Spring 2010 Plant List P--R

 
 
 

Pachysandra procumbens

Allegheny Spurge

N. America, z. 4-9. Allegheny Spurge is a native woodland cousin of the better known P. terminalis (Japanese Pachysandra). It lacks the rigid formality and fast spread that makes the latter such a popular groundcover, but it's a more interesting plant, with a looser habit, silvery mottled dark green leaves, and fat spikes of white, sweetly scented flowers in early spring. It grows slowly into a low, wide clump in part to full shade and humusy soil, and can be used in borders as well as for naturalizing. Fine plant! $5.00
 
 
 

Packera (Senecio) aurea

Golden Groundsel

N. America, z. 3-9. An under-appreciated native groundcover , 8"-12" tall, with glossy, partly evergreen leaves. In spring, slender stems tipped with purple buds opening to showy clusters of bright yellow daisy flowers rise above the foliage. Golden Groundsel is a tough, rapid spreader, excellent as a groundcover or naturalized in sun or shade, average to wet soil. Beautiful with ferns. $5.00
 
 
 

Passiflora lutea

Yellow Passionflower

N. America, z. 5-9. Yellow Passionflower is a delicate-looking little vine which uses its curling tendrils to scramble up through the woodland understory in summer, then dies back to the ground each winter. Its greenish yellow flowers, barely 1" across, aren't nearly as showy as those of its tropical relatives, but just as complex when viewed up close, and are followed by purple berries. The unusual 3-lobed leaves, often mottled with pale green and gray, are very attractive. An interesting vine that tolerates full to part shade, won't take over the world, and repays close observation. It likes moist, acidic soil. $6.00
 
 
 

Penstemon digitalis

Smooth Beardtongue

N. America, z. 3-9. The largest eastern Penstemon, Smooth Beardtongue forms rosettes of bronze-green, leathery leaves which support sturdy, 2’-4’ stalks with open panicles of tubular white flowers flushed with purple on the outside. The late spring/early summer flowers are followed by attractive seedpods. It will make a large clump in time. Easy and tough in sun and average soil, and attractive to hummingbirds, it looks well combined with daylilies. $6.00
 
 
 

Penstemon smallii

Small's Beardtongue

N. America, z. 5-9. A colorful southeastern Penstemon with rosy purple, white-throated flowers on stiff, 1'-2' stems with semi-glossy paired leaves. Small's Beardtongue blooms in late spring/early summer and requires well-drained soil in sun to part shade. Drought tolerant and a hummingbird attractor, it's not a long-lived plant but will seed itself about where happy. $5.00
 
 
 

Phegopteris (Thelypteris) hexagonoptera

Broad Beech Fern

N. America, z. 5-9. If you can get past the name this is a beautiful East Coast deciduous fern. Its wedge-shaped light green fronds are very distinctive, broad at the base and tapering to a sharp point. It grows to about 2', spreading on long rhizomes and making attractive colonies on the forest floor. Best for naturalizing in part to full shade and moist, humusy soil, it is a lovely fern for the woodland garden. $6.00
 
 
 

Phlox glaberrima 'Morris Berd'

'Morris Berd' Smooth Phlox

N. America, z. 4-8. Smooth Phlox is a bridge plant, medium in size and blooming after the spring Phloxes and before Summer Phlox. This would make it useful in the garden even if it weren't so pretty, but in fact it is, and 'Morris Berd' is a vigorous, 1'-2' form bearing quantities of pink flowers with a white eye. Like all Phloxes, it attracts butterflies. Hard to go wrong with this one. $6.00
 
 
 

Phlox stolonifera

Creeping Phlox

N. America, z. 3-9. At 6"-10" this lovely, very sweetly scented Phlox is a low-growing creeper, yet larger than the much better known moss phlox, P. subulata. It comes in a gorgeous range of colors; planted together, the various cultivars will spread and mingle to form a multi-hued spring carpet. Lovely in the border with spring bulbs or naturalized in moist, well-drained soil in partial shade. A favorite of mine, and of many butterflies.
 

P. stolonifera 'Blue Ridge'

soft sky blue $5.00
 
 
 

P. stolonifera 'Pink Ridge'

bright pink $5.00
 
 
 

P. stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'

violet $5.00
 
 
 
 
 

Physostegia virginiana

Obedient Plant, False Dragonhead

N. America, z. 3-9. A showy, long-blooming native with 2'-4' spikes of closely packed, purplish pink tubular flowers in late summer. An easy, tough perennial for moist to dry soil in sun, an excellent cutting flower, and a hummingbird favorite. Its fast-spreading habit makes it great for large spaces or naturalizing, but in a border it needs to be contained. Drought tolerant. $5.00
 
 
 

Polemonium reptens

Dwarf Jacob's Ladder

N. America, z. 3-9. A robust but dainty woodland plant with abundant clusters of enchanting blue flowers in mid-spring. The regular, opposite spacing of the leaves on the 1'+ mounds of foliage evidently evoked a ladder for someone, but it takes imagination. No matter; it's lovely with other spring bloomers and an excellent pot plant. Does well in moist, humusy soil in part to full shade and may seed about gently where happy. $6.00
 
 
 

Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'

Variegated Solomon's Seal

Japan, z. 4-8. One of the best shade plants going. In early spring its shoots rise out of the ground dressed in luscious tones of pink, cream, and palest green. They quickly expand into 2'-4' arching stems with deep-green paired leaves, each leaf crisply brush stroked with cream. In fall, the leaves turn a rich deep yellow while retaining their cream edging. Small white bell flowers in spring are pleasant, but the leaves are the thing. Likes average to damp, humusy soil in partial to full shade and spreads slowly but steadily to form large colonies. $6.00
 
 
 

Polymnia uvedalia

Large-flowered Leafcup

N. America, z. 5-?. This Eastern native is almost unknown to gardens, although it once had medicinal uses. It's a fine foliage plant: the clumps of sturdy, 3'-6' canes are clothed in very large, maple-like leaves whose hairy surfaces catch light. In mid-summer they bear admittedly rather gap-toothed 2" yellow daisy flowers. A bold plant for the woodland garden, very seldom available. $10.00
 
 
 

Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas Fern

N. America, z. 4-9. This elegant arching fern has narrow, coarsely-cut evergreen fronds 15″‑24″ long. It grows slowly into a 2'-wide clump and does not run. A plant with many uses in the landscape, from accent to groundcover to foundation plant, it prefers moist, well-drained soil in partial to full shade. $6.00
 
 
 

Rhododendron maximum

Rosebay, Great Laurel

N. America, z. 4-8. Rosebay is one of the iconic evergreens of the Appalachian woodland understory. It is a very large shrub, reaching at least 10' in height and width, with long, very dark green leathery leaves setting off round trusses of pink buds that open white with green speckling on the inside in early to mid-summer. It thrives and blooms well in full shade, but will tolerate full sun in cooler parts of its range. An excellent screening plant, and unpalatable to deer. 2 qt. - $10.00
 
 
 

Rohdea japonica

Lily of China

China, Japan, z. 7(6?)-9. A fine evergreen accent plant whose deep green, leathery leaves slowly form a clump 2′ or more in height and width. Its club-like flower heads are curious but not showy, but the enormous red berries which follow―each the size of a marble―are another matter. The berried stalks stand up stoutly all winter among the shining green leaves, bright and cheerful in the bleakest weather. Rohdeas mix well with Hostas and like the same conditions: partial to full shade and rich, average to moist soil; but when the Hostas die back in the fall the Rohdeas carry right on. They even thrive in dense shade! And I've never seen a deer touch them. $7.00
 
 
 

Rubus odoratus

Purple-flowering Raspberry

N. America, z. 3-8. The canes of this unusual raspberry grow 3' to 5' upward and outward in a spreading colony. They bear velvety (but prickly underneath) light green leaves and clusters of large, deep pink flowers resembling roses in summer. The reddish fruits, edible but very seedy, can be shared with the songbirds that love them while gardeners enjoy the plants' highly ornamental qualities. An excellent shrub or high groundcover for moist, partly to fully shady situations. $8.00
 
 
 

Rudbeckia fulgida

Orange Coneflower, Perennial Black-eyed Susan

N. America, z. 3-10. This beautiful Rudbeckia is deservedly popular everywhere for its vigor and ease of culture, robust, dark green foliage, and an unbeatable display of color through the hottest months and into fall. Its 2'-3' golden-orange black-coned flowers are indispensable to any native plant garden. It likes average to moist soil in sun to part shade, but is tolerant of most conditions. $6.00
 
 
 

Rudbeckia laciniata

Cutleaf or Green-headed Coneflower

N. America, z. 3-10. One of the tallest of the Rudbeckias, green-headed coneflower shoots up 5'-8' to bear its 2" medium yellow flowers with reflexed rays and a green central cone. A lovely and long-blooming plant for late summer into fall, it makes an impressive stand in sun or partial shade. Occurring naturally in moist to wet areas, it's surprisingly tolerant of average and even dry soils. $5.00
 
 
 

Ruellia caroliniensis

Slender Ruellia

N. America, z. 4-9. Locally common in pastures and woodland edges, Slender Ruellia never makes a big show yet its cool lavender flowers draw the eye among the brighter colors of midsummer. Late to get started in spring, it is a good plant to tuck in among earlier blooming perennials, as it likes to push its slender, 1′‑2′ stems up through their foliage. It blooms over a long period, especially if pinched back regularly. Ruellia spp. are a food source for Buckeye butterflies. Sun to shade, average soil. $6.00
 
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