Common Name: Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum)
Common Name: Joe-Pye Weed
Zone: 5 to 9
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 4 to 6 feet
Spread: 3 feet
Bloom Time: July – September
Bloom Color: Light Purple Flowers
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Keep moist
Maintenance: Low
General Culture:
Eupatorium maculatum need full sun to partial shade with a moist rich soil mix. Keep plants moist for optimum growth.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
Eupatorium maculatum, or Joe-Pye Weed, is native to the Eastern and Central United States. It is a coarse, clumping perennial with a whorled leaf arrangement bearing 3-6 lanceolate leaves at each node. In nature, they will reach 4-6 feet (1-2 m) in height by about 3 foot (1 m) wide. In late July to early September, the plants are adorned with light purple flowers in terminal corymbs. Individual corymbs may reach up to 8 inches (20 cm) across. The flowers are lightly scented and they are very showy when planted in mass plantings.
Uses:
Grown in a container, they usually reach 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) tall. Joe-Pye Weeds are bold, architectural specimen plants, perfect for making a statement in the border.
Also it attracts butterflies and is a great cut flower.
Common Name: Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
Common Name: Sneezeweed
Zone: 3 to 8
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 2 to 5 feet
Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Bloom Time: August – October
Bloom Color: Yellow rays and dull yellow center disks
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium to wet
General Culture:
Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun. Prefers rich, moist soils. Intolerant of dry soils. Avoid over fertilization which may cause plants to grow too tall. Although not required, plants may be cut back in early June (at least six weeks before normal flowering) to reduce plant height and to encourage branching, thus leading to a more floriferous bloom, healthier foliage and less need for support. Remove spent flowers to encourage additional bloom. Cut back plants by 1/2 after flowering. Divide clumps as needed (every 3-4 years) to maintain vigor.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
Helenium: said to be named by Linnaeus after Helen of Troy, according to the legend that these flowers sprang up from the ground where her tears were supposed to have fallen. Autumnale: of the autumn, usually flowering then This sneezeweed is an erect, clump-forming, northeast native perennial which occurs in moist soils along streams, ponds or ditches and in spring-fed meadows, prairie and wet open ground. Powdered disk flowers and leaves of this species have in the past been dried and used as snuff, thus giving rise to the common name of sneezeweed.
Uses:
Borders. Also effective in prairies, meadows, cottage gardens, wild gardens, naturalized areas or in moist soils along bodies of water.
Common Name: Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Common Name: Wild Bergamot
Zone: 3 to 9
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Bloom Time: May to September
Bloom Color: Pink/Lavender
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
General Culture:
Best grown in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerates somewhat poor soils and some drought. Plants need good air circulation. Deadhead flowers to prolong summer bloom. Tends to self-seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
Wild bergamot a northeast native perennial which occurs in dryish soils on prairies, dry rocky woods and glade margins, unplanted fields and along roads and railroads. A clump-forming, mint family member that grows typically to 1-3′ tall. Blooms clusters of pink, lavender or white blossoms that look like ragged pompoms. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Long summer bloom period.
Uses:
Provides color and contrast for the herb garden, wild garden, native plant garden, meadow or naturalized area. May be used in the perennial border. The toothed, aromatic, oblong, grayish-green leaves (to 4″) may be used in teas. Oil from the leaves was formerly used to treat respiratory ailments.
Common Name: Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum)
Common Name: Switch Grass
Zone: 5 to 9
Plant Type: Ornamental grass
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Bloom Time: July – February
Bloom Color: Pink-tinged
Sun: Full sun, tolerates partial shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
General Culture:
Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerates wide range of soils, including dry ones, but prefers moist, sandy or clay soils. Tends to flop in rich soils. Generally best in full sun. Will grow in part shade, but begins to lose its columnar form in too much shade, growing more openly and possibly falling over. Cut back clumps to the ground in late winter to early spring. May be grown from seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
A northeast native it occurs in both wet and dry soils in prairies and open woods, gravel bars and stream banks and along railroad tracks. Switch grass is generally noted for its stiff, columnar form, and typically retains its vertical shape throughout the growing season. It is a clump-forming, warm season grass which typically grows to 3′ tall. When in flower, flower panicles may bring total plant height to 6′. Features medium green leaves which turn yellow (sometimes with orange tints) in autumn, fading to tan-beige in winter. Foliage clump is topped in mid-summer by finely-textured, pink-tinged, branched flower panicles which hover over the foliage like an airy cloud. Panicles turn beige as the seeds mature in fall with the seed plumes persisting well into winter.
Uses:
Accent, group or mass. Also effective as screen. Perennial borders, wild gardens, native plant gardens, prairies, meadows or naturalized areas. Also appropriate for water gardens and bog gardens. Seeds are a food source for birds in winter.
Common Name: Tall White Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis nutt)
Common Name: Tall White Beardtongue
Zone: 3 to 8
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Spread: 1.5 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: April – June
Bloom Color: White
Sun: Full Sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
General Culture:
Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid wet, poorly drained soils.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
This penstemon is a New York native perennial which typically grows 3-6′ tall and occurs in prairies, fields, wood margins, open woods and along railroad tracks. Features white, two-lipped, tubular flowers (to 1.25″ long) borne in panicles atop erect, rigid stems. Flowers bloom mid-spring to early summer. Basal leaves are elliptic and stem leaves are lance-shaped to oblong. Penstemon in Greek means five stamens (four are fertile and one is sterile). Penstemon is sometimes commonly called beard tongue because the sterile stamen has a tuft of small hairs. Attracts butterflies and birds.
Uses:
Mass in sunny borders, wild gardens, native plant gardens or naturalized areas
Common Name: American Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)
Common Name: American mountain mint
Zone: 3 to 7
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet
Bloom Time: July – September
Bloom Color: White, Light lavender
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
General Culture:
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil full sun to part shade. Enjoys moist environment. Grows along river banks.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
A northeast native, the common name of mountain mint is somewhat misleading since the plant typically occurs in moist soils in wet meadows, swamps and along streams and ponds. An erect, many-branched, herbaceous perennial that grows 1-3′ tall and features narrow, toothless, tapering leaves and profuse, somewhat flat-topped, terminal clusters of small, white, 2-lipped flowers which bloom in mid to late summer. All parts of the plant emit a strong, mint-like aroma when crushed.
Uses:
Interesting plant for the herb garden, border, naturalized area or meadow. Also may be grown in open areas near ponds and streams. Leaves can be used in teas. Attracts butterflies.
Sources:
USDA, http://plants.usda.gov
Missouri botanical Garden, www.mobot.org
