Division of Extension
Cutleaf toothwort is a small, charming spring woodland ephemeral with distinctive leaves and soft white flowers. Easy to grow, it’s a great addition to any woodland garden. Learn more about this native species in this article.
Skunk cabbage is one of the first plants to bloom in the spring, often when there is still snow on the ground. The bizarre flowers are followed by huge rosettes of broad leaves that disappear by summer. Read this article to learn more about this interesting native plant.
With pure white flowers held on wiry stems well above dark green mounds of foliage, Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ makes a statement in the fall garden. To learn more about this great low-maintenance perennial in this article.
Switchgrass is a North American prairie native that adapts readily to the garden, especially several cultivars that have been selected for their attractive shape or color. Learn about this low-maintenance, warm season grass with airy, pink-tinged flower spikes in this article.
Virginia creeper is a native vine which turns from an average green to a brilliant crimson red in fall. Learn more about this vigorous native vine that adapts to many different conditions and soils in this article.
Anise hyssop is a great plant for attracting bees, butterflies and beetles. Learn more about this native species in this article including care and cultivars available.
Lamium orvala is a tall, clump-forming plant with whorls of spotted purple-pink flowers, resembling orchids, in spring. Big leaves also provide good contrast in gardens. To learn more about giant deadnettle in this article.
Mayapple is a native wildflower with distinctive, deeply lobed, umbrella-shaped leaves. It forms dense colonies in open deciduous woodlands and other shaded sites and makes a wonderful groundcover for a woodland garden or naturalized setting. More details about this unique herbaceous perennial, along with general care, are found in this article.
Learn how to plant and care for mums to keep them blooming from late summer through fall.
Blanket flower (Gaillardia spp.) is a native North American plant found as both a common wildflower in places and a colorful garden ornamental. New cultivars are continually being developed. Learn more about blanket flower in this article.
What’s blooming in your late season garden? There aren’t as many choices of shade-loving perennials that flower in the fall as those that bloom in spring or summer, but one to consider is Tricyrtis hirta. Learn more about this Japanese species of toad lily with exotic-looking, orchid-like flowers by reading this article….
Solomon’s seals are great native woodland plants to add to any shade garden. False Solomon’s seal looks very similar to the “true” Solomon’s seal, but the two are easily distinguished by the shape and location of the flowers and berries. Learn more about Maianthemum racemosum (false Solomon’s seal) in this article…
