Mobile County
Master Gardeners
Plant of the Month
Agarista
Agarista populifolia
When I walk my dogs in spring, I am amazed by all the lovely fragrances our floras add to the outdoor, sensory experience. I make a point of walking a Midtown street for the honey like fragrance of Agarista populifolia or Florida leucothoe. The panicles of bell-shaped flowers are abuzz with honey bee activity which, when I kept bees, was assurance the ‘girls’ were finding a good nectar source.
If you have a shady, damp, woodland-like area or a shady boundary line that needs a screen, look no further than agarista to fit the purpose. The upright stems, growing to about 12 feet, will sucker to fill in a space. The irregular branching produces coppery new growth which ages to a dark green. It does fine if it is chopped back, rebounding quickly. And those flowers…
By Carol Dorsey
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THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN AND GROW
Master Gardeners are Extension-trained volunteer educators. Under the direction of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, this program has a two-fold purpose: to increase the availability of home horticulture information through qualified volunteers and to extend the land-grant mission across Alabama.
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True to the mission of being service-oriented, educators, and motivated to share knowledge and expertise, Master Gardeners are active in the communities of Mobile County. Click to learn more about our community partners.
