Small Tree Is A Winner! - Mar 13, 2008
With blocks of land getting smaller people are looking for compact growing trees that are safe to plant near houses.One of the best small growing trees ever is called " Forest Pansy " and it's available now at your local garden centre .
"Forest Pansy" is a spectacular looking tree with huge heart shaped purple leaves. It only grows 5 metres high by 5 metres wide.
The large heart shaped leaves open up in Spring to a brilliant eye catching shade of reddish purple with a velvety appearance. The colour deepens to a purplish black in late Spring then to purplish green in Summer. In Autumn the leaves turn brilliant orange and yellow. In Winter the leaves drop to allow the sunshine into your house and garden.
Its then that you will notice that this trees young branches have a distinct zig zag habit. In late Winter through to early Spring the bare braches are covered in hot pink coloured pea shaped flowers.
This tree is always changing colour so it will add interest to your garden. It grows about a metre a year so in a few years you will have a beautiful shade tree. Young trees can be damaged by hot winds in the first Summer so mulch around the base and water often on those really hot days.
I have an advanced tree growing in my home garden and I have under planted it with the Dwarf Purple Fountain Grass and it looks sensational. " Forest Pansy " trees are botanically known as Cercis canadensis but we may think you have a disease if you ask for one of these.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tims Garden Centre 2 queen St Campbelltown 46267022.