Anemone
These perennials require little maintenance to produce a spectacular display of blooms. Anemone Overview DESCRIPTION Also known as windflower, anemones are grown for their beautiful, nodding blooms on long, wiry stems. The foliage looks similar between varieties, but size and bloom times vary between spring, summer, or fall. Fall-blooming Japanese anemones are particularly noteworthy because they fill the midsummer-to-fall gap in gardens. GENUS NAME Anemone COMMON NAME Anemone PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 3 feet FLOWER COLOR Pink, White FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 PROPAGATION Division, Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant, Groundcover Colorful Combinations Anemones’ timeless grace enhances any garden. Depending on species, anemones can be some of the earliest perennials up. Those spring plants typically cover woodland floors with…
Amaryllis
Amaryllis Overview DESCRIPTION Amaryllis is an easy bulb to grow. Its enormous cluster of trumpet-shape blooms may require staking to keep them upright, but blooms may last for up to 6 weeks. Keep the plant cool (60-65 degrees F) while in bloom but slightly warmer at other times when it is actively growing. It needs bright light and evenly moist soil, except when it is dormant. Force the bulb to go dormant in late summer or early fall by withholding water and placing it in a cool, dry location for a couple of months. Resume watering and move it to a warm spot to force new growth. GENUS NAME Hippeastrum_ hybrids COMMON NAME Amaryllis PLANT TYPE Bulb, Houseplant HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 6 to 12 inches FLOWER COLOR Pink, Red, White SEASON FEATURES Spring Bloom, Winter Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Low Maintenance PROPAGATION Division More varieties for Amaryllis ‘Benfica’…
Amaranth
This plant looks especially pretty in dried flower arrangements. Amaranth Overview DESCRIPTION An easy-to-grow annual with a big garden presence, amaranth may be tricky to find in garden centers but can be grown from seed. It is commonly called love-lies-bleeding or tassel flower because of the ropelike, deep magenta flower stalks it produces. The flower stalks emerge midsummer and lengthen until the first frost. The flowers stalks hold their color as they extend 12 inches or more toward the ground. Another type of Amaranthus has the common name Joseph’s coat. Unlike love-lies-bleeding, Joseph’s coat doesn’t produce ropes of flowers. Instead, it has colorful foliage in shades of red, orange, and green, or all of the above. GENUS NAME Amaranthus COMMON NAME Amaranth PLANT TYPE Annual LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 3 feet FLOWER COLOR Green, Orange, Red FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Summer…
Alstroemeria
PHOTO: EDWARD GOHLICH The cut flower of all cut flowers, alstroemeria (Alstroemeria sp.) is a staple flower for mixed bouquets. With blooms that can last up to two weeks and a color palette almost as wide as the spectrum, these perennial plants became a commodity for the flower markets and worked their way into home gardens. The flowers of the alstroemeria plant are so interesting and diverse that they are often likened to orchid flowers. You can always find an alstroemeria to meet your design needs, thanks to the wide variety of color combinations available. The center three petals on these beautiful blooms feature streaks and speckles that are almost reminiscent of whiskers. Some flowers come in multicolor blooms with brushstrokes of color. Alstroemeria Overview GENUS NAME Alstroemeria COMMON NAME Alstroemeria PLANT TYPE Bulb, Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FLOWER COLOR Orange, Pink, Purple, Red,…
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera Overview DESCRIPTION Aloe vera is an eye-catching perennial that displays lance-shape succulent leaves decorated with white spots and edged with small whitish teeth. The leaves are known for their gel-like sap often used to soothe burns and moisturize skin. Native to hot, dry regions of Africa, this herbaceous perennial prefers frost-free, sunny, well-drained sites where the night temperature never dips below 50 degrees F. Thankfully, adaptable aloe vera makes a great houseplant; use it on its own or let it add vertical interest to a container of vining houseplants, such as philodendron or ivy. Exceptionally easy to grow, aloe vera is a good choice for a new gardener. GENUS NAME Aloe vera COMMON NAME Aloe Vera PLANT TYPE Herb, Houseplant LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 6 to 12 inches FLOWER COLOR Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green, Gray/Silver SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10,…
How to Plant and Grow Allium
These flowers look like they were plucked right out of a Dr. Seuss book. Because the perennial plant allium has relatively unobtrusive foliage that blends in quite well with surrounding plants, they’re easy to mix and mingle with other plants in the garden. Depending on the species and cultivar, they’re hardy in zones 4-9. Allium is easily recognized by its big, round head of flowers, though some types may be less showy than others. In addition, their onion smell is a powerful deterrent to hungry animals. Allium Overview GENUS NAME Allium COMMON NAME Allium PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 12 inches WIDTH 6 to 12 inches FLOWER COLOR Blue, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division,…
How to Plant and Grow Ajuga
With a wide variety of foliage colors, usually in the rich deep burgundy realm and sometimes with cream and pink edges, ajuga (Ajuga reptans) makes a beautiful groundcover. The foliage is generally crinkled and very glossy as well. However, if you think this is just a foliage plant, you will get quite the surprise as spring eases into summer. Then, ajuga is covered in little spikes of bright blue, purple, pink or white blossoms. Ajuga’s common names are carpetweed and bugleweed, so you’d be right in assuming that this plant is a vigorous grower. Each growing point on the plant is actually a little rosette of foliage. Ajuga spreads steadily by sending out plenty of wandering stolons, which are essentially horizontal roots growing outward from the plant. From each node on a stolon, the plant sends down roots and forms another crown of leaves—so that as they grow, they create more…
Agave
Agave Overview DESCRIPTION The agave species is known for its architectural foliage available in a variety of colors. Some stay small enough for a pot; others send flower spikes that can reach heights of over 30 feet when in bloom. No matter the size, shape, color, or texture, agave adds drama to any garden. Parts of the plant can be made into agave nectar, tequila, and the fiber known as sisal. GENUS NAME Agave COMMON NAME Agave PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 10 feet FLOWER COLOR Green, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green, Chartreuse/Gold SEASON FEATURES Summer Bloom, Winter Interest SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division, Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant Colorful Combinations The many different variegated forms and varieties make it easy to find an agave to suit your…
Agapanthus
These gorgeous flowers add the perfect splash of blue to the landscape during summer and fall. These wonderful plants are blooming machines, which you can think of as essentially the tropical equivalent of the daylily. A landscape staple in warm-winter regions, agapanthus is a low-maintenance perennial that produces colorful clusters of blue or white trumpet-shape flowers in summer and fall. Agapanthus has strappy, green leaves add texture to beds, borders, and containers, too. Agapanthus Overview GENUS NAME Agapanthus COMMON NAME Agapanthus PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH null to 3 feet FLOWER COLOR Blue, White SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division, Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant Rhizome Roots Agapanthus grows and spreads by fleshy rhizomes that also act as a type of storage root. This means…
African Violet
This low-growing houseplant has thick, fuzzy leaves and colorful blooms. PHOTO: KRITSADA PANICHGUL Blooming off and on during the winter months, African violets unfurl pretty flowers in shades of white, pink, red, purple, and blue. Some varieties also feature double blooms and ruffled petals. The individual flowers last for a week or more. Count on the plants to be in bloom for about a month before taking a short break and erupting in a profusion of flowers again. African Violet Overview DESCRIPTION Blooming off and on during the winter months, African violets unfurl pretty flowers in shades of white, pink, red, purple, and blue. Some varieties also feature double blooms and ruffled petals. The individual flowers last for a week or more. Count on the plants to be in bloom for about a month before taking a short break and erupting in a profusion of flowers again. GENUS NAME Saintpaulia…