Gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides) can be both a delight and a weedy nuisance – depending on where you garden. (USDA hardiness zones 3 – 8). This native of southeast Asia grows aggressively in some locations in the U.S. where it has escaped into woodlands, wet areas, and on sunny, sheltered mountainous slopes. The perennial has […]
Archive for the ‘Attracting Butterflies’ Category
Gooseneck Loosestrife
Posted by Hugh on September 22nd, 2023
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Drought tolerant, Gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia), Invasive plant, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Regional, Root suckering, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Gooseneck LoosestrifeThree Salvias To Try
Posted by Hugh on September 16th, 2023
Back in early spring you may have planted several kinds of salvias (sages). The arrival of the cool autumn weather turns up the flower power of sages. They’re members of the mint family and the leaves emit a mild anise scent when crushed. Looking ahead to summer of 2024, here are three salvias that you […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Blue anise sage (S. guaranitica), Butterflies, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Salvia leucantha, Salvia oxyphora, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Texas Sage (Salvia), Wind protection Comments Off on Three Salvias To TryPerennials With Great Fall Color
Posted by Hugh on September 10th, 2023
In general, perennials are not rated very high for their fall leaf color. This is very wrong as some produce stunning autumnal foliage colors. In addition, some ornamental grasses produce colorful floral heads (inflorescences).The first six are perennial dicots and the next six are grasses with awesome inflorescenses. Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) – short 9-12 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Bees and other pollinators, Bin bluestem (Andropogon), Calamagrostis, Cold tolerance, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Muhly grass, mulching trees, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Planting tips, Plumbago (Leadwort), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Solomon's seal, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Switchgrass (Panicum), winter hardiness Comments Off on Perennials With Great Fall ColorSwamp Hibiscus
Posted by Hugh on September 5th, 2023
Swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), aka scarlet rose mallow, is a hardy perennial plant that grows in swamps, marches and roadside ditches in the Southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It can grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Its 5- to 6-inch-long leaves are palmately lobed into 3, 5, or 7 parts. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hardy hibiscus, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hummingbird, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Swamp HibiscusSummerific Hibiscus Are Awesome
Posted by Hugh on August 16th, 2023
Among my favorite summer flowering perennials are the hardy herbaceous hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos). During the early days of August, Walters Gardens, a premier perennial plant breeder, requests garden writers to celebrate and promote their awesome product line of Summerific hardy hibiscus. Last week, the first week of August, was dubbed Summerific Week. It’s never too […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Flower Arranging, Hibiscus moscheutos, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Summerific Hibiscus Are AwesomeSummer Blooming Trees
Posted by Hugh on July 30th, 2023
Other than crape myrtles, few trees bloom in July and August. Here are four exceptions: Chaste tree, Sourwood, Golden Raintree, and Franklinia. Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is a 10-15 feet tall, vase-shaped, deciduous shrub or a small 15-20 feet tree. The species is native from southern Europe and Asia. It is often mistaken as a purple-flowering […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Fragrant, Franklinia, Golden Raintree, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Sourwood (Oxydendrum), Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), watering tips Comments Off on Summer Blooming TreesGoatsbeard
Posted by Hugh on June 19th, 2023
Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) or “goat’s beard” is a North American perennial that produces feathery plumes of cream-colored flowers in late spring or summer. Goatsbeard is also indigenous to western Europe. This clump-forming woodland plant is hardy in zones 3-7a (?) and appears to flounder under the intense summer heat in Georgia and the Carolinas. The […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Flower arrangments, Goatsbeard (Aruncus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on GoatsbeardNative Catalpa Trees
Posted by Hugh on June 2nd, 2023
Catalpa Tree Northern catalpa or cigartree (Catalpa speciosa) overpowers most private landscapes by their enormous presence (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). This 40-60 feet large native tree commonly grows along roadsides, particularly on bottomlands from Illinois and Missouri south thru Arkansas and Tennessee. Catalpa is not a tree seen planted in most residential neighborhoods because of […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Catalpa, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weak wooded, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Native Catalpa TreesWestern Sunflower
Posted by Hugh on May 16th, 2023
Western sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis) is actually native to eastern and central North America, not western North America (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). It is one of the shortest of the many sunflowers found in the U.S. You have seen this Midwest native growing in glades, prairies, dry meadows, fields and rocky open woodlands. It grows equally […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower arrangments, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sunflower (Helianthus), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Western SunflowerSix Mini-Shrubs For Small Gardens
Posted by Hugh on May 10th, 2023
Many green thumbers and veteran senior gardeners have opted to grow in small garden beds. Here are six (6) small flowering shrubs that add lots of seasonal color from early spring to late summer. All six are easy to maintain; check the easy-care info at the end. Plants can also be grown in 12 inches […]
Posted in acidic soil, Althea (Hibiscus), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Forsythia, Hummingbird, Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, Lilac (Syringa), mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Panicle hydrangea, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Viburnums, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Six Mini-Shrubs For Small Gardens
