There’s a reason it’s called sweet viburnum: the clusters of white, sweet-smelling flowers
Spring is right around the corner. But when the topic turns to plants with fragrant springtime blossoms, one of our most common landscapes subjects is rarely mentioned.
That plant – sweet viburnum, native to warm, temperate Asia – has held its own as a tall hedge and screen plant for generations across Florida. Generally seen as a clipped hedge, sweet viburnum (V. odoratissimum) can grow up to 25 feet tall if never pruned. Its blossoms, borne in late winter and early spring, consist of clusters of white, sweetly aromatic flowers that last for weeks.
But I’ve met gardeners who swear their sweet viburnum plants have never flowered – and I believe them. The reason, of course, is that many homeowners prune their plants too frequently, removing the flowerbuds before they’ve matured enough to reveal themselves.
In addition to tall hedges and impenetrable screens, this low-maintenance species can be cultivated as a compact tree and – because of its narrow crown – is especially useful on smaller properties. Propagate with warm-season cuttings.
Planting palms in the winter? Never fear, you can put these in the ground any time of year
Spooky African succulent demands space and bright light
I think the cocoon plant – a South African succulent – should be called "ghost senecio," but my vote doesn’t count.
This spooky-looking plant, up to a foot tall, develops multiple stems covered with curved, fleshy leaves blanketed by a dense coat of ghostly-white, woolly hairs. Those hairs protect plants in the wild from intense sunlight and help to reduce moisture loss.
The species (Senecio haworthii), related to both string-of-beads and pickle plant, is hardy only to the low 40s. It’s also quite variable, though all its forms demand bright light and well-drained soil. In its native habitat, cocoon plant – aka woolly senecio – has long-lasting, golden daisy-like flowers in the warm season, but cultivated specimens rarely bloom.
Plants can be propagated by cuttings and are usually available online. Note: Because of its vigor and sprawling growth habit, cocoon plant isn’t an ideal choice for a windowsill plant.
Satin-leaf tree This stunning Florida native is a lovely green year round, big or small, in sun or shade
For the love of nutmeg
If you enjoyed some nog during the winter holidays, it’s likely your drink included nutmeg – made from the seed of a tree (Myristica fragrans) native to Indonesia’s Banda Islands.
Local gardeners who want to grow and harvest their own nutmeg are out of luck: The trees are too chill sensitive to survive here. Interestingly, control of the Banda Islands – often called the Spice Islands – caused a war that began about 1520 and lasted approximately 200 years. British, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish ships fought pitched battles until Britain finally prevailed.
If waging war over spices seems absurd, Europeans not only coveted nutmeg as a flavoring, it was also thought to have medicinal qualities. In addition to nutmeg, the Spice Islands are the source of cloves and mace, also obtained from Myristica seeds.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: There’s a reason it’s called sweet viburnum: clusters of sweet flowers
