Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Settle Down Now, I See You


I think that yellow kolwitzia is waving, trying to get my attention.  I'm sure it wants a bigger pot next year.  I'll need to cast a larger container for it or finally plant it in the ground.  It's kolkwitzia amabilis 'Maradco' or Dream Catcher Beauty Bush (what an awful name).  It has pink flowers in the spring and yellowish leaves all summer.  Fall brings an orange flush before the leaves go.


This shrub sort of snuck up on me.  A couple years ago I had this empty hypertufa container late in the season and grabbed the kolkwitiza for $5 at a nursery, just to have something to fill it.  I knew nothing about kolkwitzia.  I only wanted some yellow foliage to contrast with the conifers in other pots, but this shrub has really grown on me.  It always looks good.  It's not demanding.  It's obviously super tough if it can thrive in a pot year round in the driveway.  I've sort of fallen for it.  

Monrovia's website says it gets 6-12 feet tall and wide at maturity.  It's no small thing.  What have I gotten us into, kolkwitzia?

2 comments:

  1. Six to twelve FEET? That's not a shrub, it's a statement. But, if you have a place to put it I predict stunning!

    It would take a container the size of a child's wading pool!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm not sure my kids would like it if I used their pool as a hypertufa form!

    ReplyDelete