New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is indigenous to a wide geographic area that encompasses moist prairies, meadows, valleys and stream banks in most Eastern and midwest states as far south to New Mexico. ‘Purple Dome’ is a very popular dwarf cultivar introduced by Dr. Richard Lighty, former director of Mt. Cuba Center in Greenville, Delaware. […]
Archive for the ‘Native Plant’ Category
‘Purple Dome’ Aster Reliable In The Late Summer Garden
Posted by Hugh on August 30th, 2015
Posted in acidic soil, Aster, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflowers, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on ‘Purple Dome’ Aster Reliable In The Late Summer GardenBloodroot Is Wonderful Woodland Beauty
Posted by Hugh on August 27th, 2015
Bloodgood (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a long-lived rhizomatous native woodland wildflower. All plant parts exude a bright reddish-orange sap when cut, hence the common name. Indians utilized as a dye and sap is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. Roots are poisonous if ingested (USDA hardiness zone 3 -9). In very […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bloodgood (Sanguinaria), compost, Disease resistant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Wildflowers, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bloodroot Is Wonderful Woodland BeautyRebloomers Need Your Help
Posted by Hugh on August 12th, 2015
Re-bloomers are specific cultivars that bring on a repeat floral show – two and sometimes three in one season. In my garden re-blooming iris and re-blooming daylilies return for another round of bloom in late summer and fall. Also, deadheading some perennials will cause them to flower again. You, the gardener, must supply needed […]
Posted in Autumn flowering, Azaleas (evergreen), Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Coreopsis, Daylilies, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Iris, Iris (Tall bearded), Liatris, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Re-Bloomers, Red hot Poker (Kniphofia), Sempervivens, Southern Appalachian Region, Stokesia, Summer flowering, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rebloomers Need Your HelpLong Blooming Tennessee Coneflower
Posted by Hugh on July 27th, 2015
Dependable Tennessee coneflowers (Echinacea tennesseensis) bloom almost all summer (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). That’s three months long. Plants are covered with pale pink, flat ray flowers; blooms measure 2 to 3 inch across with greenish-brown centers or cones. It is a great addition to hot dry sites, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container growing, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tennessee Coneflower, watering tips, Wildflowers, winter hardiness Comments Off on Long Blooming Tennessee ConeflowerLet Gaura Flutter In Your Garden This Summer
Posted by Hugh on July 12th, 2015
What first catches your eye about perennial gaura (Gaura lindheimeri) is its light airy white (or pink) flowers (USDA hardiness zones 5 -9). Orchid-like blossoms are perched atop long thin stems. A faint breeze makes flowers flutter like a cloud of small butterflies above the dark green foliage. Also called […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Container growing, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Gaura, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Let Gaura Flutter In Your Garden This SummerHummingbird Favorite Plants
Posted by Hugh on July 1st, 2015
Many lists of hummingbird plants available in books, on the internet, and at garden centers aren’t very good hummer plants (e.g. petunias, daylillies). Inclusion of whole genera (e.g. Penstemon or Aquilegia) is not correct as only a few species supply ample quality nectar to hummingbirds. Creating a definitive […]
Posted in Hummingbird, Invasive plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, winter hardiness Comments Off on Hummingbird Favorite PlantsObedient Plant For Late Summer Blooming
Posted by Hugh on June 21st, 2015
Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) is native from the Central to Southern U.S. and northern Mexico (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). It is called “obedient plant” because each tubular flower will, upon being pushed in any one direction, stays in new position. From July to September obedient plant is valued for its late season pink or white […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, compost, deadheading, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Obedient plant (Physotegia), Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Obedient Plant For Late Summer BloomingLots Of Stokes Asters To Pick
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2015
Stokes aster (Stokesia laevis) is an underutilized herbaceous perennial. It is indigenous to the southeastern United States (USDA hardiness zones 5-9 and AHS heat zones 4-11). Many attractive cultivars are now available (see below). Most stokes asters produce mostly blue and purple colored floral cultivars, but violet, yellow, white, and blended color forms are also […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Stokesia, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Lots Of Stokes Asters To PickSwamp Azalea Deserves More Garden Space
Posted by Hugh on June 12th, 2015
Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum, formerly R. serrulatum) is very different among deciduous azaleas. Most rhododendrons (azaleas) do not care for soppy, poorly drained soils. This U.S. native is an exception, indigenous to swamps, bogs, stream edges and wet lowlands from southern Maine to northeastern Ohio south to Florida and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azalea (deciduous), Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Pruning, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Swamp Azalea Deserves More Garden SpaceSunset Cutie® Gaillardia
Posted by Hugh on June 5th, 2015
New from PlantHaven is a new 15-inch gaillardia (Gaillardia x grandiflora) called Sunset Cutie® with red-bronze flowers edged in creamy yellow. It will leave a bright fiesta feel to our home landscape. Sunset Cutie has a compact mounding plant habit. It will bloom nonstop on your patio this summer or in your perennial flower bed. It is hardy to Zone 5 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Blanket flower (Gaillardia), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Sunset Cutie® Gaillardia
