spread:	25 feet wide
Mature Form:	Broadly pyramidal
Branching:	Strong
Growth Rate:	Naturally slow-growing variety
Sun Exposure:	Full sun to dense shade, and all the permutations between
Soil Type:	Sand, loam, clay, red brickyard clays of the southeast U.S. very adaptable
Soil Moisture:	Thrives anywhere, from floodplains, bottom lands to dry ridges and west-facing rocky slopes
Fruit:	½ inch, oval, purple drupes, resembles prune plums in miniature, with waxy bloom
Native:	Native to Eastern North America
Foliage Color:	Red new growth in spring; rich, shiny green summer foliage; brilliant colors climaxing in fiery Chinese-lacquer red fall color, red veins, red petioles
Foliage Shape:	Ovoid
Fall Color:	Fiery, Chinese- lacquer red fall color
Bark:	Tight grey bark
Root system :	Vigorous once established, with admirable tolerance for any soil moisture type
pH Level:	4 – 8, very adaptable
Climate Zones:	4 – 9, (winter lows  of -20 to -30 degrees F. to +10 degrees F.)
Heredity:	U.S.

When performance counts, use Garden Debut® introductions!

Insights About Tough and Beautiful New Garnet Fire Loropetalum

New to the trade, retailers and landscapers are fired with enthusiasm about this tough and beautiful red-leaved shrub. 

Named for the brilliant deep red gemstone, Garnet Fire(TM) Loropetalum is an ideally-sized evergreen shrub due to its outstanding, shiny, dark burgundy foliage. Colorful deep maroon-red leaves persist throughout the year in zones 7-11, and add a blaze of color to the winter landscape. 

Known as Chinese Fringe Flower, hundreds of garnet-red, tassel-like flowers with narrow, fringe-like petals envelop the plant in late winter through spring. Individual flowers persist for weeks thus keeping the plant in bloom for months and beginning with sporadic flowering the previous fall. Honey bees appreciate the early pollen source and the flowers attract butterflies. Other common names for the genus Loropetalum include Chinese Loropetalum, Fringebush and Chinese Witch Hazel. Garnet Fire™ is a seedling selection of Loropetalum chinense 'Zuzhou Fuschia' originated by Ted Stephens who is a member of the Garden Debut(R) consortium of breeders, growers, retailers and marketers.  

The multi-faceted, luminous shrub reaches a useful 4-5 feet in height and tolerates direct sun to part shade for versatile landscape placement. Use Garnet Fire (TM) as a specimen or accent plant, in the border, in front of the foundation plantings, as a container plant, for massing or as a screen. It is striking when planted next to pastel flowers, or beside yellow- or silvery- blue foliage that emphasize the burgundy foliage. Garnet Fire (TM) Loropetalum is a a tough plant that tolerates heat, humidity, deer, rabbits and slopes. 

Traditionally, garnets were popular as a talisman and protective stone believed to light up the night and protect their bearers from harm. Like its namesake, Garnet Fire(TM) Loropetalum lights up the garden and protects the landscape from the monotony of too many green shrubs. Anyone who loves what is pure, natural and having the deep color of garnets will be fired with enthusiasm for Garnet Fire(TM) Loropetalum. 

Statistics Chart for Garnet Fire™ Loropetalum, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum  ‘Garnet Fire’ PPAF

Plant Category:	finely textured, broad leaf evergreen shrub
Mature Height:	5-7 feet, or easily kept smaller with judicious pruning
Mature Spread:	4-6 feet
Mature Form:	Rounded oval
Branching:	Branches arranged in layers
Growth Rate:	Moderate
Sun Exposure:	Versatile, direct sun to partial shade; Full sun (recommended) will bring out the stongest color, but light shade will help with drought resistance
Soil Type:	Sand, loam, clay; very adaptable
Soil Moisture:	Well-drained soils, dry to average, drought resistant once established
Flowers:	Garnet-red tassel flowers with fringe-like petals
Native origin:	Native to China and Japan
Foliage:	Evergreen shrub with dark maroon-red, burgundy leaves year round; beautiful, deep, rich maroon red coloring all year long
Fruit:	Inconspicuous black fruit in summer
Fall Color:	Leaves remain that gorgeous dark burgundy throughout fall and year-round.
Landscape Uses:	Garnet Fire(TM) Loropetalum is a tough plant that tolerates heat, humidity, deer, rabbits and slopes; use as specimen or accent plant, border, in front of the foundation planting, container, massing, screening, and striking when planted next to pastel flowers or yellow- or silvery- blue foliage plants to contrast with the burgundy foliage.
Root system :	Vigorous once established
pH Level:	6.0 – 7.5  Garnet Fire™ does not appear to be very pH sensitive
Climate Zones:	7 – 11, versatile and adds evergreen color across much of the U.S.
Heredity:	Ted Stephens, Nurseries Caroliniana in North Augusta, South Carolina

Garden Debut® great new plants

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Dwarf Giokumo Cryptomeria Provides Year-Round Interest

Beautiful dwarf conifer provides elegant backdrop in summer and anchors the winter landscape. 

Giokumo Cryptomeria is an easy care evergreen dwarf Cryptomeria japonica selection with year-round interest introduced by Garden Debut(R) in late 2011. This compact, densely pyramidal Japanese Cedar has a vigorous growth rate. Early growth rate. Early growth in the first 3-4 years is mounding and spreading, but it matures at a height between 8-10 feet tall and about 6-8 feet wide after 20-30 years. For added interest, Giokumo sports persistent, cinnamon-colored decorative female cones about 3/4 inch long. 

This pyramidal dwarf conifer has a stout trunk and is graceful in habit in exposed areas of U.S. D.A Zones 6-9 (-10 degrees to 0 degrees F.), Giokumo exhibits a coppery or bronzy winter color, particularly if exposed to wind. 

Giokumo Cryptomeria has beautiful, deep green coloration and 3/8 inch long, spirally-arranged awl shaped needles that curve inward. Numerous flexible branchlets are green and thickly covered with these short, spiraling needles, creating a thick, dense habit. Branchlets are eventually deciduous, typically lasting 3-4 years. 

This genus is native to Japan and China although it is classified in the Taxodiacead with the bald cypress and redwoods of North America. Landscape uses for Giokumo include: specimen use adding color, form, texture, winter interest, adds height to a mixed border, use on seacoasts, as a privacy screen or backdrop for perennial or rose gardens or contrasting seasonal shrubs, planted in small groves and/or planted at the sunny edge of woodlands. Best in full sun, it will tolerate light shade in a location sheltered from high winds. Achieve maximum growth on rich, deep, permeable, average to slightly acidic, well-drained soils with abundant moisture, although Giokumo will grow on a broad variety of soil types. Keep newly planted trees moist throughout the season after planting, while the roots grow into the native soil and add an organic mulch to maintain soil moisture levels.  After becoming established, Giokumo Cryptomeria has average watering needs. 

The beauty of the dwarf conifer is its versatility in the modern landscape. Giokumo is ideal in scale and provides horticultural interest for today’s gardens Reduced maintenance required by this dwarf cultivar syncs with faster contemporary lifestyles. Giokumo has great resistance to insects and diseases, as well as improved hardiness and general ease of growth.

Statistics Chart for Giokumo Cryptomeria, Cryptomeria japonica cv. Giokumo

Plant Category:	Native deciduous tree, conifer
Mature Height:	Reaches 8 – 10 feet in 10 years
Mature Spread:	5 - 10 feet
Mature Form:	Broadly pyramidal
Branching:	Dense with green branchlets, covered with short, spiraling awl-shaped needles
Growth Rate:	Naturally dwarf variety, vigorous growth to predetermined max
Sun Exposure:	Full sun (recommended), will tolerate light shade
Soil Type:	Prefers rich, deep, well-drained soils with a good moisture supply; adaptable and will tolerate red brickyard clays of the southeast U.S.
Soil Moisture:	Best on moist, well-drained soils, use organic mulch and supply regular moisture during the first season while new plantings are getting established
Cones:	Conspicuous, small, brown, ½ inch male and female cones that persist
Native:	Native to China and Japan
Foliage:	Evergreen conifer with 4-angled, awl-shaped, 3/8 inch needles arranged in a spiral on flexible branchlets. Overall, the foliage is dense and has been described as “meaty”
Foliage Color:	Beautiful, deep, rich green coloring all year long, with a coppery or bronzy winter color in exposed areas
Fall Color:	Leaves turn copper or bronze color in winter, particularly if exposed to strong wind
Bark:	Beautiful cinnamon-colored bark is thin and peels in narrow vertical strips
Root system :	Vigorous once established, with a moderate salinity tolerance
pH Level:	5 – 8, very adaptable
Climate Zones:	6a – 9, (winter lows  -10 to 0 degrees F.)
Heredity:	U.S.

Garden Debut® great new plants!