Large-flowered Bellwort Uvularia grandiflora AR Plant Model Description: This drooping flower is named for its similarity to the uvula, dangling in the back of the throat. Also known as merrybells. Propagation: Seeds ripen in late summer and should be sown immediately. Large clumps may be divided in spring or fall. Initial bloom (month and week):…
Tag: shady woodland garden
Little Sweet Betsy
Little Sweet Betsy Trillium cuneatum Description: Mottled leaves surround a banana-scented flower Propagation: Seeds, divisions in spring or fall Initial bloom (month and week): March W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Red or yellow Height: 16″ Spread: 12″ Family: Melanthiaceae Soil type: Limestone Soil moisture: Medium moist Light: Shade Zone: 5-9
Long-spur Violet
Long-spur Violet Viola rostrata Description: The spur is at least as long as the petal blades. Propagation: Seeds Initial bloom (month and week): April W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Purple Height: 8″ Spread: 6″ Family: Violaceae Soil type: Acidic or neutral soils Soil moisture: Medium moist Light: Shade Zone: 3-8
Mayapple
Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum AR Plant Model Description: Has one to two umbrella shaped leaves. Plants with two leaves flower and produce fleshy white flowers and fruit. Native Americans used may apple to treat internal parasite infections, vomiting, and constipation. Propagation: Seeds or divisions Initial bloom (month and week): May W2 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden…
Nodding Onion
Nodding Onion Allium cernuum Description: Bears white to pink flowers nodding at the top of a leafless stalk. Like all onions, this plant is edible. There are selected dark pink forms, but the wild species is a pale pink. Propagation: Seeds or division of bulb clusters. Very easy, can take over. Initial bloom (month and…
Nodding Wakerobin
Nodding Wakerobin Trillium flexipes Description: A southern species of trillium with bent stems Propagation: Seeds or division of bulb Initial bloom (month and week): April W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White Height: 16″ Spread: 12″ Family: Melanthiaceae Soil type: Neutral woodland soil Soil moisture: Medium moist Light: Shade Zone: 3-8
Northern Sea Oats
Northern Sea Oats Chasmanthium latifolium Description: A common ornamental grass that grows 2-5’ in rich woods and rocky slopes. Propagation: Prolific from seeds, easy to divide the fibrous roots Initial bloom (month and week): July W3 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Golden yellow Height: 2-5′ Spread: 12″ Family: Poaceae Soil type:…
Ozark Witch Hazel
Ozark Witch Hazel Hamamelis vernalis Description: One of the earliest blooming deciduous shrubs, with a rich, spicy fragrance like cloves. Propagation: Root suckers; difficult from seeds Initial bloom (month and week): March W1 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: Red-orange Height: 8′ Spread: 6′ Family: Hamamelidaceae Soil type: Acid sandy loam Soil…
Painted Trillium
Painted Trillium Trillium undulatum Description: Moist or wet woods, strongly acidic and humus-rich, usually rocky, under acid-loving trees such as white pine, red maple, red spruce and balsam fir. Propagation: From seeds or division. Very difficult to move once established. Unlike other Trillium species, few variations are found in nature. Initial bloom (month and…
Partridge Berry
Partridge Berry Mitchella repens Description: This tiny ground cover has oval evergreen leaves and bright red berries all winter. Propagation: Root cuttings in fall at leaf nodes Initial bloom (month and week): June W4 Garden name: Shady Woodland Garden Color of flower: White Height: 2-4″ Spread: 12″ Family: Rubiaceae Soil type: Acidic woodland soil…
Pennsylvania Sedge
Pennsylvania Sedge Carex pensylvanica Description: Cool season, stoloniferous sedge that is one of the first to green up in spring. Forms a good sod. 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…
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,…
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″…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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:…
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…
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…
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…
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″…