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Ornamental Grass

Nursery Catalog 2024

PERENNIALS  – FORBS

Key – LIGHT: Su (Sun), HSh (Half-shade), Sh (Shade-tolerant)

A

ACHILLEA, Asteraceae, yarrow
An important genus for the garden, especially because of the unusual inflorescence, a flat pancake-like flower-head whose form is indispensable among the numerous spike and cluster-shaped inflorescence. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Tolerant of dry low-fertility soils where they spread moderately. May fail to over-winter in poorly drained soils.

filipendulina ‘Parker’s Variety’
3.5′ / yellow / June-Sept. / Su
A seed-grown cultivar of the only species in the genus which is a longer-lived perennial.  Medium-sized yellow umbles and grey-green foliage. Long-lasting structure and height for arid plantings. Moderately self-sowing. Native to the Caucasus mountains in southeastern Europe.

ACTAEA, Ranunculaceae, baneberry
Indispensable plants for shady spots. Foliage is composite pinnate or bipinnate, and flowers are small white, or yellowish on elongated spikes. In the wild, these plants grow in damp woods or ravines where the sun seldom shines. In gardens, they can tolerate a good deal of sun provided the soil does not dry out. Slowly-spreading. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

racemosa
6′ / white / July-Aug. / HSh-Sh
A large plant with long slender white flower spikes on long stems rising above clumps of green finely-cut foliage. Native to eastern North America.

simplex
6.5′ / white / Sept.-Oct. / HSh-Sh
A giant plant with dark green foliage tinted purple and elongated flower candles on long stems that rise above the foliage. The white flowers have purple-red calyxes and flower stems.  A very strong plant that rarely collapses. This species is more drought-tolerant than its darker-leaved selections.  Native to Russia, China, Korea, and Japan.

simplex ‘James Compton’
3′ / white / Sept-Oct. / HSh-Sh
A vigorous earlier flowering and compact cultivar with bronze-black foliage and creamy-white flower candles.

AGASTACHE, Lamiaceae, giant hyssop
Wonderful garden plants with extremely strong stems and young foliage covered in a purple haze and smelling of licorice. The plants produce flowers over a long period and are frequented by bees and butterflies. Species plants are often short-lived, so they should be allowed to self-seed, which they do well.  Prefers well-drained soil.  Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton.

‘Blue Fortune’
3′ / blue / July-Sept. / Su
A hybrid of A. rugosa and A. feoniculum with shiny foliage and spikes covered with true blue flowers. Sterile so not self-seeding, but longer lived.

feoniculum
4′ / lavender, purple / June-Sept. / Su-HSh
A species similar to ‘Blue Fortune’ but with variable flower color and enthusiastically self-sowing. Longer lived on well-drained soils.
Native to northern North America.

AGERITINA

altissima
4′ / white / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
A wild plant with dark green foliage and panicles of fluffy white flowers held in umbels that give it a delicate appearance in later summer. Profusely self-sowing so best used in the wilder garden.  Native to eastern and central North America.

altissima ‘Chocolate’
4′ / white / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
A cultivar with foliage that is dark green-brown on top and chocolate brown on the undersides.

ALLIUM, Liliaceae, onion
Ornamental onions, with their more or less spherical inflorescence covered in small flowers, have become very popular in recent years, as this architectural form is unique and indispensable. Allium is the largest genus of all bulbous plants containing hundreds of species including such edibles as onion, leek, garlic, and chives. And unlike bulbous alliums a few species create moderately spreading clumps that keep their attractive grass-like leaves all season and can thus be used more extensively in naturalistic plantings. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

angulosum ‘Summer Beauty’
2′ / pink / July-Sept. / Su
An older mat-forming cultivar with a pink spherical inflorescence and bright-green strap-like foliage. Loved by pollinators. Distinctive and long-lasting seedheads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. The species is native to a wide region of central Europe and northern Asia.

schoenoprasum
18″ / light-purple / April-May / Su
Commonly known as chives, this clump-forming perennial which is often used for culinary purposes is also a useful ornamental. Forms clumps of long narrow dark-green grass-like foliage from which arise spherical clover-like clusters of soft-purple flowers. Well adapted to arid conditions where it will self-sow and naturalize. This is the only allium native to both new and old worlds, occurring across much of Europe, Asia, and North America.

sphaerocephalon
2′ / dark red-purple / July-Aug. / Su
The round-headed leak is a bulb-forming species with dark red-purple globular flower heads roughly 2″ in diameter. The clumps of narrow dark-green chive-like foliage remain attractive longer than most. Attractive long-lasting seed heads. Moderately self-sowing and naturalizing. Native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia.

hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’
2.5′ / bright-purple / May-June / Su
A vigorous cultivar of a true bulb-forming species with large bright-purple 4″ globe-shaped flower heads that set seed abundantly. Short-lived foliage is best hidden by lower-growing plants. Attractive long-lasting seed heads. Native to Iran and Kyrgyzstan.

AMSONIA, Apocynaceae, bluestar
Virtually ideal long-lived and slowly spreading garden plants with narrow hairless leaves, racemes of pale blue star-like flowers, and a tidy shrub-like form. Very good structure from spring to late winter with long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Limited self-sowing.

hubrichtii
2.5′ / steel-blue / June-July / Su-HSh
The decorative value of this plant is mainly due to the needle-shaped leaves which turn a wonderful shade of orange and yellow in autumn. The small racemes of steel-blue flowers in early summer are an added attraction. Native to the Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas.

tabernaemontane
2.5′ / steel-blue / June-July / Su-HSh
A strong, slow-growing, but extremely long-lasting plant that eventually forms solid clumps with elongated willowy leaves. Bears striking racemes of steel-blue star-shaped flowers followed by attractive oblong seedpods. Beautiful autumn coloring is also part of the bargain. Native to the central U.S.

‘Blue Ice’
1.5′ / dark lavender-blue / June-July / Su
A compact hybrid with dark lavender-blue, star-shaped flowers. Beautiful fall foliage.

‘Verdant Venture’
2.5′ / soft blue / June / Su
A compact selection of A. ciliata var. tenufolia with narrow foliage, thin stems, and an abundance of powder blue bluet-like flowers. Ornamental foliage remains attractive all summer turning bright yellow in the fall.

ANAPHALIS, Asteraceae, pearly everlasting

margaritacea
2′ / white / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
Pearly everlasting is the one species native to North America. Attractive woolly, dark gray-green, lanceolate foliage and small papery white flowers born in flat heads. At home in humus-rich woodland soil in half-shade, though found growing in arid railway embankments and amongst grass in beach dunes. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seedheads and/or winter skeleton. Strong spreading yet easy to remove. A local selection. This plant provides food for the larvae of the American Painted Lady butterfly, which is often seen in the nursery browsing on the foliage. Useful for difficult sites and interplanted amongst indigenous vegetation.

ANEMONE, Ranunculaceae, windflower
This anemone from China and Japan flowers last, grows tallest, and is moderately spreading. Large deeply-cut foliage and airy racemes of relatively large delicate flowers on long stems. Must be protected during the first winter. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

tomentosa ‘Robustissima’
5′ / pale pink / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
A tall growing cultivar that bears pale pink flowers. Can become rampant on fertile soil.

ARUNCUS, Rosaceae, goat’s beard
Indestructible plants that will grow almost anywhere provided they are given time to acclimatize. Their foliage is typical of the rose family – composite and divided – with an inflorescence of cream-colored flowers in elegant plumes. Non-spreading showy plants for the woodland border. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

dioicus
5′ / cream / June-Aug. / Su-HSh
A very tough plant with attractive divided foliage and large plumes of long-lasting cream-colored flowers. Useful in dry shade. Native to North America.

‘Horatio’
4′ / cream / June-July / Su-HSh
A breathtakingly beautiful cross between A. dioicus and A. aethusifolius. Bears elegant panicles of small cream-colored flowers on reddish-brown stems. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive long-lasting seedheads and/or winter skeleton. Attractive fall foliage.  Excellent in dry shade.

ASCLEPIAS, Asclepiadaceae, milkweed
Plants of North American origin with fleshy lance-like foliage and unique sweet-smelling flowers in loose umbels that develop into large pointed seed pods. Most importantly, they are the sole food source for Monarch butterfly larvae. New growth emerges late in spring. All species are native to eastern North America.

exaltata – coming soon

incarnata
4.5′ / pale pink / July / Su
A sturdy border plant with umbel-shaped inflorescence covered in sweet-smelling pale pink flowers that are dark red in bud. The flowers attract many insects and are followed by attractive upright pointed seedpods. A non-spreading, relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of 5 years or less. Allow to self-sow.

tuberosa ssp. interior
3′ / orange / June-Aug. / Su
Bushy clumps with umbels of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers atop upright to reclining hairy stems with narrow lance-shaped leaves. Tolerant of dry infertile soils and somewhat slow to establish with a limited spread. This sub-species is also very tolerant of heavier clay soils. It does not transplant well due to its deep taproot, so best left alone. Unlike other milkweeds, this species’s stems do not exude a milky sap when broken.  Occasionally found growing in the sandplain grasslands of the northeast.

ASTER, Asteraceae, aster
Many aster species have been ignored over time, some of which are very beautiful. Their charming simplicity and abundance of flowers late in the gardening season have brought them into the spotlight once again.  Furthermore, Asters have been recently recognized as a keystone genus with over 100 species of caterpillar using it as a host plant, and over 30 pollen specialist bee species rely on its flowers. Asters are strong plants that thrive almost anywhere. New England asters can be a bit floppy and are best grown amongst plants of similar height, which also conceals the characteristically browning foliage below. The low-growing bushy varieties do not have this problem. Fairly recently the genus has been taxonomically reorganized following recent DNA-based evidence, yet we are sticking to the old names for now as the new ones are not yet familiar to the public.

ericoides
2′ / white / Sept.-Oct. / Su-Sh
A compact aster with narrow heather-like foliage and arching inflorescence covered in small white, yellow-centered flowers. Unique habit. Thrives in a sunny dry location where it spreads moderately. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. A local selection.

lateriflorus ‘Constellation’
2.5′ / white / Sept.-Oct. / Su-HSh
A bushy cultivar with very dark small purple-black foliage and an abundance of tiny free-flowering small white blooms with reddish centers. The foliage color ensures the plant is always attractive even when not in flower. Slowly-spreading and self-sowing. A local selection.

novae-angliae ‘Alma Potschke’
4′ / deep bright-pink / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A shorter cultivar of the infamous New England aster with intense bright pink flowers on sturdy stems. Slowly-spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

novae-angliae ‘Wendy’
5′ / bright-pink / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A tall bushy selection with beautiful bright-pink flowers and contrasting bright yellow centers.  Provide support with mid-height plants. Slowly spreading and self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. A local selection.

novae-angliae ‘Violetta’
5′ / deep-purple / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A difficult-to-find cultivar of New England aster with deep-purple flowers. Slowly spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

novae-angliae ‘Honey Song’
3′ / light-pink / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A shorter, older cultivar with light-pink flowers. Slowly spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

oblongifolius ‘October Skies’
1-2′ / violet-blue / Aug.-Sept. / Su
Aromatic aster is a bushy, stiff, low-growing plant with hairy stems, small-leaved aromatic foliage, and clouds of medium-small violet-blue flowers. Tolerant of many soil types but particularly happy in arid conditions. Native to northeastern and central U.S.

‘Twilight’
3′ / deep lavender-blue/ Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
A tough hybrid of our native A. macrophyllus with striking deep lavender-blue flowers above relatively broad foliage. Very useful in the shade, even in dry conditions. Moderately spreading.

turbinellum
4′ / lavender-violet / Aug.Oct. / Su
Prairie aster is a showy, upright, mound-forming plant with lanceolate foliage and racemes of lavender-violet daisies. Native to dry prairies and open woods of east-central U.S.

divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’
2′ / white / Aug.-Sept. / HSh
A cultivar that forms compact mounds of shiny green foliage with contrasting black-red stems covered in small white flowers. A tough plant that is adaptable to dry shade. Moderately spreading and self-sowing.  Useful as a groundcover. Native to eastern North America.

spectabilis ‘Sea Spray’
2′ / soft lilac / Aug.-Oct. / Su
A short and sturdy drought-tolerant native whose long-blooming soft lilac flowers cover the whole of the plant. Adapted to sandy soils where it will produce a large clump. Self-sowing. A local selection.

ASTILBE, Saxifragaceae, false goatsbeard
Plants with beautiful pinnate leaves and panicles of flowers that look a little like spirea. They have a shallow root system and the slightest lack of water will make their leaves curl up and turn brown. Numerous cultivars have been introduced, yet we have chosen a few with particularly long-lasting architectural qualities and color shades that can be readily incorporated into a naturalistic planting. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Species native to China.

tequetii ‘Visions in Pink’
2.5′ / soft pink / July-Aug. / Su-HSh
A recent introduction with compact soft pink plumes.

tequetii ‘Visions in Red’
2.5′ / purple-red / July-Aug. / Su-HSh
A recent introduction with compact dark purple-red plumes.

ASTRANTIA, Apiaceae, masterwort
Unique old-fashioned plants that are back in fashion. Attractive glossy and shallowly indented foliage. The flowers are subtly colored bracts (called involucres with umbels) within which the true umbel-shaped flower can be seen. All like cool, fertile, moisture-retentive soil.  Performance is strongly site-dependent. Slow to moderately spreading, and some cultivars are prolifically self-sowing. A relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of fewer than 10 years. Native to central and eastern Europe.

major ‘Snowstar’
2.5′ / cream / June-Sept. / Su-HSh
A cultivar with large cream-colored flowers with large green bracts. Vigorous.

B

BAPTISIA, Fabaceae, false indigo
Wonderful plants whose popularity has risen dramatically with the recent native plant movement, which has resulted in numerous cultivars in far-ranging colors. They look a little like lupins (they are related) but have far more character. Slowly spreading plants that reach a ripe old age but take some time to become established. Turn a contrasting black in autumn. Deeply-rooted and drought-tolerant. Very good structure from spring to late winter with long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

australis
3.5′ / indigo blue / June / Su
The strong stems bear bluish-green leaves and truly indigo-blue flowers. These are followed by fat gray-green pods which turn black in winter. The most cultivated species. Native to much of North America.

‘Lemon Meringue’
3′ / soft yellow / May-June / Su
A hybrid between B. sphaerocarpa and B. australis with soft yellow flowers and stems covered in a smoky haze of anthracite. A fast-growing with tidy habit.

‘Sunny Morning’
3.5′ / bright yellow / May-June / Su
A cultivar with numerous flowering panicles full of bright yellow flowers.  Maintains a perfect habit all summer.

leucantha
4′ / cream / May-June / Su
Tallest of the baptisias with a unique statuesque tree-like habit. Adorned with cream-colored lupin-like flowers in tall and sturdy racemes reaching well above a mound of trifoliate bluish-green leaves. Purple-black stems and buds are covered in a whitish bloom. Native to mid-west North America.

tinctoria
3′ / bright yellow / May-June / Su-HSh
A bushy species with numerous sparsely flowered clusters of yellow pea-like flowers and mounds of trifoliate grey-green leaves. Inflated seedpods turn black when ripe. Blooms later than other species. A host plant of the Wild Indigo Duskywing skipper and Clouded Sulpher butterfly. Native to eastern U.S.

BLEPHILIA, Lamiacea, wood mint
Wood Mint is reminiscent of Monarda with square stems and lipped flowers held in whorled clusters with fringed bracts on spike-like inflorescence. Spread by rhizomes from a central tap root to form clumps. Native to eastern North America. Very good structure from spring to late winter with long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Moderately self-sowing.

ciliata
2.5′ /blue, purple / May-Aug. / Su-HSh
A shorter species with blue to purple flowers and found in dryish open woods and thickets.

hirsuta
3′ / white, soft lavender / May-Sept. / Su-HSh
A plant with hairy foliage and soft lavender to white flowers found in rich and moist shady woods.

CALAMINTHA, Lamiaceae, calamint
A genus of aromatic garden plants closely related to thyme and mint. The most important feature is the long flower stems on which an airy inflorescence is formed. Tolerant of dry low-fertility soils. Limited spread and moderately self-sowing. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton.

subsp. nepeta ‘Montrose White’
1′ / pure white / July-Oct. / Su
Low plants for a sunny spot with very aromatic peppermint-smelling blue-green leaves and endlessly flowering “clouds’ of white flowers loved by pollinators. Native to Europe and the Mediterranean region.

CAMASSIA, Hyacinthaceae, camas
Beautiful bulbs that produce spires of star-like flowers. Suited to naturalizing in moisture-retentive soils where they spread slowly. Dig the plants every four years to separate the bulbs. This will ensure better flower production. Like daffodils, the foliage becomes untidy after flowering, so best situated behind a taller-growing, later-flowering plant. Attractive seedheads add early summer interest. Native to moist mountain meadows from British Columbia to Southern California. Roots used as a food source by many native peoples of these regions.

leichtlinii ‘Caerulea’
3′ / deep blue / May-June / Su
A cultivar with hefty spires of deep blue.

leichtlinii ‘Alba’
3′ / cream / May-June / Su
A later flowering cultivar with hefty spires of cream-colored star-shaped flowers. The seedheads remain decorative for a month or longer thereafter. Self-sowing.

CEPHALARIA, Dipsacaceae, giant scabious

gigantea
8″ / lemon yellow / June-July / Su-HSh
A huge plant with a subtle lightly branched inflorescence full of lemon-yellow scabiosa-like flowers above large coarsely indented foliage. Because of its airy appearance, it is also suitable for planting between medium-tall plants. The plants do not collapse when grown in soil that is not very wet. Moderately self-sowing and non-spreading. A relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of less than 10 years. Native to the Caucasus.

CLEMATIS, Ranunculaceae, old man’s beard
There are a few perennial Clematis species that never or rarely become woody and which emerge from the soil every spring. However, like the majority of species, they must be provided support, ideally by surrounding shrubs or sturdy perennials. Rich soil is appreciated. Non-spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

recta ‘Purpurea’
6.5 / cream-colored / June-Aug. / Su-HSh
A cultivar with deeply cut, purple-tinged foliage and stems, and clouds of fragrant, cream-colored flowers followed by decorative seed tails.

virginiana
12′-20′ / white / Aug.-Oct. / Su-HSh
This native clematis is a rampant fast-growing plant with sweetly aromatic small pure white flowers that cover it entirely and are followed by decorative seed tails. Needs support from a building or surrounding shrubs as is common in its native wetland edge habitat here along the Cathance. Flowers attract Halicted bees, wasps, and flies. A local selection.

CONOCLINIUM, Asteracea, blue mistflower

coelestinum
3′ / blue / July-Oct. / Su-HSh
Corymbs of numerous fluffy, blue, tubular flowers that lack the typical rays characteristic of this family of plants. Strongly spreading and self-sowing, so best allowed to naturalize in wilder landscapes in its preferred moisture-retentive soil. Late to emerge in the spring in northerly climes. Host plant of the Cycleme Moth, Lined Ruby Tiger Moth, and Three-lined Flower Moth. Native to central and southeastern U.S., and West Indies.

COREOPSIS, Asteraceae, tickseed

tripteris
8′ / yellow / Sept.-Oct. / Su-HSh
An attractive tall species of tickseed suitable for the back of the border. Slender stems with rosettes of narrow elegantly divided foliage and racemes of small yellow flowers with brown centers. Long stems appreciate support from plants of similar size. Slowly-spreading. Native to North America. 22 species of pollen specialist bees rely on the flowers of this genus.

verticillata ‘Moonbeam’
2′ / cream-yellow / June-Aug. / Su
This cultivar of thread-leaf coreopsis is a strong-growing rhizomatous perennial which grows in dense bushy clumps, and whose daisy-like creamy yellow flowers appear in clusters from late spring to late summer. Beautiful filigreed foliage. Moderately spreading. Tolerant of drought and low fertility. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Species native to eastern US.

CUNILA, Lamiaceae, dittany

origanoides
1.5′ / lavender / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
A little known and underused plant which forms mounds of wiry stems with small oval shaped foliage with a scent reminiscent of oregano, and terminal clusters of small, two-lipped lavender flowers. Tough and well-adapted to well-drained sandy soils. Self-sowing. Native to the eastern U.S.

D

DIANTHUS, Caryophyllaceae, carnation
Many species belong to this genus of sun and drought-loving plants with grass-like foliage. Most are plants for enthusiasts that require special care and attention. Here is a stronger wild species.

carthusianorum
2′ / hard pink / June-Aug. / Su
The Carthusian pink has long stems, narrow foliage, and clusters of small hard pink flowers that hover airily. Drought-tolerant and moderately/pleasantly self-sowing.  A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to Europe.

DICENTRA, Fumariaceae, wild bleeding heart

eximia
1.5′ / light pink / May-July. / HSh-Sh
An attractive woodland plant with blue-green fern-like foliage and a long-blooming pendulous inflorescence of light pink heart-shaped flowers. A tough and slowly spreading plant. Seedlings from D. eximia are generally variable in color and will occasionally produce a white-flowered seedling. Does not go dormant like D. spectabilis. Drought-tolerant. Native to eastern North America

DIGITALIS, Scrophulariaceae, foxglove
Foxgloves are biennials or short-lived perennials that self-seed abundantly in moisture-retentive soil. From a rosette of evergreen leaves formed in the first year, a flower stem grows in the following year, sometimes branched, and thickly covered with thimble-like flowers. After flowering, the plants usually die off. Non-spreading. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton.

ferruginea
4′ / beige-orange / July-Aug. / Su-HSh
The tall spike-like flower stems are laden with beige-orange flowers veined with brown on the inside. One of the most beautiful and effective plants due to its strong and sturdy structural presence for much of the year. Forms dark green, leathery, ever-green leaf rosettes the first year. Seeds best and abundantly on moisture-retentive soil. Native to Hungary, Romania, Turkey, and the Caucasus.

ECHINACEA, Asteraceae, coneflower
Sturdy plants from the North American prairie with spectacular large daisy-like flowers with a distinctive high cone center. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. All Echinacea species suffer from too much competition from surrounding plants. A non-spreading and relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of 5 to 10 years or less. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. 6 species of pollen specialist bees rely on the flowers of this genus.

pallida
3′ / purple-pink / July-Sept. / Su
A species with long slender stems, purple-pink flowers with graceful and slender folded back petals, and narrow lance-shaped foliage. A very elegant plant that self-sows and is longer-lived and earlier flowering than E. purpurea. Forage plant for Ottoe-skipper larva.

pallida ‘Hula Dancer’
3′ / light lavender-pink / July-Sept. / Su
A seed-grown cultivar with very narrow, reflexed, and tinted lavender-pink petals.  Can be floppy, so place it accordingly.

pallida ‘Ballerina’
2.5′ / pale lavender-pink / July-Sept. / Su
A sturdy and stockier selection of ‘Hula Dancer’. A Campo di Fiori selection.

pupurea ‘Magnus Superior’
3′ / pink-red / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
An improvement on Magnus with wide horizontal intense pink-red petals, a large orange-red cone, dark stems, and uniform habit. Self-sows. The best seed strain for this color. Host plant of the Ottoe-skipper.

purpurea ‘Happy Star’
3′ / white / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
A seed strain with petals more horizontally held than ‘White Swan’.  Self-sowing.

purpurea ‘Pow Wow White’
2′ / white / June-Aug. / Su-HSh
A shorter and sturdier seed-grown variety with with short, white, downward arching petals and orange center cones. Self-sows.

tennesseensis
2′ / pink / July-Sept. / Su
A unique species with slightly upturned, widely spaced, narrow pink petals atop rigid hairy stems with narrow dark green foliage. Only known to exist in the wild on certain glades near Nashville, Tennessee, and is on the Federal Endangered Species list.

‘Pixie Meadowbrite’
2′ / pink / July-Aug. / Su-HSh
A hybrid of four different species.  Rigid stems, tidy clumps of rough lanceolate foliage, and exceptionally uniform flowers with bright pink horizontal petals and a deep red center cone. Fades beautifully.

‘Parasol’
3′ / pink / July-Aug. / Su
A garden-origin hybrid of E. purpurea and E. tennesseensis with rough lanceolate foliage, long stems, and flowers with slightly drooping and relatively widely spaced clear pink petals. Fades exceptionally well. A Campo di Fiori selection.

ECHINOPS, Asteraceae, globe thistle

bannaticus ‘Veitch’s Blue’
5′ / purple-blue / July-Aug. / Su
A stately plant with deeply cut somewhat prickly leaves and large spherical flower heads full of small purple-blue flowers. Bees, bumblebees, and butterflies avidly visit the flowers. Thrive easily on a variety of soils. A non-spreading relatively and short-lived perennial with a longevity of less than 10 years. Moderately self-sowing. Native to southeastern Europe.

EPIMEDIUM, Berberidaceae, barrenwort
Ground-covering plants with wonderful glossy ternate foliage and small four-petal jewel-like flowers in spring. The main ornamental value is the foliage which often remains green or turns an attractive brown or bronze shade in winter. Cut off the leaves in March to make way for the new flowers. Drought tolerant once established. Slow to moderately spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to China, Japan, and Korea.

grandiflorum ‘Lilafee’
10″ / lilac / April-May / HSh-Sh
Beautiful spurred lilac flowers above dark bronze-colored spring foliage which disappears in winter.

xversicolor ‘Sulphereum’
10″ / sulfur yellow / April-May / HSh-Sh
Both the winter foliage and the young fresh leaves that emerge in spring are red. The flowers are a wonderfully contrasting sulfur yellow.

ERYNGIUM, Apiaceae, sea holly
Unusual members of the umbellifer family in that the flowers are not in an umbel-shaped inflorescence but are crammed together in thimble-like heads. The ordinary leaves and the involucral bracts are often dentate and prickly. Limited spread. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

yuccifolium
4′ / white / July-Sept. / Su
This species forms evergreen rosettes of sword-shaped gray-green leaves similar to yucca species. Long leafless sturdy stems bear white spherical flower heads on slightly branched umbel-like clusters. Native to tall-grass prairies of eastern and central North America.

bourgatti
2′ / blue-green / June-July / Su
Deeply-cut grey-green leaves veined in white, and blue-green flowerheads surrounded in spiny, lance-shaped, silver-blue involucral bracts atop striking blue stems. Tap-rooted, rosette-forming, and drought tolerant. Native to France, Morocco, and Spain.

planum
3′ / steel-blue / June-Sept. / Su
From a rosette of dark green basil foliage arise stiff, branched, violet-blue stems topped with abundant, thistle-like, violet-blue flowerheads that have a narrow and spiky collar of blue-green bracts. Tap-rooted, drought tolerant, and self-sowing.  Native to central and southeastern Europe and central Asia.

EUPATORIUM, Asteraceae, Joe Pye weed
Large plants with coarse foliage and large umbels of flowers in late summer. All species attract masses of butterflies and bees. Although they are plants of damp fertile soil, frequently found here along the Cathance River, they are so strong they will grow almost anywhere. Slow to very limited spreading. Statuesque winter silhouette. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust long-live perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. All the species below are native to eastern North America.

maculatum ‘Atropurpureum’
7′ / purple-pink / July Sept. / Su-HSh
Purple stems bear large umbels full of small purple-pink flowers.

fistulosum f. albidum ‘Ivory Towers’
7′ / white / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
This striking white-flowering form is a nice change.

‘Little Joe’
4′ / mauve purple / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
A much shorter cultivar useful for small gardens, or those who do not care for towering plants and want to attract Monarch butterflies, nonetheless.

F

FILIPENDULA, Rosaceae, meadowsweet

rubra ‘Venusta’
6′ / bright pink / July-Aug. / Su
The queen of the prairie is a tall plant with magnificent pinnate leaves and masses of bright pink flowers in frothy irregularly shaped racemes. The branches droop under the weight of the flowers but recover after the flowers die off. Seed heads turn to glowing chestnut brown and remain attractive into winter. Requires fertile humus-rich soil that must never be allowed to dry out. Spreads moderately. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to northeastern and central U.S.

GENTIANA, Gentianaceae, gentian
Most species are high-mountain plants that are difficult to grow and flower poorly in low-lying areas. The following species is one of a few exceptions.

andrewsii 
2′ / deep blue / Sept.-Oct. / Su-HSh
The bottle gentian has stalkless, ovate-lanceolot, fleshy leaves and deep blue flowers that never fully open and which remain “bottle” shaped. Growing best in cool moist places, they can form large clumps with time, and though typically slow to develop, are long-lived. Self-sowing.  Native to Eastern North America. A local selection.

flavida
3′ / cream / Aug.-Oct. / Su-HSh
A species similar in form to andrewsii but with cream colored flowers that appear earlier in the season. Native to central North America.

GERANIUM, Geraniaceae, cranesbill
Easy plants with attractive round leaves that can be lobed or deeply palmate and attractive five-petal flowers. Abundant-flowering ground-covering filler plants. Robust and long-lived plants useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

maculatum
18″ / pale lilac / April-June / Su-HSh
An early flowering American species with deeply cut leaves and large pale lilac flowers on long upright stems. One of the prettiest species. Self-sowing.  A local selection.

maculatum ‘Album’
18″ / white / April-June / Su-HSh
A beautiful sparkling white-flowering form of G. maculatum.  Self-sow true to type.

sanguineum ‘New Hampshire’
10″ / bright pink / June-Sept. / Su
This compact cultivar is a strong, slowly-spreading, and mound-forming plant for full sun. It blooms throughout the summer with an abundance of bright pink flowers. Tolerant of drought and low fertility. Moderately self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Species native to most of Europe and temperate Asia.

sanguineum var. striatum
8″ / light pink / June-Aug. / Su
A compact mound-forming cultivar with light pink flowers with dark pink veins. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens/

GILLENIA, Rosaceae, bowman’s root

trifoliata
3′ / white / June-July / Su-HSh
Sturdy and bushy plants with long-flowering clouds of white narrow-petaled flowers with red bracts on red flower stems. This plant will grow almost anywhere, even dry shade. Non-spreading and self-sowing.  Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to eastern North America.

H

HELLEBORE, Ranunculaceae, Christmas rose

orientalis ‘Ann Carroll Hybrids’
18″ / soft-pink, dark-red / April / HSh-Sh
These plants are of invaluable worth in the early spring garden. Large bell-shaped flowers above shiny, leathery, beautifully indented leaves that remain green in winter. The flowers remain on the plant for a long period because, in reality, they are attractively colored bracts that enclose first the flowers, visible as small scales nectaries, and later the large pod-like seeds. Appreciate rich, fertile soil. H. orientalis is an easy-to-grow, fully hardy, and richly varied species that appears in the wild around the Black Sea. The plants in cultivation are probably all hybrids. ‘Ann Carroll Hybrids’ is a local seed strain that is variable but leans heavily toward producing flowers of soft pink and dark red. Self-sowing.

HELENIUM, Asteraceae, sneezewort
Garden plants with an old-fashioned air about them. Round tubular centers with wreaths of brightly colored, somewhat fringed petal rays. The darker shades are particularly useful and unique when displayed in the autumn border along fading ornamental grasses. Likes moisture-retentive fertile soil, but avoid heavy clay. Slowly spreading. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. One of the host plants of the Dainty Sulphur. 5 species of pollen specialist bees rely on the flowers of this genus. Native to much of North America and Canada.

‘Rubinzwerg’
4′ / red-brown / Aug.-Sept. / Su
A shorter hybrid with uniquely colored red-brown flowers.

HELIANTHUS, Asteraceae, sunflower

‘Lemon Queen’
8′ / lemon yellow /Oct.-Nov. / Su
A cultivar from a genus of giant plants from the American prairie with course green lanceolate foliage and sturdy long stems topped with delicate lemon yellow sunflowers. Loved by bees and butterflies. Non-invasive. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

HEMEROCALLIS, Hemerocallidaceae, day lily
Ornamental plants that have been grown for centuries with attractively arched grassy leaves and large lily-like flowers that come in every color. Each flower lasts for one day only but because there are so many flowers on each stem, and there are many flowering stems, the flowering period lasts for many weeks. The plants are as strong as iron and will grow almost anywhere. Here in Maine, discarded clumps have naturalized along roadsides and old house foundations making a beautiful addition to our local summer flora. Slowly-spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to China, Korea, and Japan.

‘Joan Senior’
2′ / very pale yellow / May-July / Su
A cultivar with 6 wide very pale yellow flowers with green throats.

‘Pardon Me’
18″ / dark red / May-July / Su
Small dark red flowers with yellow-green throats.

‘Gentle Shepherd’
2.5′ / cream / May-July / Su
Medium-sized cream flowers with green throats.

HEUCHERA, Saxifragaceae, coral bells
Ornamental plants for shade with rosettes of attractive, palmate, indented leaves and small flowers on elongated stems. Humus-rich moisture-retentive soil is appreciated.  Shallow-rooted, so consider mulching in moister soils.

villosa ‘Autumn Bride’
2′ / white / Sept.-Oct. / Su-HSh
A species of coral bells native to rocky wooded slopes from Virginia to Georgia and Tennessee. Large triangularly lobed velvety light green leaves form a large basal clump. In the fall emerge many slender leafless stems covered by small white flowers. This species is the most vigorous and hardy. Excellent ground cover in part-shade. Native to rocky, wooded slopes from Virginia and Georgia to Tennessee.

HOSTA, Liliaceae, plantain lily
Wonderful foliage plants that hail from Japan. Ideal for architectural purposes whose bold foliage gives body to a shaded garden amongst fine-leaved plants. Moist, humus-rich, fertile soil in part shade suits them best.

sieboldiana ‘Elegans’
2′ / white / July-Aug. / HSh-Sh
A classic with smaller rounded and frosted blue-gray leaves and white flowers. Still never surpassed. Slow to moderately spreading. Attractive and long-lasting seed heads.

‘Krossa Regal’
3′ / lilac / July-Aug. / HSh-Sh
An absolute giant with narrow blue-gray leaves that point arrow-like upwards and lilac-colored flowers on very long stems. This plant needs plenty of space. Slow to moderately spreading.

‘Sum and Substance’
4′ / lilac / July-Aug. / HSh-Sh
Enormous, thick, yellow-green foliage and tall stems with lilac flowers. Slow to moderately spreading.

I

IRIS, Iridaceae, iris
A familiar genus of plants with many hundreds of species. The flowering period is short but exceptional. The characteristic sword-like leaves remain beautiful throughout the summer. Many irises cannot cope when combined with plants of the same height or ground-cover plants, as the rhizomes become overshadowed. There are a few species that grow well in normal, moisture-retentive garden soil and which can be combined closer to other plants in a naturalistic style.

sibirica ‘Pink Haze’
3′ / lavender-pink / May-June / Su
A cultivar with large soft lavender-pink flowers and bold, long-lasting, sword-shaped foliage. Slow to moderately spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Species native to northeast Turkey, Russia, and eastern and central Europe.

K

KIRENGESHOMA

palmata
3.5′ / soft yellow / Sept-Oct. / HSh-Sh
Shade plants with attractive, corrugated, sycamore-like leaves. In summer, soft yellow buds are formed which grow very slowly until opening in late summer, andthree-needled seed capsules remain attractive thereafter. These plants will grow and flower almost anywhere so long as the soil does not dry out. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to Japan and eastern China.

KNAUTIA, Dipsacaceae, scabious

macedonica
2′ / claret / July-Sept. / Su
Bears magnificent pin-cushion-shaped claret-colored flowers on long wiry stems throughout the summer. A genus of plants closely related to Scabiosa, though generally more robust. Butterflies love them both. It is a non-spreading, relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of fewer than 5 years, yet which self-sows abundantly in drier conditions. Drought-tolerant. Native to Eastern Europe.

L

LOBELIA, Campanulacea, blue cardinal flower

siphilitica
3′ / blue / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
Fat spikes covered in blue, tubular, lipped flowers and somewhat course-looking, finely toothed, lanceolate foliage.  Grows best in moisture-retentive soil. Short-lived yet enthusiastically self-sow. Produces a compound that deters herbivory. Native to the northeastern U.S.

LIATRIS, Asteraceae, blazing star
Familiar stiff-looking plants with narrow grassy leaves and long spike-shaped inflorescences. The reddish-purple thistle-like flowers open from the top to the bottom of the stem. Thrive best in fertile moisture-retentive garden soil, though is very drought-tolerant. Slowly spreading and self-sowing. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton.

spicata
4′ / rose-purple / July-Aug. / Su
A species with long, pointed, cone-shaped spikes.  Native to central and southeastern United States.

spicata ‘Floristan White’
2.5′ / white / July-Aug. / Su
A striking, lanky, white-flowering cultivar.  May need support in fertile conditions.  Species native to central and southeastern United States.

pycnostachya
4′ / reddish-purple / July-Aug. / Su
A tall species that strongly resembles L. spicata, but has a longer inflorescence so that the whole plant seems more slender. Native to central and southeastern U.S.

novae-angliae – coming soon

LILIUM, Liliacea, Michigan Lily

michiganense – coming soon

LUNARIA, Brassicaceae, honesty

rediviva
2.5′ / pale purple / April-June / HSh-Sh
A perennial Lunaria with attractive dark green heart-shaped foliage and racemes of very fragrant pale purple flowers. The flat, silvery, translucent fruits remain on the plant until midwinter. Limited spread and modestly self-sowing. Native to Europe and Russia.

M

MONARDA, Lamiaceae, bergamot
One of the most important garden plant genera with sturdy stems that do not collapse, delightful smelling leaves (Earl Grey tea), and flowers that are plentiful and last a long time. The inflorescence consists of bud-like bundles of calyces from which new lipped flowers continue to appear from bottom to top. The bracts beneath the inflorescence are an important part of these plants’ beauty. Swarms of butterflies, bees, hummingbird moths, and hummingbirds descend on the plant when in flower.  After a few years, some monarda cultivars will begin to degenerate. They then must be dug up and divided, throwing the old center of the clump away and replanting the outer pieces.  Though cultivars abound, we have found only a few varieties to be dependable for the longer term.  Requires well-drained soil and will not tolerate heavy unprepared clay. All tolerate low fertility. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Genus endemic to North America.

bradburiana
2′ / pale pink / May-June / Su-HSh
Pale pink, purple-spotted, tubular flowers in whorls and purplish-tinged leafy bracts. Foliage remains attractive longer than other varieties, is unaffected by mildew, and turns deep-purple in fall. Tolerant of drought and low fertility. Moderately spreading and self-sowing.

‘Mojo’
2.5′ / purple / May-June / Su
A hybrid very similar to the above species but with bright purple flowers.

fistulosa
4′ / lavender / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
Whorled heads of lavender tubular flowers above light green, pink-tinted bracts.

‘Jacob Cline’
5′ / red / July-Aug. / Su-HSh
A hybrid with large whorled heads of red tubular flowers above light-red bracts and bright-green glossy foliage.

‘Pink Supreme’
2.5′ / bright pink / June-July / Su-HSh
A shorter cultivar with bright pink flowers and light green foliage with fair mildew resistance.

‘Judith’s Fancy Fuchsia’
4′ / purple-red / July-Aug. / Su-HSh
Vibrant purple-red flowers and superior powdery mildew resistance.

O

ORIGANUM, Lamiaceae, marjoram
Wild marjoram is a shrub-like plant with dull green aromatic leaves and branched inflorescences. Loved by many nectar-seeking insects. Tolerant of drought and low fertility. Limited spreading and moderately self-sowing. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to southwestern Eurasia and Mediterranean region.

vulgare ‘Rosenkuppel’
1.5 / dark pink / July-Sept. / Su
A big cultivar with large dark pink inflorescences and small glossy green foliage. Loved by butterflies.

P

PARTHENIUM, Asteraceae, wild quinine

integrifolium
4′ / white / May-Aug. / Su
Wooly-looking white flower heads appear in wide, flat-topped, terminal clusters. Aromatic, toothed, dark green leaves. Drought-tolerant. Beautiful long-lasting seed heads. Native to eastern United States.

PENSTEMON, Scrophulariaceae, beardtongue
A large North American genus of plants with narrow leaves and flowers on loose spikes somewhat resembling those of foxgloves. A relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of fewer than 10 years. Limited-slow spreading and moderately self-sowing. Drought-tolerant. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Native to eastern Canada and eastern U.S.

digitalis
2′ / white / June-Aug. / Su
Our native penstemon with white bell-like flowers on dark red stems. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A local selection.

digitalis ‘Huskers Red’
2 / white / June-Aug. / Su-HSh
Dark reddish-green foliage and pink-tinted white flowers. Dark red autumn color. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton.

hirsutus
1.5′ / soft-lavender / May-July / Su
Open clusters of soft-lavender trumpet-shaped flowers with white lower lips on dark hairy stems. This earliest blooming species is also tolerant of a wide range of soil moisture. One of the larval host plants of the Chalcedon Checkerspot, Baltimore Checkerspot, and Edith’s Checkerspot. Native to eastern North America.

PEROVSKIA, Lamiaceae, Russian Sage
A dwarf shrub from semi-desert in central Asia that flowers on new wood and can be treated as an herbaceous perennial that is cut down just above ground in spring. Small, greyish, toothed leaves and airy panicles covered in lilac-blue lipped flowers. Easy to grow and tolerant of climatic extremes.

abrotanoides ‘Little Spire’
2′ / lilac-blue / June-frost / Su
A shorter cultivar that is flop-proof.

PERSICARIA, Polygonaceae, knotweed

amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’
4′ / pink-red / July-Oct. / Su-HSh
A large, bushy, easy-growing plant that bears numerous slender pink-red flowering spikes. Color intensifies until the first hard frost. Prefers moisture-retentive fertile, well-drained soil. Moderately spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Species native to the Himalayas.

amplexicaulis ‘Alba’
4′ / white / July-Oct. / Su-HSh
A slender cultivar with dark green foliage and very narrow white flowering spikes that are sometimes split into two at the top. Prefers moisture-retentive fertile soil. Slowly spreading. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

virginiana
2.5′ / white to pink / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
This plant forms clumps of oblong-shaped leaves made attractive by a dark marking in the center. Forming just above the foliage are pink pin-sized flowers on thread-like spikes. Best planted at the front of the border to better appreciate its subtle appearance. Self-sowing.  Native to northeastern U.S. as well as Japan and the Himalayas.

PHLOX, Polemoniaceae, phlox
A very familiar plant that grows almost anywhere, but looks its best on fertile moisture-retentive soil. Relatively small flowers clustered together in large spreading panicles. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.  Species native to the mid-west prairie.

paniculata ‘David’
3′ / white / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
Sturdy stems with bright-green lanceolate foliage and panicles of white flowers. Mildew resistant. Slowly spreading.

paniculata ‘Nicky’
4′ / bright magenta purple / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
A mildew-resistant cultivar with large clusters of bright magenta-purple flowers.

paniculata ‘Hesperis’
4′ / lilac-pink / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
An older cultivar with small pale-lilac pink flowers in pyramid-shaped panicles. Resembles sweet rocket.

paniculata ‘Blue Paradise’
3′ / violet-blue / July-Aug. / Su-HSh
A cultivar with violet-blue flowers that is earlier blooming and long flowering.

divaricata ‘Blue Moon’
1′ / blue-violet / May-June / HSh-Sh
A spring ephemeral, woodland, ground-covering species with sweet-smelling abundant blue-violet flowers and lanceolate foliage. A place in semi-shade and soil that never dries out is essential for healthy growth. Moderately spreading and self-sowing. Native to eastern North America.

PHYTOSTEGIA, Lamiacea, obedient plant

virginiana
4′ / pink / June-Sept. / Su
Spikes of pink, tubular, lipped flowers and narrow, lanceolate, sharply-toothed leaves.  Strongly rhizomatous and self-sowing thus best used in wilder situations where it may naturalize. Prefers moisture-retentive soil. Native to North America from Quebec south to Florida.

POLYGONATUM, Asparagacea, Solomon’s seal

biflorum
3′ / cream / April-May / HSh-Sh
A strong growing plant with long arching stems that dangle cream-colored bell-shaped flowers. Moderately spreading. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Native to eastern North America.  A local selection.

POTENTILLA, Rosaceae, cinquefoil
Cinquefoils are a large genus of low-growing strawberry-like plants with characteristic three to five-palmate, veined, toothed leaves and loosely-branched inflorescences with small flowers that appear over an extended period. Drought tolerant and easy growing.

atrosanguinea ‘Red’
2′ / scarlet-red / June-July / Su
A bushy seed-grown cultivar with masses of small, bowl-shaped, scarlet-red flowers. Native to Afghanistan and eastern Himalayas.

napalensis ‘Miss Wilmott’
1.5′ / salmon-pink / May-July / Su
A bushy seed-grown cultivar with masses of small salmon-pink flowers. Native to Himalayas.

napalensis ‘Helen Jane’
1′ / pink w/ red center / May-July / Su
A bushy seed-grown cultivar with masses of pink red-centered flowers. Native to western Himalayas.

napalensis ‘Ron McBeath’
1′ / deep pink / May-July / Su
A bushy seed-grown cultivar with masses of deep pink flowers. Native to western Himalayas.

PYCNANTHEMUM, Lamiaceae, mountain mint

muticum
3′ / pale pink / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
A bushy clump-forming perennial with aromatic leaves that smell strongly of spearmint. Dense flat-topped terminal clusters with small, pale pink, tubular flowers somewhat like a small version of a Monarda inflorescence. The underside of each cluster is highlighted by a pair of showy silvery leaf-like bracts that are most effective in their appearance when massed. Slow to moderately spreading and self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A pollinator favorite. Native to eastern North America. All species have been used for tea.

virginianum
3′ / white / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
A species of mountain mint with extremely narrow almost needle-like leaves and terminal clusters of small white flowers. A pollinator favorite. Makes excellent tea. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Native to eastern North America

R

RUDBECKIA, Asteraceae, black-eyed Susan
A familiar genus of course plants with large yellow daisies with dark cone-shaped tubular centers that provide structural interest after the yellow-ray florets have fallen off. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived plant useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

maxima
5′ / yellow / Aug-Sept. / Su
A fascinating plant with gigantic, waxy blue, hosta-like foliage and a few long stems topped with daisies with deep yellow drooping ray-florets and eye-catching long black central cones. Appreciates fertile moisture-retentive soil. Slowly spreading. Native to central and southern U.S.

subtomentosa
5′ / yellow / July-Oct. / Su
A robust rudbeckia species with gray-green divided foliage and branched stems bearing yellow daisies with black cones. Slowly spreading. Native to central U.S.

subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’
5′ / yellow / July-Sept. / Su
A cultivar of the above species with rolled petals that create a quilled appearance.

RUELLIA, Acanthaceae, wild petunia

humilis
1′ / light purple / June-Sept. / Su-HSh
An easy long-flowering plant with elongated hairy stems and foliage and light purple petunia-like flowers. Slowly spreading and moderately self-sowing. Drought-tolerant. Native to eastern U.S.

S

SALVIA, Lamiaceae, sage
Familiar and easy garden plants with tapering spiked inflorescences and a long and profuse flowering period. If they are cut back the plants will repeat flower in late summer. A relatively short-lived plant with a longevity of less than 10 years. Non-spreading and moderately self-sowing. Tolerates dry, infertile soils. Native to a wide area of central Europe and western Asia.

nemorosa ‘Caradonna’
2′ / violet-blue / June-Sept. / Su
Extra-long spikes with dark purple stems adorned with small violet-blue flowers.

nemorosa ‘May Night’
2′ / deep purple / May-June / Su
The earliest blooming salvia with dense spikes of deep purple flowers.  Also the most likely to rebloom after being cut back.

nemorosa ‘Amethyst’
3′ / lilac-pink / June-Aug. / Su
A tall older variety with very long spikes bearing lilac-pink flowers.

verticillata ‘Purple Rain’
1.5′ / soft-purple / July-Sept. / Su
Wild clary is a low-growing species with soft-purple flowers in whorls around reddish-purple stems and grayish, textured leaves. A relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of fewer than 10 years. Non-spreading and moderately self-sowing. Native to a wide area of central Europe to western Asia.

SANGUISORBA, Rosaceae, burnet
This is a very undervalued genus of easy and useable garden plants. All the species have attractive pinnate foliage with toothed leaflets. The small knot-like flowers are grouped in spikes or little balls. The shape is in all the species the most important element and is unique and irreplaceable. Many have transparent flower clusters that create another perspective as you look through them to the plants growing behind. All species thrive best on moisture-retentive soil. Limited to moderately spreading and moderately self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

canadensis
6′ / white / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A sturdy plant with gray-green leaves and erect off-white, fluffy flower spikes. The late flowering makes this plant particularly attractive. Native to North America.

menziesii
2′ / blood-red / May-June / Su
The earliest flowering species with blood-red, erect bottle-brush-like spikes and beautiful blue-green foliage. Native to north-western U.S.

menziesii ‘Foxy’
2′ / pink-red / May-June / Su
A selection with very attractive grey-green foliage and longer flowering spikes that are fluffier and pinker. A Campo di Fiori selection.

officinalis ‘Pink Tanna’
2′ / soft-pink / Aug.-Sept. / Su
A shorter and earlier flowering cultivar with a profusion of soft-pink cylindrical inflorescence.

officinalis ‘Blackthorn’
6′ / pink-red / July-Oct. / Su
A cultivar with longer and softer-colored spikes that remain more upright than the species creating a strong vertical appearance

tenufolia ‘Alba’
6′ / white / July-Aug. / Su
A white flowering form of the species that is taller and has narrower foliage and even narrower cylindrical-shaped, pendent spikes. Native to eastern Asia.

SEDUM, Crassulaceae, stonecrop
A familiar and large genus of succulent rock plants with a few larger species that are much more structural in form. These plants have characteristic umbel-shaped inflorescences that remain structural late into the winter. Non-spreading and drought-tolerant. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.  Species native to Eurasia.

telephium ‘Matrona’
2′ / pink / Aug.-Oct. / Su-HSh
The tallest cultivar with red stems, grayish-green leaves, and extra-large umbel-shaped inflorescences full of pink flowers.

telephium ‘Red Cauli’
2′ / red / Aug.-Oct. / Su-HSh
A taller-growing slender cultivar with grey-green leaves, red stems, and panicles of red flowers that turn glowing red-brown in autumn.

SILPHIUM, Asteracea, prairie dock
Giant plants most often associated with the tall grass prairie, an almost extinct plant community in the American Midwest consisting of grasses and forbs that could reach up to 13 feet in height.

mohrii
5′ / pale yellow / June-Aug. / Su-HSh
A clump-forming plant with large basal lance-shaped foliage and numerous 2″ pale yellow flowers on long hairy stems that branch near the top.  Large green calyxes make it ornamental even in bud.  Prefers well-drained, gravelly, low-fertility soil. Native to southeastern U.S. where it is considered vulnerable.

SMILACINA, Convallariaceae, false Solomon’s seal

racemosa
2′ / cream / May-June / Su-HSh
This plant looks very similar to common Solomon’s seal with long arched stems and upward-pointing, dark-green, elegant lanceolate foliage. The flowers do not hang under the leaves but are more conspicuously in fluffy cream-colored tufts at the end of the stems. Beautiful red berries follow the flowers and last into the fall.  A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. A local selection.

SOLIDAGO, Asteraceae, goldenrod
A very familiar genus of plants that are native to Maine but the majority of which are too weedy for the garden. Nonetheless, goldenrod can be hard to resist with its wide range of flowerhead shapes and cheerful yellow fall flowers. Furthermore, goldenrod has been recently recognized as a keystone genus with over 100 species of caterpillar using it as a host plant, and over 40 pollen specialist bee species relying on its flowers.  Thus, we have selected a few species that are better behaved and unique among the rest. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton.

sempervirens
3′ / yellow / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A  species of goldenrod adapted to our coastal sands with smooth, fleshy, lance-shaped foliage and a dense, compact panicle-shaped inflorescence full of comparatively large yellow daisy flowers. Limited spreading and drought-tolerant. A local selection.

ptarmicoides
2′ / white / Aug.-Oct / Su
Upland white goldenrod has low mounds of lanceolate foliage and white daisy-like flowers held in flat-topped corymbs from late summer to fall. Drought tolerant and naturalizing in drier conditions. Native to dry sandy or gravelly often calcareous soils from Quebec to Saskatchewan south to Georgia, Arkansas, and Colorado.

rigida
4′ / yellow / Aug.-Sept. / Su
Like all goldenrods, this species has bright yellow flowers, yet is unique due to its blunt velvety greyish-green foliage and dome-shaped inflorescence. Attractive red fall foliage. Native to Northeastern U.S.

STACHYS, Lamiaceae, woundwort
Some of the creeping species with white wooly foliage are familiar. Less familiar are the species belonging to the subgenus Betonica. The distinctive features are long ovate ribbed leaves and orchid-like spiked inflorescences. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

officinalis ‘Hummelo’
3′ / deep purple-red / June-July / Su-HSh
A cultivar with small dark green, ovate ribbed leaves and long stems with large compact-flowering spikes in deep purple-red. Limited spread. Species native to much of Europe.

officinalis ‘Rosea’
2′ / soft-pink / June-Aug. / Su-HSh
A compact cultivar with deep green foliage and long-flowering spikes of soft-pink flowers. Limited spread.

officinalis ‘Alba’
2′ / white / June-Aug. / Su-HSh
A compact cultivar with deep green foliage and long-flowering spikes of white flowers.

SUCCISA, Dipsacaceae, devil’s bit scabious
An upright plant with narrow dark green foliage and branched inflorescence with deep blue, pincushion-like, round flower heads.  Very attractive to insects.

pratensis ‘Cheerleader’
2.5′ / deep blue / Aug.-Sept. / Su
A shorter and earlier-flowering form of the species. A Campo di Fiori selection.

T

THALICTRUM, Ranunculaceae, meadow rue
Ornamental plants with characteristic compound leaves, like those of columbine, and graceful panicle-shaped clusters of flowers. The individual flowers are small but the relatively large tufts of stamens make the flowers even more eye-catching. All species prefer cooler climates and moisture-retentive, fertile soil. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

aquilegifolium 
4′ / lilac / April-June / Su-HSh
This plant is effective for the greater part of the year with its distinctive flowers of wide lilac panicles that seem to consist entirely of stamens with purple-black stems followed by decorative shivering seeds that remain through the winter. Limited spreading and moderately self-sowing. Species native to Europe and temperate Asia, with a naturalized distribution in North America, limited to New York and Ontario.

‘Elin’
10′ / pale lilac / June-July / Su-HSh
A sterile cross between T. rochebruneanum and T. flavum subsp. glaucum. Unbelievably beautiful dark bluish-gray foliage in spring and just as unbelievably tall flowering stems with fluffy pale lilac and yellow panicles. Limited spread. Does not collapse.

flavum subsp. glaucum
6′ / lemon yellow / June-July / Su-HSh
This Spanish subspecies has lovely blue-gray foliage and broad, lemon-yellow tufts of stamens. Limited spreading and moderately self-sowing. Native to Spain and northwestern Africa.

polygamum
6′ / cream / June-July / Su-HSh
This native species resembles T. aquiligefolium, but taller and more graceful, with flattish cream-colored flower heads that remain decorative at the seed stage. A strong grower that is limited spreading and moderately self-sowing. A local selection.

rochebruneanum
6′ / lilac / June-July / Su-HSh
An extremely graceful plant with delicate, bluish-green, columbine-like leaves composed of tiny leaflets, and lax inflorescences with lilac flowers and tufts of yellow stamens atop dark purple stems. Limited spreading and low self-sowing. Native to Japan.

TRADESCANTIA, Commelinacea, Ohio spiderwort

ohiensis
3′ / deep blue / May-July / Su-HSh
A clump-forming plant with clusters of three-petaled deep blue flowers and dark bluish-green arching grass-like leaves. The combined characteristics of floppy mid-summer foliage and strongly self-sowing behavior lend this plant to a wilder landscape where it may naturalize. Prefers moisture-retentive soil. Native to eastern and central North America.

VERNONIA, Asteraceae, ironweed

crinita
8′ / purple-red / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A large late-flowering plant with dark narrow foliage and purple thistle-like flowers in gigantic umbel-like clusters. Prefers moisture-retentive fertile soil. Slowly spreading and self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to the Ozarks of the U.S.

‘Southern Cross’
3′ / purple-red / Sept.-Oct. / Su
A short hybrid with upright stems and needle-like foliage topped by showy, umbel-like clusters of bright purple-red flowers. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.  Loved by pollinators.

VERONICA, Scrophulariaceae, speedwell

longifolia ‘Blue Shades’
3.5′ / light/dark blue / June-Aug. / Su
A vigorous seed selection with lanceolate foliage and long spikes in shades of blue. Dislikes dry soil. Abundantly self-sowing. Native to central and northeastern Europe to southwest Asia, Korea, and Japan.

longifolia ‘Pink Shades’
3.5 / light/dark pink / June-Aug. / Su
A seed selection similar to the above variety except in shades of pink.

VERBENA, Verbenacea, blue vervain

hastata
6′ / purple / July-Sept. / Su
A stiff and upright plant with reddish stems, lanceolate foliage, and elongated racemes bearing small purple flowers of which only a few are open at one time yet striking nonetheless. Short-lived yet abundantly self-sowing in its preferred moisture-retentive soil.  Native to eastern North America.

VERONICASTRUM, Scrophulariaceae, Culver’s root
Tall and sturdy plants closely related to Veronica. Lance-shaped leaves grow in wreathes along the stems and the long spike-shaped inflorescence adds a strong vertical element to the border. Slowly spreading and moderately self-sowing. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Species native to the U.S.

virginicum ‘Roseum’
5′ / soft-pink / July-Aug. / Su
A cultivar with long spikes of pale pink flowers and fresh green foliage.

virginicum ‘Alba’
5′ / white / July-Aug. / Su
Elongated white spikes and dark green foliage.

‘Fascination’
5′ / lilac-rose / July-Aug. / Su
An earlier flowering hybrid with large spikes of small lilac-rose flowers.

ZIZIA, Apiaceae, golden alexanders

aurea
3′ / yellow / May-June / Su
Medium umbels of tiny yellow flowers and glossy green compound foliage. A beautiful early flowering native and our only garden-worthy umbellifer. Slowly spreading and moderately self-sowing. An important plant to many short-tongued, spring-flying insects. A relatively short-lived plant with a longevity of fewer than 10 years. A local selection.

Quick-Links

Perennials

PERENNIALS – GRASS

These wonderful plants which so frequently dominate open habitats around the world have been loosely regarded and little noticed in the gardening world, until recently. Their increasing popularity is no mystery. Essential for creating a naturalistic wild-looking planting, they project themselves uniquely in the way they catch light, move in a breeze, and the contrast and continuity they bring to a planting through the seasons with their long-lasting structural form. Because of this, they can be very effective when planted in mass or used as a matrix for prairie or meadow planting.  Textured mounds of linear green foliage, beautiful autumn coloring, and long-lasting seed heads extend the season of interest almost indefinitely. A must for every garden.

COOL-SEASON GRASS:
Cool-season grasses have their greatest impact in the garden in the spring and early summer when many of them flower. Although many of these grasses become dormant during a hot summer, some such as Calamagrostis and Deschampsia retain their dramatic, albeit dead, inflorescences and continue to play an important role in the garden for many months after. For this reason, the flowering season for both cool-season and warm-season grass also includes the period of seed head interest.

WARM-SEASON GRASS:
Warm-season grasses do not start growing until much later in the year, typically flowering in late summer and often retaining their dead foliage and seed heads into the winter to great effect. The largest and most impressive ornamental grasses are of this group.

A

ANDROPOGON, Poaceae, big bluestem

gerardii
6′ / dark purple-red / Aug.-Sept. / Su
Upright, clump-forming, warm-season grass with lush green summer foliage that turns a rich orange and coppery-red in autumn. The distinctive three-branched terminal inflorescences are dark purple-red with noticeably bright red pollen sacs. Slowly spreading and moderately self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to North America and south-central Mexico. Once the dominant component of the tallgrass prairie. A local selection.

gerardii ‘Blue Babe’
7′ / dark red / Aug.-Sept. / Su
A tall and sturdy cultivar with green-blue foliage and columnar form. A local selection.

gerardii ‘Sandy’
5′ / beige / Aug.-Sept. / Su
A short cultivar with a beige-colored inflorescence.  A local selection.

C

CALAMAGROSTIS, Poaceae, small reed

acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
6′ / smoky-purple / June-Aug. / Su
Strongly upright, clump-forming, cool-season grass with lustrous deep green foliage and vertical inflorescences of spike-like fluffy panicles which are smoky-purplish when they first appear. These turn buff-colored by August and tighten to slim spikes that remain upright and attractive through most of the winter. Makes a good deciduous screen that moves gracefully in the slightest breeze. Moderately spreading. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Species native to Europe.

brachytricha
4′ / smokey-pink / Aug.-Oct. / Su
Warm-season cespitose grass with loose clumps of bright green foliage and long spike-like fluffy panicles that are smoky-pink when first open and remain open and feathery even when dry. Non-spreading and moderately self-sowing. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to Korea.

CAREX, Cyperaceae, sedge
Carex, otherwise known as sedge, is a common sight in our local woodlands whose subtle flowers provide interest in early spring. Having been ignored for years they are making a surge in popularity due to their neat evergreen foliage, often cespitose, and low-maintenance growth habit. As a textural groundcover, they are indispensable for woodland-type meadows or matrix plantings where they provide the perfect context from which other showier wildflowers may emerge.

radiata
2′ / yellow-green / May-June / HSh
One of many carex species with attractive slender foliage forming a neat spherical mound. The inconspicuous inflorescence, upon close inspection, are yellow-green star-like spikelets. A very useful plant for woodland meadow plantings with medium soil moisture in part shade. Slowly spreading and self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. A local selection.

muskingumensis
2′ / yellow-green / June-July / Su-HSh
Deciduous, bushy, clump-forming plant with lax stems and uniquely tiered graceful and narrow tapering foliage and small inconspicuous spikelets that open yellow-green fading to dark bronze. Slowly spreading and moderately self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to central North America.

pensylvanica
8″ / yellow / April / Su-Sh
Though subtle in its appearance unless mass-planted, this plant is nonetheless very useful as a no-mow lawn and ground-covering matrix that slowly spreads from runners and thrives in dry shade as well as full sun. Long and slender foliage creates a beautifully textured carpet for planting other more ornamental plants within. Can withstand minor foot traffic and tolerates periodic mowing. A local selection.

CHASMANTIUM, Poaceae, sea oats

latifolium
4′ / light green / Aug.-Oct. / Su-HSh
Broad, clump-forming, vase-shaped warm-season grass with unique broad foliage and pendant panicle branches bearing numerous flattened oat-like spikelets that emerge light green eventually turning to red-bronze and remaining attractive through the winter. Limited spread and self-sowing. Native to the southeastern U.S.

D

DESCHAMPSIA, Poaceae, hair grass
Cool-season cespitose grass with long, dark, and glossy basal foliage which forms beautiful spherical mounds that look good for much of the year. A fine-textured cloud-like mass of finely branched inflorescences typically open light green and dry to buff and are translucent and luminous when back-lit by the sun. The inflorescence remains attractive into autumn. A relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of 10 years or less. Non-spreading and moderately self-sowing. Tolerant of poor fertility. Very good structure from spring till late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. Native to cool-temperate parts of North America, Europe, and eastern Asia.

cespitosa ‘Bronzeschlier’
3′ / green-bronze / June-July / Su-HSh
A cultivar with an inflorescence that opens green-bronze and fades to dark bronze.

cespitosa ‘Goldschlier’
2′ / green-yellow / June-July / Su-HSh
A shorter cultivar with a green-yellow inflorescence that turns flaxen early in summer and therefore attracts more attention.

cespitosa’Goldtau’
1.5′ / tan / June-July / Su-HSh

E

ELYMUS, Poaceae, bottlebrush grass

hystrix
4′ / green / June-July / Su-HSh
Cool-season grass with loose clumps of foliage and open bottle-brush-like inflorescences initially green and bleaching to light buff, remaining attractive into the autumn. One of the relatively few true grasses adapted to dry shaded conditions, though responds with better flowering in moister soil. Slowly spreading and self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to eastern North America.

ERAGROSTIS, Poaceae, love grass

spectabilis
1′ / iridescent pink / July-Nov. / Su
Warm-season cespitose grass with medium green, coarse-textured, basal foliage and very fine-textured inflorescence creating low clouds of iridescent pink. Very drought tolerant.  Non-spreading and moderately self-sowing. A relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of 5-10 years or less. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A local selection.

H

HAKONECHLOA, Poaceae, Hakone grass

macra
1′ / smokey-purple / Aug.-Sept. / Su-HSh
Warm-season mat-forming grass with delightful mop-heads of long, arching, and graceful leaves that look uniformly combed in one direction. Bears subtle inflorescences of lax smoky-purple flower panicles. Suitable for use as a ground cover and historically a favorite container plant in Japan. Prefers fertile moisture-retentive soil were it slowly spreads. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful in less intensively maintained gardens. Native to Honshu Japan.

K

KOELERIA, Poacaea, prairie June grass

macrantha
2′ / light green / May-June / Su
A cool season bunchgrass with basal foliage and narrow, spike-like, light green inflorescence that rise well above the foliage and that turn to silver-green as they mature. Prefers well-drained soils and is drought tolerant. May go dormant in hot and humid climates. Short-lived but self-sowing. Useful interplanted with later blooming warm-season grasses.  Native to North America, Europe, and Asia.

MELICA, Poaceae, silver spike

effusum ‘Aureum’-coming soon

MOLINIA, Poaceae, moor grass
Cool-season cespitose grass that forms tussocks of narrow basal foliage and narrow flower panicles held well above the foliage on slender stalks which may be upright or arching. Foliage turns clear yellow in autumn and the stems are often dark purple. Flowers relatively late among cool-season grasses. The species M. caerulea is usually separated into two subspecies, which differ most obviously in their size. The tall forms combine strong sculptural form with a graceful response to summer breezes. Perfect specimen plants yet they also fit easily into tightly planted flower borders where their flower stems can rise like fountains above their neighbors. Never obtrusive, as their delicate and diffuse flower heads are transparent. All are most effective when side-lit or backlit by the sun, especially when positioned against a contrasting background. Flowering stems usually remain attractive and upright through autumn. Non-spreading. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to temperate Eurasia.

caerulea ‘Heidebraut’
4′ / soft-purple / July-Oct. / Su
A cultivar that forms tidy clumps and whose upright and narrow vase-shaped habit is formed by numerous narrow, leafless stems topped with narrow spikes of soft-purple flowers. Beautiful autumn foliage.

caerulea ‘Moorhexe’
3.5′ / dark-purple / July-Oct. / Su
Similar to the above cultivar yet shorter and with more eye-catching darker, narrow flowering spikes.

caerulea subsp. arundinacea ‘Transparent’
8′ / dark purple-green / July-Oct. / Su-HSh
A cultivar with tussocks of basal foliage, arching stalks, and delicate, loose, and pendent inflorescences.

P

PANICUM, Poaceae, switchgrass
Like many North American prairie grasses, switchgrass is a long-lived warm-season grower. Forms clumps of broad-bladed foliage and profuse airy panicles which are often pink or red-tinted when first opening. The flower heads are large and wide, but because they contain such small spikelets that are spaced far apart, they form a misty and light effect when planted en masse. All parts of the plant are quite sturdy even when dry and dormant, standing through winter. Autumn tones vary from typical yellow shades to deep burgundy. Drought tolerance also varies and is usually better among glaucous-leaved forms with thicker leaves. Effective as a specimen, in masses, or a large container. Tolerant of a wide range of soils. Slowly spreading and moderately self-sowing. Very good structure from spring to late winter with distinctive and long-lasting seed heads and/or winter skeleton. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to much of North America.

virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’
4′ / tinted-pink / Aug.-Oct. / Su
One of the most erect and upright-growing cultivars with gray-green foliage that never lodges. An especially noticeable airy inflorescence tinted pink.

virgatum ‘Shenandoah’
4′ / red-tinted / Aug-Oct. / Su
The red autumn foliage is one of the most intense and reliable of all cultivars. Green leaves in early summer begin to take on dark red tones by July and turn wholly wine-colored by September. A slower-growing cultivar.

virgatum ‘Northwind’
6′ / silver / Aug.-Oct. / Su
This cultivar stands narrowly upright like few others through all weather and seasons. Relatively broad, upright blue-green foliage, and a narrower and lighter inflorescence than ‘Heavy Metal’

virgatum ‘Green Gene’
With gray-blue and dark-toned cultivars all the rage this bright olive-green leaved selection stands out refreshingly. A local selection.

S

SCHIZACHYRIUM, Poaceae, little bluestem
Warm-season cespitose grass with tussocks of fine-textured foliage ranging in color from bright green to glaucous gray-blue. Fall color ranges from copper-orange to deep purple-red, and winter color can be light straw or strongly orange-red. The inflorescences on slender stems are delicate and relatively inconspicuous until they dry and become translucent and silvery. They remain standing through the winter through repeated snowstorms. Shade and excess moisture and fertility will contribute to lax, floppy growth. Tolerant of drought and low fertility. A relatively short-lived perennial with a longevity of 5-10 years or less. Limited spreading and moderately self-sowing. Once one of the dominant grasses of the tallgrass prairie. Native to much of North America.

scoparium ‘Prairie Blues’
2′ / silvery / Aug.-Oct. / Su
A cultivar with gray-blue ribbon-like foliage and conspicuous purple-pink stem joints. Orange-red autumn tones

SESLERIA, Poaceae, moor grass

autumnalis
1′ / cream-white / Aug.-Oct. / Su-HSh
Cool-season grass that forms mats of yellowish-green, almost transparent foliage, that remains fresh-looking, and narrow cream-white spikelets that later turn a contrasting brown. It provides a perfect contrast for illuminating other plants. Tolerant of dry shade but best in fertile moist soil. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to southern Europe and the Caucasus.

SORGHASTRUM
Warm-season clump-forming grass which is a major constituent of the tallgrass prairie, second to A. gerardii. Inflorescence open copper-colored with conspicuous bright yellow anthers. Loose and open at first, the panicles narrow upon drying becoming light chestnut-colored and translucent and remaining attractive through winter. Slow spreading and self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens.

nutans ‘Mystic’
5′ / copper / Aug.-Oct. / Su
A cultivar with glaucus foliage turning shades of true blue and purple later summer into fall. A local selection.

SPODIOPOGON, Poaceae, silver spike

sibiricus
5′ / dark red / July-Sept. / Su-HSh
Warm-season, clump-forming grass with relatively broad, bright green leaves which are held horizontally, and reminiscent of bamboo. Numerous, upright, spike-like panicles open dark red and fade to brown. Best in cooler climates. Slow-limited spreading and self-sowing. A robust and long-lived perennial useful for less intensively maintained gardens. Native to Korea, Manchuria, China, and Siberia.

SPOROBOLUS, Poaceae, prairie dropseed
Warm-season, cespitose grass considered to be the most elegant and refined of the prairie grasses. Long and fine thread-like leaves are arranged in upright arching clumps that give the impression of ocean waves when planted en masse, and from which emerge on slender stalks long, elegant and airy flower panicles with a scent reminiscent of cilantro. Foliage turns deep orange in autumn fading to copper through the winter. Slow to establish in cooler climates. Deeply rooted, drought-tolerant, and long-lived. Moderately self-sowing. Native to North American prairies.

heterolepis ‘Tara’
2′ / tan / Aug. / Su
A compact cultivar with stiffer foliage than typical, and inflorescence which are more narrow and verticle.  Good orange-red fall color.

heterolepis ‘Wisconsin
3′ / tan / Aug. / Su
A taller reliably blooming cultivar with gently arching stems and broad inflorescence.  Best in dry soils.

Quick-Links

Perennials

Ornamental Grass

PERENNIALS – SHRUBS and TREES

Shrubs are very useful plants in larger garden settings and landscapes: as a solid foliage backdrop/mass for framing and highlighting foreground planting; for making formal and informal hedges to divide space, provide habitat, and as a partial screen; and they are typically some of the earliest flowering plants providing early interest as well as nectar for pollinators.  Most of these bear edible and nutritious mast for wildlife and humans alike.  All selections are native not only for their benefit to wildlife but also because woody plants are of a scale that gives them the particular role of connecting the garden to the surrounding landscape and thus should not be too showy or foreign looking.

AMELANCHIER, Rosacea, juneberry

laevis
15-25′ x 15′ / white / April-May / Su-HSh
Amelanchier is a small fast-growing tree with elliptical mid-green foliage that emerges copper in the spring and turns shades of orange and red in the fall. Before leafing out, a profusion of white flowers adorn the plant early in the season followed by dark blue edible berries in late June. With the addition of an elegant multi-trunk habit, smooth gray bark, relatively short stature, and multiple benefits to wildlife, it is a very useful and exceptional tree for both large and small landscapes. Tolerant of a wide range of soils and light conditions yet cannot withstand drought. Host plant to 105 species of Lepidoptera, including Viceroy, Small-eyed Sphinx, interrupted dagger moth, Red-Spotted Purple, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Native to northeast North America.

ARONIA, Rosaceae, chokeberry

melanocarpa ‘Galicjanka’
6-8 x 5-8 / white / April-May / Su-HSh
Aronia has been deemed one of the new superfruits. Its myriad health benefits and culinary uses have led to a surge in commercial orchard production, in which Galicjanka has been widely planted due to its uniform fruiting habit. In spring clusters of white flowers are followed by black blueberry-sized fruit which adorns this small rounded shrub in late July and early August. The berries are very ornamental, contrasting with the electric-red fall foliage come autumn. Aronia is a very adaptable plant that grows in almost any soil type, sun or half-shade, forming small colonies through suckering growth. Useful as a screen or as a larger structural element in bigger naturalistic plantings. Begins bearing at 3 years.  Host plant to 29 species of Lepidoptera, including the Coral Hairstreak butterfly and Large Lace-border moth.  Native to the eastern U.S.

SAMBUCUS, Adoxaceae, elderberry

canadensis ‘Wyldewood’
6-12 x 6-12 / white / June / Su-HSh
A vigorous multi-stemmed shrub whose large purple buds unfurl to produce wide cymes of little fragrant white flowers, providing an early source of nectar for native pollinators, and when dried, a fragrant medicinal tea. The highly nutritious and medicinal, small purple-black fruit hang in large clusters in late summer, for use in jelly, syrup, pie, or wine, or as a treat for birds. Wyldewood is a consistently high-yielding cultivar that is well-adapted to a wide range of soil conditions. Useful in large naturalistic plantings with decorative berries and attractive compound foliage. Low maintenance and easy to grow.  Host plant to 33 species of Lepidoptera, most notably the Cecropia Silkmoth.   Native to the eastern U.S.

CORYLUS, Betulaceae, neohybrid hazelnut

x americana, cornuta, avellana
8-10 x 8-10 / yellow / April / Su-HSh
Growing hazels has been a special focus of ours for several years, one which we are now feeling confident enough to share. These are interspecific hybrids, which are open-pollinated, and whose characters will vary from plant to plant. In our breeding effort, we have focused on saving seeds from parents which are both vegetatively strong and productive. Hazels are poised to be a leader in sustainable food production as the plants are very long-lived and whose nuts are more flexible in their use than soy. Rounded vigorous bushes have showy male flowers, a long cylindrical catkin inflorescence that blooms just as the bees are waking up, but are instead assisted by the wind. The female flowers are minute buds in which only the small ruby-red stigmas are apparent, each stigma representing a nut. The nutritious nuts which are said to be 10,000 times more desirable to wildlife than acorns appear in insignificant quantities as early as 3 years, with heavy production peaking around years 8-10. As production begins to drop, or the bushes become too difficult to manage, one may choose to coppice the whole of the plant to reinvigorate the plant’s productive potential. Coppiced wood may be used as trellising, ramial chips, biochar, or simply wood chip mulch. Most plants will begin to bear again in 2 years, and very few may not “make the cut”. Hazels are very adaptable to a wide range of climatic conditions and a diversity of applications, such as PYO, formal and informal hedges, and wildlife plantings. Beautiful fall foliage.  Host plant to 118 species of Lepidoptera, including the beautiful Cecropia, Polyphemus, and Luna moths.  For more information visit our Neohybrid Hazelnut webpage.

CORNUS, Cornacea, red-twig dogwood

sericea
9’x10′ / white / May-June / Su-HSh
An upright and suckering shrub with bright red winter stems, ovate medium green foliage which changes color spectacularly throughout the fall, and cymes of tiny white, fragrant flowers, followed by drupes of white, blue-tinged berries that are attractive to wildlife. Coppice the plant every so often to produce straight, brightly-colored regrowth.  Prefers rich, moisture-retentive soil. Host plant to Cecropia Silkmoth and Spring and Summer Azure butterflies.  Native to much of North America. A local selection.

MORELLA, Myricaceae, bayberry

pensylvanica
10’x10′ / green / May-June / Su-HSh
Bayberry is a shrub with small, fragrant, dark green, elliptical, leathery leaves and a unique branching habit that forms a billowing, cloud-like mound making it an excellent backdrop to an herbaceous planting. Also useful for creating an informal hedge, with a suckering habit that lends itself to filling in more rapidly, and with a little pruning it can be sculpted into a more formal shape. Unique, fragrant, gray, waxy berries loved by birds, and a tolerance for varied soil and light conditions make this a valuable plant in the landscape. Both male and female plants are needed for pollination. Host plant of the Columbia Silkmoth. Native primarily to the coast of eastern North America.

SALIX, Salicacea, willow

nigra
30′-60’x same/yellow-green / Su-HSh
The only willow species in Maine that can be truly considered a tree. S. nigra is early to leaf with characteristic lanceolate foliage followed by yellow-green flowering catkins. Its unique and beautiful form develops as it grows larger with dark brown to black deeply grooved shaggy bark. Native to wet to moist soils of floodplains, stream/river banks, swamps, and marshes throughout eastern North America and elsewhere, though tolerant of drier conditions. Like all willows, this species has a variety of applications as mentioned above, and if need be can be kept small through annual pruning or coppiced to ground every so often with the benefit of a regrowth of straight bright yellow-green stems. As a native plant, it has significant wildlife value hosting over 280 species of caterpillar and with 14 species of pollen-specific bees relying on its flowers. The genus Salix ranks number three as a keystone genus. A local selection.

Quick-Links

Perennials

Ornamental Grass

References
Aside from our own insights and observations into the appearance, growth, and use of the many plants we grow, with much appreciation, we have largely depended on many written and online resources to help us bring these things to light in ways we ourselves have been unable.  Furthermore, we recommend you explore these resources for more in-depth information.
Lawrence Newcomb. 1977. Newcomb’s Wildflower Manual. Boston, New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Piet Oudolf, and Noel Kingsbury. 2013. Planting: A New Perspective. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
Piet Oudolf, and Noel Kingsbury. 2005. Planting Design: Gardens in Time and Space. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
Piet Oudolf, and Henk Gerritson. 2003. Planting the Natural Garden. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
Piet Oudolf, and Henk Gerritson. 2000. Dream Plants For the Natural Garden. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
Rick Darke. 2007. The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes. Portland, Oregon. Timber Press.
Internet. Missouri Botanical Plant Source. 2014. www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder.
Internet. Wikipedia. 2014. en.wikipedia.org.