Ornamental Peanut (Arachis Glabrata)

Peanut Grass BloomOrnamental Peanut is an attractive, low maintenance groundcover. This drought-tolerant, hardy perennial requires no supplemental water after it is established. It is in the peanut family, thus it makes its own nitrogen. This eliminates the need of nitrogen fertilizers. It has no known pests or disease which makes it an excellent ground cover of choice!

 

This plant grows to a height of 6 inches tall, has a deep green leaf, and is sometimes used as an alternative to sod. It requires a well-drained soil and thrives in full sun. As a side benefit, it has a beautiful yellow flower from early spring through summer and into late fall.

 

This plant in not a particularly aggressive specimen and in fact, like most lawns, goes dormant in the winter; however it is best to keep it contained. If you are in an area where deer are a problem this is not a plant you would want to install. Its mother plant has the nickname “Florida Alfalfa” and is sometimes grown as feed stock for horses and as an attractant and food supply on deer preserves.

 

Like all plants, there is an establishment period but once established the Ornamental Peanut has great drought tolerance. It will go dormant in all areas in cold winters but will come back in early spring and does not require replanting once established. This is a great plant for use in xeriscape designs because of its hardiness and outstanding drought tolerance. It is hardy in USDA Zones 8-11.

Peanut Grass

Landscaping for Shading Effects

This is the last article in our summer series, THE HEAT IS ON. Our intention has been to maybe make you more aware of some of the benefits of landscaping with energy efficiency in mind and suggesting ways that this can be accomplished. We have talked about the significant value of trees in cooling the perimeter of your home and have discussed how ground covers, hedges, and trellises with vines can add to the accumulative cooling effect of your landscape. By combining these different types of plants in your design, and, by giving some thought to placement and future growth patterns, you can make a significant difference in the amount of heat that is reflected and absorbed into your home. And that can save you money on energy and cooling costs overall.
Podocarpus

The home that is pictured above is an excellent example of landscaping with energy efficiency in mind. They have taken steps to make the most of natural cooling effects. This home faces slightly southwest and with the use of a few strategically placed trees and a well maintained podocarpus hedge, the front of the house stays well shaded throughout the day. They have let the hedge grow taller at each end of the porch to block the early morning and late afternoon sun. Across the front of the porch, the hedge drops to an intermediate height, to block most of the sun during the day, but does not block the view from the windows and still allows air flow across the porch. The shrubs drop even more to shade the walkway and keep the heat from radiating from the hard surface.

The trees are kept thinned to allow sufficient sunlight filtration for good turf growth and they have taken advantage of the areas where they still get sun for most of the day to add some nice color with annual beds. The end result is an energy efficient, shaded, cooler, well balanced design.

With over 28 years combined experience in our Planning and Design Department, at JLC Outdoors we have what it takes to consult with you on a plan for shading your home. Fill out the CONTACT US FORM  on our website or give us a call at 407-595-5818. We will be glad to meet and work with you to make your outdoors cooler and more enjoyable.

‘The Heat is On’

Glenn Frey’s version of this song rocks. The extreme heat of Florida’s summers, not so much. And June is only the beginning. We are still experiencing some nice comfortable temperatures in the evenings and for a couple of hours in the mornings. But as we head further into the summer it seems the heat keeps building and accumulating until there is no relief at any time of day. And as the temperatures rise, so do our energy costs as we try to keep our homes cool and comfortable.

A well-designed landscape not only can add beauty to your home but it also can reduce your heating and cooling costs. As the sun beats down, solar heat is absorbed through windows and rooftops and your air conditioning usage increases proportionately. By incorporating some trees and other shading concepts into your landscape design, you can reduce this solar heat gain, reducing your cooling costs for inside and making your homes exterior more relaxing and enjoyable for the summer months.

Even on the hottest of days, I’m sure you have noticed that if you can find a nice big shade tree under which to relax, life is much more pleasant. One reason is that plants actively move and release water vapor. This process is called evapotranspiration and can reduce surrounding air temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Because cool air settles near the ground, air temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than air above a nearby open area.

A little planning and forethought should be applied before selecting trees for your landscaping. We at JLC Outdoors can help you decide on the appropriate sizes, densities, and shapes for almost any shading application. A deciduous tree planted in the right location will block solar heat in the summer but let much of it in during winter. Evergreen trees and shrubs are fantastic for providing continuous shade or for blocking noise from street traffic.

Deciduous trees with high, spreading crowns (i.e., leaves and branches) can be planted to the south of your home to provide maximum summertime roof shading. Trees with crowns lower to the ground are more appropriate to the west, where shade is needed from lower afternoon sun angles. Although a slow-growing tree may require many years of growth before it shades your roof, it will generally live longer than a fast-growing tree. Also, because slow-growing trees often have deeper roots and stronger branches, they are less prone to breakage by high winds. Slow-growing trees can also be more drought resistant than fast-growing trees.

With over 28 years combined experience in our Planning and Design Department, at JLC Outdoors we have what it takes to consult with you on a plan for shading your home. Fill out the CONTACT US FORM on our website or give us a call at 407-595-5818. We will be glad to meet and work with you to make your outdoors cooler and more enjoyable.

Jim Adams
6/01/11

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