Now is the time of year that ornamental cabbage and kale show off their colorful rosettes of white, pinks, reds, and purples in the landscape. Ornamental cabbage and kale are the same species as their edible counterparts. However, while the ornamental versions are edible, they tend to have a bitter flavor and are often used in a culinary setting as garnishes. They are best used for replacing worn out summer annuals for a long-lasting fall display. They are wonderful in mass plantings, in mixed or single container plantings, and as edgings. Try to position them to expose their colorful centers.

Ornamental cabbages and kales cannot tolerate the heat of Ohio summers, so these plants should be started about 10 weeks before the expected date of the first frost in your area. Ornamental cabbage or kale transplants purchased for planting should be large, compact plants that are nearly or fully colored. These plants will generally not get much bigger after they are planted in the garden, particularly if they are root bound. Therefore, be sure to buy appropriate-sized plants for the location where they will be used. Plant them in a sunny site with moderately moist and rich soil and enjoy their beauty well into the late fall. For further information on ornamental cabbage and kale refer to University of Wisconsin Extension publication "Ornamental Cabbage and Kale" at
http://hort.uwex.edu/articles/ornamental-cabbage-and-kale

Sweet autumn clematis is a deciduous to semi evergreen vine that is native to Japan. The dark green glossy compound leaves and the 2" long sweetly scented flowers that cover the vine and bloom from late summer to mid-fall make this plant a wonderful addition to the landscape. Vines can reach up to 30' in length and are very vigorous growers – but need support to climb. The silvery feathery seeds of this clematis are attractive; however, they contribute to the possible invasive nature of this plant. Plants should be trimmed heavily after flowering to avoid the problem by preventing seed production. For further information on this plant go to: http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week273.shtml and http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/herbaceous/clematispanic.html

This woody plant is considered a small shrub that grows to around 3' tall. However, in many Ohio gardens, it is more like a perennial as it dies back either partially or to the ground over the winter. This really isn't a bad thing because the shape of the plant is much more attractive during the first year of growth. Therefore, natural pruning (winter) or human pruning results in a great rounded small shrub each season. In addition, it blooms on new wood so flower production is actually better when the plant is cut to the ground in the spring.

The flowers can be blue to purple and the foliage is green, silvery-green, or yellow; both depend upon the cultivar. The flowers appear late summer and last into the fall and are very attractive to butterflies and bees. 'Longwood Blue' has sky-blue fragrant flowers and grows to around 4' tall. 'Worchester Gold' has golden foliage with light lavender-blue flowers and foliage that is aromatic when crushed or brushed with the hand. 'Dark Knight' has deep blue flowers on 2-3' plants.

BYGLers had a lively discussion several weeks ago about the weeping redbud, which is known as the redbud 'Lavender Twist'. It is a beautiful small weeping tree. This is why it was selected as the woody plant of the week. The Redbud 'Lavender Twist' was originally found in Miss Cornelia (Connie) Covey's yard in Westfield, New York. In spring, this tree produces clusters of magenta buds on branches without any leaves. These flower buds then open to rosy-pink flowers. The tree has zig-zagging branches with dark green heart-shaped leaves, which are characteristic of eastern redbuds. Its fall foliage color is golden yellow.

Lavender Twist' redbud is a grafted tree. All of the zig-zagging branches were grafted onto a regular redbud trunk since 'Lavender Twist'redbud is very hard to root. The weeping characteristics come from the grafted stems. Hence, a great caution needs to be taken when pruning this tree. If a stem is removed at the base, that stem is gone for good! No new weeping stems will emerge from the trunk unless someone grafts another one. It is a good idea to "measure twice, cut once" or do not cut at all, since this tree does not really need any regular pruning.

Velvetleaf, a summer annual broadleaf plant, is a problematic weed for many areas in the United States. Velvetleaf is primarily a weed of agronomic crops but can be found in urban environments and other areas such as gardens, roadsides and orchards. Velvetleaf has large, velvety heart-shaped leaves with pointy tips. The erect stems are coarse and grow to 5' tall or more. Leaves are densely covered with short, soft, simple hairs and star-shaped hairs, have long stalks that are about 4-8" long, and are alternate to one another along the stem. Seeds can remain viable in soil for 50 years. If infestations are allowed to persist and produce seed, this weed can be problematic. Flowering and seed production occur from late June to October.

Jerusalem artichoke, also called sunroot, sunchoke, or topinambur, is generally found in pastures, hayfields, roadsides, or home landscapes. This perennial plant is virtually indistinguishable from an annual sunflower at first glance. The flowers look like sunflowers with a course 5-10' stem. The only way to tell if the plant is for sure a Jerusalem artichoke to the untrained eye is to dig up the plant and see if the roots resemble a "knotty potato."

These fleshy tubers can be eaten raw or cooked. The alcohol produced from the root is said to be better than that of a sugar beet. This plant is native to North America, and has been used for many centuries as a food staple. While many can argue whether