Pink Lady’s Slipper

Pink Lady’s Slipper Cypripedium acaule  Description: Pink lady’s slippers require bees for pollination. Bees are lured into the flower pouch through the front slit, attracted by the flower’s bright color and sweet scent. Once inside, the bees find no reward, and discover that they are trapped, with only one point of escape. Inside the pouch,…

Pink Turtlehead

Pink Turtlehead Chelone lyonii Description: Closed flowers resemble turtles’ heads. Spreads by rhizomes. Propagation: Divisions, cuttings, seeds Initial bloom (month and week): August W4 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Pink Height: 1-3′ Spread: 20″ Family: Plantaginaceae Soil type: Rich humus Soil moisture: Moist to wet Light: Sun to shade Zone: 3-9

Prairie Blazing Star

Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya  Description: Fluffy rose pink flowers on a tall plant Propagation: Seeds Initial bloom (month and week): July W3 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Pink Height: 2-5′ Spread: 20″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Dry prairie Soil moisture: Dry, tolerant of clay soil Light: Full sun Zone: 3 – 9

Prairie Dock

Prairie Dock Silphium terebinthinaceum   Description: Leaves like elephant ears. Birds love the seeds. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): August W2 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 3-10′ Spread: 24″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Basic, sand or clay Soil moisture: Medium to moist Light: Full sun Zone: 4-7

Prickly Pear

Prickly Pear Opuntia humifusa Description: A type of cactus. Spiny pads eaten by deer. Propagation: Replant pup pads Initial bloom (month and week): May W2 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 9″ Spread: 12″ Family: Soil type: Gravel or sand Soil moisture: Dry Light: Full sun Zone: 3 – 8

Purple Coneflower

Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Description: Blooming in July and August, this eastern US native has roots which are used for a tea which is said to strengthen the immune system. Propagation: Seeds or plugs Initial bloom (month and week): June W2 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Pinkish-purple Height: 3-4′ Spread: 24″ Family: Asteraceae…

Ramps

Ramps Allium tricoccum   Description: An edible onion, which has become a culinary trend. Don’t harvest in the wild; grow your own. Propagation: Seeds, divisions in spring or fall Initial bloom (month and week): April W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White Height: 16″ Spread: 12″ Family: Amaryllidaceae Soil type: Neutral woodland…

Red Baneberry

Red Baneberry Actaea rubra   Description: A bushy plant with saw-toothed leaves and clusters of white flowers. It produces a poisonous, bright-red fruit. Traditionally used to treat gynecological disorders, but reportedly had negative side effects. Propagation: Seeds or bare-root in fall Initial bloom (month and week): April W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of…

Red Trillium

Red Trillium Trillium erectum  AR Plant Model Description: Found often within colonies of Trillium grandiflorum, but much less commonly. Propagation: Seeds or division in fall. Initial bloom (month and week): April W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Maroon Height: 12″ Spread: 12″ Family: Melanthiaceae Soil type: Neutral woodland soil Soil moisture: Rich moist…

Roundlobe Hepatica

Roundlobe Hepatica Anemone americana   Description: Also known as  liverleaf, it is named for its 3-lobed leaves which resemble the lobes of a liver. Its blue or white flowers bloom in the early spring. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): March W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Blue Height: 6-8″…

Royal Catchfly

Royal Catchfly Silene regia Description: Bright red flowers attract hummingbirds Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): July W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Red Height: 2-4′ Spread: 18″ Family: Caryophyllaceae Soil type: Sandy and coarse Soil moisture: Good drainage Light: Full sun Zone: 4-9

Rue Anemone

Rue Anemone Thalictrum thalictroides   Description: Toxic native perennial used by Native Americans to induce vomiting Propagation: Division or seeds Initial bloom (month and week): April W1 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White or pink Height: 4 – 8″ Spread: 10″ Family: Ranunculaceae Soil type: Acidic  Soil moisture: Medium, but well drained…

Sage

Sage Salvia officinalis   Description: Growing to 3’, sage blooms with pink or blue flowers. Delicious in stuffing or with meat, in bread, or as a tea. European. Propagation: Seeds. Difficult to transplant when large. Initial bloom (month and week): July W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Pink or blue flowers Height: 3′…

Sawtooth Sunflower

Sawtooth Sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus Description: This tall prairie sunflower has coarse leaves and spreads gently. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): August W3 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 3-12′ Spread: 18″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Deep prairie fertile loam Soil moisture: Moist Light: Full sun Zone: 3-8

Scarlet Beebalm

Scarlet Beebalm  Monarda didyma Description: Bright red, tubular flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Propagation: Divide the surface runners in spring Initial bloom (month and week): July W2 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Red Height: 3-5′ Spread: 36″ Family: Lamiaceae Soil type: Neutral prairie Soil moisture: Moist to wet Light: Full sun Zone:…

Self-Heal

Self-Heal Prunella vulgaris   Description: Long used as a medicinal plant, the leaves and flowers are edible. It is native in Europe, Asia and North America. Propagation: Seeds and rooted stem divisions Initial bloom (month and week): July W2 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Blue to purple Height: 4-6″ Spread: 12″ Family: Lamiaceae…

Sessile Bellwort

Sessile Bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia   Description: A small hanging bell distinguishes this bellwort from the greater one. Also known as little merrybells. Propagation: Seeds should be sown immediately upon ripening; do not allow to dry out. The roots may also be divided in fall. Initial bloom (month and week): June W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland…

Shale Barren Buckwheat

Shale Barren Buckwheat Eriogonum allenii Description: Silvery leaves and bright yellow flowers on the only buckwheat easy to grow in the Eastern US. Good for a green roof. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): July W3 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 12″ Spread: 16″ Family: Polygonaceae Soil type:…

Shale Barren Pussytoes

Shale Barren Pussytoes Antennaria virginica   Description: Evergreen groundcover, foodplant of the American Lady butterfly Propagation: Seeds, or divide whole plants in early spring. Initial bloom (month and week): April W2 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: White Height: 3″ Spread: 12″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Hot dry rocky soils Soil moisture: Dry Light:…

Shale Barrens Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata brittonii)

Scientific Name: Phlox subulata brittonii Common Name: Shale barrens moss Phlox Description of facts and concepts: This tiny ground cover thrives on dry slopes and on channery Seed or division information: Cuttings in fall Date of flower’s bloom (Month and week): April W3 Garden Name: Sunny Garden Color of Flower: Pink, white Height: 3″ Spread:…

Short’s Aster

Short’s Aster Symphyotrichum shortii   Description: One of the most attractive of the woodland asters, with larger flowers Propagation: Easy from seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): August W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Blue Height: 2-3′ Spread: 24″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Neutral Soil moisture: Dry Light: Shade to part…

Showy Stonecrop

Showy Stonecrop Hylotelephium spectabile   Description: Native to Europe, these large deep pink flowers on 2’ stems bloom in September. Its fleshy leaves conserve water making it hardy in dry soils. Propagation: Seeds or divisions in spring, and easily rooted as a cutting. Initial bloom (month and week): September W2 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color…

Shrubby Cinquefoil

Shrubby Cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa Description: Suckering dioecious deciduous shrubs with good foliage and long-blooming flowers. There are 130 named color forms. Propagation: Easily rooted from cutting or layering Initial bloom (month and week): June W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Yellow, white Height: 2-3′ Spread: 36″ Family: Rosaceae Soil type: Neutral gravel, limestone…

Silver Sedge

Silver Sedge Carex platyphylla   Description: Clump-forming cool season sedge with wide, powder-blue leaves. Better than hostas as a foliage plant in shady areas. Propagation: Divisions in early spring Initial bloom (month and week): May W2 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Green Height: 1′ Spread: 1′ Family: Cyperaceae Soil type: Acidic or…

Silvery Spleenwort

Silvery Spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides   Description: This shining fern can form colonies from roots Propagation: Spores Initial bloom (month and week): no flower Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: no flower Height: 12″ Spread: 18″ Family: Woodsiaceae Soil type: Rich woodland soils, acidic to neutral Soil moisture: Moist Light: Shade Zone: 3-9

Skunk Cabbage

Skunk Cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus Description: This is the earliest spring flower to bloom, attracting flies to its fetid smell. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): March W2 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Maroon Height: 12″ Spread: 10″ Family: Araceae Soil type: Acidic Soil moisture: Moist to wet Light: Part…

Slender Blue Iris

Slender Blue Iris Iris prismatica Description: A graceful narrow-leaved iris for wet places Propagation: Division of roots Initial bloom (month and week): June W4 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Blue-purple Height: 36″ Spread: 12″ Family: Iridaceae Soil type: Acidic to neutral loam Soil moisture: Moist to wet Light: Full sun Zone: 4-8

Smooth Blue Aster

Smooth Blue Aster Symphyotrichum laeve   Description: This plant’s large, cone-shaped clusters of single blue flowers bloom in September and October. Even at 4’ it needs no staking and grows in dry to moist soils in full sun. Propagation: Easy from seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): September W3 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color…

Smooth Oxeye

Smooth Oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides Description: Early and long-blooming, and birds love the seeds. Propagation: Seeds or divisions in spring, and easily rooted as a cutting. Initial bloom (month and week): July W1 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 3-6′ Spread: 36″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Moist, heavy soils Soil moisture: Wet to…

Smooth Phlox

Smooth Phlox Phlox glaberrima Description: Skippers and swallowtails are common visitors to this phlox, found in wet open woods. Smooth phlox blooms in June and July with pink-purple flowers. Propagation: Divisions or stem cuttings Initial bloom (month and week): July W1 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Pink-purple Height: 16″ Spread: 18″ Family: Polemoniaceae Soil…

Sneezeweed

Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale  Description: Bright yellow flowers attractive to bees and butterflies. Does not cause allergies. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): September W1 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 3-5′ Spread: 24″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Neutral prairie Soil moisture: Moist to wet Light: Full sun Zone:…

Snow Trillium

Snow Trillium Trillium nivale    Description: This small and delicate plant is a real harbinger of spring. Propagation: Seeds or division of the bulbous root in fall Initial bloom (month and week): March W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White Height: 6″ Spread: 4″ Family: Melanthiaceae Soil type: Neutral woodland soil. A…

Solomon’s Seal

Solomon’s Seal Polygonatum biflorum AR Plant Model Description: This elegant and statuesque plant grows from a root which is said to resemble the seal of the Hebrew King Solomon. The small flowers dangle from leaf axels and produce attractive blue berries in the fall. The large fleshy rhizomes make the plant tolerant of dry shady conditions….

Southern Red Trillium

Southern Red Trillium Trillium sulcatum    Description: The flower petals are bent back over the leaves Propagation: Seeds, divisions in spring or fall Initial bloom (month and week): April W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Deep red Height: 16″ Spread: 12″ Family: Melanthiaceae Soil type: Acidic woodland soil Soil moisture: Medium moist Light:…

Spicebush

Spicebush Lindera benzoin   Description: Fragrant early spring flowers give way to bright red berries, which smell like familiar old world spices. Larval host plant of the spicebush swallowtail butterfly. Propagation: Flowers require pollination from male plants that are separate from female plants. Initial bloom (month and week): April W1 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color…

Spring Beauty

Spring Beauty Claytonia virginica AR Plant Model Description: Small bulbs carpet hillsides and floodplains in early spring Propagation: Bulblets or seeds Initial bloom (month and week): April W2 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Pink to white Height: 6″ Spread: 12″ Family: Montiaceae Soil type: Rich woodland soils, acidic to neutral Soil moisture:…