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I talk a lot in these columns and in my gardening classes about landscape plants that have various elements of aesthetic interest and about plants that are weird, unusual, or uniquely noteworthy. It goes without saying that plants that can grab your attention for one reason or another are highly valued by many gardeners. However, not every plant in the landscape has to be a star. Some plants need to just do their job, to paraphrase the legendary Bill Belichick. I covered one such plant recently in my column about mondo grass, but Podocarpus is another one of those types of plants. Perhaps it won’t knock your socks off, but it’ll do its job and usually do it well. Podocarpus macrophyllus, also known as Japanese Plum Yew, Yew Pine, Buddhist Pine, or simply Podocarpus, is a slow-growing, compact, evergreen shrub that usually grows to a height of about six feet tall. It has long slender leaves that are similar to the English yew, Taxus baccata, though Podocarpus are generally much larger. Older leaves are a deeper green color, but new growth each spring (or following each pruning) is typically a lighter green. The flowers are fairly insignificant, but they give way to an interesting fruit in late summer. The fruit are technically considered a cone, botanically speaking, with two parts: a red fleshy segment called an aril, and 1-2 greenish-yellow seeds attached to the aril. Although the aril is edible, its seeds are poisonous, so you may want to resist any temptation to sample if you happen to see the fruit in their full glory.
Where does this plant fit into our landscapes? It is very tolerant of pruning, and has a naturally slow growth rate and dense growth habit. This makes it ideal for use as a border or hedge. Think of areas where you may have seen privet or boxwood in a neatly manicured row; this is the kind of landscape usage that would be ideal for podocarpus. It prefers sun and well drained soils, but can tolerate some shade as well. It may be a good alternative to boxwood in cases where nematodes or soil pathogens have caused damage.
Though it is ideal as a hedge, podocarpus is occasionally used as a specimen plant due to its slightly unusual leaf shape and texture. It can be shaped as a topiary, and is often maintained this way when used as a specimen. It also often is grown as a houseplant. Indoors, it may have some issues with soft scale insects, but is relatively pest free in most other situations. It is tolerant to drought, salt, and deer, which may make it a good replacement for other plants that are not so lucky. Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center. If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners at [email protected] or 252-902-1705.
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Readers, let’s play a game. I want you to raise your hand if you have at least one large shade tree somewhere in your yard. It doesn’t matter what kind of shade tree. It could be an oak, a maple, perhaps a tulip poplar. I’m imagining there are quite a few hands raised. Now keep your hand raised if you’ve ever tried to grow grass underneath one of these shade trees. Many of you still have your hands raised. Now I want those of you who have had success growing grass directly under one of these shade trees to keep your hands raised, and anyone who hasn’t been successful can put them down. Does anyone still have their hand raised? Not many, I’d imagine. Grass simply doesn’t do well in shade. Sure, there are some types such as St. Augustine, certain varieties of Zoysia, perhaps creeping Red Fescue, that have that have a little more shade tolerance than most grass species, but even these grasses will struggle in dense shade. Yet, so many of you insist on having something green at the base of these trees rather than creating a bed of pine straw or bark mulch. If you simply must have something green in these spots, why not try Mondo Grass, Ophiopogon japonicas? Despite having grass in its name, Mondo Grass is not a true grass but rather a herbaceous broadleaf evergreen groundcover. Unlike our traditional turf grasses, Mondo Grass is not only shade tolerant but truly prefers shade, and likes moist well-drained soil. Individual plants grow to a height of about one foot high by one foot wide, and spread by runners, forming a dense mat of foliage over time. One foot high, you say? Why that’s way too tall for any grass in your yard. Don’t worry, there’s a dwarf version that grows 3 to 6 inches tall, still a bit higher than Bermuda or Centipede, but essentially in the range of all of those Fescue lawns in the Piedmont.
Mondo Grass bears some resemblance to Liriope, another grass-like plant that could be used as a turf alternative but is more often used as edging in flower beds. Liriope is often referred to by the common name Lilyturf, while Mondo Grass is sometimes called Dwarf Lilyturf. Both are members of the asparagus family, believe it or not. If shopping for either plant, be sure to double check the labels to make sure you’re buying what you want, as the similarity in name and appearance can be deceiving.
Mondo Grass produces a relatively inconspicuous flower in the summer time, a short raceme of pale pink to white that grows to 2 to 4 inches long and is often hidden in the foliage. While you may mow the rest of your lawn once a week, Mondo Grass does not need to be cut regularly, though established plants are not bothered by being mowed. If using as a turf alternative for shade, plan to mow once per year in late winter/early spring simply to remove older or dying foliage, and perhaps one or two other times if you desperately want to control its height or conceal any potential flowers. Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center. If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners at [email protected] or 252-902-1705. Gardeners often think of bulbs as things we plant in the fall with the expectation of blooms early the following spring. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, and crocus are especially beloved spring-flowering bulbs. While these all have a place in our gardens, many summer-blooming bulbs exist as well and provide colorful blooms during the hot months. One of these that many gardeners know is the Canna Lily. Canna lilies are native to tropical regions in Africa as well as Central and South America. They have large, paddle-shaped leaves that may be as much as 2 feet long and 12 inches wide. These leaves are typically green, but many cultivars have red, purple, yellow, or variegated leaves that add ornamental interest. Cannas are prized mainly for their flowers, however, which appear atop tall stalks in mid-summer and often last until frost in fall. Considering the tall flower stalk, plants may reach heights of anywhere between 2 to 8 feet in height. Flowers come in a variety of colors, from yellow to red to pink, peach, salmon, orange, to cream. Some gardeners find the common combination of yellow or red flowers with solid green leaves to be somewhat bland, but the wide variety of bloom colors and leaf colors and patterns quickly makes it possible to find more interesting combinations. One of the most popular cultivars is ‘Bengal Tiger,’ prized for its striped yellow and green leaves, and with orange flowers growing to a height of 3 to 4 feet tall. Similar, but slightly less common, are ‘Red Tiger’ and ‘White Tiger,’ which both also feature striped foliage, but have red and white flowers, respectively, rather than orange. Tropicanna ‘Phasion’ is another popular cultivar, with 6 foot tall orange flower stalks atop plants with green leaves with red and yellow streaks or blotches. ‘Black Knight’ has red flowers, with smoky purple-burgundy leaves.
Regardless of the cultivar that you find most visually appealing, cannas will need essentially the same care. While they tolerate a fairly wide range of soil types and can grow in both full sun and partial shade, they are at their best when grown in moist, well-drained soils and full sun. Provided the soil drains adequately, they can actually tolerate very wet conditions for temporary periods, making them suitable for situations such as rain gardens or around ponds or pools.
Cannas spread by rhizomes, an underground stem, and they should be divided periodically to be kept under control. Cut the plants down in winter and remove the old foliage to prevent insect problems, as they often overwinter in dead foliage. Though many cannas are quite hardy, they are a tropical plant and may sometimes suffer injury during cold winters. Many gardeners choose to dig up the rhizomes and store them indoors. This may not always be necessary, but if you choose to do so, keep the rhizomes in a dry and dark place until replanting in the spring. Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center. If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners at [email protected] or 252-902-1705. If I’m being honest, the hardest part of writing this column each week is deciding what plant to write about. Once I’ve decided what to write about and why it makes sense to choose that particular plant for that particular week, everything else comes pretty quickly. Sometimes I write about something pretty I noticed in the Arboretum that morning, or something that caught my eye on the way to work, and other times I try to make a witty connection of some sort. If I’d been more on my game, I could have written a column on July 4th about any of several plants called ‘Fireworks’ – Fireworks Goldenrod or Fireworks Gomphrena, for example. Since I missed that opportunity, I’ll try the next best thing – writing about the Firecracker plant, Dicliptera squarrosa, a month after July 4th. The Firecracker plant, also known as the Hummingbird plant, is a heat- and drought-tolerant summer-blooming perennial flower that is native to South America. From July through early September, it is loaded with small, trumpet-shaped orange flowers. The flowers occur at the tip of each stem and are clustered together, resembling a burst of sparks from a firecracker. The Firecracker plant will grow to a height and width of about 18-24 inches. Leaves are grayish-green and feel fuzzy due to the presence of leaf hairs. 
Top: The vivid orange-red flowers of the Firecracker plant occur at the tip of each stem and are clustered together, resembling a burst of sparks from a firecracker. Photo: JCRA: JC Raulston Arboretum. Left: Cuttings from the Firecracker plant can be overwintered indoors and planted in the spring. Photo: D.J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0. Right: Since the plants grow upright, they can be squeezed in with other flowering plants. Like many plants with an abundance of leaf hairs, the Firecracker plant is able to regulate its moisture level to increase drought tolerance. When I’ve tried to grow this plant at home in the past, I’ve been unsuccessful due to planting it in rich soil and providing too much water. Here at the Arboretum, we have it planted in our Fire Hydrant Garden, a small flower bed at the edge of the curb surrounding a fire hydrant. The soil is sandy, and it is intensely hot due to the proximity to paved surfaces. This plant thrives here. Many plants with leaf hairs also have at least some level of deer resistance, as the leaves tend to be less palatable to deer.
As the other common name, Hummingbird plant, implies, this plant is a favorite of hummingbirds as well as butterflies. Like many plants that are a favorite of these pollinators, the nectaries (structures in plants that secrete nectar) hidden deep in the flowers are a good match for extended mouth parts. This plant can easily be incorporated into a pollinator-themed garden, but is also fit for a drought-tolerant planting or a mixed-perennial planting. Because of its high drought tolerance, it is also a good option for containers and baskets, provided they are not filled with a heavy potting soil. The Firecracker plant is best suited for full sun. It can tolerate partial shade, but it will flower less the more shade it is exposed to, thus the sunnier the better. While you might think that it’s South American heritage would make it tender in our winters, it is actually a reliable perennial to zone 7A, tolerating winter temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, it is evergreen in our climate, so not only will it survive the winter but it retains its leaves throughout. Matthew Stevens is the County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pitt County Center. If you have questions about this article or gardening in general, please contact the Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners at [email protected] or 252-902-1705. |
Matt Stevens
Pitt County Extension Director & Horticulture Agent Archives
February 2026
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