Tag Archives: native plants

Gray’s Sedge: a Native Grass With Unique Flowers

November 11, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: We love Gray’s sedge (Carex grayi) for its mace-like green seed heads that appear in summer and for its ability to withstand wet soil. Grow this fascinating grassy plant at a pond’s edge or in a container bog. The …

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White Trillium Is a Spring Flower for Shade Gardens

November 4, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: We love great white trillium, or wood lily (Trillium grandiflorum), for its large white flowers that announce spring in the woodland garden. This native plant of eastern North America is a must for the shade.

Staghorn Sumac is a Tough-As-Nails Native Shrub

October 14, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) tolerates dry conditions, poor soil and air pollution. Native to the eastern United States, it provides year-round interest in a garden while supporting wild birds with its berries.

Sugar Shack Buttonbush: Flowers, Foliage and Form

September 16, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: We love Sugar Shcak buttonbush for its curious round summer flowers, ornamental red fruit and bright fall foliage. Its bare stems and branches are attractive in winter. This adaptable US-native shrub is the perfect size for today’s small yards …

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Plumleaf Azalea Blooms Bright Orange in Late Summer

September 2, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: We love plumleaf azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium) for its bright orange flowers and the fact that it blooms in late summer. This azalea is a native species that feeds hummingbirds.

Culver’s Root Provides Tall Flowers Through Summer

August 26, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: We love culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) for its tall spikes of white or purple flowers that begin in early or midsummer and can continue until autumn. Veronicastrum is a USA-native perennial good at attracting butterflies and bees.

Coneflowers You Can Count On

August 12, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Echinacea coneflowers continue to command popularity, with fanciful new varieties appearing every year. One complaint, though, is that they don’t always seem to do well in subsequent seasons.

The Cup Plant Is a Perennial Sunflower for Late Summer Bloom

August 12, 2014 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: We love the cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) for its sunny yellow flowers that bloom from midsummer through autumn. This tall, wetland-prairie native tolerates damp soil.

Kopper King Hardy Hibiscus Dazzles With Dark Foliage and Gigantic Flowers

July 29, 2014 | Kelsea Daulton | 0

Virtues: We love Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ for its flashy flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Everything about this plant is showy, from its dinner plate–size flowers to its copper-tinged dark stems and foliage. Accent the border and low, wet spots of …

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‘Stairway to Heaven’ Jacob’s Ladder Brings Colorful Texture

June 3, 2014 | Kelsea Daulton | 0

Virtues: Polemonium reptans ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is an herbaceous perennial that thrives in part shade and will tolerate full sun. It’s a variegated selection of a wildflower native to much of eastern North America that pops up in moist woodlands. Continuously …

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Hooker’s Blue Flag Is a Native Iris with Late-Spring Blue Flowers

April 22, 2014 | Maria Woodie | 0

Virtues: We love Iris hookeri for its purplish-blue flowers that bloom atop of upright, slim stems in late spring or early summer. Long, narrow, gray-green blades of foliage create a nice backdrop for blooms.