Top Plant Picks January 2022
Kick off the new year by checking out a few of our featured plants! Cheekwood’s Plant Collections Manager, Shanna Jones, shares her top plant picks for January.
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
Bloom Time: June
Sun Requirement: Full sun
Water Requirement: Dry – medium
Wildlife: Bees collect nectar for honey production. Raccoons, bears, wild hogs, deer and tortoises enjoy the fruit.
Tolerates: Drought
Native to North America: Yes
Zones: 8 – 11
Other: Resistant to most disease and pests. Performs best in well-drained soils.
Location: Wills Perennial Garden
Eastern Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa)
Bloom Time: July
Sun Requirement: Full sun
Water Requirement: Dry
Wildlife: A diverse range of bees feed on the nectar and collect pollen.
Tolerates: Drought, rabbit, & dry soil
Native to North America: Yes
Zones: 5 – 8
Other: Irregularly shaped. Excellent specimen plant. Susceptible to wind damage.
Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden
Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii)
Sun Requirement: Full sun
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae
Tolerates: Deer & salt
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 – 8
Other: Irregularly shaped. Excellent specimen plant. Susceptible to wind damage.
Location: Blevins Japanese Garden
Japanese Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia)
Bloom Time: June
Sun Requirement: Full sun – part shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Bees
Tolerates: Deer
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 – 8
Other: Outstanding fall color. A member of the tea family. Will not tolerant drought.
Location: Turner Seasons Garden
Quince (Chaenomeles japonica ‘Jet Trail’)
Bloom Time: January – March
Sun Requirement: Full sun – part shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Pollinated by bees
Tolerates: Drought
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 – 8
Other: The fruit is edible, but best used in preserves and jellies.
Location: Carell Dogwood Garden
Camellia (Camellia japonica)
Bloom Time: December – February
Sun Requirement: Part shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Honeybees and bumblebees
Tolerates: Drought, once established
Native to North America: No
Zones: 7 – 9
Other: Provide winter protection in colder zones. Prune after flowering.
Location: Carell Dogwood Garden
Sedge (Carex oshimensis Evercolor® ‘Everlime’)
Bloom Time: May
Sun Requirement: Part shade
Water Requirement: Medium – wet
Wildlife: Seeds provide food for turkeys and sparrows. Caterpillars eat the leaves.
Tolerates: Deer
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 – 9
Other: Evergreen grass in milder climates.
Location: Howe Garden
Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald’)
Bloom Time: Flower are very inconspicuous.
Sun Requirement: Full sun – part shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Nesting site for songbirds. Shelter (and food) for deer during the winter
Tolerates: Heat & clay soil
Native to North America: Yes
Zones: 2 – 7
Other: Narrow, compact, and pyramidal form, excellent for screening
Location: Bradford Robinson Color Garden
