Woodland Perennials

Family:  Berberidaceae
Zone: 6-9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil: Average to moist but very drought tolerant once established
Light: part shade-shade
Bloom Time:  April to June
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: 12" tall. White bottle brush like blooms in spring.  Dark purple berries and trifoliate lobed leaves.
Notes: Vanilla scent when dried.

Pot Size: 4" Pot

Family:  Ranunculaceae
Zone:  3 - 9
Natural Range:  Eastern North America
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, shade
Height:  2' - 4'
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  Rabbit
Attributes:  Deciduous, Clusters of small white flowers followed by bright white berries with a black dot in the center.  Contrasting red stems.  Compound leaves.
Notes: This form has attractive silvery foliage. Berries are poisonous.

Pot size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Ranunculaceae
Zone:4 - 9
Natural Range: Europe
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Shade, part shade
Height: 4" - 6"
Bloom Time:  April to  May
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous, simple leaves with white flowers.
Notes: Simple yet beautiful early spring perennial for the shady garden.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: hybrid
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height: 16"
Attributes:  Deciduous. Tight foliage with short flower spikes of creamy white flowers.  Orange-red fall foliage.
Notes:  A low maintenance plant that works well with other lower growing shade perennials.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pots 

Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 4' - 6'
Attributes:  Deciduous, male flowers and female flowers on separate plants.  Tall plumes of white flowers.  Ferny foliage.
Notes:  A low maintenance plant that looks nice as a backdrop in a perennial garden, or shady edge.  These seedlings are from a Silver Creek seed collection.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pots 

Family: Aristolochiaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range:  Japan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade
Height: 4" - 6"
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Heart shaped leaves with silver patterning.  Dark purple-black flowers edged in creamy white.
Notes:  Protect from slugs.

Pot Size:  Small 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

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: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade to sun
Height: 6'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Silver cast to the leaves.  Tall spikes of frilly pink flowers and blue pollen.
Notes:  Selected out of our collections.

Pot Size:  4"  Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade to sun
Height: 6'
Attributes:  Deciduous, When grown with a bit more sun the foliage stays a bright lime green to yellow.  New foliage emerges with an orange tinge around the edges.  Tall spikes of frilly pink flowers and blue pollen.
Notes:  What a surprise!  Beautiful lime green foliage highlighted with orange topped off with sturdy and tall stems of pink flowers.  Astilbe chinensis 'Royal Sentinel' was selected out of our seedlings that originated from our collections in Guizhou province.  The parent plant was only a foot tall and not all that impressive but the progeny are anything but.  Elevation of 1600 m in an ancient Beech tree forest.

Pot Size:  Large 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: 4 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height: 12"
Bloom Time:May to August
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Fern like foliage to about 6" tall with pink flowers to 12" tall.
Notes:  A easily grown species that with a smaller stature.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: Japan
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Sun-part shade
Height:  4" - 6"
Bloom Time: June to July
Attracts:  Butterflies, Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous.  Dense foliage in tiny mound with short sprays of light pink flowers. 

Notes: Rare Astilbe endemic to the mountains of Yakushima Japan.

Family:  Saxifragacea
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height:  6'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attracts:  Butterflies, Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous.  Broadly elliptic leaves.  Tall flower stems held above the foliage with feathery, greenish white flowers. 
Notes: We came across this giant in South Western Sichuan growing with Rodgersia, Rhododendron, Arisaema. Native to forests and shaded ravines from 900-3200m.

Pot Size:  Medium 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: 3 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid
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.  Bronze new growth turning dark green after flowering.  Plumes of white flowers on dark stems.
Notes: Floriferous variety.

Pot Size:  Large Band 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:  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

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

Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 12'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Large fuzzy, oval leaves.  Pink flowers held above the leaves. 
Notes:  Leaves can reach more than 12" long.

Pot Size:  Quart Size Pot

Great Plant Picks

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 5-9
Natural Range: China; Mt. Omei
Soil: Moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 12"
Bloom Time: April to May
Attracts: NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:   White flowers on short stems.  Reddish bronze, glossy foliage.
Notes: One of the best selections of Bergenia omeiensis.  4" bands

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Zone: 6-9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 12'
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Large succulent foliage with tall spikes of purple flowers.  Foliage will turn red and purple if planted in more sun.
Notes:  Found growing at 3700m, growing in mas along streams and moist ponds as the dominant perennial.  Growing underneath Rhododendrons and Abies.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 12" to 36"
Bloom Time: May to July
Attributes: Deciduous.  Leaves with petioles up to 12" tall.  Toothed leaves to 8" across.  Many white flowers on tall, dense spikes.  Short spreading rhizomes.  Subtle earthy sweet fragrance.
Notes: Grows in shady forests and wet mountain meadows often with Lilium pardalinum, Aconitum occidentale, Thelyepteris nevadensis, and even swamp Allium.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range:  Himalayas
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade
Height:  2' - 3'
Bloom Time:  April to June
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Slow spreading perennial with lilac-purple flowers and pinnate foliage
Notes:  A stunning spring blooming perennial for the lightly shaded garden.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Zone:7 - 9
Natural Range:  Europe
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade
Height:  10"
Attributes:  Deciduous,  Very early spring blooms purple flowers.  Spreading groundcover.
Notes:  A stunning early blooming perennial for the lightly shaded garden.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Zone: 5-9
Natural Range:  Europe
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade
Height:  10"
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Glossy trifoliate leaves with white flowers held above the foliage late winter, early spring.
Notes:  Slowly spreading ground-cover.

Post Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Hydrangeaceae
Zone: 5 - 8
Natural Range: Japan, Taiwan
Soil: moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height:  16" - 28"
Bloom Time: July to September
Attributes: Deciduous, Hydrangea-like, lacy pale pink flowers.  Elliptic shaped, serrate fuzzy foliage.
Notes:  A little known, lovely herbaceous Hydrangea for temperate gardens.

Pot Size:  4" 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

Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Bhutan, China, India, Kashmir, Nepal
Soil: Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 1' - 3' tall
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Racemes of creamy yellow orchid like flowers.  Thick corn like foliage and stems.
Notes:  Coutleya is the second hardiest group of gingers, consisting of three species from the Himalayas.  Closely related to Roscoea.  In the wild Cautleya is found growing in cool, moist forests at high elevations.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family: Plantaginaceae
Zone:  5 - 9
Natural Range:  Midwestern and Eastern US
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light:  Sun, part shade
Height:  3' - 4'
Bloom Time:  August to October
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Clump-forming perennial with white flowers.  Leaves emerge dark green with a blackish cast.
Notes: Blossoms resemble snapdragon flowers. Appreciates organically rich compost. 

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Plantaginaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range:  Appalachian Mountains
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light:  Sun, part shade
Height:  2'
Bloom Time:  July to September
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Upright, clump-forming perennial with pink flowers.  Glossy ovate leaves to just over three inches long and two inches wide.
Notes: Blossoms resemble snapdragon flowers. Appreciates organically rich compost.  Native to moist woodlands and streams. 

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot