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Plant Sale 2025 — Antennaria plantaginifolia

April 17, 2025

Antennaria plantaginifolia (Plantain-leaved Pussytoes) is a mat forming groundcover, reaching no more than 6″ tall, that can take some foot traffic. It grows on the sides of roads, in poor to average to dry soil in full to partial sun. Blooming from March to the end of April the cream-colored…

Plant Sale 2025 — Polemonium reptans

April 16, 2025

Polemonium reptans (Jacob’s Ladder) has lovely leaves that are alternate and divided into leaflets. is a ½ to 1½ feet tall perennial wildflower with loose clusters of blue bell-like flowers that have protruding stamens. This plant is visited by many types of bees (including a specialist bee, Andrena polemonii), butterflies,…

Plant Sale 2025 – Asarum canadense

April 14, 2025

Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger) is a great groundcover for dappled shade. It likes rich, damp soils and grow from 4 to 12 inches tall with individual leaves reaching three to four inches across. Once established it will spread 6 to 8 inches in all directions yearly, shading out non-native plants.…

Plant Sale 2025 — Packera aurea

April 13, 2025

Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) makes a very nice groundcover. The flowers look like deep yellow daisies and are in bloom for about three weeks. Not only is this plant beautiful, herbivores rarely eat it because it is toxic. While happiest in moist to wet soils in either sunny or shady…

American Elderberry, Sambucus canadensis
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society American Elderberry is a common, deciduous shrub that lights up our landscape from mid-May through June with huge and profuse clusters of white flowers that literally form a lacy veil over the shrub. Each flower is only about ¼” across but is held in large, flat-topped or…... Read more
June 13, 2025
Source: VNPS Blog
False Indigo-bush, Amorpha fruticosa
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society As May comes into bloom, I always look forward to the flowers on my False Indigo-bush that graces my upper shoreline. I inherited this lovely deciduous shrub when I bought this property and count myself lucky to have this amazing shrub that is beautiful yet tolerates dry,…... Read more
May 15, 2025
Source: VNPS Blog
Wild Strawberry, Fragaria virginiana
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Did you know we have a wonderful native Wild Strawberry, also known as Scarlet or Virginia Strawberry? It is an adaptable low, herbaceous perennial that spreads by runners to form handsome, ground-covering semi-evergreen colonies. This diminutive strawberry rarely grows above 6” high but can spread indefinitely as…... Read more
April 18, 2025
Source: VNPS Blog
Wildflower of the Year 2025: Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
Coming soon: VNPS offers Mayapple artwork on T-Shirts and other apparel. Mayapples are perennial herbaceous plants with thick fibrous roots that arise from a creeping rhizome. Each year the rhizome elongates about 6 to 20 cm in length, terminating in a bud for the subsequent year’s leafy stem and one or more buds for continuation…... Read more
February 8, 2025
Source: VNPS Blog
Red Maple, Acer rubrum
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Red Maples, also called Swamp or Scarlet Maples, are known for their brilliant fall color. Now they may seem to be a surprising choice for the February Plant of the Month, but they are a true harbinger of spring, blooming in late winter often as early as…... Read more
February 5, 2025
Source: VNPS Blog
Inkberry, Ilex glabra
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Inkberry or Gallberry is a great choice for the December Plant of the Month. This handsome broadleaf evergreen shrub typically grows slowly to about 5 – 8’ high and wide and has plenty of winter interest with its small narrowly ovate to lance-like dark green leaves that…... Read more
December 26, 2024
Source: VNPS Blog
Winged Sumac, Rhus copallinum
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Winged Sumac is a beautiful large deciduous shrub that shines throughout the year but is especially vibrant when it ignites into a fiery crescendo in fall. Typically growing from 7 – 15’ tall, this sumac often spreads into large colonies by root suckers. As fall turns into…... Read more
November 20, 2024
Source: VNPS Blog
Sweet Goldenrod, Solidago odora
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Sweet or Anise-scented Goldenrod is one of the earliest fall blooming Goldenrods to grace our open areas including open woods, fields, powerline cuts and roadsides each fall. Its golden plumes light up much of the Eastern United States from New Hampshire south to Texas on dry, often…... Read more
September 13, 2024
Source: VNPS Blog