Stiff Tickseed Coreopsis palmata Description: A good plant to stabilize dry, sunny slopes. Propagation: Seeds Initial bloom (month and week): June W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 2-3′ Spread: 24″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Neutral sandy loam Soil moisture: Dry to medium Light: Full Sun Zone: 3-8
Category: Plants
Summer Savory
Summer Savory Satureja hortensis Description: Use with green beans, soups, eggs, and vinegars. The flavor resembles thyme and marjoram. Propagation: Sow fresh seed each spring. Will self-sow. Initial bloom (month and week): June W3 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: White Height: 8″ Spread:10″ Family: Lamiaceae Soil type: Rich sandy loam Soil moisture:…
Sundrops
Sundrops Oenothera fruticosa Description: This evergreen perennial is native to eastern North America. Sundrops form 2’ tall clumps in full sun and dry, sandy soils. Blooming in May and June, it is pollinated by bees and butterflies. Propagation: Divide the surface runners in spring Initial bloom (month and week): May W3 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color…
Swamp Milkweed
Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata Description: A milkweed that enjoys wet conditions. Larval host plant for monarch butterflies. Propagation: Seeds Initial bloom (month and week): June W4 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Pink Height: 4-5′ Spread: 20″ Family: Apocynaceae Soil type: Prairie Soil moisture: Moist to wet Light: Full sun Zone: 3-8
Swamp Rose Mallow
Swamp Rose Mallow Hibiscus moscheutos Description: Very large flowers open in late summer and are attractive to butterflies and bees Propagation: Seeds, which must be chipped and soaked Initial bloom (month and week): August W2 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: White, pink, red Height: 5′ Spread: 24″ Family: Malvaceae Soil type:…
Sweet Coneflower
Sweet Coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa Description: Long-blooming, long-lived plant for moist conditions Propagation: Seeds or plugs Initial bloom (month and week): August W3 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 2-6′ Spread: 24″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Rich Soil moisture: Moist Light: Full sun Zone: 4-9
Sweet Wakerobin
Sweet Wakerobin Trillium vaseyi Description: This trillium bears the largest flowers in the genus, sometimes 4″ across, which are bent down in between the leaves. Propagation: Seeds, divisions of the bulbs Initial bloom (month and week): April W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Dark red Height: 20″ Spread: 16″ Family: Melanthiaceae…
Sweet White Trillium
Sweet White Trillium Trillium simile Description: Distinguished by pointed petals shaped like triangles 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: Melanthiaceae Soil type: Acid Woodland Soil Soil moisture: Medium moist Light: Shade Zone:…
Sweet White Violet
Sweet White Violet Viola blanda Description: Violet lines on bottom petals and twisted upper petals identify this tiny violet. Propagation: Seeds or root divisions Initial bloom (month and week): April W2 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White Height: 6″ Spread: 4″ Family: Violaceae Soil type: Acidic or neutral Soil moisture: Medium…
Sweet Woodruff
Sweet Woodruff Galium odoratum Description: Muddle with Rhine wine and club soda for May wine. Propagation: Divide lax runners Initial bloom (month and week): May W2 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: White Height: 8″ Spread: 36″ Family: Rubiaceae Soil type: Acid loam Soil moisture: Medium moist Light: Shade to part shade Zone: 3-9
Tall Coreopsis
Tall Coreopsis Coreopsis tripteris Description: A widespread native tickseed with sunflower characteristics. Propagation: Seeds or divisions in spring, and easily rooted as a cutting. Initial bloom (month and week): August W4 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 4-7′ Spread: 36″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Deep prairie fertile loam Soil moisture:…
Thyme
Thyme Thymus vulgaris Description: Blends flavors and can be used as an antiseptic; thymes consist of hundreds of culinary and ornamental types. Use with meat, fish, and sausage. Propagation: Divide rooted branches, or cuttings. Initial bloom (month and week): June W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: White Height: 4″ Spread: 18″ Family: Lamiaceae Soil…
Toad Trillium
Toad Trillium Trillium sessile Description: Maroon to deep red flower with 3 petals in the spring. Forms with green or yellow flowers also occur. The leaves also come in groups of three and are marbled with shades of green and white. Propagation: Seeds or divisions in fall Initial bloom (month and week): April W3…
Toothwort
Toothwort Cardamine diphylla Description: This native perennial is the host food plant for the toothwort white, Pieris virginiensis. Propagation: Seeds or division of the roots Initial bloom (month and week: April W1 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White Height: 8″ Spread: 10″ Family: Brassicaceae Soil type: Neutral Soil moisture: Dry Light: Shade to…
Vasevine
Vasevine Clematis viorna Description: This native clematis will twine through shrubs or trees. The bell-shaped flowers attract bees. Propagation: Seeds or cuttings Initial bloom (month and week): May W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Maroon Height: 5′ Spread: 18″ Family: Ranunculaceae Soil type: Neutral sandy loam Soil moisture: Dry Light: Full sun…
Virginia Bluebells
Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica AR Plant Model Description: An upright, 1-2’ tall plant that blooms with blue, trumpet-shaped flowers in the spring. Propagation: Easy from seeds, or split the large fleshy roots in spring Initial bloom (month and week): April W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Blue Height: 1-2′ Spread: 1-2′ Family:…
White Trillium
White Trillium Trillium grandiflorum AR Plant Model Description: Native to rich woodlands and has an unbranched stem and a leaf whorl where a single white flower emerges in April. White flowers age to pink. Pink and double forms have been reported but are rare in the wild. They are available in the nursery trade. Don’t…
White Turtlehead
White Turtlehead Chelone glabra Description: The flower resembles a turtle’s head, with nearly closed petals. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): August W3 Garden name: Sunny Wetland Garden Color of flower: White and pink Height: 36″ Spread: 18″ Family: Plantaginaceae Soil type: Neutral to acidic sand or loam Soil moisture: Moist…
Whorled Tickseed
Whorled Tickseed Coreopsis verticillata Description: Fine foliage and flowers all summer makes this a great plant for dry, sunny slopes. Also known as threadleaf coreopsis. Propagation: Seeds or plugs Initial bloom (month and week): May W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 1-2′ Spread: 12″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Sandy neutral…
Wild Bergamot
Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa Description: Intricate lavender flowers with long corollas invite butterflies. A mint tea can be brewed from the leaves. Needs less water than Monarda didyma. Propagation: Seeds, or divide whole plants in early spring. Initial bloom (month and week): July W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Lavender Height: 2-4′…
Wild Blue Phlox
Wild Blue Phlox Phlox divaricata AR Plant Model Description: Carpets road edges with a blue haze in spring Propagation: Seeds, or divide whole plants in early spring Initial bloom (month and week): April W2 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Blue Height: 12″ Spread: 12″ Family: Polemoniaceae Soil type: Rich neutral woods…
Wild Columbine
Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis Description: A drooping bell wildflower that blooms during the spring. Quite attractive to hummingbirds. Propagation: Easy from seed, but will germinate more uniformly if given three weeks of chilling. Initial bloom (month and week): April W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Red and yellow Height: 18-24″ Spread: 10-18″…
Wild Geranium
Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum AR Plant Model Description: A clump-forming woodland plant that has pink, saucer-shaped flowers that bloom in the spring. Its tissues can be used to produce an astringent that stops bleeding of wounds. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): April W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of…
Wild Ginger
Wild Ginger Asarum canadense AR Plant Model Description: A low-growing plant with large, kidney-shaped leaves and inconspicuous maroon flowers below. Although it is not related to culinary ginger, its roots produce a similar smell and Native Americans used them to season food. Propagation: Seeds or division of the rhizomes in fall Initial bloom (month…
Wild Hyacinth
Wild Hyacinth Camassia scilloides Description: Attractive to many pollinators, spikes of flowers in spring Propagation: Prolific from seeds, easy to divide the fibrous roots Initial bloom (month and week): May W4 Garden name: Rain Garden Color of flower: White Height: 1-2′ Spread: 12″ Family: Asparagaceae Soil type: Moist acid loam Soil moisture: Moist to…
Wild Petunia
Wild Petunia Ruellia humilis Description: This showy flower blooms in the morning and falls off in the evening, but many flowers are produced on these short plants. Propagation: Self-seeds readily Initial bloom (month and week): July W4 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Blue Height: 12″ Spread: 12″ Family: Acanthaceae Soil type: Acid…
Wild Pink
Wild Pink Silene caroliniana Description: Semi-evergreen leaves and early spring flowers on this barrens plant Propagation: Seeds or cuttings Initial bloom (month and week): April W3 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Pink Height: 12″ Spread: 10″ Family: Caryophyllaceae Soil type: Sandy shale Soil moisture: Dry Light: Full sun Zone: 4 – 8
Wild Senna
Wild Senna Senna hebecarpa Description: Lots of bright yellow flowers are followed by fibrous seed pods which feed the birds. Propagation: Seeds Initial bloom (month and week): July W3 Garden name: Sunny Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 5-6′ Spread: 36″ Family: Fabaceae Soil type: Neutral Soil moisture: Moist or wet Light: Sun Zone: 4-7
Witch Hazel
Witch Hazel Hamamelis virginiana Description: The early winter flowers of this small tree astonish in the woodland. The commercial source of witch hazel, for aching muscles. Propagation: Cuttings in spring Initial bloom (month and week): October W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Yellow and red Height: 15-20′ Spread: 15-20′ Family: Hamamelidaceae Soil…
Wood Poppy
Wood Poppy Stylophorum diphyllum AR Plant Model Description: Bright yellow flowers bloom in the spring. Its yellow sap was used by Native Americans to produce dyes. Propagation: Seeds (fresh, do not dry store) Initial bloom (month and week): April W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 12″ Spread: 12″ Family:…
Woodland Stonecrop
Woodland Stonecrop Sedum ternatum Description: A tiny sedum for shade with starry flowers . Propagation: Seeds, or divide whole plants in early spring. Initial bloom (month and week): May W1 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White Height: 6″ Spread: 24″ Family: Crassulaceae Soil type: Neutral woods Soil moisture: Moist or dry…
Wreath Goldenrod
Wreath Goldenrod Solidago caesia Description: This woodland goldenrod grows in sprays of flowers all along arching stems. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): August W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 2-3′ Spread: 36″ Family: Asteraceae Soil type: Acidic to neutral Soil moisture: Dry Light: Shade to part…
Yellow Trillium
Yellow Trillium Trillium luteum Description: A southern species with mottled leaves, also found in Michigan Propagation: Seeds, divisions in spring or fall Initial bloom (month and week): April W2 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Yellow Height: 16″ Spread: 12″ Family: Melanthiaceae Soil type: Rich woods Soil moisture: Medium moist Light: Shade…
Yellow Trout Lily
Yellow Trout Lily Erythronium americanum Description: A shy bloomer, the trout lily has more flowers in sunnier locations. Some gardeners feel that the bulbs sink in a natural process, and planting on a small flat rock will prevent this and result in more blooms. The leaves are beautifully mottled with brown spots, resembling the pattern…