Digging In: Evergreen trees and shrubs to plant now for year-round life in the landscape

Now that the holidays have passed and we all could stand to shed a few pounds, what better way to get active than tackling some yard work?

Winter is a great time to plant trees and shrubs, giving them a few months to develop strong root systems before the warm growing season. The bones of our landscaping should be apparent at this time of year as well.  

Maybe there are some dead plants that need to be removed. Yews, sky pencil holly, boxwoods, Italian cypresses and other ornamental evergreens in our area can be hit hard with phytophthora root rot and spider mites in summer. If these shrubs are brown and crunchy, and have not recovered by now, consider replacing them. 

If you are ready to break the mold and try some less-common evergreens that do well in our area, here's a good assortment. Several produce attractive flowers and berries for added visual interest. Many of these plants also work well in “problem areas” like low, wet spots or full shade.

Southern Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera): A smaller tree that grows 10 or more feet tall, wax myrtle can be pruned up into a multitrunked form and used as a border or screen. It is very easy to grow and prefers part sun to full sun. The leaves have a spicy, pleasant smell when crushed. Wax myrtle likes wetter soils and would do well in a low area. The dwarf wax myrtle, M. pumila, grows to a height of about 4 feet and can make a nice hedge. It can be hard to find wax myrtle at local nurseries but they do grow widely in our area naturally.

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis):

Mostly evergreen in our area, buttonbush flowers in the summer with blossoms that look like 2-inch-round pincushions or atoms. All pollinators love these flowers. Buttonbush grows to be 6 to 8 feet tall and makes a great focal point in a landscape bed. It likes soils that are moist to well-drained and sun to part sun. If it becomes overgrown, cutting it back encourages new growth and a profusion of sputnik-like blooms the next summer.

+5 

Yaupon holly can be pruned into a tree or left to grow as a shrub.

Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria): Yaupon can be pruned up into a single trunk form or left to grow out into a clump-forming shrub. Dwarf cultivars make an attractive hedge with few of the disease issues of boxwood. A weeping version makes a stunning conversation piece in the garden as well. Yaupon hollies grow easily here and enjoy partial to full sun and just about any soil condition.

+5 

Distylium is a good substitute for disease-prone boxwood.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU AGCENTER

Distylium (spp.): This may be the best new plant you’ve never heard of. It grows like a boxwood and may be a great substitute. Several cultivars are available at local nurseries, including Cinnamon Girl, Linebacker and Vintage Jade. Distylium handles cold, drought and flooding well. Plant it just about anywhere and stand back. Light tip pruning in May or June encourages thick, compact growth. Maintenance beyond that is minimal.

+5 

Florida anise thrives along shady fences.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU AGCENTER

Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum): In the spring, this dependable shrub produces star-shaped maroon flowers 2 inches across. Glossy, dark leaves and an open-branched growth habit of 10 to 15 feet in height and 6 to 10 feet wide make this a good large shrub or small tree, depending on how you prune it. To create a compact, thick hedge, plant them 10 feet apart and allow the shrubs to grow into one another. Florida anise prefers partial to full shade and well-drained, moist soil. It thrives along fences and in low spots of the landscape. It has few, if any, pest or disease issues.

+5 

Fetterbush flowers dangle gracefully from its arching branches.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU AGCENTER

Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida): Bell-shaped pale pink flowers adorn this evergreen shrub each spring, making it a favorite of bees and other pollinators. Growing 5 to 6 feet tall, Fetterbush works great as a backdrop plant. Flowers dangle gracefully from its arching branches. Grow fetterbush in part shade to sun, in slightly acidic moist soil. It also has few pest and disease issues and grows relatively quickly.

For more information on the LSU AgCenter and our many gardening topics, please visit www.lsuagcenter.com. For answers to your gardening questions, please send an email to AGCenter@theadvocate.com. The GNO Gardening Newsletter provides planting dates, a monthly chore list, lawn advice, local garden happenings and more. To sign up, email gnogardening@agcenter.lsu.edu.

Q: I recently bought a house, and the backyard is covered with Asian jasmine. I’d like to control it, especially to get it off the fence and the garage. How the heck do I kill it? I’ve pulled it down and sprayed it with a 2, 4-D product that I used on my lawn. It died back a little but came right back. Help! â€" Sarah H.

A: Hi, Sarah, Asian jasmine has a pretty good reputation as an aggressive, quick-growing ground cover. Try spraying it with a nonselective herbicide like glyphosate or triclopyr. It may take several applications to kill the root system. A lawn product is likely not the right herbicide for this job. Be sure to follow all label instructions. â€" Anna Timmerman