Good Small Flowering Tree Newsarticle by Barton Joffrion County Agent, LSU AgCenter Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Good Small Flowering Tree Parsley Hawthorn is a very good small tree that is not widely used in the area but deserves more planting in the landscape. The scientific name is Crataegus marshallii and it is a small tree reaching heights of 15 – 20 feet with a width of 15 feet. Great tree for habitat gardens and can tolerate most soil types. Brief Recognition Factors:  White to pinkish flowers in spring.  Fine textured foliage.  Red autumn fruit.  Distinctive cutleaf foliage.  Wildlife food and habitat.  Very clean tree. Some problems with the tree:  Does have thorns on young trees.  Leafspot disease can occur during rainy summers. Overall, a unique small tree that tolerates a wide range of conditions and grows best in a well-drained soil in high shade to partial sun. Wildlife Food Plantings Now is the time to begin preparation for winter food plots for deer. These should be completed by mid-to-late September. As a general recommendation for fall and winter forage, plant wheat, rye, oats and clover. Try to dispense different plot types throughout the area. A very good general food plot mix is 1½ bushels of wheat or rye, ½ bushel of oats, 2/3 pound of Osceola clover, 5 pounds of Crimson clover and 10 – 15 pounds of Hairy Vetch mixed together per acre. Be sure to have the pH of your soil checked as clovers need a pH in the range of 6.5 to 7.0 for best results. Lime will need to be added based on soil test recommendations to raise pH levels. Wildlife Plot Land Preparation As with any agronomic crop planting it is critical to prepare the land before to have success with your food plots. Here is a general direction on land preparation for food plots.  Disk the area to plant two to four times to make a clean seed bed.  Fertilize with 250 – 300 pounds of 8-24-24 fertilizer per acre.  Seed 1½ bushels of wheat or cereal rye (Elben, Abrusse or Forage). …Note: Rye and ryegrass are different. Mix 3 – 5 pounds of a well-inoculated subclover, berseem or ladino white-clover seed with the rye or wheat.  Broadcast seed mix on the seedbed when the soil is moist or rain is imminent. Do not overplant. Wheat and rye can choke out clover.  Lightly disk-harrow or cultipack so seed can get in contact with the soil.  Maintain the area by mowing to get succulent, tender growth. You can go to the LSU website at www.lsuagcenter.com and pull up “Food Plot Plantings for White-tailed Deer in Louisiana and Crops for Wildlife Planting” for more information. What to Prune Fall, winter, and spring – flowering trees and shrubs (those that bloom from November through April), such as sasanquas, camellias, azaleas, spireas, Indian hawthorne, Cherries and Oriental magnolias, as well as summer – flowering gardenias and hydrangeas, already have set their flower buds for next year. Extensively pruning or cutting back these plants from now on generally will diminish or eliminate their flower display. Hedges such as ligustrum, boxwood, photinia and viburnum, should be pruned by mid-September. Hybid tea and grandiflora roses should be cut back fairly hard by mid-September. Other types of ever-blooming roses also may be pruned back, as needed, to shape, stimulate vigorous new growth, remove dead or diseased canes or control the size of bush. Vegetables to Plant in September Beets, broccoli (transplants or seeds) Brussel sprouts (transplants or seeds), cabbage (transplants or seeds) Chinese cabbage (transplants or seeds) Cauliflower (transplants or seeds), Collards (transplants or seeds), endive, carrots, English peas, snow peas, garlic (late September), kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions (seeds, late September), parsley, snap beans (early September), radishes, rutabaga, shallots, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips and kale. Question When is the best time to divide Louisiana irises? Answer Best time is in September. If you have any questions or need more information, please call at 985-873-6495. Or email address: bjoffrion@agcenter.lsu.edu or visit our website: www.lsuagcenter.com. “It is the policy of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability.”

Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 (Archive on Sunday, August 24, 2008) Posted by Walter  Contributed by Walter

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