Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 126: Winter Stunners

The winter blues have certainly set in around here. But thankfully we have a few plants outside that seem to have saved their best for last. Today Carol and Danielle are talking about winter stunners—trees, shrubs, and even a subshrub that look so gorgeous in January and February you’ll forget that technically it’s the “off-season.” Whether your winter is mild and wet, cold and dry, or you live where it snows seemingly every day, we’ve got some options that will help make the landscape seem vibrant.

Expert guest: Michelle Provaznik is the chief executive officer of the American Public Gardens Association. She lives and gardens in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Danielle’s Plants

'Wintergold' white fir
‘Wintergold’ white fir

‘Wintergold’ white fir (Abies concolor ‘Wintergold’, Zones 3–8)

'Goldilocks’ Japanese white pine
‘Goldilocks’ Japanese white pine

‘Goldilocks’ Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora ‘Goldilocks’, Zones 5–7)

Blue deodar cedar
Blue deodar cedar

Blue deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara cv., Zones 6b–9)

‘Divinely Blue’ or ‘Feelin’ Blue’

Coral bark maple
Coral bark maple

Coral bark maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’, Zones 5–9)

 

Carol’s Plants

American beech
American beech

American beech (Fagus grandifolia, Zones 3–9)

Red osier dogwood

Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7)

Japanese stewartia
Japanese stewartia
Japanese stewartia
Japanese stewartia

Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamillia, Zones 5–8)

Star magnolia, winter branches
Star magnolia, winter branches
Star magnolia, flower buds
Star magnolia, flower buds
Star magnolia, spring flowers
Star magnolia, spring flowers

Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata, Zones 4–8)

Expert’s Plants

‘Panchito’ manzanita
‘Panchito’ manzanita

‘Panchito’ manzanita (Arctostaphylos × coloradensis ‘Panchito’, Zones 4b–8)

Baby blue rabbitbrush (Credit: Michelle Provaznik)
Baby blue rabbitbrush. Photo: Michelle Provaznik

Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9)

Red osier/ twig dogwood

Red osier/redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7)

Kentucky coffeetree (Credit: Michelle Provaznik)
Kentucky coffeetree. Photo: Michelle Provaznik

Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus, Zones 3–8)

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