Fall 2008 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! $6.00
Panicum virgatum
Switchgrass
N. America, z. 3-9. This magnificent grass is found over most of the U.S.; my plants are grown from local Maryland seed.
The parent plants grow upright to about 4' and are green-leaved in summer, adding russet red tints to set off the gauzy tan
panicles in fall. Switchgrass is beautiful singly or in mass plantings, and superb for erosion control. It thrives in dry
to damp soil and tolerates brackish water, which makes it excellent for seashore planting. It prefers full sun but will
tolerate a little shade. $5.00
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Virginia Creeper
N. America, z. 4-9. Virginia Creeper's big 5-part leaves, which turn an eye-searing crimson in fall, can be seen almost everywhere
on the East Coast, from seashore to mountaintop. Too rambunctious a vine for most garden use, it's a good large-area groundcover,
excellent for erosion control, and a superb cover-up for anything you don't want to see, regardless of size. And its leaves
and berries are important to wildlife. Grows in full sun to full shade—although it won't give fall color in shade—on sand, clay, or rock. A fine plant in the right place. $6.00
Penstemon digitalis
Smooth Beardtongue
N. America, z. 3-9. The largest eastern Penstemon, Smooth Beardtongue has rosettes of dark green, leathery leaves which support
sturdy, 2'-4' stalks topped by open panicles of tubular white flowers flushed with purple in late spring/early summer, followed
by attractive seedpods. It will make a large clump in time. Easy and tough in sun and average soil, and attractive to hummingbirds.
$5.00
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 if happy.
$5.00
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. $5.00
Phlox paniculata
Summer Phlox
N. America, z. 3-9. Multi-hued Summer Phlox hybrids are known throughout the Western garden world, but this, the original
form, is an East Coast native. It is also a very tough, vigorous perennial growing to 4' or more and crowned with massive
heads of unabashedly magenta flowers for weeks during summer's worst heat and humidity. It likes sun and moisture but tolerates
considerable shade and drought, and seems impervious to the mildew which often afflicts the hybrid forms. As dependable as
it gets. $5.00
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
Podophyllum peltatum
Mayapple
N. America, z. 3-9. A fast-spreading, large-area groundcover for partial to full shade, with a single large, round leaf like
an umbrella which shades a solitary white flower—and subsequently an apple-like fruit—before disappearing into dormancy in
mid-summer. One of the most distinctive features of East Coast forests, excellent for naturalizing in any wooded area.
Provides cover for fading bulb foliage. Shipped only in fall as dormant roots. $5.00
Polemonium reptens 'Blue Pearl'
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
Polystichum acrostichoides
Christmas Fern
N. America, z. 4-9. This elegant evergreen fern has narrow, leathery, dark green fronds 15"-30" long. It makes a large clump in time and is excellent for borders, foundation plantings, naturalizing, or as a pot plant
on a shady deck. An under-used plant with great landscaping possibilities. Prefers moist, well-drained soil in partial to
full shade. $6.00
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—each the size of a marble—which follow are another matter. The berried stalks stand up stoutly all winter among the shining green leaves, bright and
cheerful in the bleakest weather. They mix well with Hostas and like the same conditions: part 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! $7.00
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. $5.00