Drought, Xeric & Dry Soil Plants
Showing 33–40 of 145 results
-
Cerastium biebersteinii Mouse ear Z 4-7
White felt-like foliage, covered with white flowers
White felt-like foliage, covered with white flowers in spring. Makes a wonderful groundcover.
Size: 6" x spreading
Care: Sun in well-drained soil
Native: TauriaCerastium is from the Greek keras meaning horn because of the shape of the seed capsule. Six inch tall, spreading, small chalky-velvet leaves. Rarely offered but should be. Used as a groundcover for its frosted, felt-like foliage under tropical plants in Victorian gardens. American gardens since 1860.
-
Clematis ternifolia syn. C. paniculata Sweet Autumn clematis Z 4-8
Fragrant, small white blossoms smother this vigorous vine
Fragrant, small white blossoms smother this vigorous vine in September and October.
Can not ship to: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Size: 15-20’ x 6-10’
Care: Sun moist well-drained soil mulched. Flowers on current year’s wood. Cut back in early spring to 6-8” above the soil.
Native: JapanThe genus Clematis was named by Dioscordes, physician in Nero’s army, from “klema” meaning climbing plant. In 1877 seeds of this vine sent from Russia to the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, then distributed to nurseries throughout America.
-
Clematis virginiana Virgin’s bower, Devil’s darning needles Z 4-8
July-September star-like white blossoms
July-September star-like white blossoms cover this vine – good for clambering up small trees.
Size: 12-20’ x 4’
Care: Sun to shade moist well-drained soil. Flowers on new stems so cut back in late winter or early spring to 6-8” above the ground.
Native: Nova Scotia to Georgia and as far west as Kansas, Wisconsin nativeThe genus Clematis was named by Dioscordes, physician in Nero’s army, from “klema” meaning climbing plant. One of 1st No. American plants sent to Europe – grew in Tradescant the Elder’s South Lambeth nursery in 1634. Grown by Jefferson at Monticello in 1807. Described by Breck in his 1851 book The Flower Garden: “The flowers are white borne upon cymes, and make a handsome appearance.” Cherokee mixed this plant with milkweed to remedy backaches. A root extract cured stomach aches, nervous conditions and kidney ailments. For the Iroquois powdered root fixed venereal disease sores and an extract of the stem brought on strange dreams. Pressed specimen in Emily Dickinson’s herbarium.
-
Coreopsis rosea Pink tickseed Z 4-8
pink daisies with yellow centers from summer through autumn
Dainty (appearing but actually tough) pink daisies with yellow centers from summer through autumn, very long blooming. Wonderful for rock gardens, groundcover or front of border.
Size: 10” x 12”
Care: full sun in moist well-drained soil. Slow to emerge in spring so don't forget where it is.
Native: Eastern No. America
Wildlife Value: Attracts butterfliesCoreopsis is Greek meaning “buglike” referring to the seeds looking like little black bugs. Thomas Nuttall 1st collected this flower in 1815 about 20 miles NW of Savannah along the river. He described its native habitat: “in open grassy swamps from New Jersey to Georgia…” William Robinson, father of the mixed perennial border called this “a neat and pretty plant.” In 1913 Sanders wrote that it “make(s) a brilliant display of color (when) grown in masses in sunny borders.”
-
Coreopsis verticillata Thread leafed tickseed Z 4-9
All summer into fall, non-stop - yolk yellow daisies
All summer into fall, free-blooming non-stop – yolk yellow daisies atop wirey stems.
Size: 24" x 18" spreading
Care: Sun to part shade well-drained soil, drought tolerant
Native: S.E. U.S.
Wildlife Value: attracts butterfliesExported from its native America to England in 1759. Used to dye cloth red.
-
Corydalis lutea syn. Pseudofumaria lutea Z 4-8
Yellow blooms from late spring - fall
Yellow trumpet-like clusters from late spring – fall. One of the few shade perennials that blooms non-stop.
Size: 9-15" x 18"
Care: part shade in moist well-drained to well-drained soil
Native: Throughout EuropeCorydalis is Greek for “lark” korydalos, referring to the shape of flower, a lark’s spur. Lutea means “yellow.” According to 16th century herbalist Culpepper, “Saturn owns the herb” so Corydalis lutea cured Saturn’s diseases of the liver, spleen, leprosy, scabs, itches, cholera, salty blood, jaundice, melancholy, plague, pestilence and red eyes. The Greek Dioscordes claimed that it “hinders fresh springing of hairs on the eye lids.” Since 1800’s in U.S.
-
Corydalis ochroleuca syn. Pseudofumaria alba Z 4-8
Creamy white flowers touched with yellow
Creamy white flowers touched with yellow from May to October. One of longest blooming flowers for shade.
Size: 6-12” x 12”
Care: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil
Native: BalkansCorydalis is Greek for “lark” korydalos, referring to the shape of flower resembling a lark’s spur. Garden designer Gertrude Jekyll (1848-1931) planted Corydalis ochroleuca as a “wide carpet” under peonies in her spring garden at her home, Munstead Wood.
-
Dalea purpurea syn. Petalostemon purpurea Violet prairie clover
Vase shaped clump with wands of violet to purple encircling tall coneheads
Vase shaped clump with wands of violet to purple encircling tall coneheads.
Size: 2’ x 18”
Care: full sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil. Drought tolerant.
Native: Canada to Texas, Wisconsin native
Wildlife Value: Host for caterpillars of Dogface Sulphur, Striped blue & Mexican blue butterflies.Dalea named to honor English botanist Dr. Samuel Dale (1659- 1739.) Chippewa, Meskwaki and Navajo used medicinally – as remedies for heart ailments, pneumonia, diarrhea and measles. Comanche and Lakota chewed the root like gum, for its sweet taste. Pawnee made brooms from the flexible stems. 1st collected by Frenchman André Michaux (1746-1802) who spent 11 years in America collecting hundreds of new plants. Bailey described the flowers: “a constant succession of showy spikes of flowers…”(1933)
