Create a tropical effect in your landscape with these large fast-growing cold hardy Musa basjoo! (also called Japanese fiber banana) Each leaf can be 6 feet long and 2 feet wide. Leave in ground and mulch 6" thick and they will return as perennials every year. If planting on the south side of a house in full sun, little protection is needed. These have proven hardy in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a) for over 20 years. In Eastern Kansas, typically our 40 inches of rainfall is sufficient without extra water in good soils. This species will tolerate some degree of drought but fastest growth will occur in rich well-drained soils with extra water and fertilizer provided during the summer. Great for summer wet areas in full sun or around swimming pools (creates no messes). Plants are capable of growing 15-18 feet by the end of summer when established and happy! A more realistic height is 7-12 feet under average conditions. Banana trees will slowly divide and send up offsets; this is a desirable sign that the banana tree is establishing well. If 1-2 feet of trunk is protected with a large pile of leaf mulch, you will get a flower followed by small inedible bananas the 2nd year on the largest trunk. The flowering trunk will die but the offsets will grow. Bananas will not tolerate excessively wet soils during dormancy. Sunburning can happen with summer temperatures over 100 degrees F but it will quickly outgrow the damage. Bananas need at least 1/2 day of full sun and protection from excessive winds to properly grow. Listed by many sources as hardy to zone 6 or 7, with proper mulching and placement near a foundation, you can easily grow this into zone 5 or possibly lower. In our trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), two well established specimens have thrived for 15 years and counting. During the arctic blast of February, 2021, lows down to -17 degrees F on Feb 16th, 2021 were recorded. The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 10 days on a row with highs of 10-15 degrees F or lower, 8 nights of lows in the single digits and negatives, and 36 straight hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower. A hard ground freeze was inevitable; hundreds of plants around town survived this event returning a little late the following spring but otherwise just fine. Some were mulched with ground up leaf mulch, some were not.
Create a tropical effect in your landscape with these large fast-growing cold hardy Musa basjoo! (also called Japanese fiber banana) Each leaf can be 6 feet long and 2 feet wide. Leave in ground and mulch 6" thick and they will return as perennials every year. If planting on the south side of a house in full sun, little protection is needed. These have proven hardy in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a) for over 20 years. In Eastern Kansas, typically our 40 inches of rainfall is sufficient without extra water in good soils. This species will tolerate some degree of drought but fastest growth will occur in rich well-drained soils with extra water and fertilizer provided during the summer. Great for summer wet areas in full sun or around swimming pools (creates no messes). Plants are capable of growing 15-18 feet by the end of summer when established and happy! A more realistic height is 7-12 feet under average conditions. Banana trees will slowly divide and send up offsets; this is a desirable sign that the banana tree is establishing well. If 1-2 feet of trunk is protected with a large pile of leaf mulch, you will get a flower followed by small inedible bananas the 2nd year on the largest trunk. The flowering trunk will die but the offsets will grow. Bananas will not tolerate excessively wet soils during dormancy. Sunburning can happen with summer temperatures over 100 degrees F but it will quickly outgrow the damage. Bananas need at least 1/2 day of full sun and protection from excessive winds to properly grow. Listed by many sources as hardy to zone 6 or 7, with proper mulching and placement near a foundation, you can easily grow this into zone 5 or possibly lower. In our trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), two well established specimens have thrived for 15 years and counting. During the arctic blast of February, 2021, lows down to -17 degrees F on Feb 16th, 2021 were recorded. The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 10 days on a row with highs of 10-15 degrees F or lower, 8 nights of lows in the single digits and negatives, and 36 straight hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower. A hard ground freeze was inevitable; hundreds of plants around town survived this event returning a little late the following spring but otherwise just fine. Some were mulched with ground up leaf mulch, some were not.
This magnificent ornamental banana relative is more of a shrub than the typical banana "tree". The lower trunk is more swollen and grey-green leaves are more stiff and wind tolerant. Heights of about 3-5' with equal spread are typical in Kansas. This plant is grown more for its flowers but this rarely occurs in our colder climate: beautiful tropical foliage and growth form make up for it though! In Eastern Kansas, typically our 40 inches of rainfall is sufficient without extra water in good soils. This species will tolerate some degree of drought but fastest growth will occur in rich well-drained soils with extra water and fertilizer provided during the summer. Great for summer wet areas in full sun or around swimming pools (creates no messes). It will not tolerate excessively wet soils during dormancy. Chinese Yellow Banana will slowly divide and send up offsets close to the main trunk; this is a desirable sign that it is establishing well. Sunburning can happen with summer temperatures over 105 degrees F but it will quickly outgrow the damage. These bananas need at least 1/2 day of full sun and protection from excessive winds to properly grow. In our trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), a well established specimen has thrived for 5 years and counting. During the arctic blast of February, 2021, lows down to -17 degrees F on Feb 16th, 2021 were recorded. The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 10 days on a row with highs of 10-15 degrees F or lower, 8 nights of lows in the single digits and negatives, and 36 straight hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower. A hard ground freeze was inevitable.
Nandina domestica is also called "Nandina" or "Heavenly Bamboo" despite not spreading or being related to bamboo at all. It is native to warm temperate climates in China. Bamboo-like foliage is very attractive with new growth emerging coppery peach with shades of pink and red in spring. During the summer, the foliage maintains a glossy deep to medium green color with no pest problems. White flowers appear which eventually turn into red fruits in the fall. Most birds do not like the fruit so they persist very well into winter down to about 0° F before freeze-drying to a reddish brown color and falling off. Often around Christmas time, the berries make a spectacular show combining classic colors of red and green in the winter landscape. The berries can be poisonous to some birds if they eat too many and all other food sources are depleted. This is a problem in your yard, please remove the fruits in the winter or before we have an arctic blast in which birds get desperate and will eat anything. The foliage is evergreen down to about -5° F and if colder, will simply become a deciduous shrub that year. If winter temperatures reach -10 or with strong winds, nandina will die to the ground like a perennial and come up from the base in April. In some parts of the country where winterkill never happens, nandina are invasive. (fruits spread by birds) This is likely in the Southeast and Texas south of zone 8b with plenty of rainfall. In those areas nandina will slowly take over the forest and displace native plants. There are many fruitless cultivars that can be used if invasiveness is a problem. In Kansas and in zone 5-7, This is never a problem because extreme winters keep the plant "in-check" and kill any seedlings trying to germinate. This shrub has a four-season appeal and is great for adding interest to Kansas landscapes in the winter. Best growth in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a) occurs when planted on South or West exposures benefiting from the hot micro climate. Nandina will also grow in just about any soil with full shade to full sun. If planted in full shade, growth will be very slow and extreme winters may kill them if not established; plant in spring only in this situation. Nandina look best in small to large groups. After established, its a "once it's there it's there forever" plant with very little maintenance. The only maintenance is cutting back winter kill occasionally or pruning to a more desirable mounded shape. It is worth noting that dwarf fruitless cultivars are less hardy in marginal zone 6 climates because of reduced ability to quickly recover from an occasional extreme winter.
Perrys Giant Sunburst Light Yellow Water Lotus, is also known as Nelumbo 'Perrys Giant Sunburst'
American Native Water Lotus, is also known as Nelumbo lutea
Golden Ball Cacti (Notocactus / Parodia leninghausii) are known for their bright yellow "soft" spines. Native to rocky hills and grasslands in high country Brazil, it's usually grown as a patio or house plant in Kansas. In the wild, established golden ball cacti are hardy to 30 degrees F for short periods of time. Grow in full sun with no extra watering except that which comes from rainfall. Repotting may or may not be needed depending on how large you want the plant to grow; plants can continue to grow taller and tolerate extremely root-bound pots but may need wind bracing. If repotting, make sure to use a sharp draining medium organic cactus mix with plenty of sand and perlite. To play is safe, potted plants are best moved in before night temperatures get below 45 degrees F. It is important to avoid the combination of wet and cold. Before extreme cold occurs, move to a bright interior window over the winter with no watering and keep above freezing. As a winter house plant, it will look presentable all winter long with just no waterings. As a permanent house plant, provide bright light and allow the soil to dry between waterings for many years of carefree enjoyment. Plants grown permanently indoors may begin to elongate stretching for light and lose their spine color. It can be hard to reproduce the intense UV sunlight they need so moving outside for the summer is best. Generally if moving outside for the summer, allow 1-2 weeks of part shade or morning sun before placing in full sun. Plants with time to acclimate will thrive in full sun but be careful not to rush it or sunburning will occur. Potted plants are very low maintenance. I have never seen any insect problems on this plant.
Texas Dawn Yellow Water Lily, is also known as Nymphaea 'Texas Dawn'
Kansas Native Missouri Primrose, is also known as Oenothera macrocarpa subsp. fremontii
Silver Blade Missouri Primrose, is also known as Oenothera macrocarpa subsp. incana 'Silver Blade'
>>>>>Missouri Primrose is a native wildflower with bright lemony yellow flowers occurring mostly in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. native habitat includes limestone glades and bluffs, rocky prairies, and Great Plains. This wildflower also colonizes readily, will grow under the mover blades and can be found along state highways. Foliage is often a green to silver and also very attractive. Flowering is relatively short at 2 to 4 weeks but interesting green four-winged seed pods develop. These eventually break off and blow away spreading more seed. In the landscape, Missouri Primrose can be used in any dry soil situation including berms, hot south or west side of the house, or any other full sun area. These will grow in poor rocky, sandy or clayish soils and even rich organic soils with slightly increased root rot susceptibility. With our average 40 inches of rain per year in eastern Kansas, extra Irrigation is not recommended. Missouri Primrose can be planted in parking lot medians and other hell strips as a very durable groundcover. Combine with any other flower colors except yellow. There is quite a lot of diversity within the species so plants from different locales will have different foliage adapted to the site.
This prickly pear (Opuntia cacanapa 'Ellisiana') is truly spineless! Yes, completely spineless and free of glochids. The smooth green paddles and upright growth habit create a unique addition to the desert garden. The pads are sparsely spined, light green, and hardy to about 0 degrees F. This cactus has a place as one of the few upright cacti that can handle extreme cold. Ellisiana Spineless Prickly Pear is most often used as a patio plant in Kansas. Place in full sun with no extra watering except from rainfall. Repotting may or may not be needed depending on how large you want the plant to grow. Potted plants are hardy to at least 10 degrees F if kept dry so you can wait awhile to move these in for the winter. Then move into a cold garage, basement, or window over the winter with NO watering. Although un-tested by the author, this opuntia could survive in a microclimate under a south facing roof overhang kept completely dry in the winter and controlled water in the summer in zone 6a. Several plantings in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the Gathering Place endured temperatures as low as -11 degrees F along with prolonged cold (5 days of highs in the teens and lows in the single digits) in February, 2021. This interesting and "completely safe" cactus, when special ordered in quantity, can be used as an annual mass planting in the landscape. If grown as a patio or house plant, move to a bright interior window over the winter before extreme cold occurs with no watering and keep above freezing. If grown as a summer patio plant, move to a bright interior window over the winter before extreme cold occurs with no watering and keep above freezing. As a winter-only house plant, it will look presentable all winter long with just no waterings. As a permanent house plant, provide bright light and allow the soil to dry between waterings for many years of carefree enjoyment. Pads are easy to propagate.
The yellow flowers, maroon long lasting fruits, and upright growth habit of this cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri) create a unique addition to the desert garden. The pads are sparsely spined, light green, and hardy to about -5 degrees F. Native to arid soils in Texas and Oklahoma, this cactus has a place as one of the few upright cacti that can handle extreme cold. In fact, I have seen this species growing a in Lawrence, KS in desert gardens along a south wall of a house. With well drained soils and proper micro-climate, this cactus can handle our extreme cold and excess rainfall of Eastern Kansas.
These tiny perennial succulent cacti (Opuntia fragilis 'Potato') produce globe-shaped, spherical stems make this selection unique. 'Potato' prickly pear is virtually spineless. It is native to mountainous areas in Western Colorado. The olive green "pads" take on a lovely winter blush of purple in cold weather. Grow this small native gem in a Kansas rock garden, in cracks between rocks, or on top of or in a retaining wall. You may also grow in flat areas like in between stepping stones provided you used a gravelly or sandy base for the stones. It will not tolerate rich moist soils as other plants or weeds will shade it out. Root rot can occur during lengthy hot humid summer rainy periods. If grown as a summer patio plant, move to a bright interior window over the winter before extreme cold occurs with no watering and keep above freezing. As a winter-only house plant, it will look presentable all winter long with just no waterings. Upon moving outside the following spring, plants with plenty of time to acclimate will thrive in full sun but be careful not to rush it or sunburning will occur. Generally if moving outside for the summer, allow 2-3 weeks of part shade or morning sun before placing in full sun. If grown in pots permanently outdoors, keep on the dry side in minerally sandy soil. You may leave out all winter allowing to freeze solid (Hardy to zone 4a); plants will go dormant and resume growth in the spring. As a permanent house plant, provide bright light and allow the soil to dry between waterings for many years of carefree enjoyment. Little potato-like pads are easy to propagate. Our original plant came from Plant Delights Nursery in North Carolina and also available on their mail-order website.
Eastern Prickly Pear Cacti (Opuntia humifusa) have attractive green pads, brilliant yellow flowers in June, and pinkish maroon edible fruits afterward that last into winter. They are native to eastern woods of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and much of the Southeast United States. This cold hardy succulent occupies an unusual niche: growing in poor shallow sandstone based soils in open woods and on sunny rock cliffs that dry out too quickly for most other plants to colonize. Pads are sometimes carried off by animals and take root elsewhere. Grow this small native gem in rock gardens, dry shade areas, in parking lot medians, in cracks between rocks, or on top of or in a retaining wall. This species will grow in full sun or full shade! Although not picky about soils, just ensure that drainage is good. If grown in exterior pots and kept on the dry side, you may leave out all winter allowing to freeze solid; plants will go completely dormant and resume growth in the spring. Although these prickly pear do not have spines, they do have glochids. (painful bristles that come off and irritate the skin for a few days) Great low maintenance cold hardy and very versatile succulent.
Plains Prickly Pear Cacti (Opuntia macrorhiza) have attractive green pads, brilliant yellow flowers in June, and pinkish maroon edible fruits afterward that last into winter. They are native to much of the Great Plains from Texas to Minnesota. Pads are sometimes carried off by animals and take root elsewhere. Grow this small native gem in rock gardens, dry shade areas, in parking lot medians, in cracks between rocks, or on top of or in a retaining wall. Although not picky about soils, just ensure that drainage is good. If grown in exterior pots and kept on the dry side, you may leave out all winter allowing to freeze solid; plants will go completely dormant and resume growth in the spring. Although these prickly pear have spines and glochids. (painful bristles that come off and irritate the skin for a few days) so be careful around children and pets. Great low maintenance cold hardy and very versatile plant!
Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus / Cartrema americana) has very hard and dense wood, hence the name. It is a slow-growing evergreen shrub or small tree native to southeastern North America and Mexico. Bright green simple leaves emerge in spring turning deeper green in summer. Cream white flowers borne on separate trees and female trees produce abundant blue/black fruit. Growth habit is somewhat open so don't count on it to provide screening or density. Grows in sun or shade but in the northern part of its range, growth is too slow and sparse in the shade. Devilwood grows in most soils including moist ones and occasional flooding. This making it an ideal rain garden plant. Becoming more drought tolerant when established, our 40 inches of typical rainfall in Eastern Kansas is sufficient if planted in good soils. The cold hardiness is surprising: as a zone 5, this could be one of the most cold-tolerant broadleaf evergreens trees available! It survived -16 degrees F and a week of single digit highs in February, 2021 with no damage. It even maintains bright green foliage in winter opposed to a dingy brownish-green like some evergreens. Useful in the garden as a background evergreen shrub or small tree. Sold as Osmanthus americanus, Cartrema americana is technically it's new botanical name.
Native Roundleaf Groundsel / Packera, is also known as Packera obovata
Ginger Wine® Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Ginger Wine') expands the color palette for these easy care, native flowering shrubs. Spring foliage emerges a sunny orange color and matures to sparkling burgundy. Clusters of white flowers cover the plant in late spring, and these age to attractive red seed heads. This disease-resistant shrub does best in full sun locations and cooler climates. Top reasons to grow Ginger Wine® ninebark: 1.Colorful from spring through fall. 2. Native to North America. 3. Very low maintenance: no pruning or deadheading required. Ultra cold-hardy plants from northern climates normally dislike our long hot humid summers; although we are on the Southern edge of this plants adaptability, it still survives reasonably well here. It will not handle extreme drought; the Lawrence KS summer of 2011 and 2012 killed many plants that were not under an irrigation system. Look for a cold microclimate planting location such as East or North exposure but still in full sun. All Proven Winners® plants are legally propagated, healthy and vigorous, true to name, and tagged with color pictures and growing information.
***Description for this perennial available with future update!*** Mexican Hat, is also known as Ratibida columnifera
Red Mexican Hat, is also known as Ratibida columnifera 'Red'
Grey-headed Coneflower, is also known as Ratibida pinnata
Fine Line Columnar Buckthorn, is also known as Rhamnus frangula 'Fine Line'
Fine Line Columnar Buckthorn, is also known as Rhamnus frangula 'Fine Line'
Gro-low sumac (Rhus aromatica 'Gro-low') is a dwarf spreading cultivar of Rhus aromatica native to much of the central United States including Kansas. It features bright green leaves that turn brilliant red in the fall. Light yellow flowers and occasional red berries are also ornamental features. This sumac is commonly grown as a spreading groundcover shrub for difficult areas. It will grow in full sun or full shade in medium to dry soils including dry-shade. However, fall color is quite a bit reduced in full shade. In the landscape, it is commonly used as large mass planting on hills. Because of its tolerance for adverse conditions including poor soil and rock, it is often one of the last resort plants that will survive in certain areas. It competes well under large shade trees and helps absorb leaf litter allowing it to break down and add nutrients back to the soil. It is important to keep on the dry side to discourage root rot disease. This plant also does well in hot dry parking lot islands or along busy roads. Plants adapt well to hot south or west sides of the house enduring temperatures of over 100 degrees F with no foliage burn. Plants can also be planted on the north side of a house being extremely cold hardy with no winterkill. Another great spot is planting on top of a retaining wall allowing it to cascade down. We do not recommend planting in small areas or in spaces that it will overrun neighboring plants. Unlike other sumac, it only spreads above ground as horizontally growing stems touch the ground and root. This does make maintenance easier to control the spread of the plant versus digging out rhizomes. Considered one of the most versatile and best plants for solving your most difficult landscape challenges.
>>>>>Flameleaf / Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum) features bright green leaves that turn brilliant red in the fall. Light yellow flowers and occasional red berries are also ornamental features.>>>>>>It will thrive in full sun in medium to bone dry soils. In the landscape, it is commonly used as large mass planting on hills and berms. Because of its tolerance for adverse conditions including poor soil and rock, it is often one of the last resort plants that will survive in certain areas. This plant also does well in hot dry parking lot islands (hell-strips) or along busy roads. Plants adapt well to hot south or west sides of the house enduring temperatures of over 100 degrees F with no foliage burn. Another great spot is planting on top of a retaining wall allowing it to cascade down. We do not recommend planting in small areas or in spaces that it will overrun neighboring plants. Avoid potentially poorly drained areas or root-rot will occur.
>>>>>Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) features bright green leaves that turn brilliant red in the fall. Light yellow flowers and occasional red berries are also ornamental features.>>>>>>It will thrive in full sun in medium to bone dry soils. In the landscape, it is commonly used as large mass planting on hills and berms. Because of its tolerance for adverse conditions including poor soil and rock, it is often one of the last resort plants that will survive in certain areas. This plant also does well in hot dry parking lot islands (hell-strips) or along busy roads. Plants adapt well to hot south or west sides of the house enduring temperatures of over 100 degrees F with no foliage burn. Another great spot is planting on top of a retaining wall allowing it to cascade down. We do not recommend planting in small areas or in spaces that it will overrun neighboring plants. Avoid potentially poorly drained areas or root-rot will occur. >>>>>>>>>Rough-leaf dogwood is a suckering shrub or rarely a small tree to 15 ft. It is native woodland edges and tall-grass prairie ravines in Kansas olong with the Great Plains and Midwestern regions of the United States. This dogwood is easily recognized by the rough, upper leaf surfaces with flat-topped clusters of creamy-yellow flowers and white fruit on reddish brown or gray twigs. Fall color is purplish-red. Cream-white flowers about 1/4 inch wide, with 4 petals characteristic of all dogwoods. Numerous flowers are in broad clusters at the ends of branches, appearing from April to early June. White fruit then appears in late summer and early fall. A favorite of many wild birds, the fruit is usually stripped clean within a couple weeks. It spreads from root sprouts and provides cover for wildlife and erosion control along ditches. Other uses of roughleaf dogwood include buffer strip around parking lots, highway medians, dust screens along country roads, and naturalizing. It will grow in full sun or full shade in medium to dry soils including dry-shade. However, fall color is quite a bit reduced in full shade. Because of its tolerance for adverse conditions including poor soil and rock, it is often one of the last resort plants that will survive in certain areas. For the home garden, the species is generally too aggressive to mix with other plants especially when irrigated and growing in rich soil. However, in a difficult dry-shade garden, it will thrive, flower, and be relatively tame with little spreading.
Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac, is also known as Rhus typhina 'Lanciniata'
When Tiger Eyes® sumac (Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes') was released, it shocked the horticulture world with unseen beauty. It started as a random mutation from cutleaf staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina 'Laciniata') that was successfully propagated. Foliage emerges in spring as a lovely chartreuse color tinged with pink new growth and contrasting leaf petioles. Growth matures to a bright yellow golden color throughout the summer. By October, especially before and around Halloween, foliage turns bright orange with hints of red. Foliage quickly freezes and drops off for the year when temperatures reach 30 degrees F. The overall architectural shape of the shrub is attractive in winter often looking like a deciduous bonsai tree up to 6 feet tall. While the original species, staghorn sumac (R. typhina), is highly aggressive and considered invasive in the garden, the Tiger Eyes cultivar (lacking as much chlorophyll) is quite a bit less aggressive from rhizomes. Some spreading will occur each year and can be clipped off with no further efforts by the plant to spread until the following year. However if soil conditions are rich and moist, some spreading can still occur. This also makes the plant more susceptible to verticillium wilt so it's best to just avoid these kind of pampered garden conditions. We recommend planting Tiger Eyes sumac on berms, tops of retaining walls and/or non-irrigated gardens in poor/dry soils. Another good micro-climate is the hot South or West side of a house; heat and drought are never an issue with no foliage burn in our zone 6a garden of Eastern Kansas. During some years with excessive humidity and rainfall, foliage can become diseased and drop off before fall color can develop but this does not seem to hurt the plant. This problem is usually avoided if planting in good air circulation in full sun or on top of a berm. Another point of advice with Tiger Eyes sumac is to allow a few nearby shoots from the root system to grow and eventually replace the mother plant. Individual top growths will usually last about 5 to 7 years before declining and dying. A plant in our display gardens has survived 15 years using this previously described method. Nowadays, there are several different ornamental shrub choices for gold summer color and while tiger eyes sumac was one of the first, it is still a great choice. Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger' TIGER EYES® if offered for sale, are original (non-propagated) plants from Bailey Nurseries Inc.
***Shrub descriptions available with future update!***
Missouri Gooseberry (Ribes missouriense) is a spreading shrub native to the north central United States including Kansas. It features green leaves that remain attractive all summer. Light yellow to whitish-green flowers are noticeable and attractive upon close inspection. Green semi-translucent berries develop in summer and ripen to a purplish-black color by late summer and early fall. Tart berries are attractive and highly edible when eaten fresh or baked into pies. Any fruits not eaten by humans are harvested by wildlife. Fall color is reddish-orange and will occur in sun or shade. This shrub eventually grows into a dense thicket 3-5' tall with small thorns or prickles. It will grow in part sun or full shade in medium to dry soils including dry-shade. In the landscape, it is commonly used as background planting on a hill or along a fence. It also makes a great barrier shrub naturally discouraging trespassers. Because of its tolerance for adverse conditions including poor soil and rock, it is often one of the last resort plants that will survive in certain areas especially in the worst of all dry-shade areas. It competes well under large shade trees and helps absorb leaf litter allowing it to break down and add nutrients back to the soil. Plants can also be planted on the Northside of a house, being extremely cold hardy with no winterkill. We do not recommend planting in small areas or in spaces that will overrun neighboring plants. It can spread by shallow horizontally growing roots but not very far. It will grow in moist rich soils but will spread quite a bit faster and grow taller. (and produce more fruit) You'll have to decide if that's desirable or not for your planting location. I have seen this plant growing exclusively in heavily shaded rocky outcroppings around Clinton lake near Lawrence Kansas with almost no other plants growing there except Coralberry(Symphoricarpos orbiculatus). Considered one of the best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges.
Still think yellow roses are tough to grow? Not this rebel! We evaluated yellow roses for years, looking for one that lived up to our demands for brilliant color and excellent disease-resistance. This is it! Sunny, canary yellow flowers do not fade to white, and really light up against the glossy green foliage. It is free-flowering, producing lots of buds which open to self-cleaning flowers. Superior disease-resistance makes it easy for gardeners to enjoy. Winner of an Award of Excellence from the American Rose Society. In Lawrence Kansas, performance has been impressive and low maintenance. Currently, no serious pest problems exist but we are careful not to recommend planting roses in large mass groupings in case a pest or disease like Rose Rosette Virus (RRV) becomes a problem. Mixed small plantings of roses and non-host plants may slow the spread of RRV in landscape plantings. As with most roses, thorns may be an issue with children or pets. Usually rose thorns are short and don't cause any serious injury: it creates more of a life lesson about respecting and being careful around the dangers in our world. All Proven Winners® plants are legally propagated, healthy and vigorous, true to name, and tagged with color pictures and growing information.
When you're this colorful, you only need five petals for big impact! The pleasing flowers of Ringo All-Star rose may look simple at first, but this plant packs in a lot of interest. The flowers start out a rich melon-orange with a cherry-red center. As each one ages, it transforms to lavender and pink, creating a look of multiple colors on one plant. A crown of fluffy yellow anthers bedecks the center and attracts pollinators. As with all Proven Winners roses, Ringo All-Star is disease resistant and low maintenance. No need to trim or deadhead to keep those fab flowers coming all season! In Lawrence Kansas, performance has been impressive and low maintenance. Currently, no serious pest problems exist but we are careful not to recommend planting roses in large mass groupings in case a pest or disease like Rose Rosette Virus (RRV) becomes a problem. Mixed small plantings of roses and non-host plants may slow the spread of RRV in landscape plantings. As with most roses, thorns may be an issue with children or pets. Usually rose thorns are short and don't cause any serious injury: it creates more of a life lesson about respecting and being careful around the dangers in our world. All Proven Winners® plants are legally propagated, healthy and vigorous, true to name, and tagged with color pictures and growing information.
>>>>>All Proven Winners® plants are legally propagated, healthy and vigorous, true to name, and tagged with color pictures and growing information.
Fulgida Native Black-eyed Susan, is also known as Rudbeckia fulgida var. Fulgida
***Description for this plant available with future update!*** >>>> Good variety for customers with irrigation systems that water too much for other Black-eye Susan varieties.
Native Black-eyed Susan, is also known as Rudbeckia hirta
Great Coneflower / Blue-Leaf Coneflower, is also known as Rudbeckia maxima
***Description for this plant available with future update!***
***Tree descriptions available with future update!***
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***
Little Miss Sunshine Sedum, is also known as Sedum 'Little Miss Sunshine'
Mossy Stonecrop / Sedum, is also known as Sedum acre
Blue Corsican Sedum, is also known as Sedum dasyphyllum 'Major'
Kamtschaticum Sedum (Sedum kamtschaticum) is known for its compact mats of bright green foliage and yellow-gold flowers in the spring. Fall color turns a beautiful firey orange-red before going dormant. Kamtschaticum Sedum is native to northern China and along the Pacific coast of Siberia including the Kamchatka Peninsula with a similar climate of cold winters and hot summers. Bright green growth emerges early in the spring and spread slowly, rooting a little bit as it spreads but not aggressively. Growth is dense enough to resist most weeds. Kamtschaticum Sedum is useful as a small scale groundcover, rock garden plant, retaining wall plant, or even dry shade gardens. This tough sedum will grow in full sun to full shade in just about any soil except for wet poorly drained ones. Of all of the sedums, this is probably the most resistant to any kind of problems including root rot. I have witnessed clumps surviving and thriving for 20-30 years or more. There is really almost no maintenance with this sedum but you may choose to weed eat it in the winter for a more tidy appearance. The only slight problem is that when grown with too much water, The crown opens up as it flops over and looks slightly untidy. The flowering period is also pretty short. Considered one of the best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges.
Kamtschaticum Sedum (Sedum kamtschaticum) is known for its compact mats of bright green foliage and yellow-gold flowers in the spring. Fall color turns a beautiful firey orange-red before going dormant. Kamtschaticum Sedum is native to northern China and along the Pacific coast of Siberia including the Kamchatka Peninsula with a similar climate of cold winters and hot summers. Bright green growth emerges early in the spring and spread slowly, rooting a little bit as it spreads but not aggressively. Growth is dense enough to resist most weeds. Kamtschaticum Sedum is useful as a small scale groundcover, rock garden plant, retaining wall plant, or even dry shade gardens. This tough sedum will grow in full sun to full shade in just about any soil except for wet poorly drained ones. Of all of the sedums, this is probably the most resistant to any kind of problems including root rot. I have witnessed clumps surviving and thriving for 20-30 years or more. There is really almost no maintenance with this sedum but you may choose to weed eat it in the winter for a more tidy appearance. The only slight problem is that when grown with too much water, The crown opens up as it flops over and looks slightly untidy. The flowering period is also pretty short. Considered one of the best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges. Tooth-Leaf Kamtschaticum Sedum (Sedum kamtschaticum var. middendorffianum) is a shorter more drought tolerant variety with tooth-like jagged edges. The clump does not open up and flop. This variety is also more tolerant of full hot sun and shallow soils also making it an ideal roof-garden plant.
