Holodiscus
( hol - oh - DISK - us )
At-A-Glance Information
Holodiscus, commonly referred to as Ocean Spray, Ironwood, or Cream Bush is a genus of flowering deciduous shrubs that need partial shade and little to regular water. The flowers attract birds, bees and butterflies. This genus includes a variety of sizes of plants, from tall shrubs to groundcovers. Flowers are creamy white and form in clusters in late spring or early summer. They have a faint, sweet sugary scent, and look a bit puffy and billowy. Dried flower clusters remain on the shrub through wintertime. Bark is peeling and brown-ish, and branches arch gracefully outward. Plant these shrubs in woodland border gardens, against buildings, or at the back of a shrub bed.
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Holodiscus Species and Varietals
The genus includes between 7-10 species and is a member of the plant family Rosaceae. The name Holodiscus means 'entire disc', and refers to the unbroken 'cup' that supports the petals, stamens, and sepals. Its common name, Ironwood, refers to the strength of the shrub's branches. The ideal growing zones for Holodiscus are 1-9 and 14-19, though this sometimes will vary depending on the species. See the descriptions below for more information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Holodiscus discolor (Cream Bush, Ocean Spray) This species is native to the Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada up to British Columbia and east to the Rocky Mountains. This shrub can reach 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide in moist, nutrient-rich soil. Leaves are deep green on top and white and hairy underneath. Flower clusters can reach up to a foot long, blooming from May through July. |
Caring for and pruning Holodiscus shrubs
Holodiscus shrubs are considered easy to care for, and are a part of the natural landscape in many Western states. Plant Oceanspray in moist to dry, well-draining, nutrient-rich soil (with a pH of between 5.0 and 7.5) in full sun to partial shade. Provide with regular water as these plants are getting established; otherwise, they are quite drought-tolerant (but do like a little moisture in the soil).
Propagation
Holodiscus can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Holodiscus by Cutting
Propagating Holodiscus by Seed
Propagating Holodiscus by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Holodiscus by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds in fall, when the seed pods have turned dry and brown.
- Holodiscus seeds need to be cold-stratified before sowing. Place your seeds in a moistened peat moss bed inside of a plastic, sealable bag and place the bag in the refrigerator (at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit) for 120 days.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Holodiscus is generally pest and disease-free, but these shrubs do occasionally suffer from:
- Leaf Spot
- Fireblight
Gallery
Videos
All about Holodiscus discolor.
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How to identify and grow Oceanspray.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 364, Holodiscus
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