With blushing pink flower trusses and leaves with a layer of attractive fuzz underneath, Rhododendron ‘Ken Janeck’ is a sensational shrub for Northwest gardens.

This star magnolia tree with vibrant pink blossoms extends the show once cherry flowers fade.

Prumnopitys andina superficially resembles a yew, which is part of the reason for its English common name, Chilean plum yew. The other part is from the female cone resembling a small plum.

Species: Salix fargesii
Family: Salicaceae
Common Name: Chinese willow, Farges willow
Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society: 2012
This very attractive willow was “discovered” by Isaac Henry Burkill in 1899 and introduced to the west from central China in 1910 by E.H. Wilson. In 1908 Wilson collected his specimens in the woodlands near Fang Hsien at an altitude of 6000 feet. 

Common Name: Sweetgum 
Family: Altingiaceae
Locations: there are 12 of these trees in our collection: for specific locations check our Living Collections database We also have some of the Asian species; Liquidambar acalycina, Liquidambar formosana and Liquidambar orientalis
Origin: Eastern, southeast and lower central United States, Mexico and Central America.
Height and Spread: to150 feet in the wild and 60-80 feet in cultivation
After our last couple weeks of wind storms most of the leaves have been blown from the trees. 

If you’re looking for a plant that will provide you and your neighbors with a “Wow” reaction during several seasons then you should consider beautyberry ‘Profusion’.

UW Farm is now harvesting celeriac, also known as celery root – a great addition to your rotation of fall root foods!

When it comes to outstanding summer flowering shrubs for PNW gardens, one should not overlook the genus Clethra. Clethra is a genus of about 75 species, mostly native to south and east Asia and the Americas.  It is one of two genera in the Clethraceae, which is closely related to the Ericaceae (Heather family).  They prefer lime-free soil and produce white, fragrant flowers in long racemes or panicles in July or August. 

Oxydendrum arboreum is a beautiful summer flowering tree with dramatic fall foliage.

Originally posted July 1, 2014
An evergreen hydrangea?!!  You betcha!
There are very few evergreen vines for gardeners in the Pacific Northwest, but this gorgeous gem from Asia is  becoming more readily available and it’s simply one of the coolest flowers you’ll ever get to witness opening.
From plump, peony-like buds, they begin to slowly crack open, a froth of fertile flowers begin to form and over the course of a few days, a flat umbel “lacecap” begins to form.