U.S. native ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) develop a broad visual swath from the mid-Atlantic to the Midwest and from Minnesota south to Texas. Vernonia spp. is in the aster or daisy family (Asteraceae). Their abundant purple-hued flowers brighten the autumn landscape from late summer into autumn. Ironweeds serve as an important food source for pollinators. Scores […]
Archive for the ‘Attracting Butterflies’ Category
Update On Perennial Ironweeds
Posted by Hugh on October 2nd, 2026
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Garden ecology, Heat Tolerance, Ironweed (Vernonia), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant 
No Comments »Heleniums Are Nothing To Sneeze At
Posted by Hugh on September 25th, 2026
Helenium Helenium autumnalis), aka sneezeweed, is a cheerful, daisy-like perennial wildflower that lights up moist meadows and stream banks across nearly all of North America with masses of golden-yellow flowers from late summer through fall (USDA hardiness zones 3–8). It has an unfortunate common name – “Sneezeweed”— which refers to a historical use of dried […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Helenium, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness No Comments »Winter Berries For Birds
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2026
Spring-summer flowers lead to an attractive & bountiful harvest of berries in your landscape. In the cool autumn and snowy frigid winter months, our feathered wildlife feast on colorful berries that range from purple, red, pink, white, or blue. Listed here are 12 berry-licious plants. 1. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly native to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Chokeberry (Aronia), Coralberry (Symphoricarpus), Cornus sericea, Crabapple, Deciduous, Deciduous holly, Dogwood (Cornus), Dogwood shrubs (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Foster Holly (Ilex), Hawthorn (Crataegus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Ornamental fruit, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Viburnums, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winterberry holly No Comments »Late Blooming Swamp Azalea
Posted by Hugh on August 28th, 2026
Native to the southern and eastern U.S., swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) is a deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae (blueberry) family. This shrub generally grows 3 – 8 feet tall and nearly as wide. It is a spreading shrub that spreads slowly via underground stolons and is most at home in a moist humus-rich soil that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Azalea (deciduous), Bees and other pollinators, Cercopora leaf spot, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Swamp Azalea (R. viscosum), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on Late Blooming Swamp AzaleaButtonbush
Posted by Hugh on August 11th, 2026
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), aka honeybells, pond dogwood, and swampwood, is a highly prized native shrub. Yes, in small landscapes, buttonbush tend to grow big @ 6-12 feet tall and wide. Their fragrant white orbital blooms are uniquely out of this world. Botanical member of the Rubiaceae (USDA hardiness zones 5-9), flowers appear from spring to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), compact shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ButtonbushDwarf Vitex Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on July 22nd, 2026
Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus) is an 8–10-20-foot deciduous shrub or tree form. Branching habit is dense and vase-shaped (upright). Without question, ‘Shoal Creek’ is a very popular Vitex variety that measures around 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide (USDA hardiness zone 6 – 8). So… so many varieties that grow large and should not be […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowering shrub, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), winter hardiness Comments Off on Dwarf Vitex CultivarsAward Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’
Posted by Hugh on July 9th, 2026
‘Jeana’ phlox was found and named by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. ‘Jeana’ phlox is discovered by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. Jeana phlox grows vigorously to 4-5 feet in height and 2-3 feet in spread. Stems are sturdy and well-branched to support the sweetly scented 6-inch soft lavender-pink flowers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Fragrant, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Award Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’These Flowering Annuals Beat The Summer Heat
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2026
Many garden annuals shrivel up in the summer heat. Below is a listing of many floral beauties that Beat the Heat of Summer. They keep your garden alive with color all through the summer’s dog days and into fall. They’re tolerant of the high day and night temperatures as well as being moderately drought tolerant. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Cupheas, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evolvulus, Fall Garden Interest, Fan flower (Scaevola), Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Lantana, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Scaevola, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spider flower (Cleome), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on These Flowering Annuals Beat The Summer HeatJapanese Stewartia
Posted by Hugh on June 1st, 2026
Underplanted in U.S. gardens are stewartias (Stewartia spp.) and the most popular is the lovely Japanese stewartia (S. pseudocamellia). This small 20-30 foot small slow-growing tree or multi-trunked shrub is indigenous to Japan and Korea. Specimens in the wild can reach 50-60 feet in height. In U.S. gardens, it typically matures in landscapes to 20-40 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering, Landscape ideas, Non-native, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Stewartia pseudocamellia, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Japanese StewartiaFour Perennial Lantana Varieties
Posted by Hugh on May 25th, 2026
Lantanas (Lantana camara) are garden favorites for their small, lovely blooms in dense, 2-inch (5-cm) wide clusters, (USDA hardiness zones 7-11). Floral colors range from red, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and white, often flower clusters in multiple colors. This woody annual/perennial is in the verbena botanical family (Verbenaceae) family and is native to the West […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Fruits poisonous, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Lantana, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Perennial Lantana Varieties
