New Shrubs for 2026
“Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” (Stephen King, The Colorado Kid)
Isn’t that true?!! Much of what’s new at Christensen’s this year is new varieties of existing plants or improved versions of plants that have been available for years.
First up is – are you ready for it?
Philadelphus – yep mock orange. The newer Illuminati® Series has turned out to be a very nice mock orange. I planted a couple a few years ago, below a window. I had totally forgotten how sweet they smell and how pretty the flowers are. I was hooked! There are several different heights in the series. Mine are Illuminati Tower® (Philadelphus coronarius ‘SMNPVG’) which flower up and down the stem. It is the tallest at 5’ (3’ spread).
Christensen’s will also have some Illuminati Sparks® (Philadelphus coronarius ‘SMNPVB’),
with its smaller 3 x 3 size. All in the series are well maintained, and all
have deliciously sweet flowers in late spring.
Is it weird to be excited about a new Cornus sericea? “Redtwig” Dogwoods do have a place, looking fashionable in the winter, all dressed up in red. For years the nicest and most colorful was ‘Baileyi’ (6-10 x 6-10'). A true nativar, ‘Baileyi’ was found in a wooded area
and is considered a naturally occurring cultivar.
The new one, Arctic Fire® (Cornus sericea ‘Farrow’), is bred to only grow about 3-4’ tall and lacks the colonizing habit of the species, therefore it doesn’t spread.
If you haven’t guessed from prior articles, I am a Viburnum FAN. There are a couple of new ones Christensen’s will carry this year. My new favorite is the Sugar n' Spice™ (Viburnum carlesii ‘Select S’). It is a small sized Viburnum (4-6’ x 4-6’) with pink buds, opening to an excess of white flowers. It is a Korean spice bush, so it has a sweet-spicy scent when it blooms in mid-May.
Buds and flower of the Sugar n' Spice™ Viburnum
And just because Viburnum are such an awesome plant, this one morphs
to a brilliant red in the fall to add to the show.
Check back next week for the last in the series... Molly will introduce us to the Perennials.
