Cephalanthus occidentalis, common buttonbush, is wild and wonderful. Buttonbush has unique one-inch diameter white spherical flowers that give the appearance of a pin cushion. Cephalanthus…
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Darrow’s blueberry, Vaccinium darrowii, is a native shrub that is woefully underused in the ornamental landscape. It is a brilliant little shrub whose blueberries are…
Leave a CommentMrs. Scott Elliot columbine is a hybrid of Aquilegia caerulea, Rocky Mountain columbine. You tend to see Mrs. Scott Elliot columbine offered from various seed companies in…
Leave a CommentKousa dogwood, Cornus kousa, is similar to the native flowering dogwood, Cornus florida. The biggest difference between the two is Kousa dogwood flowers after the leaves…
Leave a CommentPink dogwood, Cornus florida ‘Rubra’, is found in gardens to a lesser extent than the white flowering dogwood but is no less a rite of spring…
Leave a CommentNative to wide parts of the eastern and midwestern United States & found in moist environments, blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) is drought tolerant. Blackhaw viburnum…
Leave a CommentOakleaf hydrangea is a wonderful native plant with four-season interest that is beautiful in the garden. An epic plant.
Leave a CommentBlack-eyed Susan ‘Goldsturm’ was discovered in Czechoslovakia in 1937 by Heinrich Hagemann, who was employed by the legendary plantsman Karl Foerster. World War II delayed the debut…
Leave a CommentWe are planting white coneflower White Swan in the garden. Coneflowers are among the easiest of sun-loving perennials to grow. White coneflower will stand some shade…
Leave a CommentNative to the eastern U.S., Liatris spicata, common name ‘blazing star’, tends to be a short-lived perennial. In my experience, Liatris needs replanting every couple of years. Liatris provides wonderful structure, juxtaposing well with other shapes and forms in the landscape.

The purple flowers are just bright enough, neither heavy nor garish. Blazing star blooms in mid-summer, and the flowers are relatively long-lasting, developing over a period of 3-4 weeks.
Exposure is full sun. Many perennials in the south, Liatris included, can grow well with only a few hours of afternoon sun. Liatris is not choosy about soils, although consistently wet will cause the plant to rot. Wet soil and poor drainage in winter will not do when it comes to Liatris and many other perennials. Oakleaf hydrangea is also prone to winter die-off where soils are consistently wet.
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