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 […]
Archive for the ‘Disease resistant’ Category
Heleniums Are Nothing To Sneeze At
Posted by Hugh on September 25th, 2026
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 »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 ButtonbushHappy Summerific™ Hibiscus Week 2026
Posted by Hugh on July 27th, 2026
Rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is a truly versatile perennial. Hardy from Minnesota to Florida (USDA hardiness zones 4-9), rose mallow bears some of the largest flowers compared to most other perennials. Blooms of some cultivars measure a huge 7-9 inches across. In addition, dwarf compact growing types are being developed that make perfect fits in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hibiscus moscheutos, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Happy Summerific™ Hibiscus Week 2026Dwarf 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 CultivarsThese 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 Heat‘Axminster Gold’ Comfrey
Posted by Hugh on June 7th, 2026
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is an aggressive grower and herbal member of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). For several centuries it has been grown for its medicinal herbal value with purported healing properties for treating joint pains and wounds. Leaves are poisonous if ingested and can cause skin irritation. Plant grows up to 5 feet tall and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bees and other pollinators, Comfrey (Symphytum), deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Fruits poisonous, Heat Tolerance, Herb, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Axminster Gold’ ComfreyFour 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 VarietiesSurprise! Resurrection Lilies
Posted by Hugh on May 14th, 2026
The beautiful colorful large flowers of Surprise Lilies (Lycoris spp.) pop up out of nowhere in mid-summer garden. In the South surprise lilies are popular passalong plants. These members of the Amaryllis family are called spider lilies, resurrection lilies, and hurricane lilies. Their bloom time coincides with summer storm season, hence the name “hurricane lily”. Other colloquial […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, Lycoris (Spider lily), Lycoris (Surprise lily), mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Surprise! Resurrection LiliesTough Colorful Lantanas
Posted by Hugh on May 7th, 2026
Lantanas are popular flowering perennials in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 and are heavily planted as annuals in zones 7 and 8. In areas where growing seasons are long, native lantanas are also dependable shrubs in Florida, South Texas, or Southern California. Lantana shrubs may reach up to 6 feet tall in tropical climates. In […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Lantana, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tough Colorful Lantanas
