An erect, clump-forming plant that is primarily grown for its blue spring flowers, feathery green summer foliage and golden fall color. Powdery blue, 1/2″ star-like flowers appear in late spring atop stems rising to 3′ tall.
Size: 2-3’ x 2-3’ Care: full sun to part shade in well-drained soil Native: Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas.
First recorded in the 1770s as A. angustifolia, but later named Hubricht’s Amsonia, after Leslie Hubricht, an American biologist who re-discovered it in the 1940s.
Silphium perfoliatum Cup plant Z 3-9
Golden daisies waive at the sun from July to September, its cup shaped leaves hold water where butterflies drink & bathe
Golden daisies waive at the sun from July to September, its cup shaped leaves hold water where butterflies drink & bathe
Can not ship to: Connecticut and New York
Size: 7’ x 3’ Care: full sun to part shade in moist soil Native: Central North America, native to Wisconsin. Awards: England’s Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit
Sap used by Native Americans to chew and freshen breath. Also used to cure colds, neuralgia, fever, and liver disorders. The Chippewa used to stop lung hemorrhaging, menstrual bleeding and cure chest pain. The Winnebago drank a potion from the plant to purify themselves before a buffalo hunt. For the Iroquois it cured paralysis, prevented children from seeing ghosts and illness caused by the dead. Goldfinches feast on the seeds in fall.
Tanacetum niveum Silver tansy, Snow tansy Z 5-9
Profusion of small classic daisies May-July atop fragrant silver foliage
Cluster of crimson, star-shaped florets atop 2’ stems bloom their heads of ALL summer into fall.
Size: 24-36”x 12” Care: Sun in well-drained alkaline soil, drought tolerant Native: Mediterranean Wildlife Value: attracts butterflies, bees and hover flies.
Centranthus is from the Greek meaning “spurred flower.” According to Culpepper, an English herbalist from the early 1600’s, this plant comforts the heart and stirs up lust. Parkinson, in 1629 describes it “of a fine red colour, very pleasant to behold.”