Posts by jnorwood

We plan to offer Sedum ternatum (Wild Stonecrop Sedum) at our April 27th native plant sale. It is a low growing semi-evergreen succulent groundcover that forms large mats covering rocks, tree roots or mossy areas near streams. This plant flourishes in part to full shade in thin moist soils and tends to tolerate droughts. Starry…

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) is also known as Virginia-cowslip, Roanoke-bells, Lungwort, and Oysterleaf. Growing up to 2 feet, Mertensia virginica thrive in part shade to shade in moist, rich soil. The leaves are a lovely shade of purple as they break ground quickly turning a medium green. The showy nodding cluster of pink buds change…

Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty, Virginia Spring Beauty or Eastern Spring Beauty) is an early bloomer (March to April) and by the time of our plant sale this plant is often done blooming and both the flowers and foliage are beginning to fade away for the year. This small native plant gets two to six inches…

Stylophrum diphyllum, commonly known as Wood or Celandine Poppy, adds a spot of bright yellow to a woodland garden from March to May. If given enough moisture, it may re-bloom throughout the summer. If it dries up during the hot summer days, it will reappear come spring of the following year. The bright yellow 1¼-2¼”…

Baptisia australis (Blue False Indigo) is a very showy dense shrub with bluish-purple pea like flowers. The foliage dies back to the ground in winter however, it will reappear in the spring. Plant it in full to part sun in average to moist soils. Once established it will tolerate clay soil and droughts. Baptisia australis…

Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) gets its name from the shape of its blooms and it grows six to twelve inches tall. They look like little white pantaloons hanging upside down. In April to May four to ten white or pink flowers hang off stalks that are five to ten inches long. By mid-summer the plant…

Chelone glabra (White Turtlehead) grows 1-4 feet tall. Blooming in late summer it is found in wet woodlands and meadows. This is a good plant to grow near drainpipes. The white flowers sometimes have a pale pink or purple tinge. Bumblebees pollinate this plant and hummingbirds sometimes visit. The common name is derived from the…

Trillium sessile is a long lived woodland plant that is often called Toadshade or Wake Robin. “Trillium” is from the Latin “tri” referring to the flower parts occurring in threes, and “llium” from the Latin “liliaceous” referring to the funnel-shaped flower. “Sessile” is from the Latin “sessil”, for sessile, stalkless, which refers to the flower…