Top Plant Picks - "Mark's Top Picks"

Presented by Mark Weathington, Director, and Blake Wentley, Education Assistant, JC Raulston Arboretum on June 5, 2024.
Ask any horticulturist what their favorite plant is and, more often than not, they'll respond, "That's not fair; there are too many!". That's actually an incredibly reasonable point, and we're not here to argue with it. Rather than limiting ourselves by playing favorites, let's see if our Horticulture crew can give us a list of "Top Plant Picks" so we can see which of our wonderful plants are capturing their attention and performing well in the garden right now. Join us this month as our Director, Mark, shows off some of the newest & rarest selections from his plant collecting trips and nerds out over his Top Plant Picks for June!
Plant list:
Ficus palmatum 'Icebox'
Hydrangea seemannii
Cirsium japonicum ‘Shiro Fukurin Fu’
Ardisia japonica ‘El Luchador’
Sorbus keissleri
Symplocos stellaris MWT14-1046
Erysimum witmannii
Illicium anisatum (white chirifu)
Carex berggrenii
Tricyrtis ravenii MWT08-159
Podocarpus ‘Flame’
Distylium racemosum 'Guppy'
Acer fabri
Loropetalum chinense ‘Shidare’
Oreocharis speciosa
Quercus glauca 'Shima Fu'
This program was a live performance that was streamed online. Tune into our midweek program live on Zoom, Wednesdays at 3:00pm eastern time. Here's the link: jcra.ncsu.edu/...

[@MDA-rs4uf]

There is a quercus glauca at the GA state botanical gardens in Athens GA that will knock your sox off..it is so impressive.. I planted acorns and got seedlings going...I like another evergreen oak called rysophylla or loquat oak that Dave Creech shared with me...I like it a lot...

[@baaa884]

Finally something from India! Thank you

[@Matthew-ec6vk]

Woooooo!!!! I won the white variegated Illicium 🥳🎉😎🤪So excited!!! I’m driving from Florida to get it and check out the arboretum! Can’t wait!!!

[@JonFlash]

What is the cultivar name of it?

[@dbbdeb2327]

Love it.

[@baaa884]

I want to buy Peppermint Stick Giant Reed Grass - Variegated White - Live Plant - Arundo donax from jcra. But you don't seem to be selling it. If you are, please let me know. Thank you

[@jcraulstonarb]

There are a handful of these for sale on our plant cart right now! Our plant cart is restocked every Monday and Thursday - a great reason to come see us often!

[@MDA-rs4uf]

I don't see why distylium is so popular...boring to me...even the varieties are just shrubs with leaves...ho hum... I killed one of my acer fabrii from being too exposed that first winter...the one that survived the winter is under an oak which I guess gave it enough protection...hope it keeps going...m