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