Perennials & Biennials

Showing 121–128 of 512 results

  • Clematis fremontii Fremont’s leatherflower Z 4-7

    Purple to white nodding bells with petal tips flipped up on this short perennial – not a vine

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    Purple to white nodding bells with petal tips flipped up on this short perennial – not a vine

    Size: 12-18” x 12”
    Care: sun to part shade in moist to moist well-drained soil
    Native: Missouri, Kansas & Nebraska

    1st collected by John C. Fremont (1813-1890) celebrated American explorer, instigator of the “Bear Revolt” that made California independent from Mexico. Governor, then senator of California, owner of California gold mine, abolitionist (“free soil” Republican), leader of soldiers who massacred Native Americans, 1st candidate for president on the Republican ticket and Civil War general fired by Lincoln for freeing the slaves of Missouri.  After accumulating fabulous wealth (gold mine) and spending it all, he died in poverty in New York. I call him the most interesting American you never heard of.

  • Clematis heracleifolia in China 大叶铁线莲 da ye tie xian lian PERENNIAL SHRUB Z 3-8

    Hyacinth look alike sky blue flowers in August and September. One of internationally known garden designer Piet Oudolf’s 100 “MUST HAVE” plants, Gardens Illustrated 94 (2013)

    $17.95/bareroot

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    Hyacinth look alike sky blue flowers in August and September. One of internationally known garden designer Piet Oudolf’s 100 “MUST HAVE” plants, Gardens Illustrated 94 (2013)

    Size: 30” x 3’
    Care: sun in moist well-drained soil. Prune back to 6” above ground in spring
    Native: hillsides in central China
    Wildlife Value: attracts bees

    Collected by French missionary Armand David before 1841. ”A sub-shrubby kind from China, bearing large quantities of tubular blue flowers … “ H.H. Thomas 1915

  • Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis Purple clematis. Short-styled bluebell  Z 4-8

    Four petaled (sepals), purple, down-facing, 4” long bells flowering in spring encircling a bundle of styles and stamens.

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    Four petaled (sepals), purple, down-facing, 4” long bells flowering in spring encircling a bundle of styles and stamens.

    Size: 3-12” x 2’
    Care: sun to shade in moist well-drained to well-drained, alkaline soil
    Native: Maine to Minnesota south to Illinois and South Carolina and all states between, Wisconsin native. Endangered in three states; “of special concern” in Wisconsin and gone in Ohio.

    The species first described by Danish botanist Jens Wilken Hornemann in 1805. var. occidentalis is the eastern variety of the species (peculiarly called occidentalis meaning west.) The species and other varieties are native in western US.

  • Convallaria majalis Lily of the Valley Z 2-7

    Classic - dainty alabaster white bells perfume the air in spring.  Frangrance unmistakable.

    $7.75/pot

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    Classic – dainty alabaster white bells perfume the air in spring. Fragrance unmistakable.

    Can not ship to: Maryland

    Size: 9" x Spreading.
    Care: sun to shade in moist or moist well-drained soil.
    Native: north temperate zones in the world.
    Size: Makes a great groundcover under trees.

    Convallaria is Latin meaning “valley.”  Majalis means “May flowering.” Lily of the valley has been cultivated since at least 1000 B.C. The Norse goddess of dawn adopted it as her special flower. According to legend the plant first appeared at the spot where St. Leonard shed blood while conquering the dragons.  Grown in the garden of Johann Konrad von Gemmingen prince bishop of Eichstätt in Bavaria, c. 1600.    17th century herbalists used Lily of the Valley to improve memory and strengthen the heartbeat.  Robert Louis Stevenson reported medicinal uses in Kidnapped: “for sprains, rub it in; and for the cholic, a greate spooneful in the hour.”  Pink flowered varieties, striped and variegated ones grew in the 1500’s.  Grown by Jefferson at Monticello.  Pressed specimen in Emily Dickinson’s herbarium.

  • Coreopsis lanceolata Lanceleaf tickseed Z 4-9

    Golden yellow daisy-like flowers with pleated petals, jagged at their tips, June to September

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    Golden yellow daisy-like flowers with pleated petals, jagged at their tips, June to September

    Size: 24” x 18”
    Care: sun to part shade, moist well-drained soil
    Native: Central and southeastern U.S., WI native
    Wildlife Value: caterpillar food source

    Coreopsis is Greek meaning “buglike” referring to the seeds looking like little black bugs.  Cultivated in America since the 1700’s. Sent to England in 1724 by English naturalist Mark Catesby (1683-1749).

  • Coreopsis verticillata Thread leafed tickseed Z 4-9

    All summer into fall, free-blooming non-stop - yolk yellow daisies of 8 narrow spoon-shaped petals with a color matching center each atop a wiry stem. Cut back half-way to promote reblooming in fall.  

    $12.75/bareroot

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    All summer into fall, free-blooming non-stop – yolk yellow daisies of 8 narrow spoon-shaped petals with a color matching center each atop a wiry stem. Cut back half-way to promote reblooming in fall.

     

    Size: 24" x 18" spreading
    Care: Sun to part shade well-drained to moist well-drained soil, drought tolerant
    Native: S.E. U.S.
    Wildlife Value: attracts butterflies, Deer resistant

    Natives made a tea with the roots to remedy diarrhea and induce vomiting and a tea with the plant tops to make blood strong.  A drink made from boiling the entire plant was used to remedy internal pain and bleeding. Also made a red dye and a yellow dye.    Exported from its native America to England in 1759.

  • Cornus canadensis Bunchberry, Creeping dogwood Z 2-7Cornus canadensis syn. Chamaepericlymenum canadensis Bunchberry, Creeping dogwood Z 2-7

    Four white, pointed petal-like bracts in spring and showy scarlet berries in fall

    $10.25/each

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    Four white, pointed petal-like bracts in spring and showy scarlet berries in fall

    Size: 6” x spreading slowly
    Care: part shade in moist, ACIDIC soil. Needs moisture to establish
    Native: Northern areas from the east to the west coasts of No. America, Wisconsin native.
    Wildlife Value: Host for the caterpillar of the Spring azure butterfly. Pollen and nectar for many bees, wasps, ants, butterflies and beetles. Deer and rabbit resistant

    Flowers open faster than any other flower, in less than ½ millisecond. Abnaki Indians used it to cure side pains.  Algonquin made a cathartic tea, cured colds, and stomach aches with this.  Delaware reduced body pains with it. Chippewa, Cree and Eskimo smoked the berries.  Probably 1st collected for gardens by John Bartram (1699-1776).  Offered for sale at his nursery near Philadelphia. Sent to Dr. Fothergill in London in 1774. “One of the prettiest plants for the bog garden or the cool parts of the rock garden.” William Robinson 1899.  Pressed specimen in Emily Dickinson’s herbarium.

  • Cortusa matthiola syn. Primula matthioli Alpine bells Z 4-9

    Demure purple, drooping bells atop a short scape arising from a low carpet of foliage in May-June.

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    Demure purple, drooping bells atop a short scape arising from a low carpet of foliage in May-June.

    Size: 9” x 10”
    Care: shade to part shade in moist soil
    Native: Alps

    Discovered in a valley near Vincenza Italy in the foothills of the eastern Alps by Padua botany professor J.A. Cortusus. His friend Mattioli (1500-1577) named it for him and the species was named for Mattioli.  According to Mattioli women used the leaves to color their cheeks pink: “the leaves applied to the cheeks, and shortly removed, occasion a beautiful colour, resembling that from the finest rouge. . .” Gerard grew this in London in the 1590’s but it was “at all times rare.”    Profiled in 1807 in Curtis’ Botanical Magazine, plate 987