Perennials & Biennials
Showing 385–392 of 512 results
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Primula japonica Japanese primrose, Candelabra primrose in Japan called Kurin-sou Z 4-8
White, red, pink or purple primrose flowers in early summer. Each bearing a whorl of 3-6 flowers encircling each leafless stem, alternating with a bare section of leafless stem, then another whorl of flowers, then another section of bare stem, in tiers, like a ballerina’s tutu with bare midriff between. Basal mound of crinkled foliage
White, red, pink or purple primrose flowers in early summer. Each bearing a whorl of 3-6 flowers encircling each leafless stem, alternating with a bare section of leafless stem, then another whorl of flowers, then another section of bare stem, in tiers, like a ballerina’s tutu with bare midriff between. Basal mound of crinkled foliage
Size: 18”x 18”
Care: sun to part shade in moist, acidic soil. Moist soil important.
Native: Japan
Awards: Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden Great Plant Pick.Introduced to Western gardens by Robert Fortune, (1812-1889) English plant collector, 1870 but Jan 1876 issue of The Garden reported that it was “introduced some years ago by Mr. Bull…,” English plantsman. Listed in the 1873 catalog of Leichtlin’schen Gartens in Baden-Baden. British plant guru Wm. Robinson (1838-1895)called this “one of the best and most amiable of the species.” (1933)
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Primula veris Cowslip Z 3-8
Sunniest of yellow trumpet flowers announce the beginning of spring atop short, leafless stems
Sunniest of yellow trumpet flowers announce the beginning of spring atop short, leafless stems
Size: 8" x 8"
Care: part shade in moist to moist well-drained soil.
Native: Europe
Awards: England’s Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit and Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden Great Plant PicksPrimula is Italian “primavera” meaning first spring. Veris is redundant, meaning flowers in spring. According to legend, Cowslip decorated the entrance to Norse goddess Fryda’s palace. The blossoms were used to make wine; a recipe from the 1700’s called for water, sugar, lemon juice, egg whites and a “peck of cowslips.” Culpepper, a 1500’s herbalist, reported that cowslip extract made women “more beautiful.” Cowslip was a favorite Shakespearean plant. Grown at America’s 1st botanic garden, Elgin Botanic Garden 1811. Jefferson received cowslip seeds in 1824. Pressed specimen in Emily Dickinson’s herbarium.
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Primula x bulleesiana Candelabra primrose Z 4-7
From clustered stems, each bearing a whorl of 3-6 flowers encircling each leafless stem alternating with a bare section of leafless stem, then another whorl of flowers, then another section of bare stem, in tiers, like a ballerina’s tutu with bare midriff between. Each whorl blooms in succession from the bottom up. This blooms June – July in a rainbow of colors - red, orange, rose, cream, lavender and purple.
OUT OF STOCK
From clustered stems, each bearing a whorl of 3-6 flowers encircling each leafless stem alternating with a bare section of leafless stem, then another whorl of flowers, then another section of bare stem, in tiers, like a ballerina’s tutu with bare midriff between. Each whorl blooms in succession from the bottom up. This blooms June – July in a rainbow of colors – red, orange, rose, cream, lavender and purple.
Size: 18-24” x 12-18”
Care: Sun to part shade in moist to well-drained soil
Wildlife Value: Attracts butterflies. Deer resistant
Awards: Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit 1993Hybrid cross between Primula bulleyana and Primula beesiana (both parents are native to the Himalayas and China).
Collected in China, introduced to Britain in 1906 -
Pulmonaria angustifolia Narrow-leaf lungwort, Blue cowslip Z 4-8
One of the earliest to flower - Pink turning azure blue, trumpet-shaped flowers in April- May. Fuzzy foliage.
Welcome spring with this very early flower – Pink trumpet-shaped flowers turn deep blue in early sprng.. Fuzzy foliage.
Size: 12”x 12”
Care: full to part shade in moist to moist well-drained soil.
Native: Austria & Hungary.
Wildlife Value: walnut and deer tolerant. Early source of nectar for bees.
Awards: Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden MeritAngustifolia means “narrow leaves.” Grown in gardens before 1590’s.
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Pulmonaria saccharata ‘Mrs. Moon’ Greater lungwort, Bethlehem sage Z 3-8
In early spring funnel form pink flowers turn to blue above bristly, white mottled green foliage. Leaves attractive through fall
OUT OF STOCK
In earliest spring funnel form pink flowers turn to blue above bristly, white mottled green foliage. Leaves attractive through fall
Size: 8-18” x 18-24”
Care: full to part shade in moist well-drained soil
Native: species France & Italy
Wildlife Value: walnut and deer tolerant. Early source of nectar for bees.The species originally described by English botanist and gardener to Queen Mary, Leonard Plukenet (1641-1706) .Described by Philip Miller (1768) as having “spotted leaves as if they were incrusted with sugar.” ‘Mrs. Moon’ cultivar offered for sale in 1938 by Gardenside Nurseries in Shelburne VT. Name Pulmonaria from Latin pulmo or lung (e.g.today’s pulmonary) because the blotched leaves were considered to resemble lung disease. Saccharata comes from Latin word for sugar because the white bristly leaves resembled sugar coating.
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Pulsatilla vulgaris var. rubra syn. Anemone pulsatilla var. rubra Pasqueflower
Wine-red petals of bell-shape with yellow centers flowers in early spring. Fun, furry foliage
OUT OF STOCK
Wine-red petals of bell-shape with yellow centers flowers in early spring. Fun, furry foliage and Medusa-like seed heads.
Size: 12-20” x 4-8”
Care: sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil
Native: Europe
Wildlife Value: Deer resistant, early pollen source for bees.Called Pasqueflower because it blooms at Easter time. Variety rubra considered a separate species, not a variety, by Caspar Bauhin in Theatri botanici, 1671. Illustrated in Gerard’s Herball, 1636.
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Pycanthemum muticum Clustered Mountain Mint, Blunt Mountain Mint Z 4-8
Silvery bracts underlying silvery-pink pincushion flowers blooming from June to September. Flowers and leaves emit a minty fragrance.
Silvery bracts underlying silvery-pink pincushion flowers blooming from June to September. Flowers and leaves emit a minty fragrance.
Size: 12-36” x 12-36” spreading.
Care: sun to part shade in moist to well-drained soil, drought tolerant
Native: Maine to Michigan, south and angling southwest from Wisconsin to Texas
Wildlife Value: Deer resistant. One of highest nectar and pollen producing flowers, attracting copious numbers and kinds of bees, butterflies, wasps, and other insects.
Awards: Georgia Native Plant Society Plant of the Year 2022, Perennial Plant Society of the Year.Collected and described by French botanist André Michaux (1746-1802) who spent 11 years exploring the North America for plants. c. 1795.
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Pycanthemum virginianum Mountain mint Z 4-8
Corymbs of numerous pinkish-white blossoms, leaves fragrant.
Corymbs of numerous pinkish-white blossoms in August, leaves fragrant.
Size: 3' x 18"
Care: full sun to part shade in moist well-drained to well-drained soil
Native: Wisconsin native, Eastern U.S.
Wildlife Value: attracts butterflies, supports over 50 bee species.Named by Linnaeus in 1753. Pycanthemum is Greek meaning “dense blossom.” Chippewa used it to stop menstrual flow, cure chills and fever and to season meat. The plant gave the Meskwaki energy and lured minks into their traps. Lakota Sioux: “The leaves make a very pleasant tea. An infusion of the plant is taken for coughs.” Grown at America’s 1st botanic garden, Elgin Botanic Garden 1811
