***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Autumn Fire Sedum, is also known as Sedum / Hylotelephium 'Autumn Fire'
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.
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Angelina Gold & Orange Sedum, is also known as Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'
Purple Heart (Setcreasea / Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart') is the most versatile plant in out library: it can be an annual, perennial, patio plant, house plant, or hanging basket in wet or dry soil in full shade or full sun. It can handle growing in standing water or bone dry. In dry soils, it shows no drought stress, continuing to grow with a deeper purple shade. In moist soils, this plant will grow rapidly. In shade, the foliage becomes more greenish but still looks attractive. In Kansas, it is usually grown as an annual. Brilliant purple leaves contrast small pink flowers in the summer! Plants will quickly fill an annual bed with bright purple color all summer til first hard freeze. In the ground, it is possible to overwinter these in the ground in Kansas by placing a 6-8" mound of mulch over deeply planted rhizomes. Not sure what's easier, buying and moving that much mulch or replanting in spring?: you decide. If growing as a potted plant and trying to overwinter, allowing the foliage to frost is ok, it will not kill the root system. However, do not allow the pot with rootball to freeze solid or go below 20 degrees for more than a few hours. Allow to go dormant as needed with little care, just cut off dead foliage and place back out in April or May with a time-release fertilizer. Many plants will die back slowly and remain attractive inside for most of the winter. Purple heart plants have no insect, disease or animal pests. Botanical name has recently changed from Setcreasea to Tradescantia. A variegated form is also available. This plant survived in our Lawrence, KS display garden down to -16 degrees F and a week of single digit highs in February, 2021 with mulch.
Purple Heart (Setcreasea / Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart') is the most versatile plant in out library: it can be an annual, perennial, patio plant, house plant, or hanging basket in wet or dry soil in full shade or full sun. It can handle growing in standing water or bone dry. In dry soils, it shows no drought stress, continuing to grow with a deeper purple shade. In moist soils, this plant will grow rapidly. In shade, the foliage becomes more greenish but still looks attractive. In Kansas, it is usually grown as an annual. Brilliant purple leaves contrast small pink flowers in the summer! Plants will quickly fill an annual bed with bright purple color all summer til first hard freeze. In the ground, it is possible to overwinter these in the ground in Kansas by placing a 6-8" mound of mulch over deeply planted rhizomes. Not sure what's easier, buying and moving that much mulch or replanting in spring?: you decide. If growing as a potted plant and trying to overwinter, allowing the foliage to frost is ok, it will not kill the root system. However, do not allow the pot with rootball to freeze solid or go below 20 degrees for more than a few hours. Allow to go dormant as needed with little care, just cut off dead foliage and place back out in April or May with a time-release fertilizer. Many plants will die back slowly and remain attractive inside for most of the winter. Purple heart plants have no insect, disease or animal pests. Botanical name has recently changed from Setcreasea to Tradescantia. A variegated form is also available. This plant survived in our Lawrence, KS display garden down to -16 degrees F and a week of single digit highs in February, 2021 with mulch.
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***>>>>>Silphiums (Silphium laciniatum) are very long-lived perennials considered a "Once it's there, it's there forever" plant!
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***>>>>>Considered a "Once it's there, it's there forever" plant!
Bluestem Goldenrod (Solidago caesia) is a perennial wildflower with arching blue-green stems is native to the eastern and central parts of the United States and Canada. This woodland goldenrod occurs in open upland woods, shaded bluffs, slopes of wooded ravines and rocky cliffs. Yellow late-summer flowers contrast nicely with bluish purple stems. Considered one of the best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges and still providing flowers if given at least a couple hours of sun or all-day dappled sun through the trees. Goldenrods are not wind-pollinated and therefore do not cause standard hay fever or allergies. This goldenrod attracts native bees, wasps and pollinating flies. Rabbit and deer resistance is good. This goldenrod has been planted in our trial gardens over 15 years ago on a dry-shade berm with 2-3 hrs of morning sun. The slowly expanding clump is virtually maintenance free, only needing trimmed in fate fall. This species does not spread by rhizomes or runners like some other goldenrods but will self-seed prolifically if you do not mulch. Bluestem Goldenrod is not well known or available in garden centers but worthy of wider scale landscape use.
Fireworks Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks') is the most garden-worthy of the goldenrods! It features dark green upright foliage. As the flower panicle matures, the expanding buds create a fine-textures cloud-like effect for about a month before the flowers open. When the flowers finally open in September, the radiating form really looks like fireworks! After flowering, the dried flower structure holds up well into fall offering winter interest until the first wet heavy snow. The species, Solidago rugosa, is native to the eastern and central parts of the United States and Canada. It is a highly adaptable goldenrod occuring in open moist areas such as low woods, meadows, old fields, pine barrens, and bogs. It is more tolerant of wet soils that other goldenrod. It prefers locations in full sun in average to moist soils that are well-drained but is adaptable to part shade or dappled shade. In Eastern Kansas, typically our 40 inches of rainfall is sufficient without extra water if planted in good soils. During the drought years in Eastern Kansas of 2011 and 2012, many Fireworks Goldenrods planted in landscapes that were not watered survived but dried up as flowers were trying to form. Goldenrods are not wind-pollinated and therefore do not cause standard hay fever or allergies. This goldenrod attracts wide variety of insects, including small bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies. Rabbit and deer resistance is good. The slowly expanding clump is virtually maintenance free, only needing trimmed in fate fall. Fireworks Goldenrod is generally very pest and disease resistant and can spread by creeping rhizomes or seed. Fireworks Goldenrod has been planted in our trial gardens over 18 years in mostly full sun with average garden soil. This is among our favorite perennials with truely 4 seasons of interest!
***Shrub descriptions available with future update!***Double Play Candy Corn Spirea, is also known as Spiraea japonica 'Double Play Candy Corn'
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Helen Von Stein Lambs Ear, is also known as Stachys byzantina 'Helen Von Stein'
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Hummelo Stachys (small), is also known as Stachys monieri / officinalis 'Hummelo'
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***>>>>>For the home garden, the species is generally too aggressive to mix with other plants
Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) is a spreading dwarf shrub native to much of the central and eastern United States including Kansas. It features mint green leaves that remain attractive all summer. Light pink flowers are barely noticeable but attractive upon close inspection. Ornamental clusters of magenta berries in the fall are the main attraction! The berries are very freeze-hardy clinging onto the leafless stems throughout most of the winter regardless of the minimum temperatures. This creates quite a show providing excellent color and interest to the winter landscape. While edible for some birds including robins, they seem to avoid the fruits unless it's a last resort. Coralberry 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. It tolerates moist soil and floods for short periods of time. Fall leaf color is non-existent but ok because of the berry display. A brief window of time exists in the fall where the plant has beautiful green foliage and contrasting magenta berries at the same time. 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. This plant also does well in full sun; berry density is much greater in full sun. 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. 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 best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges.
This tiny perennial wildflower (Talinum / Phemeranthus calycinum) produces ascending stems 2-6" long topped with bright magenta flowers. The cluster of bright green foliage at the base is only a few inches tall and resembles round tubes giving it a succulent look. Blooming occurs in mass, each flower lasting only 1 afternoon, but repeating all summer with available moisture. Fame Flower is native to a large area of the great plains to the eastern woods of Missouri and Arkansas. This cold hardy succulent occupies an unusual niche: growing in extremely shallow sandstone based soils and on sunny rock cliffs that dry out too quickly for most other plants to colonize. A good question is how does it find such isolated areas to colonize in the first place? Grow this small native gem in a rock garden, in cracks between rocks, or on top of or in a retaining wall. It will re-seed to thicken the colony but only germinate in bare thin soils with no mulch. It will not tolerate competition in rich moist soils as other plants will shade it out. If grown in pots and kept on the dry side, you may leave out all winter allowing to freeze solid; plants will either return from dormant stems or reseed in the same pot. Great low maintenance cold hardy succulent. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT CREVICE GARDENING: In nature, some of the most interesting xeric plants grow in tough places such as inhospitable rock outcroppings with almost no soil. We can recreate that specific and exclusive growing environment with a crevice garden. Crevice gardening allows you to grow cold-hardy cacti and succulents that are normally cold hardy to our climate (Lawrence, KS zone 6a) but not normally tolerant of excessive moisture (40"/year), especially in the winter. This technique provides optimal xeriscape growing conditions by limiting the amount of soil and water around the roots and reducing the potential of root rot. Start with a raised mound of fast draining soil mix consisting mostly of decomposed granite, coarse sand, gravel, and a small amount of organic matter. Incorporate vertical rock formations such as flagstone into a raised landscape bed creating narrow 1-2" wide crevices filled with the soil mix. This helps quickly channel rain and snow melt water down more deeply into the soil encouraging deeper root growth while keeping the soil dry around the base of the plant. It is important that the entire mound is well above grade level to avoid drainage problems; crevice gardens typically range from 12"-36" tall. After installing the plants, mulch with a thin layer of pea-gravel or decomposed granite. In our Lawrence Kansas zone 6a winters with occasional polar vortexes or arctic blasts, this technique works well in any hot microclimate such as a south facing side of a berm or under a south or west facing roof overhand of a house or building. Kansas Plant Farm LLC built a trial crevice garden in 2022 and we have now had enough time to evaluate the plants after a true winter cold spell. During the arctic blast of January 2024, low nighttime temperatures got down to -11 degrees F (Jan 10th,2024). The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 4 days on a row with single digit highs including 1 day with a daytime negative high(-2F), 4 nights of lows in negatives (-8For lower), and 48 straight hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower. A light snow cover helped insulate the ground but wind blew off most powdery snow on the foliage exposing the top parts of the plants to some extreme temperatures with surprisingly little damage. In our crevice trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), this variety survived harsh winters for 20 plus years.
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a well-known picturesque tree native to the southeast from Texas to Florida to Virginia. It is a deciduous conifer that grows on saturated and seasonally inundated soils but also performs well an average garden soils including some drought. Trees can be very long lived due to near immunity from pests and disease with some specimens over 2000 years old. When growing in standing water (exclusively), the characteristic knees develop. These are thought to assist an oxygen exchange or to trap sediment along a channel to stabilize the creek bank. Growth is slow during youth especially and dryer sites or poor soils but speeds up in rich well-drained soils. This non-flowering tree features extremely fine textured foliage that creates its own attractive mulch under the tree or blends in invisibly into the lawn. Most references indicate that acidic soil is important however I have seen these growing in pure white limestone alkaline streams in Austin Texas. The water was cyystal clear and pH was so high that not many other organisms for growing in it. Bald Cypress makes a beautiful street tree or residential landscape specimen that will be highly prized after a decade or two. Reserve for the wet test spot in your yard and it will thrive!
***Tree descriptions available with future update!***
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Red Creeping Thyme, is also known as Thymus serpyllum 'Coccineum'
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Elfin Miniature Creeping Thyme, is also known as Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin'
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Blue & Gold Spiderwort, is also known as Tradescantia x andersoniana 'Blue and Gold'
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Native Rose Verbena / Glandularia, is also known as Verbena / Glandularia canadensis
Narrow-leaf Ironweed (Vernonia lettermannii) is a relatively new plant to horticulture; originally discovered in Arkansas along gravel stream beds in the wild. The Iron Butterfly cultivar (Vernonia lettermannii 'Iron Butterfly') is a dwarf compact cultivar introduced by Dr. Allan Armitage at the University of Georgia. This is a true four-seasons perennial that belongs in almost every perennial garden. In the spring, narrow dark green foliage resembling Amsonia hubrichtii creates a compact shrub-like appearance. The growth is so dense that no weeds have a chance of invading a mature stand of plants. By mid to late summer, gorgeous deep purple fine-textured flowers cover the plant for 4-6 weeks. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators flock to the occasion. Following the bloom, the flower stocks are sturdy and hold up very well for fall and winter interest. The flowers themselves produce mostly non-viable seed and cling to the plant creating a silvery shine whenever sunlight hits it. This can be very useful and dried flower arrangements as well as winter interest gardens. At some point in the winter, all top growth will need to be cut back as this is the only maintenance required. Despite being native to gravel and sand bars along rivers, Iron butterfly Vernonia surprisingly can handle very dry clay, gravelly, or sandy soils along with short periods of flooding. Permanently wet soil is not favored but it can handle the upper portions of a rain garden. Iron butterfly has only one pest problem and that is rabbits! If rabbits are an issue, just put a bowl-shaped chicken wire cage around the plants for the first year. By year #2, the rapidly growing foliage will outgrow any detrimental rabbit browsing. This is definitely one of the most adapted landscape plants in Kansas zone 6a with no problems with heat or cold, dry or wet! It's hard to imagine a perennial garden without this plant!
***Description for this perennial available with future update!***Sunny Border Blue Veronica, is also known as Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'
***Shrub descriptions available with future update!***>>>>>Decker Prague Evergreen Viburnum (Viburnum pragense 'Decker') is a hybrid between leatherleaf viburnum and ‚The key difference is that Prague viburnum is slightly faster growing and more consistent reliable evergreen foliage. Foliage is more of a green color during the winter and very glossy. Craig viburnum has more narrow denser foliage. It can be easily pruned into a green wall or large hedge for screening.
Leatherleaf viburnum is a large semi-evergreen shrub with leathery leaves and cream white flowers. Foliage emerges light green with powdery white material on the backside of the leaf. Foliage darkens to a medium green by summer and finally turning to a purplish winter color. About half of the foliage drops in the winter but is still effective enough for a partial screening. Flowers bloom mostly in spring but sporadically throughout the year. If pollination occurs, red fruits follow in the late summer thru fall creating quite a show. More than one variety is typically required for pollination. Leatherleaf viburnum prefers medium to rich garden soil in full to part sun. Being one of the toughest viburnums around, it can handle much less than ideal conditions including dry shade. Typically our are 40 inches of rainfall per year in eastern Kansas is enough without extra water. However, during times of drought, the foliage will wilt and growth will stop. Luckily the foliage is able to survive in a wilted state for a long time (usually up to two or three weeks) before actually dying. This gives you plenty of notice that it needs water. There is virtually no maintenance except rejuvenation on very old plants. Yearly fertilizer application is appreciated. When given plenty of room to grow, Leatherleaf Viburnum can reach up to 8 or 12 feet tall and wide after 20-30 years. Eventually old canes become unproductive and should be removed allowing young vigorous canes to develop. Leatherleaf viburnum grows slow at first especially in rough soils but the key thing is that it will survive and grow faster when established. Cold hardiness is not a problem in Lawrence Kansas zone 6a but in colder climates expect winterkill down to the ground in some years. Considered one of the best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges. Several improved cultivars exist. Alleghany Leatherleaf Viburnum (Viburnum x rhytidophylloides 'Alleghany') has improved cold hardiness and growth form.
Vitex agnus-castus 'Shoal Creek' is also known as Shoal Creek Vitex / Chastetree. In Eastern Kansas, this cultivar performs WELL with just about everything nature has to challenge it! Extreme heat and drought are tolerated. Cold tolerance is no problem in our zone 6. If winter die-back occurs, cut back in March/April and flowers will occur on new growth this year. No disease or pest problems. Great plant for berms, hot West or South exposures, and most any other garden situations in full sun. Will tolerate clay soils and extra moisture in summer. Combine with caryopteris, crapemyrtle, and butterflybush to create a late season "all you can eat" buffet for pollinators! According to our supplier, this PROVEN WINNERS selection of vitex is incredibly long-blooming - 6-16 weeks longer than six other popular varieties of vitex, according to our trials. Sprays of beautiful lavender flowers grace the plant from late spring through fall, attracting pollinators and fending off heat, drought, and deer like it was born to do it. It is, of course, heat tolerant, but also surprisingly hardy.
Adam's Needle Yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen perennial. Blue-green leaves form rosettes about 2-3 feet tall and wide. Tall white flower spikes reliably appear on mature plants in May and June. If pollination is successful, attractive seed heads form later turning to black before cracking open. Although yuccas are more typical of western deserts and grasslands, this one is native to central and eastern United States. Tough as nails, yuccas are the ideal plant for a no-maintenance garden. Normally a plant has specific requirements for success but Adam's needle yucca has only one: it cannot tolerate growing in standing water or really wet soil. Plant in full sun to dry shade in any soil! In the landscape yuccas are often seen planted alone by a mailbox or neglected old landscape because they have outlived the original owners and the landscape service life. The root system of decades old plants may take up the underground volume of a large trash can. Yuccas look best when combined with other flowering plants providing texture and color. In mass plantings, yucca can create an interesting architectural look. Combined with ornamental grasses, yuccas can create stunning contrasts with winter grass colors of pink, orange and rust. Yucca flowers are pollinated exclusively by the yucca moth and deserve a place in native plant and pollinator gardens. This is a true 4-season "Once it's there, it's there forever" plant! Considered one of the best plants for solving your most difficult dry-shade landscape challenges.
Adam's needle yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen perennial. Blue-green leaves form rosettes about 2-3 feet tall and wide. Tall white flower spikes reliably appear on mature plants in May and June. If pollination is successful, attractive seed heads form later turning to black before cracking open. Although yuccas are more typical of western deserts and grasslands, this one is native to central and eastern United States. Tough as nails, yuccas are the ideal plant for a no-maintenance garden. Normally a plant has specific requirements for success but Adam's needle yucca has only one: it cannot tolerate growing in standing water or really wet soil. Plant in full sun to dry shade in any soil! In the landscape yuccas are often seen planted alone by a mailbox or neglected old landscape because they have outlived the original owners and the landscape service life. The root system of decades old plants may take up the underground volume of a large trash can. Yuccas look best when combined with other flowering plants providing texture and color. In mass plantings, yucca can create an interesting architectural look. Combined with ornamental grasses, yuccas can create stunning contrasts with winter grass colors of pink, orange and rust. Yucca flowers are pollinated exclusively by the yucca moth and deserve a place in native plant and pollinator gardens. This is a true 4-season "Once it's there, it's there forever" plant! Color Guard Yucca (Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard') is a beautiful variegated variety with a bright yellow stripe down the middle of the leaf. The yellow color turns pinkish red with full winter sun and cold temperatures creating a stunning effect. Landscape designers often count on this variety for winter color!
Adam's needle yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen perennial. Blue-green leaves form rosettes about 2-3 feet tall and wide. Tall white flower spikes reliably appear on mature plants in May and June. If pollination is successful, attractive seed heads form later turning to black before cracking open. Although yuccas are more typical of western deserts and grasslands, this one is native to central and eastern United States. Tough as nails, yuccas are the ideal plant for a no-maintenance garden. Normally a plant has specific requirements for success but Adam's needle yucca has only one: it cannot tolerate growing in standing water or really wet soil. Plant in full sun to dry shade in any soil! In the landscape yuccas are often seen planted alone by a mailbox or neglected old landscape because they have outlived the original owners and the landscape service life. The root system of decades old plants may take up the underground volume of a large trash can. Yuccas look best when combined with other flowering plants providing texture and color. In mass plantings, yucca can create an interesting architectural look. Combined with ornamental grasses, yuccas can create stunning contrasts with winter grass colors of pink, orange and rust. Yucca flowers are pollinated exclusively by the yucca moth and deserve a place in native plant and pollinator gardens. This is a true 4-season "Once it's there, it's there forever" plant! Color Guard Yucca (Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard') is a beautiful variegated variety with a bright yellow stripe down the middle of the leaf. The yellow color turns pinkish red with full winter sun and cold temperatures creating a stunning effect. Landscape designers often count on this variety for winter color!
Adam's Needle Yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen perennial. Blue-green leaves form rosettes about 2-3 feet tall and wide. Tall white flower spikes reliably appear on mature plants in May and June. If pollination is successful, attractive seed heads form later turning to black before cracking open. Although yuccas are more typical of western deserts and grasslands, this one is native to central and eastern United States. Tough as nails, yuccas are the ideal plant for a no-maintenance garden. Normally a plant has specific requirements for success but Adam's needle yucca has only one: it cannot tolerate growing in standing water or really wet soil. Plant in full sun to dry shade in any soil! In the landscape yuccas are often seen planted alone by a mailbox or neglected old landscape because they have outlived the original owners and the landscape service life. The root system of decades old plants may take up the underground volume of a large trash can. Yuccas look best when combined with other flowering plants providing texture and color. In mass plantings, yucca can create an interesting architectural look. Combined with ornamental grasses, yuccas can create stunning contrasts with winter grass colors of pink, orange and rust. Yucca flowers are pollinated exclusively by the yucca moth and deserve a place in native plant and pollinator gardens. This is a true 4-season "Once it's there, it's there forever" plant! 'Excalibur' is a beautiful compact bluish variety with lots of attractive curly white filaments on the edge of the leaves.