Ask the Expert: What is the name of this flower?

Tragopogon dubius

Yellow Goat's Beard

I have this plant in my garden. It just appeared there early this year and it only blooms in the early morning. It is beautiful and I would like to know the name.

Plant Expert Reply:

This wildflower is called Yellow Goat's Beard (Tragopogon dubius).  It is often found in fields, meadows, waste ground, roadsides, railroads and blooms April through July.

Gaillardia

Ask the Expert: Flower identification
This perennial blooms in June.  Any ideas on identification?  Thanks! Phil

Plant Expert Reply:

This is an awesome perennial called Gaillardia (Indian Blanket Flower) and will bloom all summer long.  This is one of the few perennials that will give me color all summer.  The only down side to this perennial is that it will come up everywhere if you let it.

Clematis

Ask the Expert: Flower identification

This flower blooms each June and is a vine-type plant. I have not been able to identify this plant. Can you help? Phil

Plant Expert Reply:

What you have is a clematis.  I'm not sure which variety it is.  Go to Donahue's Clematis, they have great pictures of several clematis varieties and more information on how to take care of them.

Blue Salvia Bloom

Salvia

Emily Hartley

Plant Expert Reply:
You have a type of salvia. I am not sure which species or cultivar it is. It could be a Salvia patens. They tend to become leggy and flop over if in too much shade. You can trim it back after it blooms. This might keep the next set of blooms from falling over. If it gets taller and still flops over, you can stake the plant.

Lavender Rhododendron

Ask the Expert: What kind of flower is this?
My friend has this flower in her yard and doesn't know what it's called. I think it''s beautiful and I would love to use it in  my wedding but cannot find the name of it.
Thank you! Lindsey

Plant Expert Reply:

Your friend has a lavender Rhododendron.  This shrub is fantastic in the garden.  However probably not a good one for wedding flower use.  If you want to incorporate these into your wedding, you will probably need to use potted ones.  Of you will need to check with your local florist as to the availability of potted Rhododendron in your area and during the season of your wedding.  Your florist might be able to provide potted Azaleas which are part of the Rhododendron genus.

Dahlia Summer Nights Yellow

Ask the Expert: What is this flower
I found this flower last week in a garden at a park in Warsaw Indiana. I don't know if it is an annual or perenial. Does anyone know what it is. Mary

Plant Expert Reply:

I believe what you have is a Dalia called Summer Nights.  The yellow flowers next to the rich dark foliage is amazing. Unfortunately, I am not sure if it is perennial or annual.  You might pop into your local garden center and see if they are familiar with this plant.

Ask the Expert: Lilies
I have some beautiful lilies that are about 3 feet tall, orange, and they have what looks like a black seed. It is attached between the leaf and the stem-about the size of a peanut. Are these seeds? If not, what are they? If they are seeds, what do I do with them…plant them or what? Thanks!!!
Sherry

Plant Expert Reply:

The lily family has many members most of which form round black seeds.  Usually the seed form at the end of a bloom stem.  You can plant the seeds now or harvest and save them to plant later.  If you want to save them wait until the pod opens and collect the seed.  Place the seed in a plastic resealable bag. Be sure to remove as much air as possible. Place the bag with seeds in your refrigerator vegetable crisper until you need them.

Polyantha or Rugosa Rose

Ask the Expert: What is this BEAUTIFUL hot pink shrub??
My friend's neighbor has this outrageous flowering shrub.  I've never seen one like it.  It's not an azalea.  The flowers are big the leaves are dark.  Patty

Reply:

I believe what you have is a either a polyantha or rugosa rose.  When most people think of roses, the hybrid tea that is often used in floral arrangements is the one that comes to mind.  However the rose family is very large and has members that come in all shapes and sizes.  The ployantha and the rugosa roses are closley related to the old wild roses and are used as blooming shrubs in landscapes.

Mock Orange

Ask the Expert: Flowering Tree/Shrub Identification
The attached tree/shrub is in our backyard. It's bloomed for the first time this year (this month) and I've had no luck identifying it. Any ideas? Any suggestions on care? The blooms are sparse, can I do anything to coax additional blooms in future years?

Philadelphus

Thank you. Aubrey

Plant Expert reply:

I believe what you have is a member of the genus Styrax commonly referred to as snowbells.  There are several spiecies like

Styrax americanus (American Snowbells), Styrax grandifolius (bigleaf snowbells), Styrax japonicus (Japansese snowbells).  What you have is either Styrax officinalis or Styrax japonicus.

Styrax

During the growing season use a well-balanced fertilizer once a month.  This should help with the blooms for next year as well as the health of the plant this year.  These plants bloom on previous and current year's growth and will need minimal pruning.  You can prune these in late winter or early spring when dormant.  Over pruning can keep plants from blooming.

I stand corrected. Jason commented that Aubrey's plant was a mock orange and not a snowbell. I sent this message to Aubrey:

We had someone on the blog you believe your plant is a mock orange instead of a snowbell. One way for us to determine which identification is correct is to discuss fragrance. Did the plant have a sweet fragrance when blooming? Also if you have a picture of it in full bloom could you please send it.

Aubrey replied this morning

The blooms look much more like the mock orange, now that I've looked it up. I only had 3 blooms this year, and they are gone now (this is the first time it's ever bloomed). The blooms had a pleasant fragrance, slightly sweet.

I'm hoping a bit a fertilizer will results in a full bloom next year.

Thanks.
Aubrey

Since the plant had a fragrance and Aubrey believed the actual blooms looked like a mock orange, the plant must be a mock orange. I have changed the name on the original photos to mock orange - Philadelphus. I have also attached a picture of a snowbell.

Thanks Jason for correctly identifying the plant.