I know I've been away a while and I apologize, but I do have a question for all y'all... I have this berm in my backyard and upon it are five or six bushes, and I don't know what they are. Right now, they look like dead dried reddish Queen Anne's Lace. At the base of their stalks are new green little rosette things, they look like little tiny cabbages. I'm wondering if these things should have been pruned in the fall? Should I prune them now so the green cabbages can grow? Or will the dead-looking Queen Anne's Lace come back? Does anyone have any idea what this stuff is? Thanks!!
Posts: 4627 | Location: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Based on the description, I have no idea what they are, but the new "green rosette things" is the new growth. Since it's growing from the base, you likely could have pruned them in the fall, but it shouldn't hinder the growth at all. I'd prune now...just cut everything that is dried and reddish down to the start of where it's growing. It should continue to grow well.
Do you have a digital camera and can post a picture??
How big are the "bushes"??? If they're not all that big, maybe it's something like yarrow?
Thank you for the suggestions, Lydia! I didn't prune it in the fall because we didn't move in until January. So I have no idea what anything is or what it will look like when it blooms! I may wait a bit before pruning the dead stuff -it's supposed to snow this weekend and I don't want to shock the poor little buds too much. I don't have a digital camera... But they are about knee-high. Would that be right for yarrow?
Posts: 4627 | Location: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
It's hard to say with Yarrow...the plant is shrublike and depending on the variety, can be various heights. Knee height could be right.
The reason I said yarrow was primarily based on your description of the dried "flower" looking like a version of queen-anne's lace. The stalk that would be dried now and the head of it would resemble that kind of a shape, although not as fragile.
Crumble the head of it in your hands - - does it smell spicey at all?
So I have no idea what anything is or what it will look like when it blooms! I may wait a bit before pruning the dead stuff -it's supposed to snow this weekend and I don't want to shock the poor little buds too much.
