February is upon us. While this can seem like a dull and gloomy time of year for our landscapes, we can also be excited about the winter interest that plants have to offer us. Loma Vista has several options to give you and your customers that extra pop of color or texture in the cold winter months.
1. Arctic Fire Dogwood
A great way to add a pop of color to your winter landscape is to plant Arctic Fire dogwood (Cornus stolonifera Arctic Fire). The red branches stand out wonderfully on a white, snowy backdrop. There are other varieties of red-twig dogwoods, but we recommend this variety because it is a dwarf variety that only grows 3 to 5 feet, is easy to maintain, and is deer resistant.
Cornus stolonifera Arctic Fire
2. Berry Heavy Winterberry Holly
If you’re looking for a shrub that provides both great texture and a pop of color to a winter landscape, we recommend this winterberry (Ilex verticillata Berry Heavy.) Their vibrant, red berries stay clustered on the branches for the duration of fall and winter. This winterberry variety sports more berries than others.
Ilex verticillata Berry Heavy (photo credit: Proven Winners)
3. Fire Chief Globe Arborvitae
These evergreen plants are a fantastic option to add texture and color all winter long with its deep red winter coloring. Because it is slow-growing, Fire Chief (Thuja occidentalis ‘Congabe’) is low maintenance; plus it naturally sports a perfect spherical shape. They’re one of our favorites because they add color interest throughout the year. Try mass planting it in a landscape or sprinkle a few here and there.
Thuja occidentalis ‘Congabe’ Fire Chief
4. Indian Magic Crabapple
Perennials and shrubs aren’t the only way to add winter interest to your landscape. Trees can also be used to add pops of color. We like the Malus ‘Indian Magic’ crabapple because it holds onto reddish berries in the winter. It’s a hardy tree that attracts birds but resists deer. Once the winter snow melts away, you can also look forward to its flowers in the spring. Check out photos about it HERE.
5. Maiden Grass
While color is important to add winter interest, so is shape and texture. I remember the first time I saw (and actually took notice of) Miscanthus with snow-covered plumes. It is still one of my favorites in the wintertime. These grasses are versatile in any landscape and are an easy way to improve upon the overall winter interest of your property. Miscanthus comes in a variety of varieties, so you can easily find one to suit your landscape year-round.
Miscanthus sinesis
Have Questions About Plants?
We may be a wholesale grower, but our staff are experts in the field. What’s more, is we love helping people learn more and understand more about plants. We grow healthy plants, and we want our plants (and any plants really) to be successful in the landscapes they are planted in. Feel free to email us at sales@lomavistanursery.com or call us at (785) 229-7200 if you ever have plant-related questions.