When you visit your favorite garden center this time of year, you'll see annual flowers that come in all different colors. If you plan to add flowering plants to window boxes and containers, consider adding in some of the annuals that grow with colorful foliage, too!
Certain foliage annuals can be great additions to pots and window boxes, but they'll also serve as colorful ground-cover plants. With some special care, some can even be brought indoors to overwinter and live as houseplants in the colder months.
Coleus does well in full sun locations
An annual like coleus is a — no pun intended — perennial favorite that grows well in window boxes. Coleus grow with small, serrated leaves that come in a myriad of colors. For a burst of orange, try "Campfire" or an all-red one, named "Rediculous." "Marrakesh" is another coleus type with small leaves that can be grown as ground cover.
Get shady with caladiums
Another annual to grow for its vibrant foliage is the subtropical bulb caladium. Try red or bi-colored ones, and choose between varieties with strap-like leaves or others with leaves that grow in the shape of a heart.
These grow well in a shady area. If you grow caladium in a container, you can bring it indoors over the winter, then bring it back out again next year.
Low-growing, vibrant and sweet
Low-growing plants like the sweet potato vine do well in containers and in gardens, too. Take your pick of colors, from chartreuse ones like "Sweet Caroline" or deep burgundy-colored ones like the variety "Blackie." This is another annual that you can take cuttings of, as they root very easily and can also be used as ground cover.
And an annual that is oft overlooked but would make a stunning addition to a window box or container is Strobilanthes or Persian shield. By the end of summer, this will have grown into a large shrub-like shape with beautiful, serrated leaves that have a deep purple hue with silver streaks through them.
Should dead leaves on witch hazel be removed?
Q: I planted a witch hazel two years ago and it has been doing well. There were buds and lots of leaves. This fall I didn’t prune and the dead leaves are still on the branches. I pruned it a little last week and noticed buds on the branches. Should there still be dried leaves and is there something I should do now in the spring? - Susan, via email
A: There are two different types of witch hazel. One blooms in the late fall or early winter, and the other blooms in very early spring.
The spring bloomer has flower buds on it, so this isn't the right time to prune it. Instead, wait until it is fully done flowering.
Enjoy its small, spider-like flowers; they are great for pollinators, too, because they bloom so early. And as far as any brown leaves, snip those off any time.
The witch hazel hanging on to those leaves throughout the winter and early spring is due to a horticultural phenomenon called marcescence. It's a similar occurrence to dead and withered leaves hanging onto oak trees over the winter.
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