Plants A-Lig
The following is a list of the many local native and non-natives mountain-hearty plants you may find at our annual Plant Sale. We've included basic care information, scientific and common names, and a photo.
Happy Gardening!
Ajuga (N)
Ajuga reptans
Partial Shade | 0'-6" Tall
With a wide variety of foliage colors, usually in the rich deep burgundy realm, and sometimes cream and pink edges, Ajuga makes a beautiful ground cover. As spring eases into summer, Ajuga is covered in little spikes of blue-violet blossoms. Creeping and dense, it spreads quickly. Propagate by division or seed.
Resistant to: Deer and rabbits.
Zones: 3a - 10b
Astilbe
Astilbe Arendsii and Astilbe chinensis "Pumila"
Partial Shade | 2 - 4 ft. tall (arendsii); 8-12 in. tall (chinensis)
Blooms on long feathery spikes. Feed strongly in Summer. Should be divided every three years. Astilbe arendsii has red, white or pink blooms in early Summer.
Astilbe chinensis "Pumila" Mauve blooms in late Summer. Grows on runners so it is easy to divide. Good in rock garden or borders. Can tolerate drier soil. Mupltiplies quickly, generating many new plants each year. Foliage is feathery.
Zones: 3a - 9b
Stoke's Aster (N)
Stokesia laevis
Full Sun to Light Shade | 12-24 in. tall
Stoke's Aster prefers moist soil with good drainage. It will tolerate occasionally wet soil. The showy lavender-blue flowers appear in early summer. Its leaves persist through the winter, in dark green, attractive rosettes.
Resistant to: Drought, deer, and rabbits.
Zones: 5a - 9a
Bee Balm
Monarda didyma
Sun to partial shade | 2-4 ft tall
In the Mint family. Edible flowers can be white, pink, lavender, purple or vibrant red. Divide in Spring or Fall. Spreads very easily and can look weedy; best to place in back of garden. Watch for powdery mildew. Used in teas, flavor jellies, soups, stews, and fruit salads.
Attracts: Pollinators and Hummingbirds
Wildlife Food Source
Resistant to: Deer and Rabbits
Zones: 4a - 9b
Bleeding Heart (N)
Dicentra spectabilils
Deep to partial shade | 1-3 ft tall
Flowers are heart shaped in red, pink and white. Blooms in early Spring. Flowering may last more than 4 weeks in our cool mountains. Dies back to the ground when hot weather arrives. An old fashioned perennial that blooms larger and more spectacularly each year.
Dicentra exima. Does not die back in Spring.
Zones: 3a - 8b
Bloodroot (N)
Sanguinaria canadensis
Deep-to-Partial Shade | Groundcover
Found in moist, nutrient-rich forests or natural areas in rich woods. Landscape in flower gardens as an herbaceous perennial.
1.5-2" Bright white flowers, blooms in March-April.
Bright orange-red sap in thick rootstock.
This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
Zones: 3-8
Bottlebrush Buckeye
Aesculus parviflora
Partial Shade to Deep Shade | 8-12 ft tall / 8-15 ft wide
This plant is a perennial, multi-stemmed deciduous suckering shrub with erect, white flowers that bloom in early summer.
Blooming can be quite spectacular! Flowers are followed by the nut called a buckeye and are not edible.
Prefers rich, fertile, well-drained moist soil. Attracts pollinators, hummingbirds and butterflies.
Poisonous to humans
Problem for cats, dogs and horses
Zones: 5a-9b
Campanula
Campanula carpatica
Full sun to partial shade | Groundcover
Campanula, also known as Bellflowers or Harebell, is an easy-to-grow, herbaceous perennial with a mounding, compact, low-growing habit with showy blue, purple, or white upward-facing bell-shaped flowers. Campanula requires well drained soils. Blue to violet blooms July to September.
May be susceptible to powdery mildew and rust.
Zones: 3a - 8b
Cardinal Flower (N)
Lobelia cardinalis
Full Sun to Partial Shade | 4-5 ft tall
Easily grown in rich, medium to wet soil, this perennial is most effective in moist areas of woodland/shade gardens, wet meadows, or along streams or ponds.
The soil should never be allowed to dry out. The brilliant red blooms of the cardinal flower first mature in July and continue into October. The showy flowers are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Zones: 3a-9b
Celandine Poppy
Stylphorum diphyllum
Partial to full shade / 1 - 1.5 ft tall
In the Poppy family. Has yellow blooms and beautiful seed pods. Self Seeds. Forms good clumps in borders or rock gardens.
Zones: 4-9
CatMint
Nepeta subsessilis (Japanese catmint)
Full Sun to Light Shade | 18 - 23 inches
Different in habit from the low, edging types of Catmint, this species forms a bushy, upright mound of fragrant, glossy green leaves. Clusters of tubular violet-blue flowers appear through the summer. A good mid-border selection, also excellent in containers. Flowers are nice for cutting. Clumps may be pruned back hard in July to rejuvenate the foliage and encourage repeat flowering in the autumn. Easily divided in early spring. Attractive to butterflies.
Zones: 3-8
Clinton's Lily (N)
Clintonia umbellulata
Deep Shade to Partial Shade | Groundcover
This herbaceous perennial wildflower is an excellent ground cover for shady spots. Clusters of white flowers speckled with green and purple bloom from May to June. Black, spherical berries follow the flowers.
Does best in rich, moist, acidic soil. Spreads by means of rhizomes. To propagate, divide the clumps or runners in fall or early spring.
Attracts: Bees, Pollinators and Songbirds
Zones: 4a-8b
Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia aurea
Full Sun to Shade | Groundcover
Fast-spreading, year-round ground cover with yellow foliage. Samll yellow buttercup blooms in early summer. Works well as an underplanting around Hostas, Lenten Roses and other shade plants.
Zones: 3-9
Coneflower (N)
Echinacea purpurea
Full Sun to Partial Shade | 3-4 ft tall / 1-2 ft wide
Coneflower is an herbaceous perennial wildflower, in the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Its pinkish-purple flowers mature in early summer through mid-fall. Grows in deep, well-drained soil and is tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soils.
Has a clumping habit, so best to divide in Spring every 3 years. Root cuttings can be made in autumn.
Attracts songbirds, pollinators, bees and especially butterflies.
Resistant to: Deer
Zones: 3a-8b
Coral Bells (N)
Heuchera
Full Sun to Partial Shade | 6-20 in. tall / 6-20 in. wide
This native, herbaceous perennial has colorful foliage, tiny bell-shaped flowers and a tidy, clumping habit. Flowering begins in June and continues throughout the growing season. Prefers a slightly acidic pH and moist, well-drained soil amended with organic matter. Can be grown in the sun or shade depending on the variety.
Plant in early Spring or late Fall. Mulch to protect the plant's roots in the winter. Divide every 3 to 4 years. Attracts pollinators, hummingbirds and butterflies.
Resistant to: Deer and Rabbit
Zones: 3a-9b
Coreopsis (N)
Coreopsis grandiflora
Full Sun | 1 - 3 ft. tall
Coreopsis is a perennial plant that grows in upright clumps and features masses of bright, showy, daisy-like flowers all summer. Foliage size varies. Prefers a sunny location with well-drained soil.
The common name, Tickseed, is supposedly for the round seeds' resemblance to ticks. Birds and other wildlife love to snack on the seeds during the fall and winter. Attracts bees and butterflies.
Zones: 4a-9b
Crocosmia
Montbretia
Full Sun | 2-3 ft. tall
Herbaceous Perennial. Clumping form, divide cormes in the early Spring. Prefers well drained soils. Red or orange tubular blooms. Sword-like foliage. Excellent cut flowers. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies are attracted to the flowers.
Zones: 6a-9b
Oxeye Daisy
Leurcanthemum vulgare
Full Sun | 1-2 ft. tall
The oxeye daisy is a perennial plant in the Compositae family that looks like several flowers in the Aster family.
It is often confused with the ornamental Shasta Daisy - which is taller with larger flowers and toothed whole leaf. The Oxeye Daisy leaf has deep lobes. Prefers well-drained soil and full sun, but can tolerate some shade. It has some invasive potential on native plants. White flowers with yellow centers bloom in early Summer.
Zones: 4-8
Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum x superbum
Full Sun | 1-3 ft. tall
This tall perennial plant has white blooms with yellow centers in the early Summer. The large blooms are 2 - 4 inches wide, and attract butterflies. Deadheading promotes long blooming. (Plant in front of hydrangeas.)
Resistant to deer.
Zones: 4a-9b
Daylily
Hemerocallis
Full Sun | 1-3 ft. tall / 1-3 ft. wide
Day Lillies are herbaceous perennials, with arching, clumping, spreading forms. There are thousands of hybrids, and most grow here. Hybrids are available in all sizes and colors (except blue and white). Long blooming season - some are repeat bloomers.
Attracts butterflies, birds and pollinators.
Zones: 3a-9b
Dianthus
Full Sun to Partial Shade | 4-36 in. tall / 12-24 in. wide
Ground cover. Pink/Purple/Lavender blooms on long feathery spikes in Spring and early Summer.
Prefers well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. Feed strongly in Summer. Should be divided every three years.
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, and Pollinators
Resistant to deer
Zones: 4a - 9b
Dog Hobble (N)
Leucothoe fontanesiana
Light Shade | 3-4 ft. tall / 4-8 ft. wide
Native, perennial, evergreen shrub with broadly arching stems. Drooping clusters of waxy, urn-shaped creamy white flowers bloom in May-June. Good cut flower. Highly toxic, all parts of plant are poisonous and may be fatal if eaten. Attracts bees, butterflies and pollinators. Resistant to deer.
Zones: 4a - 6b
False Solomon’s Seal (N)
Maianthemum racemosum
Full to Partial Shade / 2-3 ft. tall 3-4 ft. wide
A perennial, native woodland plant that gets its common name from its superficial resemblance to Solomon’s seal. The roots do not like to be disturbed - flowering will be affected for a year or two. Prefers moist, rich, well-drained soils, but it also tolerates drier, rockier conditions.
Fragrant flowers bloom late spring and early summer. They are followed by clusters of small rounded berries. Birds, bees, small mammals use the fruit as a food source. Divide the clumps in spring or fall, as needed.
Zones: 3a-8b
Flowering Dogwood (N)
Cornus florida
Full Sun to Partial Shade | 15-25 ft. tall / 15-30 ft. wide
Native, perennial, deciduous, spring flowering understory tree. Yellow, Pink or White flowers bloom in early Spring before leaf-out, March-May. Plant in well-drained soil. Flowers attract butterflies and specialized bees. Red fruits are a food source for songbirds and other wildlife in the winter months.
Zones: 5a-9b
Epimedium
Deep Shade - Dappled Sunlight | 8-10 in. tall / 12-18 in. wide
Commonly called Bishop's Hat or Barrenwort, use these perennial plants as a ground cover in the shade or woodland garden. Prefers moist but well-drained fertile soils. Small, four-pointed flowers in shades of red, pink, white, and yellow bloom between May and June. Divide every 3 to 4 years to ensure plant vigor.
Zones: 5a-8b
Euphorbia
Full Sun | 12-18 in. tall / 12-24 in. wide
Commonly called spurge. The species of Euphorbia grown for landscape use are mostly succulents, which feature fascinating shapes and foliage, but a few are known for their flowers. Most Euphorbias bloom in the Spring or Summer and go dormant in the Winter. Prefer well-drained soil, preferably a cactus mix. Drought tolerant.
Zones: 5a-11b
Foam Flower (N)
Tiarella cordifolia
Partial shade to shade | 5-12 in. tall / 12-18 in. wide
Foam Flower is a small, delicate native herbaceous perennial flower grown in gardens for its neat, interesting foliage and small spikes of creamy white to pink flowers. Can be used as ground cover. Likes moist soil with rich organic matter. Blooms in mid-Spring. Spreads by short runners.
Zones: 3a-8b
Autumn Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora
Dappled - Deep Shade | 1.5-2 ft. tall / 2-3 ft. wide
Small perennial fern that reproduces via spores.
Forms an arching vase-shaped clump. Prefers acidic high organic matter soils that stay moist. Spreads slowly through underground creeping rhizomes. Leaf colors are Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Red/Burgundy.
Resistant to: Deer and rabbits
Zones: 6b-12b
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Part Shade - Full Shade | 1-3 ft. tall / 1-3 ft. wide
Perennial, woody, dense, broadleaf evergreen that grows in a fountain-like form. Excellent plant to combat soil erosion on slopes. Will not spread, however its clumps will increase in size over time.
Zones: 3a-9b
Cinnamon Fern (N)
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Part Shade - Full Shade | 2-6 ft. tall / 2-4 ft. wide
Stately fern foliage with curled, fragile cinnamon spikes that form in spring and remain through fall. Leaves form circular clusters of arching fronds.Best grown in organically rich, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. This native perennial is slow to establish, but long-lived. Resistant to: Deer
Zones: 4a-9b
Japanese Painted Fern
Athyrium niponicum var. pictum
Dappled - Deep Shade | 1.5-2 ft. tall / 1.5-2 ft. wide
Herbaceous perennial with tricolored fronds of maroon, medium green, and silvery gray. First fronds are in the spring, new fronds in summer. Prefers moist, rich soil, with high organic content. When grown in light shade, the Japanese painted fern has its best color. Plants spread by creeping and branching rhizomes, eventually forming a clump. Resistant to: Deer and rabbits
Zones: 4a-9b
Lady Fern (N)
Athyrium asplenioides
Dappled Shade | 2-3 ft. tall / 2-3 ft. wide
This native, perennial fern has lacy, broad deciduous leaves. Found growing in meadows, open thickets, and moist woods. Spreads by underground rhizomes and will form a dense ground cover over time. Easily grown in sandy or clay loams. Provides cover for wildlife.
Resistant to: Deer
Zones: 5a-9b
Ostrich Fern
Onoclea struthiopteris
Part Shade - Full Shade | 3-5 ft. tall / 2-4 ft. wide
This deciduous fern is especially showy with its erect rosette crown of bright green fronds. Each frond can grow up to four feet long. Plant in the shade, but can tolerate sun with cool temperatures and adequate moisture. Good along a slope to prevent erosion. Plants reproduce via spores. Divide the crowns in the spring to propagate. Resistant to: Deer
Zones: 3a-8b
Royal Fern (N)
Osmunda regalis
Dappled - Partial Shade | 5-6 ft. tall / 2-3 ft. wide
An herbaceous perennial, usually occurring on moist bluffs and ledges, and along streams, is a tall, deciduous broadleaf fern best grown in medium-to-wet soils. Golden clusters of spore cases appear on the stalks in the summer. Fronds typically turn yellow to brown in autumn. Attracts songbirds and small mammals. Full sun exposure is not recommended. Resistant to: Deer.
Zones: 3a-10b
Forget-Me-Not
Myosotis sylvatica
Light Shade | 6-12 in. tall / 6-10 in. wide
The Woodland Forget-Me-Not is a spring flowering, herbaceous perennial ground cover, often grown as an annual. Light blue blooms in Spring to early Summer. Pink and white blooming cultivars also grow well. Easily spreads by self-sowing its own seeds. Deadhead to reduce volunteer seedlings. Attracts small butterflies.
Zones: 3a-8b
Forsythia
Full Sun | 3-10 ft. tall / 4-7 ft. wide
Border forsythia, or Golden Bell, ushers in Spring with its vivid golden yellow flowers. Easy to grow, this plant does best in loose, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Tolerates poor garden soils, urban conditions, and drought. Flowers appear on old growth, so pruning should be done immediately after spring flowering. Layering and stem cutting for propagation strategy. Resistant to: Deer.
Zones: 5a-8b
Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea
Full Sun - Partial Shade | 2-5 ft. tall / 1-2.5 ft. wide
Yellow foxgloves are strong-stemmed plants with nodding bell-like flowers that bloom in May/June. It prefers moist, well-drained soil, high in organic matter that should not be allowed to dry out. It is a biennial, having only a rosette of leaves the first year. In the second year, a tall spike appears with showy blooms on a densely packed one-sided raceme.
Zones: 4a-9b
