There are many trees and shrubs that do well in the landscapes here in the Miami Valley but there are some that just struggle and many from this group simply die. When you invest in plants for your yard, you don’t want to have to replace them in two or three years. These varieties should be avoided. Some of the box stores will offer them, and that is unfortunate. They look so good in the spring and are very tempting when they are in full bloom. Don’t be fooled. Even if you go to extreme measures trying to get these plants to grow in this area, (like some of us have) there will still be failure.

photo credit: State by State Gardening

One of the groups of plants that do not grow well, if at all, in the Miami Valley are members of the ericaceous or heath family. This acid loving group of plants includes rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurel, andromada, heaths and heathers, blueberries and others. There may be a few “pockets” where these plants will grow but generally they do poorly. Many of us know this from firsthand experience. The failure isn’t because the plants are not “hardy” or are not tolerant to cold temperatures; it is because of the soil conditions in this area. Our bedrock is limestone, unlike the east coast where it is granite. The limestone yields alkaline soil which is unfavorable to this group of acid-loving plants. The second strike is our clay soils do not drain well. The third strike is the lack of organic matter or humus/compost in the soils here. Some of these varieties will survive for a year or so, but they will never grow like they do in northern Ohio, up by Lake Erie or in the eastern part of the country from Maine to the Carolinas. In fact, the experience of many who have tried to grow these plants in this area finds that the plants actually shrink in size over time and eventually become so poor looking that removal is necessary.

Shrubs that do well here are most of the flowering shrubs that are deciduous (lose their foliage in the fall) and a few broadleaved evergreens like the blue hollies, sweetspire (Itea), boxwood and euonymus plus needled evergreens like junipers and arborvitae and a few others.

Selecting varieties that grow well in the Miami Valley is the beginning of success in your landscape. Proper planting is the next thing. One of the most common mistakes made at planting time is planting new plants too deeply. Always plant the top of the root ball level or slightly above the soil surrounding the hole. As always, contact our experts with any questions you may have.

MVG - Growing sustainably since 1984