PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH continued from page 23
We couldn’t determine the exact means of the plant’s next journey, but Jim Zampini, of Lake County Nursery, ended up with the plant and put his marketing genius to work. Renaming the plant with a cultivar of ‘Bobazam’ – sticking to the family rule of keeping ‘zam’ on the end of all cultivar names to indicate the origin – he cleverly marketed the plant as “Mr. Bowling Ball.” Mr. Bowling Ball is a hit and makes such a cool addition to the garden, either as an accent or in a mass planting. It forms a near perfect globe shape, topping out around 2 ½ feet. The foliage tends to stay juvenile and gives the plant a very soft texture, more like a Chamaecyparis – often confused for one. With bright, sage-green foliage, this is a superior cultivar for us, as heavy snow loads don’t break it open like other globe forms tend to.
used with great caution if deer are an issue. Easy to transplant and fairly forgiving about soil conditions, it is best to plant T. occidentalis in well drained soils. In nature, these trees can be found anywhere from the side of the mountains to downright bog conditions. However, in nature, they are all seed grown and had time to adapt to such conditions, which is why we recommend any plant coming from a nursery be planted in well-drained soil to avoid failure. As long as you can keep deer issues to a minimum, go out and find some Mr. Bowling Balls for your next planting. They add a lot of interest and fun to the landscape.
Jim Funai is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in hoticulture degree program. He is pursuing a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed
While the habit and/or color may change in the witch’s broom, cultural conditions usually do not. So, just like regular Eastern Arborvitae you are used to, these small cultivars are just as susceptible to deer browse and should be
24 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, which offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care.