The Aster family is full of wonderful, prolific plants. White wood aster (Eurybia divaricata) spreads abundantly and will self-sew easily. This divaricated, or widely spreading, perennial is happy to thrive in sun or shade. It stands at 1 to 2 feet tall with masses of small white flowers that bloom in September and October. White…
Cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) is an interesting, colorful character and a favorite here at Jenkins. In early spring, its silver-haired shine erupts in tightly curled ‘fiddleheads’. As they continue to unfurl and mature, their white hairs turn cinnamon colored, and hummingbirds collect them to line their tiny nests. When fully mature, cinnamon fern’s fronds are…
Named after the Philadelphia-born Caspar Wistar, American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) is a twining deciduous vine known for its lilac-purple, pea-like, fragrant flowers that bloom in pendulous racemes in early summer. In its native habitat, American wisteria can be found in moist woodlands or along streambanks in fertile, well-drained soils. For the average homeowner, however, it…
Bluestem goldenrod (Solidago caesia) is a lovely native wildflower with dark green foliage, dark blue stems, and small yellow flower heads. Typically growing in part shade at the edges of woodlands, these plants can grow up to 3 feet in height. The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall and lasts about 3-4…
The northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedantum) is a finely textured, somewhat frilly fern that has wiry black stalks covered with finger-like projections. They grow to a height of 1 to 2.5 feet in part to full shade which makes them perfect for shaded borders, woodland gardens, or shaded rock gardens. They can grow in sunnier…