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| BLOOMING RED PASSION VINE ATTRACTS ATTENTION ON MOSS STREET | |
| Published: October 28, 1997 | |
Buds are as beautiful as flowers.Q:What is the vine blooming with red flowers on the fence opposite N.P. Moss School at the corner of Moss Street and Mudd Avenue?A:Thank you for your question which was a wonderful excuse to visit the gardens of Jeff Gueno and Frank Handley. Their red passion vine (Passiflora coccinia) has been in place on the fence opposite N.P. Moss school for only a year. It is a perennial vine extending over 30 feet of fencing, with all of its growth having occurred this past summer.Its hard to know which are the more beautifulthe flowers or the buds. This handsome vine produces beautiful scarlet flowers and the buds are a lovely coral/gold. Other varieties are in shade of blue, lavender, deep purple, pink and white. Most plants are killed back by frost, but usually come back the following year. Full sun is required for best bloom. P. coccinia was originally collected from Bolivia by the late Dr. Ira Nelson of Lafayette, and has been widely distributed through the nursery industry. It is less cold-hardy than the native lavender variety, maypop, and is more difficult to propagate from seeds or cuttings. Pruning oak treeQ:The lower branches on my 12-year-old oak tree have never been trimmed. When is the best time to prune?A:Most tree pruning should be done when the tree is dormant. This is during the months of December through February in Louisiana. Some points to remember are to cut out only the portions that need removing, to prune according to the natural growth habit of the tree, to remove dead or diseased wood and large branches that cross, to remove suckers and to leave no stubs.How to encourage spring re-bloom from amaryllis bulbs in gardenQ.My amaryllis bulbs are planted in the ground. How do I encourage them to bloom?A:They should be planted with the tops of the bulbs slightly above the soil line, in well-drained fertile soil and full sun to partial shade. They will need dividing and replanting every three or four years for best performance, and this should be done in October or November.Some gardeners hold back supplemental water in fall and winter, allowing the plants to go dormant, resuming watering in 8-10 weeks. Fertilize with bone meal immediately after flowering. Guidelines for home landscapingQ.We are building a home and will be doing the landscaping ourselves. Are there guidelines as to which types of plants do better on north, south, east and west sides of a building?A:Yes, because exposure to various environmental factors can make the difference between life and death for some plants. Bear in mind, however, that other factors such as existing trees, nearby bodies of water, etc. will cause variations.In general, plants on the north side of your house should be cold hardy and shade tolerant. Plants on the west side get the brunt of afternoon heat and glare and should have minimal moisture requirements. Plants on the south side must endure direct sun and high temperatures in summer, but get protection from cold winds in winter. The ideal location is the east side, where plants get morning sun, afternoon shade, and a buffer from cold temperatures. |