As a colleague of mine said: "Why in the world would anyone want to mess up a desert willow by crossing it with a catalpa?" Well, someone did, and the results are actually quite nice.

x Chitalpa tashkentensis is the grex name for a cross between Catalpa bignonioides and Chilopsis linearis. Chitalpa is hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 6. It is well adapted to hot, dry locations as long as the soil drains well.

Chitalpa is a small to medium tree with open, upright branches and good form. Flowers are orchidlike and produced in July or August at the ends of new growth. Flowering begins in May in Southern California and continues well into late fall. Its leaves are longer and broader than desert willow, but much smaller than catalpa.

The initial hybrids between Catalpa and Chilopsis were created in Uzbekistan in 1964 and introduced to the United States by Robert Hebb of the New York Botanic Garden in 1977. (Chitalpa is a combination of the scientific name of the two parents, while the specific name identifies the city in Uzbekistan where the hybrids were created.) Although in cultivation in the United States during the 1980s, the hybrid remained unnamed until 1991 when Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden assigned the name x Chitalpa tashkentensis.

Two cultivars were subsequently named by Rancho Santa Ana: pink-flowering 'Pink Dawn' and white 'Morning Cloud.' 'Pink Dawn' is the showier of the two.

Growing tips

San Marcos Growers in Santa Barbara, Calif., provided some details on producing 'Pink Dawn':

Among the best features of 'Pink Dawn' are the abundant clusters of showy, pale-pink flowers with each cluster containing 15-40 flowers. The 1-inch-long flowers have a funnel-shaped throat with conspicuous purple nectar guides that line the inside and emerge to give orchid striping to the flared pink petal lobes.

Chitalpa is a fast-growing deciduous tree, branching readily near its base and with ascending branches that form a dense, broad oval crown. Although it is difficult to determine eventual size for these trees it has been speculated, based on the growth of the oldest specimens, that they will reach 20-25 feet tall.

It is a drought-resistant plant, a trait inherited from the desert willow, and it is fairly hardy, having withstood temperatures as low as 9F. It has been noted that it will freeze back to the ground in Zone 6.

Although many fast-growing trees are intolerant of windy situations, chitalpa can withstand even strong winds without breakage. Unlike either of its parents, chitalpa is sterile and produces no messy seed pods. Flowers dry on the plant rather then fall fresh and so they don't become a slick safety hazard on a sidewalk or patio.

It has been noted that chitalpa will mildew in southeastern U.S. sites and will do likewise in cool coastal areas. This tree also has a habit of suckering near the base, making it difficult to create a high-headed tree that might be necessary along walkways and in small patios.

The market is probably not huge for this grex, but it should be used more in landscapes that have room for a shrubby, open-flowering tree.

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Specifics

Name: x Chitalpa tashkentensis

Common name: Chitalpa.

Description: Open, shrubby tree with orchidlike flowers in summer. For arid sites.

Dimensions: 25-30 feet tall; 10-15 feet wide.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9.

For more: San Marcos Growers, P.O. Box 6827, Santa Barbara, CA 93160; (805) 683-1561; fax (805) 964-1329; www.smgrowers.com

- Kevin Neal 

You'll rarely see Thomas Birt without his cowboy hat. Whether he's doing chores in the back of his nursery or attending a national gift trade show, the hat is usually square on his head.

Birt also has a strong work ethic reminiscent of an Old West cowhand. Ten years ago his production nursery, Mesquite Valley Growers Nursery in Tucson, Ariz., began retailing and, through hard work, the store has blossomed.

By hiring a talented support staff, borrowing ideas from other stores around the country and, of course, offering top-notch plants, Birt has created a rising star out of his Southwestern garden center.

"I worked for 20 years for another grower/retailer and when I started my own business I didn't want to be in retail. I thought just growing and selling wholesale would be the greatest thing," Birt said. "But a recession hit Tucson in 1988 and 1989 and it made wholesale difficult. Landscapers weren't getting paid and that means they became credit problems for me.

"I finally thought, 'This is silly. I'm selling plants wholesale that are nicer than anybody else in town is selling retail.' Why not do it?"

Good timing

Birt leased additional property with a small shop adjacent to his growing facility in 1990. One of his early concerns was competing with existing garden centers in Tucson.

As it turned out, a chain of four stores in the area had a death in the family and the stores closed. A few other garden centers succumbed to the recession and went bankrupt. Shortly thereafter the economy began to turn around and things were suddenly in Birt's favor.

The store started out with just the 1,500-square-foot brick retail shop next to a large mesquite tree and "a bunch of desert dirt," Birt said. As money became available, the store was gradually enhanced. Not once has he borrowed money for capital improvements.

The nursery now features open-air retail greenhouses, brick walkways and display gardens filled with plants adaptive to the arid climate. The store is given a consistent look with many steel elements, from benches to fences to ornate signposts, all painted Caribbean green.

Birt's current project is revamping the outdoor checkout area, which now consists of two outdoor registers and one indoor register. He's in the process of adding another outdoor register and spacing them out under the retail greenhouses adjacent to the parking lot. He will then add conveyors that customers can use for smaller items.

"Companies like Costco have trained people to do this themselves. It's handy for us and it also gives the customers something to do. People may be three back in line but in their minds they're next because they've already loaded their things onto the conveyor. They're not just standing there," Birt said. "I think it will work well except for the larger items like trees and shrubs that will still have to be scanned while they're in the cart."

Key hire

A big day in the history of Mesquite Valley Growers Nursery was in 1991 when Birt hired Cathy Bishop as sales manager. In addition to a wealth of plant knowledge, she brings a woman's touch to the garden center.

"She has that woman's perspective that is so important. Without her we wouldn't be half what we are today," Birt said. "She has a real sense for the female shopper. I can make structures happen, but she gives the nursery emotions. She makes it a more fun place to shop."

Birt brings Bishop with him when he travels to such industry events as the TAN-MISSLARK (now Nursery/Landscape Expo) trade show in Dallas and Houston, FarWest Show in Portland, Ore., Western Nursery & Garden Expo in Las Vegas, AmericasMart gift show in Atlanta and the Dallas National Gift & Decorative Accessories Show.

The pair make a formidable team, each with their own areas of expertise. While at shows and retailers' establishments across the country, each looks for different things.

"I take pictures of any good ideas I see. I have albums and albums of things I've seen. If somebody has a solution to a common garden center problem, I probably have a photo of it -- even if it's an idea as simple as how to pull a hose around a corner or how to tack a trellis to a wall," Birt said.

"Cathy is a genius when it comes to plants and that's what she looks for. If she hears of a new variety or species she'll remember it. So we each see different things everywhere we go. We complement each other."

More "jewels"

Other employees are vital as well. Wendy Lee is in charge of the perennial area and she has done so well that it has become known among employees as "Wendy's World." She has a knack for display and keeping the area well stocked with plants that are in their peak of color.

"Our employees are dedicated. The best ones we have are the homebodies who have lived in Tucson their whole lives. We've had some people who have worked at several nurseries in different areas and they seem to be flashes in the pan. It's the people from this area that are the most loyal. They're our jewels," Birt said.

Knowledge of Tucson is especially important because it is a diverse ecological area. Changes in elevation and soil types can make gardening difficult. Plants may thrive in one neighborhood but not another because it has a different climate.

When customers ask what plants will do well, the best questions to ask is "In what part of town do you live?"

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Birt helps keep good employees by paying 100 percent of their health insurance costs, including dental, after they have been with the company for six months.

- Todd Davis

Washington – In the Jan. 6, 2000, issue of the Washington Post, writer Adrian Higgins reviewed some gardening and landscaping advice offered in Robert Cridland’s book, "Practical Landscape Gardening." First published in 1916, "Practical Landscape Gardening" still holds valuable advice for landscape professionals, according to the article.

Some of the advice in the book – such as using dynamite to dig garden holes – is outdated. However, Cridland offers sound advice on concrete (Walks and drives blend into surroundings with the addition of tinting agent.), tree transplanting (Digging a trench at least a year in advance around the root zone results in a better transplant.) and walls (Choose stone over brick.).

Reviewing Cridland’s book shows how much some landscaping methods and choices have changed, while some of the basic fundamentals have stayed right on course over the years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Some leading construction industry experts are forecasting slow downs in their industries that could have an impact on the landscape industry. These reports were released when the CMD Group recently hosted its fourth annual North American Construction Forecast at which construction industry experts analyze the trends shaping the construction industry. Because new construction projects are often followed by new landscaping projects, these construction trends provide an outlook for the landscape contracting industry as well.

Retail And Industrial Building Sectors Steady For 2000
Hugh Kelly, chief economist of Landauer Associates, predicted retail and industrial real estate to dip slightly at the beginning of 2000 then continue to grow throughout the year. He believes the dip is only a temporary result of investor anxiety over the Y2K crisis.

According to Kelly, investment into real estate only amounted to $4 billion in the first quarter of 1999 but then bounced back to set a record of $7.5 billion in the second quarter. "The strongest region in the [second] quarter was along the Pacific, especially California," said Kelly. "It has led the nation in retail and industrial building development for the last two years."

Kelly said that Seattle, Los Angeles, northern New Jersey and Denver will be hotspots for industrial construction, while Phoenix, Washington D.C., Orlando and Tampa would have low industrial construction in 2000. On the retail side, he sees Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Chicago as large development locations for new construction.

Kelly’s enthusiasm about the real estate market comes from the status of the economy. He said, "The U.S. economy is in the sixth year of an extraordinary expansion, which has pushed unemployment to very favorable levels and is creating prosperity for all classes."

Office Vacancy Rates Rising; Office Construction Increasing
According to Raymond Torto, principal and managing director of Torto Wheaton Research, the current demand for office space should remain strong for at least the next two years. "However," he said, "we are starting to see more space being delivered into the marketplace in 1999, and we are beginning to see vacancy rates rise."

Rising vacancy rates are mostly due to the influx of new office construction that is flooding the market. Office construction is up 11.3 percent this year and continuing to rise, according to Bill Toal, chief economist for the Portland Cement Association. Toal also stated that office construction will maintain its current levels, if not increase further, in the years ahead.

During the third quarter of 1999, office vacancies rose drastically from 1 percent to 9.8 percent. High office vacancy rates can negatively affect landscape contractors because of lack of funds for property upkeep. However, new building construction can positively affect landscape contractors because of increased properties to develop. Only time will tell whether diminished landscaping work will result from reduced occupancy and funds or if increased landscaping work will result from the influx of new office construction.

The amount of new construction in Atlanta and Dallas has been dubbed "overbuilding" by CMD Group due to the resulting increases in vacancy rates. Atlanta has seen an increase from 10 percent to 12 percent and Dallas has seen an increase from 13 percent to 18 percent by the end of 1999. The vacancy rate is expected to increase in Dallas for the next two years as 8 million square feet of new construction is scheduled for 2000 and 7 million square feet is scheduled for 2001.

Conversely, vacancy rates in Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland are at approximately 5 percent. The decreased supply of office space is driving rent higher, which may increase landscaping funds. However, Torto expects increases in new construction to meet the demand for office space, causing vacancy rates to rise to 12 percent. Once again, this brings up the question of which factor – vacancy rates or new construction – will affect landscape contractors.

Residential Construction To Slow In 2000
For landscape contractors relying on residential construction, Robert Barr, a senior economist with Fannie Mae, predicts a slow year in housing activity, following record levels in home sales and mortgage market activity in 1999.

Barr credits the stock market for consumer spending in 1999 and also for the slowdown predicted in 2000. According to Barr, "A lot of consumer spending has been fueled, at least in part, by the wealth-effect of the stock market." He said that if the stock market continues to go down or move sideways, consumer confidence will decrease, causing decreased home purchases.

"Household growth remains very strong, rising faster than the population growth as a whole," said Barr. However, he noted that refinancing rates – including long-term interest rates and 30-year fixed rate mortgages – have been high, causing the predicted residential construction rate to dip in 2000. Barr believes that as the economy slows down, the interest rates will drop. That drop is then expected to fuel increased home construction in 2001.

Barr said 2000 should see an 8 to 10 percent drop in new home sales, followed by a slight recovery in 2001. "Even with that drop-off, … 2000 would still be the third best year ever after ’98 and ’99," he said.

The author is Internet Editor for Lawn & Landscape.