what native shrub to replace dying azaleas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kalmia (mountain laurel) are evergreen for shade.

NP, we put those in and they all keeled over after 5-6 months. I don’t think they like the clay soil in NOVA.

Correct. They are very particular about drainage, and slow growing as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Viburnum smells lovely too!

Spice Girl, Korean viburnum variety has lovely fragrance and sweet pink blooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spirea

Not always native.

There’s a native one, I’ve never seen it readily available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kalmia (mountain laurel) are evergreen for shade.

I’ve never seen anyone successfully grow this. Has really specific drainage needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a bank of azaleas (non-native, pretty sure) on a shaded slope in our backyard (in NOVA). I'm looking for two different shrubs, one to fill in the top of the slope that is very shaded by white oaks and beech trees. The bottom of the slope gets full sun most of the day.

My ideas so far are common winterberry or common elderberry for the shaded part. Virginia sweetspire or bee balm for the sunny spot.

I am a total novice, so comments on my ideas or alternate ideas are very welcome! Trying to prevent the erosion of this slope, support native wildlife, and also create some year round beauty in our yard. We are very low maintenance and realistically will not do more than prune once or twice a year and water to establish the shrub. [/

If the top gets some sun, you could try Hydrangea arborescens. I’ve had good luck with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kalmia (mountain laurel) are evergreen for shade.

NP, we put those in and they all keeled over after 5-6 months. I don’t think they like the clay soil in NOVA.

I looked at a house that had mountain laurel growing very nicely, under tall trees. The only time I'e seen it growing successfully in Nova.

Native rhododendrons. Native hollies including Winterberry. Wnterberry - so pretty in the winter with all the berries.

[Anonymous]

Sweet spire, very easy to grow here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Viburnum smells lovely too!

Spice Girl, Korean viburnum variety has lovely fragrance and sweet pink blooms.

But that's one of the non native viburnums, although it smells amazing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Toxicodendron Radicans”. It’s absolutely, positively native to eastern North America.

Low maintenance, easy to care for, drought tolerant and it has essentially no pest or deer browsing problems. Does well in sun, partial shade or full shade. Any soil type as long as it’s not waterlogged. Pretty much the perfect plant-it-and-forget-it perennial.

Don't be a jerk, PP. This is one of the few spaces on DCUM without a$$holes.

Some of our native plant “enthusiasts” (fetishists?) can get pretty tedious at times with their evangelistic adherence to native plant dogma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Toxicodendron Radicans”. It’s absolutely, positively native to eastern North America.

Low maintenance, easy to care for, drought tolerant and it has essentially no pest or deer browsing problems. Does well in sun, partial shade or full shade. Any soil type as long as it’s not waterlogged. Pretty much the perfect plant-it-and-forget-it perennial.

Don't be a jerk, PP. This is one of the few spaces on DCUM without a$$holes.

Some of our native plant “enthusiasts” (fetishists?) can get pretty tedious at times with their evangelistic adherence to native plant dogma.

I'm one of them, and agree. However, telling someone to plant poison ivy? That takes it to a whole another level (and I sincerely doubt they're any sort of a plant enthusiast, maybe an enthusiastic troll).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Toxicodendron Radicans”. It’s absolutely, positively native to eastern North America.

Low maintenance, easy to care for, drought tolerant and it has essentially no pest or deer browsing problems. Does well in sun, partial shade or full shade. Any soil type as long as it’s not waterlogged. Pretty much the perfect plant-it-and-forget-it perennial.

Don't be a jerk, PP. This is one of the few spaces on DCUM without a$$holes.

Some of our native plant “enthusiasts” (fetishists?) can get pretty tedious at times with their evangelistic adherence to native plant dogma.

I'm one of them, and agree. However, telling someone to plant poison ivy? That takes it to a whole another level (and I sincerely doubt they're any sort of a plant enthusiast, maybe an enthusiastic troll).

NP
I thought it was hilarious 😂. I didn’t know the Latin name but as I was reading the description, I was thinking “hey, this sounds perfect! This stuff can grow anywhere. I really need to get some and plant this” Then I searched the Latin name. That was pretty dang funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kalmia (mountain laurel) are evergreen for shade.

I’ve never seen anyone successfully grow this. Has really specific drainage needs.

We have a lot of them in our DC neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Viburnum smells lovely too!

Spice Girl, Korean viburnum variety has lovely fragrance and sweet pink blooms.

Yes, but OP wants native.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Toxicodendron Radicans”. It’s absolutely, positively native to eastern North America.

Low maintenance, easy to care for, drought tolerant and it has essentially no pest or deer browsing problems. Does well in sun, partial shade or full shade. Any soil type as long as it’s not waterlogged. Pretty much the perfect plant-it-and-forget-it perennial.

Don't be a jerk, PP. This is one of the few spaces on DCUM without a$$holes.

Some of our native plant “enthusiasts” (fetishists?) can get pretty tedious at times with their evangelistic adherence to native plant dogma.

OP specifically asked for native shrubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kalmia (mountain laurel) are evergreen for shade.

NP, we put those in and they all keeled over after 5-6 months. I don’t think they like the clay soil in NOVA.

I was going to say this. I had a couple and they did well.