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
Tag: sunny garden
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…
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′…
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…
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:…
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…
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…
Stiff Tickseed
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
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…
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
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…
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…
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 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