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Lazy S'S Farm Nursery |
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Rare & New plus Tried & True Perennials, Shrubs & Trees |
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Click
on the
Plant Name for Large Photos (Lots of folks
still have dial up so this page only has small photos!)
Zone: 6, maybe colder
With
white flowers with a pink to purple flush to their base and smell like
LEMONS and shiny green leaves, this Chinese Magnolia is a
delight. The blooms appear before the foliage. A deciduous
form that can be grown as a shrub or tree. This rare, hardy
Chinese species is related to M. salicifolia and was introduced into
cultivation in 1977 but it's next to impossible to find in the
trade. Can form a big tree. Buds look like Pussy Willow
buds.
Lily Magnolias are rounded, shrubby plants reaching 8-12' in height. The 3-4" wide flowers are vinous-purple outside and white inside. Jane has an erect growth habit for a Lily Magnolia. The
FRAGRANT blooms on this tree is "TDF" - To-Die-For! Really, really gorgeous.
Prune after flowering. Introduced by the National
Arboretum as part of the 'The Girls' (occasionally called erroneously,
Little Girls) series of magnolias. It blooms 2-4 weeks later, so
it isn't damaged by frost nearly as often as the species.
Zone: 5-9
Medium,
upright growing deciduous shrub or small tree, depending on how it's
pruned. Abundant white fragrant flowers w/ many more petals than
Saucer Magnolia & later bloom time. The Best in the trade. In
winter, the buds for the coming springs flowers make it look like a
pussy willow. One of the hardiest Magnolias but needs to be
planted on Northern exposures in Zone: 4-7 to delay flowering until warmer
weather. Southern exposure makes it flower earlier and the
blooms can get nipped by frost although the blooms are more cold hardy
than Saucer Magnolias. Enchants with the occasional bloom all
summer. 
2-3"
white blooms with a light lemony scent with 3-5" shiny long
green aromatic leaves that are evergreen to semi-evergreen in the
South. 2" long pink cone-like fruit clusters of follicles
ripening to reddish brown with bright scarlet-red seed in late
summer. A small tree that is often multi-stemmed if left
to it's own devices. Moderate to rapid growth. Generally
20' tall but can grow much larger. One of the few shrubs or
trees that prefer Spring or Summer planting rather than Fall.
Blooms Spring and sporadically all summer.
Another
beauty from 'The Girls' (occasionally called erroneously, Little
Girls) series of magnolias from the National Arboretum - a group of
Magnolias which bloom about 2-4 weeks later than M. stellata and M. x soulangiana which decreases the possibility of spring frost
damage. They grow as multi-stemmed large shrubs or small trees
with slightly leathery leaves that stand up to both heat and
drought. In winter, they hold your interest with smooth gray
bark and fuzzy flower buds making them a 4-Season plant. Grow
best in sun to LIGHT shade. Large, fragrant 8" blooms with
as many as 19 petals, purplish-red on the outside, white on the
inside, carried over a long period in the spring (in part because it's
sterile and spend no energy making seed).
It looks a little like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree when young but when it has a bit of maturity, it's gorgeous. Perfect pyramidal shape with feathery, bright green foliage. The single, straight trunk of it's youth develops into a broad, rounded crown with age. Excellent tree. National Arboretum Introduction.
Pruning rarely necessary. 3/4-1" cones. Growth Rate: Fast 2.5' - 3' per year.
Great Plant Picks - Miller Botanical Garden.
As above but with golden foliage. Absolutely stunning!
Chartreuse Gold when young, getting more gold with
AGE. It is not particularly gold when young.
A
fairly rare Russian plant touted as the 'Juniper for Shade'. It's not
a juniper but a 'Look Alike' but it will take shade. Delicate looking, ferny foliage is
bright green in spring & takes on a bronzy-purple caste in winter.
Described by the U. of Conn. as a "top notch groundcover for Part
Shade". Great in groupings. Very cold hardy. Water during dry
spells. Great Plant Picks - Miller Botanical
Garden.
A
deciduous shrub, native to Eastern North American where it even grows
on the seashore. Can take dry, infertile soil. Narrow,
leathery glossy gray-green leaves to 4" long are dotted with
resin and aromatic when crushed. Female plants have attractive
clusters of tiny, grayish-white fruits in late summer which persist
through winter. Birds love them. Used in the shrub border,
combining well with evergreens for a contrasting color.
Colonizing nature. 
A marvelous shrub. New foliage is pinkish to bronzy-red maturing to green then turning red & purple in winter. Stupendous red berries are perfect for Christmas decorating. Best color in full sun but does fine in part shade. AKA, Heavenly Bamboo (but it's not a bamboo). Truly, a 4-Season Shrub.
We can't imagine a garden without this classic shrub.
A
deciduous shrub, Native to China and reminiscent of Spiraea.
Pink blooms in late spring to mid summer on this member of the rose
family with 2-4" long leaves which may turn shades of dark red
in autumn. Pink Campanula-like blooms in 1-3" long
racemes on this easily grown shrub. Prune immediately after
flowering, thinning old stems as needed and removing suckers unless
you want it to colonize. May need protection in zone 5.
Can be used as a hedge.
Popular
in Europe, this Chinese lovely is not well-known in the
US. Ovate leaves are double serrated and fresh, deep
green. Interesting, crumbling bark on older plants.
Rose-colored, tubular flowers in clusters of 10-20 blooms in May thru
July. Very long blooming and blooms profusely. Easy to
grow in any but very dry soil. Arching canes of Spiraea-like
stems. Young foliage is bronzy-purple.
Small
tubular pink flowers in groups at the stem tips (long terminal racemes
if you prefer the jargon of the trade) Gracefully arching
branches. A Tibet/Chinese native related to Spiraea's but
with very attractive, larger, toothed leaves on downy stems. A
blooming powerhouse that can have as many as 60 blooms per
raceme. Looks delicate but tough as nails as long as soil
doesn't dry out - which positively annoys Neillia's! Prune after
flowering. 
Fantastic
fall color, it's always the center of attention in any Fall garden
where it's found. Glossy leaves produce some of the brightest
and most reliable fall colors Autumn has to offer. It has a
rounded pyramidal crown with a dominant central leader and lower
branches that often arch to the ground. It's lateral branches
form a pattern that, when seen from beneath, look like spokes on a
wheel. New leaves are slightly reddish purple maturing to a good
dark, shiny green about 4-5" in length. Casts light shade
rather than heavy, tap-rooted so you can plant beneath it. "No
matter how often I behold the bright yellows, oranges, reds and
purples of the black tupelo, I never cease to be inspired by its
beauty, year after year, specimen after specimen. The brightness of
its display are enough to make even harried commuters pull over to the
side of the road in awe of this species' beauty." 
A
large shrub/small tree that can reach 20' but can be pruned to control
height. Absolutely delicious, apricot-like fragrance.
Leaves are dark, shiny green. With maturity, most of the foliage
is out toward the tip but the plant still retains a lovely
architectural presence. From Autumn thru Early spring, white
flowers cover the shrub. Like Eleagnus pungens, the flowers are
small and inconspicuous BUT oh my goodness what a scent!
In colder zones, this is just worth bringing in for the scent!
Young plants, in particular, need some shade. They can perfume a
large area of your landscape Fall thru spring if you in 8B-10.
Otherwise, they'll perfume your house! If you're in Zone 7, see
the form below. (See photo link of plant in parking lot in *Zone
7B!) I'm betting they gave it great winter protection for
several years until established.
A
superb hybrid with the best qualities of each parent:
Outstanding fragrance from O. fragrans (China) and increased hardiness over
that species from O. heterophyllus (Japan). Blooms almost continuously
from late summer until Fall. More solidly hardy throughout zone
7 than O. fragrans.
A medium sized, deciduous tree with a pyramidal form and round top growing to a height of 25-30 feet and spreading 20 feet. The leaves are bronze tinted,
iridescent green in early spring, dark green in summer and turning yellow red and purple in the fall. In July and August, white bell-shaped flowers are produced in
clusters and seem to hang on thru Fall. Blooms a LONG time. A fabulous 3-Season tree. Needs acid soil.
Great Plant Picks - Miller Botanical Garden
Technically, a sub-shrub with semi-woody stems, it's
still best treated as a perennial. With evergreen foliage of
rounded blue-grays leaves, it makes a handsome foliage plant but the
blue, arching somewhat Veronica-like blooms produced in April and May
definitely make it look like a perennial rather than a shrub.
It's low growing with a graceful arching habit and looks great at the
front of the border. It's root hardy, so even if it dies
completely back to ground, will come back from the roots.
Prune/shape immediately after flowering as it blooms on old wood.
Good article at
Discovered
in China growing on slopes, thickets by rivers in 1932, growing also
in Korea, but unheard of in the trade. It has dark green, rounded,
leathery leaves. Wonderful shiny leaves remind one of a
Ligustrum, which fits since an alternate names is Ligustrum
sempervirens, and Syringa sempervirens, albeit both incorrect.
In actuality it is somewhere between a Syringa (Lilac) and a Ligustrum
because it has the fruit of the first and the bloom of the
second. Evergreen. Small, creamy white, fragrant
flowers are produced in terminal panicles in late summer and are
followed by black fruit. Easily grown. Fast Growing -- makes a good,
quick screen or hedge.
"One
of the best small specimen trees that I know", Dirr. The foliage
is reddish purple when unfolding changing to lustrous medium to dark
green during summer & developing brilliant yellow to orange to
scarlet fall color. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FOR FOLIAGE EFFECT. Bark
peels to reveal silver, green, white, and cinnamon colors. Will
take light shade. Will not take wet or poorly drained soil.
Plants
of Merit - Missouri Botanical Garden. Great Plant Picks
- Miller Botanical Garden
A
heat-loving, cold-tolerant tree that forms a magnificent, broad
spreading shade tree. It does self seed IF it has a mate --
plants are male or female. Without a mate, there is no
self-seeding. It shouldn't be planted where it could
encroach into 'minimally managed areas' unless there are no others in
the area and you only plant one. This is true for various maples
as well. But a single plant doesn't self seed and makes a great,
great, wide-spreading shade tree that doesn't get terribly tall!
This can be a great tree BUT we are all steward of the earth so plant
responsibly.
A new
Canadian Introduction noted for its dwarf growing habit and its
abundant white fragrant blooms. Multi-stemmed and compact,
this deciduous shrub with an upright, arching habit typically grows
2-3' tall and wide. Fragrant 4-petaled DOUBLE white flower to
1 1/2" appear in late spring in loose clusters.
A
double-flowering form of Mockorange that generally reaches 9'
tall. A multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with an upright,
arching habit features fragrant, double white flowers to 2"
that appear in loose clusters in late spring, usually in 5-7
flowered terminal racemes. It epitomizes the reason for the common
name Mockorange as it smells sweetly of orange blossoms.
Mockoranges can get a ragged stature BUT they can be cut back to the
ground after flowering and start afresh. Can be used as a
hedge. 
Mockoranges are fast-growing, vigorous shrubs with fountain-like
shapes. What they are most know, however, is their showy white
flowers with orange stamens and their strong fragrance reminiscent of
orange blossoms. 
First introduced to Europe along with lilacs by Ambassador Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq in 1562, this classic and easy-to-grow hollow-branched shrub was used by the Turks to make pipes. Its Latin name means “brotherly love” and its orange blossom-like fragrance has enhanced teas, perfumes, and almost certainly, many friends’ walks in the garden." 30 quill-petaled blooms are stunning.
Perhaps
the most fragrant of all the Mockoranges. Single, pure white flowers
borne with extraordinary freedom. The leaves are SOMETIMES splashed with an
irregular creamy white margin, not a consistent feature, however.
Our cuttings are done from plants that don't have the variegation but
I suppose it could show this later. But, that isn't the
important part of this plant! It's perhaps the MOST fragrant of
them all! Interesting orangish-red
bark that peels. Disease and insect free.
A bushy, deciduous compact shrub is
perfect for the border where space may be limited. Clusters of
delicious orange-blossom scented, have red buds that open double
creamy white flowers. Very free flowering. A low growing, graceful
mound. A bit more slow growing than some, which can also be useful in
a smaller spot.
A
seedling of 'Virginalis' introduced by Guy Bush around 1935 with
profuse flowers white, densely double and fragrant with the typical
orange blossom smell. Very beautiful in flower. (Prune
immediately after flowering to encourage a more bushy habit.)
More compact than the species but still with the fountain-like
habit. Fast growing.
A
traditional hedge shrub in the American South. New foliage is
bright red and the leaves are very shiny. In spring, small white
flowers appear in flat-domes clusters. Great contrast to the
bronzy-red leaves. Extremely tough and vigorous but must
have well-drained soil. Withstands intense heat but won't thrive
in the tropics as it needs some chilling in winter. Can be
pruned to shape. A great plant in zones 7-9 but NOT in the South
East where it is subject to the fungus entomosporium leaf spot.
In other parts of the country, it's fabulous!
Another
colored Ninebark bred in France for the dramatic orange-copper spring
foliage that, with maturity, changes to rich red. A cross
between dark 'Diablo' and golden 'Darks Gold'. White button-like
blooms appear in early and look wonderful against the dark foliage.
Also, it has wonderful peeling bark and red seed capsules.
A
compact version of Physocarpus with dark wine, fine-textured foliage
and pink-white blooms in early summer. While it's a strong grower,
it's more well-behaved. Beautiful next to yellow or dark green plants.
This is a dramatic improvement over other Ninebarks! Similar to
parent, Diablo, but is more compact & is well-branched enough to
grow in a container. Gets it's fine texture from the other parent,
Physocarpus ‘Nana’. The peeling bark of Ninebark is VERY attractive. The
species is a Plants of Merit - Missouri Botanical Garden.
Our
introduction. As the species but with red buds on burgundy red
stems that open first to deep near red blooms which later turn medium then
light pink. Stunning. Bred by the late nurseryman
Teddy Kordus, Pete's Uncle. Because they were a local New
Jersey Nursery, no mail order, out of business for many years, this
was never introduced to the trade. We named it in his honor.
Vivid new growth We've had the parent for more than
FORTY years growing about 15 feet from our office door! We
offer all the 'new' ones but you simply aren't going to beat 'LSS
Kordus Red'!
A very dwarf form to 2'
tall and 3' wide with a compact habit. New leaves are pinkish
bronze, turning dark green at maturity. Buds open to 3-5"
pendulous panicles of white flowers. Blooming somewhat later and
longer, it can definitely extend the season. AGM winner, this
little plant is a blooming powerhouse! Look at the picture link!
Beautiful
deep red buds followed by pendant near red blooms which gradually
age to pink. Upright, tiered dense growth. Bronze new
foliage. Like all Pieris, slow growing, 6-8" per year.
Great Plant Picks -
Miller Botanical Garden. Bellevue Botanical Garden
A wonderful cultivar that's very heavy
blooming, PROFUSE actually, and it has panicles that are both larger and more
erect than P. japonica.
Not quite as hardy as Pieris japonica but if you in the right place,
this is the right Pieris! A rounded shrub with broad, glossy
evergreen leaves with bronzy new growth. This is possibly a hybrid
between P. japonica and P. taiwanensis which seems to capture the best
features of both parents. 
A very interesting weeping form of Eastern White Pine. It's long branches sweep the ground. A handsome and ornamental
specimen. Graceful pendulous branchlets show off blue-green, needles to great advantage.
A fast growing focal point plant. Definitely check out the photo
link above on this one -- the pictures say it better than words.
It's hard to give a mature height as each plant develops it's own
'personality'
AKA
Fallopia x bohemica 'Spectabilis'
A well behaved form
of Knotweed with green leaves heavily marbled and frosted with
cream. Greenish-white blooms are sterile. The amount of
white variegation is so intense, the plant never reaches the
proportions or vigor of the green species. (Where the leaves
are white, there's no chlorophyll so that part of each leaf doesn't
feed the plant -- like many variegated plants, it's just much less
vigorous.)
Interesting twisted stems that's been embraced in horticulture for accent use.
Stems are twisted and contorted. Stunning in spring when the evil looking thorns gently hold beautiful white blossoms. Can be used to deter traffic - no sane person or animal would try to pass thru a hedge of this!
Tremendous late fall and winter character plus attractive fruit.
The fruit is about the size of a tangerine, more yellow than orange
with a very thick rind and VERY SOUR. While it drops its leaves
in winter, the thorny stems remain green. Hardy to -15, it can even be
grown into zone 5 with protection. 
As
above but with thorns that are curved, rather than straight, giving it a slightly different
look in winter. Actually a lot more sinister looking!
:-) Hardy to -15, it
can even be grown into zone 5 with protection. 
Deciduous shrub
trained to a central leader - shaped like a small tree.
Opposite leaves are very variable in shape, pretty and shiny. Very Musky smell keeps
deer at bay. This is one of very few trees that are this small. Quite
handsome. Needless to say, extremely rare! "Huangmao douhucai"
in Chinese Medicine. We have had this in our Zone 6B
garden for 10 years. How much more cold hardy than that we don't
know. Great for Bonsai. Note this is known as Japanese
Neem tree, not Indian Neem Tree which is a totally different plant and
it's really native to China but introduced into Japan where it was
found.
A
small woody shrub/tree whose chief value is it's pink flowers. Best
used in a mixed border of shrubs. Like forsythia's and some other
shrubs, it's absolutely stunning in bloom. Nothing to write home about
the rest of the year -- just nice -- BUT during the one season it
shines, it really, really shines!
Acquired
when we bought out a newly formed 'Rare Plant Nursery' in 1999. AKA,
Japanese plum - Hardy to zone 4, this popular cherry has pink to white
flowers and wine-red fruit that makes great pie. Very ornamental! Used
as a Japanese herb. Leaves used as a die. Wow -- pretty, useful, edible,
herbal -- what more could a shrub have? OK, fantastic for Bonsai!
That, too. Pink to white blooms are similar to flowering Almond.
Even if it never flowered, this would be a worthy tree. Artistically weeping, gray-brown prominently
horizontal-lenticelled branches. Long-lived and beautiful with graceful habit. Do not confuse it's needs with a weeping willow -- no wet soil, please.
Gorgeous, full-size tree. Not a dwarf
and not a graft. This is the real deal -- the full size weeping
cherry. And it's a fast grower. Species native to
Japan.
A
deciduous shrub with intense reddish-purple leaves which hold thru the
summer. Single, pink fragrant flowers appear after the leaves
have emerged. They are followed by small blackish fruit.
Fine textured -- very high quality foliage. Prune, if needed,
after flowering. A hybrid between P. pumila and P.
cerasifera 'Atropurpea'
Acquired
when we bought out a newly formed 'Rare Plant Nursery' in 1999. A
cross between P. campanulatus & P. incisa, it has an upright
growth habit & finely textured dark green leaves which turn
brilliant orange/red in autumn. In late winter/early spring, slightly before the
leaves appear, it produces a (long) display of pink flowers opening
from reddish pink buds. While you would expect that a 'cultivar'
would be consistent in the trade, 'Okame' isn't -- color varies from
dark to light pink. Our form is medium pink.
A
rapidly growing tree that is part of our country's famed Cherry
Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. Pink buds give rise to
single pink turning white blooms and the effect is that a lightly
fragrant cloud has landed! Ideal tree for the small garden
that needs light shade and a spectacular spring show. Yellow
fall color. Best in sun. 
A
lovely small tree from China which has dark green, shiny leaves
which are a nice yellow and persistent in Fall.
Appreciated most for its fabulous peeling bark. A great size
tree for most yards. Not fussy about soil as long as it's not
too dry. Soft pink 1-1.5" flowers in May. 5-7"
long golden 'pome' fruit matures in October, is fragrant and adds to
the interest of the tree -- they look like a big, very golden pear.
A
dwarf, dense pomegranate that's hardy outside to zone 7 in a protected
spot, against the house or other building. Although in zone 7,
it probably won't fruit. It's takes the warm weather and, more
important, long summers to coax them into fruiting. But never
mind, unless you're dying for the fruit, it still makes a fabulous
shrub. In warm areas, 2" fruit follow the Deep Red blooms.
Drought tolerant but needs lots of water when in bloom - 3 times a
week. New Spring leaves are bronzy and then turn bright green,
ending the season in Fall yellow. Perfect for Bonsais.
See photo link for 
Expensive
because it's slow to root - 5 months to root a cutting! A
hybrid between Pyracantha crenatoserrata (Chinese firethorn) and
Osteomeles subrotunda originating in France in 1922 as a chance
hybrid. It's a lovely small shrub with clusters of small
white Pyracantha like flowers that smother the plant followed by the
coral fruit (from the Pyracantha side of the family). Small
dainty, dissected leaves compliment it's size. Has reportedly
taken temperatures to -11F in Syracuse, NY. It dropped leaves
but is still thriving. Thornless.
A
remarkable new plant that's a cross between fernleaf/cutleaf and
columnar Buckthorn. It's ideal for a narrow bed or anywhere you need a
vertical interest shrub. Can also be used for narrow hedges. Has great architecture and structure and turns a
wonderful butter yell"ow in the Fall. This is going to be very, very
useful shrub! Sun, light shade. Red berries turn
green>red>black. "This cultivar
produces very few fruit, none of which have been shown to be viable.
FINE LINE® is a responsible and environmentally friendly replacement
for weedy, older varieties," Proven Winners.
The full size form of
our Native, good for covering banks and massing as it spreads by
suckers. Excellent glossy foliage turns shades of orange, red
and purples in Autumn. Native to the Eastern half of the
country. The leaves resemble those of poison ivy (Rhus
radicans), however fragrant sumac is a totally non-poisonous plant.
Male catkins form in late summer and persist through winter
eventually blooming in spring. Female flowers appear in late summer
and then produce small clusters of hairy, red berries which may
persist into winter. Fruit is attractive to wildlife.
Excellent
fast cover for banks, cuts and fills, massing. Could be used as
ground cover. This plant has the ability to develop roots as the stems
touch the soil and is, therefore, useful for stabilizing banks or
slightly sloping areas. Excellent glossy foliage. Good orange-red fall
color. A female form that produces lots of red berries. A
"Plants of Merit" - Missouri Botanical Garden. Native
to the Eastern Half of the Country.
A
wonderful little native with shiny green pinnate leaves that could go
more or less unnoticed until Fall when it becomes the star of the
garden! Sock it to me Red color (well, it IS called Flameleaf
Sumac after all) that makes everything around it look better.
Takes full sun to mostly
shade. Best for dry, informal,
naturalized areas where it can be allowed to spread and form colonies.
It is stoloniferous, spreading by runners.
Native
to Central North American. In addition to delicious fruit, it
provides excellent cover and nesting for wildlife and is ranked by
KSU as 'Excellent for Wildlife'. Endangered in some parts of
the country. Will take dry soil after being
established. Outstanding brilliant hues of crimson,
blood-red and yellow leaves in Fall. Grown in old gardens for
its fragrant flowers and amber colored fruit and fall foliage.
Worth planting for no other reason than the fall color!
Pacific Coast Hummers -- Anna's,
black-chinned, calliope, rufous -- love this plant.
A
creeping, member of the blackberry family. Excellent in rock walls, as
a groundcover, under shrubs. Round, crinkled foliage of green &
maroon in summer; plum red in winter. This Himalayan species
"Hugs" whatever it meets! Great Fall color. A tremendous,
fast groundcover. TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH! This is absolutely one of
our favorite groundcovers. We prefer groundcovers that creep on
top of the soil, as opposed to those that move underground because
surface root-as-they-grow plants are much easier to keep in
bounds. 
Zone: 7-9 possibly colder
From
Iran, England & the Mediterranean and a few other adjacent
countries comes this strange poet's laurel relative. The mature,
upright clumps to Our favorite horticulture humorist, Tony Avent, says
it, "resembles a short-haired green porcupine after a close
encounter with an tractor-trailer." Takes about the worst
possible growing conditions. Beautiful red berries, as large as
cherries, in September, remain all winter on prickly evergreen
foliage. Oddly enough, a member of the Lily family.
