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SFA Gardens, Stephen F. Austin State University

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SFA ScholarWorks

Stephen F. Austin State UniversitySFA ScholarWorksSFA Gardens Newsletters SFA GardensFall 2003Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Fall 2003SFA Gardens, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newslettersPart of the Botany Commons, and the Horticulture CommonsTell us how this article helped you.This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the SFA Gardens at SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in SFA GardensNewsletters by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact cdsscholarworks@sfasu.edu.Recommended CitationSFA Gardens, Stephen F. Austin State University, "Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Fall 2003" (2003). SFA Gardens Newsletters. Book57.http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newsletters/57                   Les Reeves Lecture Series Usually held on the third Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in Room 110 of the Agriculture Building located on Wilson Drive on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.  Free plant raffle following the lecture. The Les Reeves Lecture Series is made possible through the Les Reeves Memorial Fund.  Sponsors include King’s Nursery, Haden Edwards Inn, Llano Grande Plantation, and the SFA Mast Arboretum Volunteers. 2003 November 20:  Maarten Van der Giessen, Van der Giessen’s Nursery, Mobile, AL, “Boutique Azalea Hybrids for the South.” December 18:  David Creech, SFA Mast Arboretum Director, “Twenty Plants You Shouldn’t Live Without.” 2004 January  15:  Greg Grant, Arcadia plantsman, “My Plants are the Laughing Stock:  Humor in the Garden.” February 19:  Jill Nokes, landscape designer and authoress, Austin, TX, “Natives That Work for You!” March (Date to be announced):  Todd Laseigne, JC Raulston Arboretum, North Carolina, “Plants and PhDs:  Do They Really Make Sense?” April 15:  Brent Marable, Tree Introductions, Georgia, “You’re Gonna Pay for a Clonal Oak Whether You Buy One or Not!” May 20:  Jimmy Turner, Dallas Arboretum, “Behind the Scenes at Dallas Blooms.” June 17:  Keith Hansen, Tyler Extension Horticulturist, “The Idea Garden Comes of Age.” July 15:  George Hull, Mountain States Nursery, Phoenix, AZ, “Report From Hell:  You Know, There Really Is a Point to Agaves in the Landscape.” August 19:  Aubrey King, King’s Nursery, Teneha, TX, “Don’t Tell Me to Get Out of My Rut—I Like It Here!”   September 16:  Dawn Parish, SFA Mast Arboretum, “Ginger and Spice and Other Things Nice.” October 21:  Ted Stephens, Nursery Caroliniana, South Carolina, “Wow!  Have You Seen That Weeping, Contorted, Variegated, Red-Flowered Grancy Gray Beard Run By Here?” November 18:  Jim Berry, PDSI, Alabama, “Tomorrow’s Plants Today.” December 16:  Dave Creech, SFA Mast Arboretum, “End of the Year Review.”  Garden Seminars To register, contact Elyce at 936-468-1832 or by email erodewald@sfasu.edu November 1, 2003:  Raised Dead Gardening with Greg Grant. Yes, he’s BACK!  On his birthday, Greg will talk about growing and decorating with traditional plants and flowers both at home and in the cemetery. He will discuss the customs associated with All Hallows’ Eve and Halloween (October 31), All Saint’s Day (November 1) and All Soul’s Day/Day of the Dead (November 2).  In addition to information on sacrificial burning of plastic flowers, Greg will detail the ups and downs of growing REAL plants in the cemetery (must everything in there be dead?).  Learn about tough cemetery plants that are knock-outs in residential, school, and business landscapes.  This seminar is one to die for.  Raised Dead Gardening will be held in Room 110 of the Agriculture Building from 9 a.m.-Noon.  $15.00  February 28, 2004:  East Texas Jonquil Jubilee Tour with Greg Grant.  We will return to Arcadia, TX for another popular garden tour—this time to relish in the magnificent display of our different naturalized Narcissus.  Before the tour, Greg will present a lecture on identifying and growing the best spring bulbs for East Texas. Afterwards Greg will show us his little heirloom bulb farm and take us on a tour of his garden.   Meet at the Agriculture Building on Wilson Drive.  Transportation provided. Be prepared for late winter weather.  Tours offered from 9 a.m.-Noon and from 1:30-4:30 p.m.  $20.00.        If you haven’t visited the Arboretum recently, make a point to stop by in the next week before the weather turns chilly.  There is a new plant growing in the Daylily Garden’s water feature that you won’t want to miss!  The monstrous beauty growing there is the giant Longwood Hybrid Victoria Lily.  Victoria water lilies with their 5’-8’ diameter leaves are native to the Amazon River system of South America where they are known as “Yrupe.” “Y” meaning water, and “rupe” meaning big tray.  The Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ is a cross between Victoria amazonica and Victoria cruziana.  The underside of the large leaves and stems of the Victorias are covered with spines, presumably to protect the plant from predation.  In the native habitat, the night-blooming Victoria lilies are pollinated by a beetle.  This presents a challenge to gardeners in other parts of the world who wish to propagate the lily.  Nathan Unclebach, SFA horticulture student and lily caretaker, explains that the anthers from a flower blooming on the second night must be collected and saved to pollinate a flower that opens for the first time.  Flowers blooming on the first night are white, while second and third-night blooming flowers change to a deeper purple.  Culture becomes even more complicated after pollination occurs.  Seeds must be collected, scarified, and kept in fresh water in an aquarium at a constant temperature.  Seeds can take from three weeks to three months to germinate and germination rates vary widely.  The young plants that sprout in the aquarium are gradually put into larger containers until they are ready for the outdoor water garden             in 40-200 gallon plastic buckets.  Victoria lilies are annuals and prefer to grow in water above 70 °F.  When asked his thoughts on the Victorias, Nathan responded, “They’re monsters, but their fragrance is amazing.  When you smell the lily, you just can’t get enough of the incredible fragrance.”   If you would like to catch the heavenly scent, try visiting the garden around 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. (By the way, Nathan took a lead role in renovating the water feature in the Daylily Garden, and he is still searching for the perfect, sophisticated sculpture to complement the water feature.  No gnomes, please!)  The Victoria lilies were donated to the Arboretum by John Cash, owner of Exotic Plant Nursery in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Mr. Cash specializes in aquatic plants.               SFA Mast Arboretum News Fall 2003 P.O. Box 13000-SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX  75962-3000 Phone:  936-468-3705 FAX: 936-468-4047  www.sfasu.edu/ag/arboretum/ Learning Excursions The Victoria lilies share the water garden with two hardy water lilies and a distant tropical cousin from China, the thorned waterlily, Euryale ferox. Monstrous Beauties New to the Daylily Garden Mark your Calendars! April 17, 2004—Garden Gala October 5, 2004—Fabulous Fall Festival      Fern Garden Stumpery By Roger Hughes   In the early eighteen hundreds in England where rocks were scarce, stumps were used in gardens in place of rocks.  These were called “Stumperies.”  Stumps were dug in the forest and planted up side-down in the gardens.  The type, size and shape of the stumps were considered in the design to create texture, structure and dimension.   When the Prince of Wales purchased Highgrave about twenty-five years ago he incorporated a Stumpery in his garden.  He requested that it be planted with ferns, hellebores and hostas.  The tall plants were placed around the larger stumps and allowed to grow up through the roots.     In a woodland garden this creates a beautiful backdrop when the fern fronds intermingle with the various shades of brown and the rough shape of the roots.  With this in mind we decided to build a stumpery in the fern garden at the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden.   The new stumpery in the Azalea Garden is on schedule. The water system and sprinkling heads have been tested and are ready to go.  All of the dirt work and setting the stumps in place is completed.  A six-inch layer of mulch has been added and worked into the top layer of soil.   All of the two hundred and fifty plants now planted in the Stumpery have been donated.  Some of the plants came from as far away as Birmingham, Alabama.  These were donated by Sarah & Ralph Johnson.  Both Sarah and Ralph are very active volunteers at the Birmingham Botanical Garden.  Besides volunteering, they enjoy growing ferns from spores.  Another very nice donation came from Mary Elliott in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.  Mary is the owner and operator of Fronderosa, which sells wholesale landscape ferns and plants for the gulf south.  She has a large collection of ferns plus a big variety of shade loving plants.  Roger and Shirley Hughes donated the balance of the plants.  The following is a list of the plants that have been planted:       Acer japonicum ‘Giant Leaf’ Adiantum capillus-veneris Adiantum hispidulum Adiantum raddianum ‘Fragrans’ Adiantum tenerum ‘Scutum Rose’ Amorphophallus Amorphophallus Arisaema triphyllum Cyrtomium falcatum Dryopteris erythrosora Dryopteris kuratae Dryopteris ludoviciana Dryopteris namegatae Dryopteris stewartii Dryopteris X australis Galium odoratum Hosta ‘Blue Angle’ Hosta ‘Blue Cadet’ Hosta ‘So Sweet’ Onoclea sensibilis Onychium japonicum Osmunda cinnamomea Osmunda regalis Pellaea Pinellea cordata Pinellea pedatisecta  Pinellea tripartite Polystichum polyblepharum Pteris actinopteroides Pteris cretica ‘Mayii’ Pteris cretica ‘Rowerii’ Pteris ensiformis ‘Evergemiensis’ Pteris vittata Saxifraga stolonifera Selaginella ‘Wordoff’     We are working on creating more shade for the south edge of the Stumpery.  We want to reduce the hot midday sun.    Moving a few plants and planting two fast-growing trees should solve this problem.     The Hardy Fern Foundation Satellite Garden is doing very well in its new location.  The 2003 shipment of ferns from the HFF will be shipped October 13.     We will be changing our signage in both the HFF Satellite Garden and the Stumpery, so we will be consistent with the Azalea Garden.  Fall Fandango Picture perfect weather and a full moon graced the first Fall Fandango honoring 2003 Friends of the Arboretum members.  This elegant evening of delicious food, heavenly jazz, and extraordinary company was created by a host of volunteers guided by Carol Moore.  Special thanks to Josie Crowson, Sherrie Randall, Gayla Mize, Mary Louise Jobe, Bill Jobe, Heinz Gaylord, Rachel Emrick, and, of course Carol Moore! Win Day Honeybee Observation Hive Dedicated On August 21, 2003, the honeybee observation hive located in the Mast Arboretum was named in memory of Winthrop “Win” Day.  Mr. Day was instrumental in bringing the hive to SFA.  He worked patiently and enthusiastically with SFA administrators, contributors from Eastman Chemical in Longview, and the East Texas Beekeepers to ensure that the hive would become a reality.  Since the hive’s construction, thousands of children and adults have been introduced “up close and personal” to honeybees, their importance as pollinators, and their fascinating biology and behavior.  Over 85 friends, beekeeping colleagues, Arboretum volunteers, and family members attended the dedication, including his wife, Alberta; daughter, Cynthia Bird; granddaughter, Molly Bird; and great-granddaughter, Cheyenne Watson.  Marcie Nelson presented a plaque to Dr. David Creech with a photograph of Win in his beekeeper’s suit and the inscription:  In Memory of Winthrop “Win” Day beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Friend dedicated to the art of apiary education for children and adults and the love and appreciation of bees.  His gentle spirit and kindness will be remembered.  SFA Completes Universally Accessible Trail Thousands of azalea blooms, Japanese maples, and other spring ornamentals attract hundreds of visitors each spring to the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden.  Garden officials are hoping that that recently improved trails will attract even more visitors.  The trails now meet Americans with Disability Act standards through a joint effort by SFA Disability Services, the Physical Plant, and the SFA Mast Arboretum to pave a 5-foot-wide path of asphalt along the entire 1.25 mile trail network.    In addition to making navigation of the trails easier for visitors with physical challenges, the garden is more user-friendly for bikers, joggers, walkers, and families with children in strollers.  “What I like about this project is that it is a vast improvement for everybody, not just those with special needs,” said Michael Stevenson, chairman of the Nacogdoches Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities.  A new parking area located at the west side of the garden is marked for handicapped parking and unloading.  One-way access to this parking area is by way of the road down the middle of the garden, named “Axes Promenade.”  “Now the garden is ready for all visitors,” said Dr. David Creech, Mast Arboretum director, “just in time for camellia season which begins in October!”        Win Day shared his time and enthusiasm for bees and beekeeping freely with staff, students, volunteers, and thousands of school children who visited the SFA Mast Arboretum. Special thanks to our 2003 Fall Fandango Sponsors! Doremus Nursery, Warren Earth and Stone, Lufkin David Kolb Excavating, Nacogdoches Trees USA, Lindale East Texas Pinestraw, Lufkin 

Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Fall 2003

Stephen F. Austin State UniversitySFA ScholarWorksSFA Gardens Newsletters SFA GardensFall 2004Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Fall 2004SFA Gardens, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newslettersPart of the Botany Commons, and the Horticulture CommonsTell us how this article helped you.This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the SFA Gardens at SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in SFA GardensNewsletters by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact cdsscholarworks@sfasu.edu.Recommended CitationSFA Gardens, Stephen F. Austin State University, "Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Fall 2004" (2004). SFA Gardens Newsletters. Book58.http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newsletters/582005 Les Reeves Lecture Series The Les Reeves Lecture Series is entering its eighth year at the SFA Mast Arboretum. This very popular educational  program is funded by the Les Reeves Memorial Endowment, and lodging for speakers is generously provided by Ann Phillips at Llano Grande Plantation.  Raffle plants are donated by Kings Nursery, Naconiche Gardens, and the SFA Mast Arboretum.  Delicious refreshments are compliments of the SFA Mast Arboretum Volunteers.  Plan now to attend the 2005 lectures to hear great horticulturists from all over the United States.  The lectures are free, open to the public, and no reservations are required.  A rare plants raffle is held after the lectures.  Lectures start at 7:00 p.m. in Room 110 of the Agriculture Building on Wilson Drive.   January 20:  Jeff Abt, garden writer and landscaper, Nacogdoches, “The Warm and Sensitive Gardener.”   February 17:  Steve Owens, Oklahoma State University, “Devine Plants:  Climbers for Your Garden (I’m All Tied Up in a Knot About Vines).”    March 17:  Bob McCartney, Woodlanders Nursery, SC, “Plants to Shock and Awe Your Neighbors.”   April 21:  Jeff Kuehny, LSU, Baton Rouge, “Hot Plants for Cajun Gardens.”    May 19:  Gary Outenreath , Shangrila Gardens, Beaumont, Texas, “We’re Bigger Than You So Take Down That Highway 59 Sign!”   June 16:   Jon Lindstrom, University of Arkansas, "You Think I’m Obsessed With Plants?  So What?”   July 21:   Linda Gay, Mercer Arboretum, Houston, “Bamboo – Just Another Woody Grass!”   August 18: Aubrey King, King’s Nursery, Tenaha, Texas, “I’m Not Leaving Tenaha Until I Get Even.”   September 15: Greg Grant, Naconiche Gardens, Nacogdoches, Texas, “Spiderman III – A Lycoris Love Story.”  October 20: Bob Byers, Garvan Woodland Gardens, University of Arkansas, “Hog Wild About Gardening.”   November 17:  Norman Winters, Mississippi State, “I’m Colorful; You’re Not.”  December 15:  Dave Creech, Director, SFA Mast Arboretum, “Attention to Detail Around Here Is Not Just a Wish; It’s a Policy.”   Beat Those Winter-Time Blues with an SFA Mast Arboretum Garden Seminar! Grow your garden of knowledge by attending an SFA Mast Arboretum Garden Seminar!  In-depth programs provide practical information to gardeners in all stages of growth—from beginner to experienced.  Seminars are held from 9:00 a.m.-Noon in Room 118 of the Agriculture Building on Wilson Drive.  To register, contact the education office at 936-468-1832;  email erodewald@sfasu.edu; or send payment with name, address, daytime phone number, and seminar title to: SFA Mast Arboretum-Garden Seminars, PO Box 13000-SFA, Nacogdoches, TX  75962-3000.  January 22:  Landscape Design Made Simple  Greg Grant will solve the complex riddle of proper landscaping with his simple rules of basic landscape design and obvious examples of what NOT to do.  He will cover everything from concrete grottos to cottage gardens.  Everybody should be afraid of Greg, but nobody should be afraid of design!  $20 February 26:  Old Roses for East Texas  Aubrey King, owner of King’s Nursery in Tenaha, will share his love of old roses through an in-depth lecture and hands-on workshop.  Learn how to identify, prune, and propagate roses as well as how to choose the best roses for your garden.  Each participant will receive an old rose to add to their garden.  $25 March 19:  In Search of the Rare Silky Camellia--Native Plant Field Trip  Visit Little Cow Creek and Canyon Rim in Sabine County under the expert guidance of Matt Welch, native plant guru and manager of Naconiche Gardens, and Lance Craig, Research Associate at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.  We will board vans and travel south to explore a forested seep and breath-taking canyon looking for silky camellias, native azaleas, orchids, ferns, trilliums, unusual viburnums, witch hazels and more!  Return by 3 pm.  Lunch provided.  Space limited. $20 May 7:  Propagation Station  Dawn Stover will show you how to make the most out of your landscaping dollar through propagation.  Topics will be geared to the average gardener who may not have high-tech nursery facilities.  Instruction will include division as well as cutting and seed propagation.  A hands-on demonstration will follow the lecture.                           On the Trail of the Red-Flowering Sweet Osmanthus,  Osmanthus fragrans By Dr. David Creech  In plant-hunting circles, one of the elusive treasures yet to make its way into the USA is the red-flowered Sweet Osmanthus.  There have been rumors and some have said they have seen pictures, or knew someone who had the plant, or heard of someone who had a friend who saw a picture, and there have been other intriguing tales but still, no factual encounters.  Well, I can now say that the rumors are over.  I have seen O. fragrans ‘Zhusha Dangui’ and while I caught it just past peak with petals a bit spent, I can say, yes, it’s red enough to make the mark.  Sure, there’s a slight cast of dark orange in the petals but there was enough red there for me to go to drooling and wanting to snitch a cutting.  I didn’t because Chinese jails are reported as spartan, but I’ve got the ball rolling to introduce this cultivar and about a dozen others in the near future.  Let’s just say I told my host “I have got to have this one.”    I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in the first International Sweet Osmanthus Conference in Shanghai, China in early October 2004.  I was invited by the famous scientist Xiang Qi-bai of the Nanjing Forestry University.  The catch for this trip was I had to give a talk      SFA Mast Arboretum News Fall 2004  P.O. Box 13000-SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX  75962-3000 Phone:  936-468-3705 Fax: 936-468-4047  http://arboretum.sfasu.edu on the “Status and Use of Osmanthus fragrans in Southern USA landscapes,” which was quite a challenge  since so little is documented.  However, with the help of friends across the South, I managed a talk that acquainted  our hosts with the plant in the USA and its production in the nursery industry.  The conference included one day of talks from international and Chinese lecturers and then, best of all, Janet and I enjoyed two days of touring gardens in Suzhou and Hangzhou famous for the species.  The ancient Sweet Osmanthus of China is one of the ten traditional flowers of China.  The sweet smelling tree is revered with many specimens over 1000 years old!  In fact, during October when the species is at its best, over ten Chinese cities honor the plant with a wide variety of special holidays.  In a carnival-like atmosphere, Chinese citizens flock to Sweet Osmanthus gardens to bask in the fragrance and glory of the plant.    China has applied to the International Horticulture Society to be the official international registry for the genus, and while that application is pending, there’s good reason to think it’s a slam dunk.  After all, China has a long history with the plant and harbors most of the world’s ancient germplasm of the species.  Old trees are revered, signed and interpreted, and given holy attendance.  Protective fences mark their importance.  Tourists flock to gawk at their size and glory.  The most ancient plant known in China rests comfortably in the grounds of the Shengshui Temple, Nanzheng County, Shannxi Province and is over 2100 years old.  It’s 40 feet in height, and this magic tree was planted by the Xiaohe himself, the Minister of the Han Dynasty.  The most impressive tree that I saw personally was the stately specimen in the landscape of Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus at Suzhou Osmanthus Garden. Special Thanks to  Fall Fandango 2004 Sponsors! BWI Companies, Inc. The Fredonia Hotel Moore Building Associates John Stover, AttorneyLinggu Temple, Nanjing city, Jiangsu province.  This dense-foliaged giant is over 21 feet in height and sports a crown diameter of 24 feet.  It rests alone in the valley, and when in bloom on an early morning, the entire valley is filled with its magic.   Osmanthus fragans at Linggu Temple  There are over 157 varieties of sweet olive in China divided into four main groups:  Fragrans, Latifolius, Thurnbergii, and Aurantiacus.  It’s the latter that’s attracted the plant hunters’ eyes . . . for in it rests the oranges and orange-reds.  All emit a beautiful fragrance.  In the last twenty years, an effort was made to preserve the species in China and select superior cultivars.  Cultivars have been selected for flower size, characteristics of the flowers, abundance of flowers, time of bloom, tree form and habit, bark, branch, leaf, pedicel, and fruit.  Osmanthus fragrans has been in cultivation in China for over 2000 years before it was introduced into the West.  Sweet Osmanthus did not make it into our country until 1856, and there are very few varieties and  certainly no dark oranges or reds to be found here.  Hopefully, that will soon change.  The most exciting recent introduction into the USA is ‘Fudingzhu’, or more popularly known as ‘Nanjing Beauty’.  It’s very floriferous, white flowered, and is known to bloom quickly in the nursery container.  O. fragrans var. aurantiacus is the orange-yellow form that one can find occasionally in the landscapes of the South; and it’s a treasure when it reaches peak bloom and fragrance.  There are a few other varieties reported but none have taken the trade by storm.    In terms of popularity, Sweet Osmanthus has a long way to go in the USA.  We visited one nursery near Guangzhou that produces 1.5 million plants per year!  While most Chinese nursery plants are destined for the China marketplace, which is huge, there is a growing interest in exporting new cultivars and plants to the international market.  For that to happen there will have to be cooperation, marketing and promotion.  I have proposed to the Sweet Osmanthus Branch of the Chinese Flower Association that the SFA Mast Arboretum in Nacogdoches should be the very first official Osmanthus garden in the USA!  Think about it.  The Mast Arboretum is ideally suited to test, protect and promote the wide variety of cultivars found in the gardens of China.  I imagine a mapped, signed and data-based campus-wide collection—a  sweet-smelling garden to serve as the foundation for a new and growing industry.     Influence of Nitrogen Fertilizer Timing and Rate on Azalea Bloom By Julie Fullenwider  The azalea is a must-have shrub in the southern landscape.  Fertilization recommendations often suggest fertilizing the plant after bloom to discourage early bloom and damage due to late spring freezes.  The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fertilizer timing and rate on azalea bloom.  Five varieties of azaleas were selected for this study, using sixty plants in each variety, for a total of three hundred plants.  The four varieties located in the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden on the Stephen F. Austin State University Campus include ‘Koromo Shikibu,’ ‘Poukhanense Compacta,’ ‘Kaempheri 6811,’ and ‘Rosea.’  One variety, ‘Elsie Lee,’ is located in front of Steen Hall also on the Stephen F. Austin campus.    Three rates (0, 50 and 100 lbs of nitrogen/acre) of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) were applied at four different times of the year (December, February, March, May).  Each plant received a single application of fertilizer.  Each fertilizer treatment was replicated five times within each variety.    Beginning in March, buds and blooms were counted on a previously tagged branch of each plant.  This data was put into one of four categories:  Stage 1:  Pink tip (bud swell with first color showing at tips) Stage 2:  Pink bud (expanded and just prior to opening) Stage 3:  Open (fully open in prime show) Stage 4:  Bloom decline (bloom in wilt or other indication of decline) Julie Fullenwider, horticulture graduate student, collects data in the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden. Bloom counts were taken weekly until all blooming had ceased.  A percentage of blooms in Stage 3 were statistically analyzed to show the effects of fertilized and non-fertilized plants in relation to bloom time.  There were no significant differences in bloom time in relation to rate or time of fertilizer application.  The conclusion is that fertilizer timing and rate has no effect on the bloom time of azaleas.  Bloom time of plants that received fertilizer in December was not significantly different from those that did not receive fertilizer.  In visual observation, bloom times were not noticeably different in the research plants when compared to other groups of azaleas not included in the study.  It is the researcher’s thought that the microclimate is a larger factor determining the time of bloom than is the time and rate of fertilizer application.    Nacogdoches Recognized as  First-Ever ASA Azalea City By Barb Stump On November 2, 2004, the first-ever Azalea Society of America “Azalea City” designation was presented to the City of Nacogdoches.  Mayor Bob Dunn accepted the award presented on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Azalea Society of America. The award is represented by a plaque with the citation and colorful images of an evergreen azalea and a deciduous azalea.   In the award notification, the chairman of the ASA’s Azalea City committee, Joseph Schild, said about the Nacogdoches application: “It is clear from the information and application submitted that the City of Nacogdoches, Texas has an active history of promoting and celebrating azaleas with various municipal, civic and community events. Azaleas are obviously a part of the community culture and it is only fitting that your city should receive from the Azalea Society of America the certification as an ASA Azalea City.”  This award recognizes the efforts of many people who are planting azaleas, learning about them, and making the annual Nacogdoches Azalea Trail a success. Among these are Azalea Trail Committee members Gayla Mize and the Flora Garden Club; Rocky Dumas; Sherry Ward; Eloise Adams; the Convention and Visitors Bureau board and staff; local nurseries; and SFA Mast Arboretum staff and volunteers.   The Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden at the Mast Arboretum is a central feature of the Nacogdoches Azalea Trail.  The Azalea City designation is intended to recognize cities that promote and display azaleas in festivals, azalea trails, garden tours, and lectures. The award can be used in marketing future azalea-related activities.  Update:  Jack’s tired, lost a little weight, but he’s still got all his charm . . . By Dr. David Creech Jack, SFA’s amazing first-ever-to-bloom-in-Texas corpse flower, has settled into his new home in the glasshouse, and he’s ready for a long winter.  After all the excitement of Jack’s July Jamboree, it’s time for a deep sleep.  It’s true we had high hopes for seed set but we failed.  Pollen flown in from a University of Connecticut plant was applied through a window we cut near the bottom of the spathe.  Everyone had a hand in swiping the pollen on with a spatula, so now we can all blame each other for the failure, I guess.  At any rate, the peduncle supporting the cone-shaped fruiting head melted into a pitiful puddle of despair—taking  with it our hopes and dreams for baby jacks to spread across the South.  To add to our disappointment, we learned that the University of Connecticut and Disneyland plants both failed to set seed, so we’re zero for three attempts.  Not too good.  Since that time, we’ve waited and wondered.  Is Jack dead?  Will he ever come back to life?  What should we do?  Well, with a great deal of theater and a little China jet lag, I decided to use a Plant Propagation lab to dig Jack up from his slumber, clean him off and repot him in the greenhouse with fresh media.   Jack seems healthy.  He’s still dormant, lighter than last year, and looks a bit tired, but not too much worse for the wear.  We noticed a few cormlet-like objects on Jack’s side and bottom and these were “popped” off and potted up . . . maybe some future Baby Jacks here?  Most interesting was the weight loss.  In March, 2004, Jack weighed in at 26 lbs. 2 ozs.  After flowering amidst TV, news folks, admiring visitors and a little Barry White music, Jack settled into a deep sleep.  He now weighs 21 lbs. 12 ozs. which means that flower cost him just a hair under 5 lbs. Flowering cost him about 20% of his original body weight.  I’d be tired too.  The most frequent question around here?  When will Jack flower again?  We just don’t know; but if it happens, we’ll get the word out.   SFA Horticulture majors, Trey Anderson, Taylor Maxwell, and Wes Schuler display the corm and “cormlets.” 

Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Fall 2004

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Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Fall 2004

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