The Old-Fashioned Shrub Gardeners Should Plant For Its Creamy Bell-Like Flowers

Cultivating an old-fashioned garden doesn't always mean choosing antique varieties. Instead, you can also give an old-world feeling to your garden by choosing plants that add delicate whimsy through soft colors and uniquely-shaped blossoms, including this plant with its creamy bell-like flowers.

Early spiketail (Stachyurus praecox) is an eye-catching, berry-producing shrub. While its vibrant, dense leaves give it a pleasant, round appearance in your yard, the true visual appeal comes from clusters of flowers that hang like pendants when it's in bloom. Although the plant only blooms for a few months during the spring, the sprigs are good for cut arrangement, making them perfect for elevating spring décor.

If you're interested in growing early spiketail, there's just one thing to keep in mind: It can be a bit tricky to find in the United States due to its less common blooming season. As a result, if you fall in love with the idea of this old-fashioned shrub, it may be worthwhile to call your local nursery in advance or shop online. On the bright side, early spiketail is easy to grow, which means that locating a specimen for your yard just so happen to be the most challenging thing about it.

Three of the most important things to keep an eye out when planting early spiketail is climate, soil, and sunlight. These plants don't hold up well to rough winters, and they need to be in the right USDA growing zone to survive. They're hardy in zones 6 through 8, giving them a limited available growing range in the United States. Even in the right hardiness zones, you'll want to take the extra precautions needed to keep them safe throughout poor winter weather. This means picking a planting site that's sheltered from harsh winds.

When finding the right location in your yard, keep sunlight in mind. Early spiketail does best when it is offered full sun or partial shade. Soil is important too, but it can often be amended as needed with a few simple additions to improve soil health. Early spiketail prefers moist, acidic soil with good drainage. It does well in silt, and you should likely avoid heavier, water retaining soils like clay. Choose your planting site carefully. Because it is a shrub, it's not easy to move.