Growth rate
in plants can vary widely. Some take forever
to put on a little more size or cover a
little more area. Others seem to race to the
next step in their growth process.
The term
"slow growing" may imply a couple of
factors. One is that the plant may grow
slower than others in its species. Some
hostas put on divisions and grow to mature
clump size slower than others. The second
way to look at it is in terms of how it
relates to a general plant type. Sugar
maples, oaks and walnuts for instance, are
known as slow growing trees.
As with most
things, slow growing has both positive and
negative potentials. On the plus size, these
plants will take their time filling the
space (vertical and/or horizontal) quickly.
They will stay in their own space for long
times and may rarely need dividing and may
be long-lived as individual plants. Slow
growing trees put on solid, strong wood
which will resist damage in wind storms. The
key "disadvantage" of this type of plant is
that they may take a very long time to grow
to their mature size. If you need a quick
screen for your neighbor's yard, these are
not the plants to select. If you want
sturdy, long-lived plants, these should be
tops on the list.
