Distinctive Foliage

Family:  Rosaceae
Zone: 3 - 9
Natural Range: North America
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: sun, part shade
Height: 8-14"
Attributes: Deciduous.  Ground-cover type of growth with glossy foliage, white flowers in spring, dark purple berries in late summer, and orange-red fall foliage.
Notes:  Developed by Dr. Mark Brand, University of Connecticut.

Pot size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid;  PP35461 CPBRAF
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 28"
Bloom Time: April to May
Attracts:  Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous, clumping.  Deep burgundy leaves with rosy purple flowers.
Notes: Great combo of dark leaves and dark flowers.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 3 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 2'
Bloom Time: April to May
Attracts:  Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous, clumping, Gold fern-like leaves ringed in wine red.  Spikes of pink bottlebrush-like flowers.
Notes: Does best with full spring sun and a bit of afternoon shade in summer.  A Darrell Probst introduction.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height:  2.5'
Bloom Time: July to August
Attracts:  Butterflies, Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous.  Golden yellow spring growth turning to a luminous yellow.  As the season progresses most of the upper foliage turns a light green. Delicately arching plumes of white flowers.
Notes: This was a form originally introduced from Japan

Pot Size:4" Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 3 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 20"
Bloom Time: April to May
Attracts:  Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous, clumping.  Graceful plumes of cream-white with pink.  Glossy, dark colored  foliage.
Notes: Smaller growing variety.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 3 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 12"
Bloom Time: April to May
Attracts:  Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous, clumping.  Graceful plumes of pink.  Dark crisp foliage.
Notes: Smaller growing variety.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 8"
Bloom Time: July to August
Attracts:  Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous, clumping.  Pink flowers.  Dark crisp foliage.
Notes: Smaller growing variety.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Blechnaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Chili, Argentina
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade to Sun
Height: 6" - 10"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen ground-cover of crowded fronds with taller fertile fronds.
Notes:  Grows like a larger scale version of Austroblechnum penna-marina.  Our stock plants were shared with us by fern aficionado Judith Jones of Fancy Fronds Nursery.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Blechnaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: New Zealand
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade to Sun
Height: 6"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen, Orange-red new growth.  Thick dark green, glossy fronds.
Notes: Grows faster with constant moisture.  Spreading rhizome making a ground-cover over time.  Recently re-classified from Blechnum to Austroblechnum.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Cupressaceae
Zone:  7 - 10
Natural Range: S Chile, S Argentina
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 25' - 50'
Attributes:  Evergreen, short trunk and narrow crown.  Red-brown bark, peeling in threads.
Notes:  Native to the Valdivian temperate rain forests and drier steppe-forests of central-southern Chile and Argentina.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Ranunculaceae
Zone: 5-9
Natural Range: China, Japan
Soil: moist, well drained
Light: part shade-shade
Bloom Time:May to September
Height: 16"
Attributes: White flowers held above the foliage.  Heart shaped, evergreen, glossy bronze-green leaves.
Notes:  One of the  best foliage plants for the shady garden.  Durable and showy.

Pot Size:  Quart Pot

Family:  Begoniaceae
Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: China
Soil: moist, well drained
Light: part-shade, shade
Height: 18"
Bloom Time: September to November
Attributes: Deciduous. Red stems with dark green foliage speckled with silvery white.  Pink flowers.
Notes:  A showy species. Mulch crown in colder zones. A Shayne Chandler and Dan Hinkley collection.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Begoniaceae
Zone:  8 - 11
Natural Range:  Himalayas
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part sun, shade
Height:  18"
Bloom Time:  Fall
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Silver and dark green leaves with deep red on the underside.  Pink flowers fall and winter.
Notes: This species originated from the forests of Northeastern India.  Mulch crown in fall.

Pot size: 4" Band Pot

Family:  Begoniaceae
Zone:  8 - 11
Natural Range:  Himalayas
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part sun, shade
Height:  18"
Bloom Time:  Fall
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deeply cut glossy green foliage with red on the underside. 
Notes: This species originated from the forests of Northeastern India.  Mulch crown in fall.

Pot size: 4" Band Pot

Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 4' - 8'
Bloom Time: 
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Yellow flowers from 15-25 clusterd at one joint.  Black fruit.  Long, lanceolae leaves to 5" long with short spiny margins. 
Notes: One of the finest Berberis for foliage.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Berberidaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range:  Tibet
Soil:  Average
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 4' - 8'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  Bees, Birds
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Arching stems, with glaucous foliage with white beneath.  Pale yellow flowers to about 1/2" long.  Red fall foliage.  Red fruit.
Notes: Striking species discovered by Kingdon Ward on Temo La. 

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 5 - 8
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil: Moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 12"
Bloom Time: March to April
Attracts: NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: White flowers that turn pink with age emerge before new growth early in the spring.  Large leaves with ruffled edge.
Notes: One of the best species of Bergenia to grow in the garden.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Blechnaceae
Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: South America
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 8"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen, semi-evergreen, Orange-red new growth.  Leathery fronds.
Notes: Nice low growing fern that forms a spreading clump.  Collected by Ben Kamm of Sacred Succulents.   Found growing on Rocky slopes in Peru, 9600' elevation.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Blechnaceae
Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: South America
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 8"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen, semi-evergreen, Orange-red new growth.  Leathery fronds.
Notes: Nice low growing fern that forms a spreading clump.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range: South America
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 3' - 5'
Attributes:  Semi-evergreen.  Orange-bronze new growth.  Thick, dark green, crinkly fronds.  Spreading rhizome.  Like all Blechnum species new growth doesn't emerge until late in the spring.  Will continually send up new growth during the growing season.  
Notes:  Very bold and exotic looking fern for temperate gardens.  In cold climates best if fronds are left on to insulate during cold spells.  Clean up fronds late winter early spring.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Lamiaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Hybrid; Callicarpa x 'NCCX2' USPP 28,312; CBRAF
Soil:  Average humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 4' - 5'
Bloom Time:  August to September
Attributes: Deciduous. Dark purple foliage, purple-pink buds, white flowers and bright purple-pink berries.  Vigorous, upright habit.
Notes:  Great foliage. Developed by Dr. Tom Ranney at NCSU

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family: Lamiaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Hybrid
Soil:  Average humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 3' - 4'
Bloom Time:  July to August
Attributes: Deciduous. Pink flowers in summer.  Early crop of bright purple berries.
Notes:  Callicarpa dichotoma has rounder, gracefully arching habit.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:Liliaceae
Zone: 5 - 9

Natural Range:Japan
Soil: Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 4' - 6'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attracts: Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Pest Resistance: Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous. Like its Himalayan cousin but smaller scale. Glossy bronze new foliage . Fragrant white flowers, a greenish tinged dark center
Notes: Bulb forms offsets. Plant so the top is showing

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade
Attributes:  Deciduous, 6' 10' tall. Large glossy Hosta like foliage emerges early in the spring in a rosette.  Large fragrant white and purplish red trumpet flowers in late spring, early summer.  Interesting seed pods in fall and winter.
Notes:  Bulb forms offsets, and many seeds, that if unharvested will germinate randomly throughout a garden.  The key is to plant bulbs so the top inch is above the soil.

Pot Size: Large Band Pot

Family: Betulaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Eastern North America
Soil:  Average humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 20'
Bloom Time:  April
Attributes: Deciduous.  Small tree with rounded canopy.  Toothed foliage tapering at the tip.  Green hop-like flowers and fruit.
Notes:  Attractively shaped and graceful, low-maintenance under-story tree for shady gardens.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family: Betulaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Eastern North America
Soil:  Average humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 20'
Bloom Time:  April
Attributes: Deciduous.  Small tree with rounded canopy.  Toothed foliage tapering at the tip.  Green hop-like flowers and fruit.
Notes:  This selection has stunning fall foliage and fruit. Attractively shaped and graceful, low-maintenance under-story tree for shady gardens.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Betulaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Eastern North America
Soil:  Average humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 20'
Bloom Time:  April
Attributes: Deciduous.  Small tree with rounded canopy.  Toothed foliage tapering at the tip.  Green hop-like flowers and fruit.
Notes:  This selection is noted for its better fall foliage consisting of red, orange and yellow.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Betulaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Japan, China, Korea 
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height: 10' - 25'
Attributes: Deciduous. Red-bronze new growth , deeply pleated leaves.  Attractive pendulous flowers resembling hops.  Good yellow fall color.
Notes: A stunning textural plant.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Betulaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Korea
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:part shade, sun
Height: 20'
Attributes: Deciduous. Fine branching with serrated, deeply veined foliage.  Good yellow fall color.
Notes: Makes a great small specimen tree.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Betulaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Korea
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:part shade, sun
Height: 20'
Attributes: Deciduous. Fine branching with serrated, deeply veined foliage.  Good yellow fall color.
Notes: This form was selected for its narrow, columnar growth.  Makes a great small specimen tree.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot 2' - 3'

Family:  Betulaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China; 
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light:part shade, sun
Height: 20' - 40'
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Deciduous. Purplish brown branchlets.  Brown grey bark.  Ovate-lanceolate leaves with deep veins emerge in bronze tones changing to olive green.  Monoecius catkin-like flower bracts to almost a foot long. 
Notes: One of the most attractive and hard to find recently introduced trees.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot 18" - 24"

Family: Betulaceae
Zone:4 - 9
Natural Range:Japan
Soil:  Average humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade, shade
Height: 20'
Bloom Time:  April
Attributes: Deciduous.  Multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded form.  Double-toothed, oblong-lanceolate foliage tapering at the tip.  Green hop-like flowers and fruit.
Notes:  An attractively shaped and graceful, low-maintenance under-story tree for shady gardens.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot 2' - 3'

Family: Betulaceae
Zone:4 - 9
Natural Range:Japan
Soil:  Average humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part shade, shade
Height: 15'
Bloom Time:  April
Attributes: Deciduous.  Multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded form.  Extremely fine and delicate textured foliage.  Green hop-like flowers and fruit.
Notes:  An attractively shaped, low-maintenance under-story tree for shady gardens.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Betulaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China, Taiwan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 10' - 25'
Attributes: Deciduous. Slender leaves with distinct veins.  Bronze new growth.  Hop-like flower bracts.  Gray bark, brown branchlets. 
Notes: A stunning textural plant.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Betulaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Japan, Korea 
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height: 10' - 25'
Attributes: Deciduous. Red-bronze new growth, deeply pleated leaves.  Attractive pendulous flowers resembling hops.  Yellow and red fall foliage.  Grey to silvery bark.
Notes: A good textural plant.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family: Bignoniaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Southeastern United States
Soil:  Average
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 20'
Attracts:  Bees, hummingbirds
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Deciduous.  Huge, heart shaped acid yellow leaves.  White flowers.
Notes:  Fast growing as a young tree, slowing with age.  Easy to grow tree that is tolerant of many soil types.

Great Plant Picks

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Bignoniaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Southeastern United States
Soil:  Average
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 20'
Attracts:  Bees, hummingbirds
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Deciduous.  Huge, heart shaped leaves.  Yellow spring variegation with dark green center.  White flowers with purple throat.
Notes:  Rare variegated form.  Fast growing as a young tree, slowing with age.  Easy to grow tree that is tolerant of many soil types.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Bignoniaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:Hybrid
Soil:  Average
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 20'
Attracts:  Bees, hummingbirds
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Deciduous.  Huge, purple heart shaped leaves turning greener as the season progresses.  White flowers.
Notes:  Fast growing as a young tree, slowing with age.  Easy to grow tree that is tolerant of many soil types.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot 3'

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China, Japan
Soil: Average, humus rich, well drained
Light: sun, part shade
Height: 20' - 40'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Single or multi-trunked, understory tree with a dense, rounded habit.  Cordate, round-oval leaves to 4" long.  Reddish purple new growth in spring.  Fallen autumn leaves smell like burnt sugar.
Notes:  Beautiful shape and attractive foliage

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China, Japan
Soil: Average, humus rich, well drained
Light: sun, part shade
Height: 20' - 40'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Single or multi-trunked, understory tree with a dense, rounded habit.  Cordate, round-oval leaves to 4" long.  Reddish purple new growth in spring.  Fallen autumn leaves smell like burnt sugar.
Notes:  Beautiful shape and attractive foliage.  This form has bronze-red new growth turning to bright gold.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China, Japan
Soil: Average, humus rich, well drained
Light: sun, part shade
Height: 20' - 40'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Single or multi-trunked, understory tree with a dense, rounded habit.  Cordate, round-oval leaves to 4" long.  Purple foliage.  Fallen autumn leaves smell like burnt sugar.
Notes:  Beautiful shape and attractive foliage.  This form has purple foliage.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Chloranthaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Japan
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 12" - 24"
Bloom Time:  March to May
Attributes:  Deciduous, serrated leaves.  White bead-like flowers.
Notes:  A little known woodlander that is great for texture in the shady garden.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Ranunculaceae
Zone:4 - 9
Natural Range:  North America
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  5'
Bloom Time:  August to September
Attracts:  Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Dark black-purple foliage greening up in the center later in the season.  Tall spikes of pink flowers in late summer to early fall.
Notes: Excellent foliage plant.  Best color when planted in more sun
 
Pot size:  4" Band Pot