Calico beardtongue is native from Tennessee north to Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. It has light pink to light purple flowers that are much loved by bees and other pollinators. This species of penstemon is more shade tolerant than others such as P. digitalis, and will also tolerate more moisture in the soil. Spreading notes: Will […] Continue reading "Calico Beardtongue"
Penstemon digitalis is an easy-to-find late spring perennial. The common name of this native comes from foxgloves, native to Europe, which they somewhat resemble. P. digitalis is more common further north and west of our area, but this plant does well here and is a favorite of various bumblebees. Spreading notes: Re-seeds lightly Maintenance notes: […] Continue reading "Foxglove Beardtongue"
Ohio spiderwort is a plant that is happy in many different conditions. Some of us have it growing in full sun and others in dry shade. It is a clump-forming perennial and blooms successionally, one flower per day, opening in the morning and closing by evening. The leaves are long and grass-like, and it has […] Continue reading "Ohio Spiderwort"
Black-eyed Susan is a fast-growing biennial or short-lived perennial. “Hirta” means hairy, and this is the main way you can tell the difference between this and its cousin Rudbeckia fulgida (orange coneflower): R. hirta is thickly covered in small soft hairs, while R. fulgida has more sparse hairs on its leaves. This is an easy […] Continue reading "Black-eyed Susan"
Rattlesnake master is an upright perennial unlike most other full-sun loving plants in the Tennessee Valley, and provides a great contrast in a meadow garden. The botanical name refers to its leaves’ similar to the leaves of a yucca plant, and they tend to be a cooler shade of green-blue. The flower heads are unusual […] Continue reading "Rattlesnake Master"
Sundrops is an erect perennial with lance-shaped green leaves and bright yellow, four-petaled flowers up to 2 inches across. Unlike most evening primrose species, sundrops blooms during the day. Individual flowers are short-lived, but they appear in succession over a long bloom period from mid-spring through summer. The overwintering basal rosette is evergreen in our […] Continue reading "Sundrops"
Purple coneflower is an herbaceous perennial with dark green leaves and showy purple flowers. Flowers typically reach 3-5 inches across and bloom reliably throughout summer. This is one of the most popular and adaptable native perennials. It thrives in full sun and tolerates a wide range of well-drained soils, from dry rocky areas to moist […] Continue reading "Purple Coneflower"
Butterfly milkweed is an upright native perennial with narrow, lance-shaped leaves and flat-topped clusters of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers, typically 2–5 inches across. It is the shortest commonly available milkweed in our area. It blooms throughout summer and makes a good cut flower. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all visit the flowers. It is a […] Continue reading "Butterfly Milkweed"