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Plants Of Merit 2009
Over 50 outstanding and
dependable plants suitable for the St. Louis region.
Plants Of Merit 2009 - Perennials
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| blue star - - - Perennials |
| Amsonia hubrichtii |
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| Star-shaped, powdery blue flowers bloom in clusters in spring atop generally upright stems densely clothed with feathery, soft-textured, almost thread-like leaves. The unique foliage remains bright green throughout summer, but changes to a stunning gold in fall. Foliage clumps grow to 3 feet tall, with stems cascading as the season progresses. Mass or group for best foliage display. Easily grown in borders, open woodland areas and native style gardens. |
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| lady fern - - - Perennials |
| Athyrium 'Ghost' |
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| Add silvery excitement to shaded areas of the landscape with this deciduous hybrid lady fern that features soft gray-green fronds with an overlay of silver hues accented by contrasting dark maroon midribs. Plants grow in spreading clumps to 30 inches tall. Best frond color usually occurs in light shade. |
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| yellow wild indigo - - - Perennials |
| Baptisia sphaerocarpa |
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| Striking lupine-like bright yellow flowers bloom in spring on yellow-green flowering stems that rise above a foliage mound of clover-like, blue-green leaves. Flowers give way to inflated spherical seed pods that are ornamentally attractive on the plant and in dried arrangements. Plants grow 2-3 feet tall, tolerate poor soils and make excellent additions to borders, cottage gardens, meadows and naturalized areas. |
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| Japanese grass sedge - - - Perennials |
| Carex 'Ice Dance' |
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| The stiff, linear, grass-like leaves of this dense, spreading, ornamental sedge are medium green variegated with clear white margins. Plants thrive in moist, shaded areas, typically growing to 12 inches tall. Mass plantings will spread over time by rhizomes to form an attractive ground cover. This is an excellent selection for shaded borders, shade gardens, woodland gardens, low spots and along ponds/streams. |
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| plumbago - - - Perennials |
| Ceratostigma plumbaginoides |
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| Emerging in late spring, this rhizomatous, mat-forming ground cover grows to 6-10 inches tall and is particularly noted for its late season attributes. Five-petaled, woodland phlox-like, blue flowers bloom in clusters from mid-summer to frost on stems with medium green leaves that turn a striking bronze-red in fall. Plants overwinter best if the old foliage is left uncut until spring. This is an excellent ground cover for sunny areas with some afternoon shade such as slopes, under trees, in front of shrubs, in rock gardens and for interplanting with spring bulbs. |
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| cheddar pink - - - Perennials |
| Dianthus 'Feuerhexe' FIREWITCH |
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| From a mound of grassy, silvery blue leaves, this mat-forming dianthus produces clove-scented, bright magenta-pink flowers from spring to early summer atop wiry stems rising to 6-8 inches tall. Best performance occurs in slightly alkaline, sharply-drained soils in full sun. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage additional bloom and gently shear foliage after flowering to improve appearance. Grow in rock gardens, beds, border fronts or stone wall plantings. Effective massed as a ground cover where the foliage can be enjoyed long after flowering. |
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| rattlesnake master - - - Perennials |
| Eryngium yuccifolium |
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| Tiny, stemless, greenish-white flowers tightly packed into globular heads. Flowers resemble thistle blooms in clusters atop stiff stems to 3-4 feet tall. Flower stems rise from the center of a basal rosette of parallel-veined, bristly-edged, sword-shaped leaves. Once a common plant of the tallgrass prairie, this Missouri native perennial continues to enchant growers with its atypical parsley/carrot family features. It is easily grown in dryish, sandy soils in sunny locations protected from strong winds. |
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| cranesbill - - - Perennials |
| Geranium 'Gerwat' ROZANNE |
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| Large violet blue flowers with small white centers and purple-violet veins contrast well with the deeply-cut green leaves. A vigorous geranium that grows in a mound to 20 inches tall. Exceptional heat tolerance results in almost non-stop flowering from mid-May until frost with minimal burn-out in the heat of the summer. This easy-to-grow variety performs best with regular moisture, part afternoon shade, and well-drained soil. It is an excellent choice for beds, borders, cottage gardens, patio planters or hanging baskets. |
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| corkscrew rush - - - Perennials |
| Juncus effusus |
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| This grass-like rush provides outstanding form, texture and vertical accent to sunny, moist to wet areas of the landscape including water gardens, pond margins, boggy areas, wet pebbly/rocky areas or in several inches of standing water. Basal clumps of cylindrical, upright, soft-to-the-touch, green stems rise to 20-40 inches tall. |
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| eastern beebalm - - - Perennials |
| Monarda bradburyana |
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| The tubular, two-lipped, purple-spotted, pink to white flowers of this Missouri native beebalm bloom in summer in dense, globular heads atop square stems with aromatic, gray-green leaves. Bees and butterflies are often in abundance when flowers are in bloom. Plants thrive in somewhat dry acidic soils, appreciate good air circulation and may self-seed in the garden. Plants grow to 2 feet tall and naturalize well in native plant areas, meadows or herb gardens. |
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| double daffodil - - - Perennials |
| Narcissus 'Tahiti' |
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| Each fragrant, 4-inch, double flower of this Division IV daffodil features showy yellow petals and frilly, bright orange-red cup segments. Flowers bloom in April atop leafless stems rising 12-14 inches tall amid a clump of narrow, strap-shaped, green leaves. After bloom, foliage should not be cut back until it yellows. Bulbs are best planted in quantity, from small groupings of at least six bulbs to large sweeping drifts. Deer, rabbit, and squirrel resistant. |
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| garden phlox - - - Perennials |
| Phlox paniculata 'Robert Poore' |
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| Deep magenta flowers in large pyramidal clusters earn this garden classic a place in the sun. Standing 3-5 feet tall, this phlox reaches peak height and bloom simultaneously in early summer. Plants perform best in rich, organic soils with consistent moisture in full sun. Although resistant to mildew, it still appreciates good air circulation. Staking is generally not required in average garden soils. |
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| Solomon's seal - - - Perennials |
| Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum 'Variegatum' |
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| Striking, parallel-veined, soft green leaves variegated with white tips and margins highlight this rhizomatous, shade-loving perennial that grows 2-3 feet tall. Leaves turn an attractive yellow in fall. Equally ornamental but more hidden are the small, fragrant, bell-shaped, white flowers that dangle in pairs underneath arching stems in spring. Blue-black berries ripen in fall. Add this to shaded areas of borders, woodland gardens, wild gardens or naturalized areas. |
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© Missouri Botanical
Garden, 2001-2009
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