This past winter was unusual in that most of the plant injury came not from cold but from winter ice storms and the unseasonable cold snap of early April. Large patches of brown, apparently dead branches are present in many plantings.

Damaged branches remained green throughout the winter. But as temperatures warmed, these areas were unable to absorb moisture and resume growth, thus turning brown. An unusually dry, open winter didn't help at all. Junipers were equally affected.

Plants that are over 60 percent brown will probably need to be replaced. While you can nurture them, it may take years for them to fully recover, if they even do. If only small portions are brown, water and watch for greening and new growth. Give these plants a few more weeks before you determine whether the plants can be revived with pruning or need to be replaced.

Don't confuse this problem with the perennial disease Phomopsis twig blight. Phomopsis is fairly common throughout our area and is also prevalent on low-growing junipers. Phomopsis infects plants in late spring and mid- to late summer while new growth is produced. Damage appears as a progressive dieback of new short growth that changes from light yellow to reddish brown. Entire branches gradually die and turn brown before turning ash gray. Small, black dots that are the fruiting body of the fungus can be observed with a hand lens on the ash gray portions of the stems and needles.

For Phomopsis control, prune and remove all dead and dying parts during dry weather. Fungicides can be applied according to the label, especially during rainy weather. Several products are available; look for those that mention Phomopsis control on the label. Keep new flushes of growth protected. The best control is to avoid this disease by planting resistant junipers, usually indicated on the plant's tag.

So how can you tell the difference between Phomopsis and cold temperature injury? Phomopsis injury showing up on plants at this time is a result from infection last year. Affected branches will look gray and will usually be scattered throughout the plant. Damage from new infections occurring this spring will start to appear once new growth occurs. A clear, light brown color is the result of winter/cold temperature injury.

According to the National Garden Bureau, violas are now competing with their pansy cousins as superstars of the cool-season garden. Always easy to grow, newer viola varieties offer larger flower size, along with excellent heat resistance and cold tolerance. The flower color palette is unsurpassed, offering beautiful pastels and sparkling jewel tones. Some flowers have two, even three colors. Many have unique patterns and markings. The fresh green foliage provides a canvas that makes the abundant flowers shine.

Nomenclature

Viola is a large genus of about 500 species that includes many popular wildflowers and garden flowers such as pansies, sweet violets, and Johnny-jump-ups. They represent a wide range of growth habits and include annuals, biennials, and deciduous perennials. Violas are "garden flowers" that are grown as annuals or short-lived perennials–they are not the dainty little flowered plants that pop up all over the landscape and become weedy. Those violets are related but usually not desired.

The ancestor of today's violas is the Sweet Violet, V. odorata. A true perennial, Sweet Violet is known for its compact plant growth and small, sweetly fragrant, deep violet flowers.

Garden violas are represented by two species. One species is Viola tricolor, Johnny-jump-up. This perennial is native to Europe and Asia, grows about 6 to 10 inches high, and produces small, nickel-size flowers in purple, yellow, and white with interesting marks or whiskers. Johnny-jump-ups are often grown as annuals.

The other is Viola cornuta, sometimes called tufted pansies or horned violets. Native to Spain and the Pyrenees, V. cornuta grows throughout temperate regions of the world. The green leaves form spreading, perennial, evergreen rosettes. Plants are compact, up to 8 to 10 inches tall, with 1½-inch diameter flowers patterned with rays or lines in a deeper or contrasting color. Flowers may have a light scent.

Closely related is the garden pansy, Viola wittrockiana. This short-lived perennial has larger flowers than V. tricolor or V. cornuta. Pansies reach a height of about 8 inches with single-colored or face-patterned flowers that measure 2 to 3 inches across, though some hybrids have even larger flowers. Pansies are generally grown as annuals.

Classification

Violas can be grouped in several different ways. Plants may have a compact, mounded growth habit or a spreading, trailing habit. Flowers can be small, under 1-inch in diameter, or large at over 1 inch. Varieties are open-pollinated or hybrid. While classifying violas may be confusing, their usefulness and beauty in the garden are clear.

'Helen Mount' is a popular Johnny-jump-up (Viola tricolor). This open-pollinated variety has small, ¾-inch diameter flowers in purple, lavender, and yellow. It is readily available in seed packets from retail stores and mail order catalogs, as well as bedding plants from nurseries and garden centers. 'Helen Mount' easily reseeds, producing plants similar to the parent plants.

Classic, older varieties of Viola cornuta include 'Arkwright Ruby' with dark wine-red flowers and golden centers and edging. 'Chantreyland' is popular for its large apricot-colored flowers. 'Yellow Perfection,' 'White Perfection,' and 'Blue Perfection' are named for the clear color of their blooms. These varieties are all open-pollinated.

Newer open-pollinated varieties of V. cornuta are the 'Princess' and 'Velour' series. These are early blooming with 1-inch blooms. 'Princess' opens in shades of blue, purple, and yellow, and bi-colors; and 'Velour' is available in 20 colors and three mixes.

Many excellent hybrid violas are available as bedding plants. Hybrid varieties offer exceptional garden performance, good flower production, and uniform growth. 'Sorbet™' violas come in more than 30 colors including beautiful pastel and two-tone colors on compact plants reaching 6 to 8 inches tall. 'Penny™' violas are available in shades of light blue, deep blue, purple, violet, white, yellow, orange, and red. Some have whiskers and blotches (faces), while others are bicolor. They have a mounding garden habit and flower continuously.

In 2006, 'Skippy™ XL Red-Gold,' a hybrid Viola cornuta, was the first viola to win an All-America Selections award for superior garden performance. The large, 1½-inch flowers are ruby red with violet-red shading below a golden yellow face with the trademark "whiskers." The 'Skippy™' series has many other colors, including bicolors.

One of the largest flowered violas is the hybrid 'Patiola®' series, combining the flower size of pansy with the hardiness of violas. Flowers grow to 2 inches in diameter and bloom in yellow, blue, orange, and violet. The newest color in the series is brick red with a golden yellow center.

Trailing violas have a low-growing, spreading habit that is perfect for hanging baskets, containers, or use as a groundcover. There are several hybrid varieties. 'Erlyn' produces tricolor purple and yellow flowers that cover the plant. The 'Splendid' series has 1-inch flowers in white, yellow, and blue and yellow. Plants spread up to 1 foot in diameter.

Over the past several years we have seen pine trees suddenly decline. Usually one pine among several will start to turn a grayish green. It quickly progresses to a yellowish green, followed by a brownish green. Within 4 to 12 weeks, the pine is completely brown. Affected trees show this color change either branch by branch or over the entire tree. Water stress, or Pine Wilt Nematode, can cause these symptoms. After an extremely wet season, you can expect plant problems over the next five years. When diagnosing pine problems, you have to keep this in mind.

All plants have a crown-to-root ratio. A 30-year-old tree has a 30-year-old root system. The roots are needed to absorb enough water and nutrients to support 30 years of foliage and branches. When soil surrounding a root system is saturated, oxygen is absent. Oxygen needs to be present for water absorption to take place. This is why a plant wilts when it is sitting in water. Its basic functions shut down, and the plant wilts. Eventually, the root system will rot and die.

If you suspect root damage, dig around the plant. Healthy roots should be cream colored and firm; rotted roots are brown/black and mushy or hollow. Plants suffering from root-related problems often decline in a pattern, from the top downward or starting at the bottom and moving up the tree, or possibly from the tips in. Death is fairly quick, and the needles do not progress from grayish green to brown.

Pine wilt disease is caused by the pine wilt nematode spread by the sawyer beetle and a few related long-horned beetles. Generally, nematodes are associated with soil; but in this case, the nematode infests the wood, causing blockage of the water-conducting tissues and wilt symptoms. Little can be done to control this disease. The insect vector is active throughout the spring, summer, and fall. So, insecticides are not a practical or recommended control. At this point in time, no nematicides that can be injected into the tree are available. Most pine species in Illinois are susceptible, with the exception of white pine.

The current recommendation is to remove the tree and either burn or bury it. This process helps break the disease cycle by removing sources of nematodes that might be spread by the beetle to healthy trees. Infected trees should not be chipped and used as mulch unless the mulch has been properly composted, reaching an internal temperature of 130 degrees and turned over a 3- to 4-month period to kill the nematodes and insects in the wood.

When you get questions on pine tree problems, advise clients to check the roots. If the culprit is a root problem, proper watering and fertilization is important to reduce further stress. If you suspect nematodes, samples can be sent to the U of I Plant Clinic during the growing season. Contact the Extension office for more details on submitting samples.

Native plants adapt well to the growing conditions of a region. Many ornamental plants that are available from local garden outlets are considered native. As you make plans for your garden this spring, consider some of these native perennials.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) has beautiful flowers 3 to 5 inches wide with a deep brownish-orange cone in the center. In most cultivars, the slightly-drooped petals are a tone of rosy-lavender. Ranging from 2 to 4 feet in height and 18 inches to 2 feet wide, this plant is a favorite of butterflies and bees, and it is in bloom all summer. It prefers full sun. 'Magnus' is an outstanding cultivar that was the 1998 perennial plant of the year.

Yellow Coneflower (Rudeckia fulgida) exhibits richly colored yellow flowers with a dark brown to black center cone, from mid-summer to frost. Flowers are typically 2 to 3 inches wide. Mature plant height varies from 18 inches to 3 feet with a spread of 2 feet. 'Goldstrum' is a well-known cultivar having flowers up to 4 inches in diameter. Yellow coneflower prefers full sun but also performs nicely in partial shade. It will attract butterflies.

Spike Gayfeather (Liatris spicata) has mauve-purple flower heads that open from the top of the spike downward. Achieving a height of 2 to 4 feet and a width of 2 feet, it performs best in full sun. Once established in the garden, it may need staking. Butterflies and bees are highly attracted to this plant. 'Kobold' is a popular cultivar that reaches a mature height of 2 feet. 'Alba' is a white flowering cultivar. Spike Gayfeather blooms for a few weeks in the summer.

False Indigo (Baptisia australis) has lavender-blue flowers on racemes (clusters) that can reach up to 1 foot above the attractive foliage. The flowers appear from mid- to late spring. It is a large plant, looking somewhat like a shrub, that reaches 3 to 4 feet in height with a similar spread. It grows in full sun or partial shade.

Joe-Pye-Weed (Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum) is a large plant that can reach a height of 7 feet. Reddish-lavender flower heads appear in mid-summer and last until fall and are a favorite of butterflies. The plant thrives in rich, moist soil.