When it comes to gardening and growing plants, everyone sticks with the basics – hydrangeas, roses, dahlias, etc – but then all gardens begin to look the same.
If you want something really out there, something exotic to show off to your visitors, then you should try and use plants that have a really unusual name.
Some landscapers are even beginning to try and grow alphabet gardens that include at least one plant that starts with every letter of the alphabet!
It’s a great way to introduce kids to gardening (and their letters) plus it means you get to include a bunch of different plants into your outdoor space – however, it can become a little tricky when you get to the rare letters like ‘X’, ‘Y’, and ‘U’.
But don’t worry – if you are in need of some plants that begin with ‘U’ then we have got you covered.
Here are 6 plants that start with the letter U so you can bring something completely unique to your garden and landscaping!
Ursinia
This beautiful plant is one of the most cherished flowers from Africa – the ursinia.
The ursinia is a golden flower that is well known for its vibrant yellow and red colors, making it one of the most widely used flowers in floral arrangements. It is also incredibly sweet smelling, and is part of the chamomile tribe within the daisy family.
Although this genus of plant was named after the German scholar Johannes Heinrich Ursinus, their name derives from the latin word for ‘bear’ – ursa. They are a great way to bring some more unconventional flowers to your garden as they really stand out thanks to their vivid colors.
Thanks to their South African roots, Ursinias love a lot of sunlight and hate the cold. They are best planted after the last chill of spring is gone, and should be grown in a part of your garden that enjoys a lot of sunlight.
They are drought tolerant so they require very little watering, as long as you plant them in poor soil with good drainage.Then, within a few weeks, you will get to see these bright colored daisies bloom all across your backyard.
Uinta Cactus
When it comes to landscaping, cacti and succulent plants make for an amazing choice. They can grow in a lot of different climates, require very little maintenance, and they also are a quirky choice to go with instead of the usual shrubs and flowers.
So if you are thinking of landscaping your property using some low maintenance plants like cacti, then a great one to include is the Uinta Cactus. Also known as the Pariette cactus, the Uinta Cactus is endemic to Utah, where it is well known for growing in Uinta Basin.
It is a dwarf cactus that usually only grows to be nearly 6 inches tall. It is usually round like a ball, green or bluish in color, spines raining in color from white, tan or black. What makes this cactus so popular with landscapers is thanks to its small size and single funnel-shaped flower that blooms on top – like a pink cherry on a sundae.
It’s size makes it a great feature to any sized garden and it brings a little color and variety. This type of cactus is currently at risk of extinction thanks to damage to its original habitat, so you can keep this plant alive and relevant by including it into your landscaping.
Umbrella Tree
If you are looking for a great houseplant that starts with the letter U, then we are proud to introduce you to the Umbrella Tree plant.
These beauties are under appreciated by those seeking a low maintenance house plant, but they are capable of bringing a lot of foliage to your house.
They grow to be quite tall indoors, sometimes growing as tall as 10 feet with leaves that can grow 4 to 5 inches long, but there is a dwarf variety available for those seeking a smaller indoor plant to brighten up their room.
The leaves can grow quite wide and spread out, making them appear larger than they are/ Rather like their namesake, they literally leaf out and provide coverage.
Umbrella plants do best in bright, indirect sunlight and do not usually need a lot of care – just make sure they have good drainage and that you report them every few years in the spring.
All in all, umbrella tree plants are a fantastic choice for an indoor plant as they bring a lot of character to your rooms. They require very little maintenance and yet can be very tall or short – depending on your wishes.
Ulex
Ulex shrubs are an excellent garden plan as they grow in lots of different kinds of areas including dry soils, coastal gardens, and areas of high pollution. They are commonly known through other names such as furze, whin, or gorse.
Their genus comes with around 20 different species that are native to parts of Europe and Africa. They grow with green stems and very small leaves, but also feature bright yellow flowers that are especially showy and eye-catching.
They are a great inclusion for a lot of gardens because they are able to grow in very dry conditions and have a very long flowering season (sometimes from spring to autumn, depending on the variety you choose), so you can enjoy those beautiful colors for even longer.
They are also evergreen so they keep their leaves and color even in the winter.
Ulex shrubs make for a great alternative to more conventional garden shrubs, but they can be difficult to grow. They require poor sandy soil and a lot of sunlight to grow to their full potential. However, once grown, they are low maintenance and are drought resistant, making them great for city backyard gardens.
Vibrant and bright, Ulex plants are an excellent choice for you to include in your backyard as they bring a lot of color and variety to your landscaping.
Upright Brome
For a hairy turf grass beginning with U, there is the upright brome.
The upright brome is a plant known by many names such as the erect brome, or meadow brome. It grows densely and is coarse to touch, and spread from field to field all across Europe, Northern African and Western Asia.
It now has been introduced to North America, so can easily find this plant growing in fields and by roadsides across the States.
If your property is made up of boring flat fields, you can bring a bit of change and variety with this type of grass. It can grow as high as 47 inches, making it a great way to introduce wildlife to your property, and is perennial so it is long lasting and requires very little maintenance.
By using upright brome, you can make a diverse biome on your very own property.
The days of flat grass lawns and boring uniform fields are gone – everyone wants to make their garden space more vibrant and creative by bringing different types of plants. You too can transform your lawn space into something more eye catching by introducing some upright brome to your landscaping.
Umbrella Palms
Also known as Cyperus umbrella plants, this kind of tree is versatile and can grow both indoor and outdoor.
This type of sedge is a member of the Papyrus family and is best known for growing in tropical areas and on the coasts of Africa. Despite this, they are also capable of growing within the States and some can even thrive indoors in moist, warm conditions.
They can grow up to 2 feet tall inside, and grow out long slender, rigid leaves spread out like a spiky fan.
As they are originally aquatic plants, remember that your umbrella palm plans need a lot of water in their soil to be able to grow and thrive.
Dead stems will also need pruning and the soil fertilized annually so your umbrella palm can be happy and healthy in your home.
If you are growing an umbrella palm outdoors, they can generally grow even larger – sometimes up to 4 feet tall! They will still need a lot of watering and care, but they look amazing and bring a tropical touch to your garden space.
If you have a water feature in your backyard, like a pond, then the umbrella palm is a great plant to border the edge with as this plant loves water.
Therefore, the umbrella palm will be a great addition to your landscaping, especially around a water feature’s edge. Large, lush, and green – they are certainly a head turner when it comes to garden foliage.
And there we have some of the best plants to grow in your garden that begin with the letter ‘U’. It’s surprising just how many there are out there, and how different they all are from each other.
Aquatic plants, flowers, shrubs and even indoor trees – there are plenty of plants beginning with the letter ‘U’ for you to include in your landscaping and garden space.
Plants have always been a big interest of mine, and I’ve always wanted to learn more about the different types of species. I have gained a vast knowledge of the subject over the years, and I have decided to share this information with others.
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