THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, November 13, 1994              TAG: 9411110122
SECTION: HOME                     PAGE: G2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   56 lines

PROFESSOR LISTS PLANTS THAT SHOW PROMISE FOR THE SOUTHEAST

MICHAEL DIRR, noted horticulture professor at the University of Georgia, recently lectured on ``Plants of Promise'' at a zone meeting of the Garden Club of America in Lexington, Ky.

Here are the 11 plants that Dirr believes have promise for gardeners in the Southeast:

Clethra alnifolia - Summersweet: Compacta, Connecticut Rose, Hummingbird, Chattanooga and Fern Valley pink are the most promising cultivars.

Cornus florida `Spring Grove': This is an extremely cold-hardy dogwood with multiple flowers at the end of each shoot. It originated in Cincinnati.

Fothergilla taxa: Dirr said the Mt. Airy cultivar is exceptional for rich yellow-orange-red fall color. It is named for the Mt. Airy Arboretum in Cincinnati, not the North Carolina city by that name. Although Wayside Gardens promotes it, I know few gardeners, including me, who've had much luck with Fothergilla in the Hampton Roads area.

Hydrangea arborescens `Annabelle': This hydrangea is superb. Give it shade and moist soil and it rewards you with a large white flower.

Hydrangea quercifolia - Oakleaf Hydrangea: This wonderful native plant is one of the best. Look for Alice, Pee Wee, Snow Queen, or Snowflake cultivars.

Ilex glabra - Inkberry: This holly thrives in wet soils, although many local landscapers say that after three years, it loses its shape, especially at the bottom of the bush. Dirr says to look for Nordic, Nigra or Shamrock cultivars.

Ilex verticillata - Winterberry: Bright red fruits glow on winter's darkest days on this shrub. It's also wet soil tolerant. Look for Cacapon, Stoplight, Winter Red or Red Sprite.

Itea virginica - Sweetspire: ``Henry's Garnet'' offers large white flowers, red-purple fall color and beautiful reddish purple winter stems. I planted one last week, purchased from Woodlanders. Its leaves were a beautiful purple-red.

Picea orientalis - Oriental Spruce: Dirr believes this is a completely underutilized species, with lustrous, almost black-green needles and tight columnar-pyramidal habit.

Thuja plicata - Western Arborvitae: This is an excellent screening evergreen, better than Thuja occidentalis. It has a graceful growing habit, lustrous foliage and less winter burn.

Ulmus parvifolia - Lacebark or Chinese Elm: Dirr said this tree is a leader in the new wave of shade and ornamental trees, embodying excellent foliage, bark, disease resistance and urban tolerance. Look for Allee, Athena or Thinker cultivars.

Remember that many of these plants are new or not in wide distribution and may be difficult to find. by CNB