Native Plants

Sturdy spiraling spikes of fragrant white two-lipped tubular flowers are held above the low rosettes of foliage in late summer. Fragrant or Marsh Lady's Tresses are native to the woodlands of the eastern half of the US and Chadd's Ford is an exceptionally robust selection producing larger flowers as well as spikes that may reach 2' high. This is a slowly multiplying hardy perennial suitable for moist soils to bogs. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries. Item# 10166.

2013 AAS Perennial of the Year! This award winning seed grown Purple Cone Flower produces 3-4" wide daisies in brilliant colors ranging from red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, and cream. Sturdy and winter hardy compact plants with excellent flower power. The Purple Coneflower is an excellent plant for pollinators with its nectar rich flowers. Provide ample sunlight and good drainage. Flowers the first year! Image courtesy of Kieft Seed. Item# 10525.

A small native tree or large thicket forming, suckering shrub which is covered with lightly fragrant white flowers in late winter or early spring before the leaves emerge and are followed by about 1" diameter or slightly larger red to yellow fruit. The Chickasaw Plum, Prunus angustifolia, is widely distributed throughout the south central and southeastern portion of the US and is typically found on well-draining sandy sites although it is considered to be fairly adaptable even in clay soils. Fruit quality varies from tree to tree with some fruits being tart to sweet while that on other trees may be bitter and typically ripens in early to midsummer. The dense growing canopy offers protection to nesting birds, the flowers attract a variety of pollinators especially bees, and the fruit can be eaten fresh or made into preserves or jelly. Provide this deciduous native with a full to mostly sunny site, with average or better drainage, and an average moist soil. Item# 1097

Up to 6" wide, fragrant, slightly rounded, white flower clusters arch away from their structure on semi-lax stems showing off numerous small white flowers that attract bees and butterflies. The dark green glossy foliage creates a strong contrast to the brilliant white flowers. This native Climbing Hydrangea is typically found growing where soils are consistently moist in shaded to filtered shade conditions. It is a hardy deciduous woody vine that uses a multitude of rootlets along its stems to grab onto structures for support and may be used as a groundcover as well. Only mature vertical growing stems produce the new growth that creates the early to midsummer flowering stems. A west central Louisiana selection. Item# 12066

Considered by many to be the best of the Mountain Mints, Clustered Mountain Mint produces an abundance of tiny whitish tubular blooms touched with purple or lavender in tight clusters held above the attractive bluish white bracts. The bracts are probably more showy than the flowers but the flowers attract loads of pollinators including bees and small butterflies. The foliage is wonderfully fragrant and can be used in teas and cooking. This is a durable and slowly spreading native perennial that flowers throughout the summer months. Item# 10029.

Thick green to bronze succulent foliage adorns the stems of this groundcovering, easy to grow native sedum cousin and summer brings loose spikes of nectar rich yellow flowers on sturdy stalks to 12" high. Use Coastal Sedum as a ground cover beneath larger plants and in the front of the border. The leaves readily separate and fall to the ground when bumped and during shipping but each one will readily produce a new plant if left on the top of the soil. Native to coastal Texas and reliably hardy into zone 8. Provide a well-drained soil in full to partly sunny conditions. Item# 11300

The 3" wide, cornflower-like daisies open white, slowly work their way through shades of lavender, and finally deepen to a violet blue creating a rainbow of cool-colored flowers even on the same flower stalk. Colorwheel Stokesia is just as tough and reliable as its brethren creating a mound of foliage on a durable and dense clump forming native perennial. Stokesia Daisy is one of those plant it and forget it perennials, once they become established in nearly any garden or landscape they require almost no additional care. Image courtesy of North Creek Nurseries. Item# 10928.

Small clusters of large 4-petaled sunny yellow flowers are lightly fragrant and open in the evening to attract pollinating moths and may last until about noon the following day when they attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Ripe seeds are utilized by songbirds. Common Evening Primrose is a tall growing tap-rooted native biennial species found throughout most of the lower 48 states and into Canada. It is common in disturbed areas, meadows and prairies. The first year it produces a rosette of foliage and the second year it shoots up to 3-6' high and begins flowering in summer and may continue into fall under good conditions. The Common Evening Primrose will readily reseed on exposed soils. It is a good addition to naturilized areas or add it to the Moon Moth Garden. Item# 11761

3-4" wide, yellow,  sunflower-like flowers are born on 4-8'H+ sturdy stems over an extended period in summer on this durable, native, clump-forming, tap-rooted perennial. The dark green, deeply dissected foliage of the Compass Plant was used as a compass as the large leaves generally point north and south. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Item# 10309.

The stiff ferny fronds are adorned with numerous thick leathery medium to deep green leaflets often with a bronze tinge and emerge from what becomes an underground trunk. The Coontie, Zamia integrifolia (a.k.a Z. pumila), is a small tough southeastern native Cycad that eventually develops an underground trunk that will branch with age creating a dense 24-36" high cover of the soft to medium textured fronds. It is resistant to drought, tolerates high heat and humidity, sun or shade, and is a very low maintainence addition to the landscape. In areas that experience hard freezes, like zone 8, the foliage may freeze back but a new flush readily returns in spring. Makes an easy bonsai and a low maintenance container plant. Item# 12729

Beautiful deep red to coral, yellow throated tubular blooms are born from spring to fall. Attracts hummingbirds and occasional butterflies. Its tame habit and long blooming season make this manageable Honeysuckle an choice for covering a fence, arbor or trellis.  Item# 1171.

Correll's False Dragonhead is a rare but wonderful, seemingly more refined garden species that is as vigorous as it is beautiful. The dense spikes of purplish-pink, tubular, often speckled, flowers are held atop sturdy, 3' high stems in summer. Like most other Physostegias, Correll's False Dragonhead does spread by large rhizomes even in average soils. The leaves of this species are toothed, widest in the middle, sessile, and are almost always a rich dark green. Item# 10236.

This native perennial Hibiscus boasts large 6-8" wide typically white but occassionally pink flowers with a dark burgundy eye. The Crimson-Eyed Rosemallow, Hibiscus moscheutos, is common in moist and wet areas as the name implies but is tolerant of average moist garden soils but may require extra moisture during dry spells. This is a vigorous and hardy native perennial that can reach 5-7' high but is more commonly found at 4'. The foliage may be used as a butterfly caterpillar host by Hairstreaks, Blues, Coppers, and others. Hibiscus moscheutos is one of the main species used in breeding of the large dinner plate-sized Hardy or Perennial Hibiscus cultivars. Item# 9399

Jack in the Bush or Crucita is truly one of the very best butterfly plants! The nectar rich, light blue to purple, flat topped flower clusters make perfect landing platforms for pollinators of all shapes and sizes. Crucita can be found in flower as early as mid summer to late fall. Item# 10670.

Crushed Coral Mamou Bean produces tall spikes of dark coral pink, 2-3" tubular flowers in late spring and early summer atop sturdy stems that are held well above the foliage of this tough native perennial. The Mamou Bean is a drought tolerant and hardy shrublet that freezes back to the ground to return in spring. The flowers are followed by dark colored bean pods that split open to display their brilliant red-orange beans that can remain on the plant all winter. Excellent for Hummingbirds.  Crushed Coral Mamou Bean is an Almost Eden exclusive introduction. Item# 10751

Ruffled deep fuschia purple falls are centered with lighter fuschia purple standards. Beautiful, full, nearly rounded flowers. A vigorous and hardy Louisiana Iris which multiplies readily in average garden soils, moist to wet soils, or can be set in water gardens where the container is just below the water's surface. Blooms March through May. Item# 1138.

A CSU Trial Gardens 2020 Top Performer! The dark burgundy to near black, glossy foliage is to die for but wait it gets better as in late spring or early summer, tall sturdy spikes ascend above the dark foliage and are composed of lavender to purple, 1" long, nectar rich, tubular flowers that eventually develop into decorative dark purple round seed pods. DAKOTA™ Burgundy Penstemon, a flower child of Penstemon digitalis, is more compact than and has darker foliage than Dark Towers and Mystica Penstemons and it has more purple colored flowers and improved reliability easily surviving for 3 years in CSU's trials. Provide this easy to grow perennial, a nativar (a cultivar from native species), with a moist to average moist, well-drained, fertile soil in a full to mostly sunny location for optimum vigor, flowering, and for the deepest foliage colors. Pair DAKOTA™ Burgundy Penstemon with chartreuse foliaged plants for a wonderful contrast. The flowers attract a variety of polliinators including hummingbirds, bees, and occasional larger butterflies. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12856

The spring and summer clumps of yellow-green foliage are accented with and tipped with red and in late summer tall, 4-1/2-5-1/2' high, sturdy spikes of decorative reddish seed heads are produced. As fall approaches the foliage becomes red and then deepens into fiery scarlet. Dancing Wind Big Bluestem, a selection of Andropogon gerardii, has a slightly shorter, sturdier upright habit than the species with excellent fall color. The species is native throughout much of the eastern 2/3's of the US and is a clumping to slowly spreading rhizomatous grass whose seeds are utilized by a number of seed eating birds. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with an average to well-drained, acidic soil for the deepest foliage colors and optimum vigor. Plants are in their best form when grown in a low fertility soil. Photos courtesy of Brent Horvath, Intrisic Perennial Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12852

An exceptionally free flowering form of our native Coral Honeysuckle producing a nearly continuous display of red tubular blooms with a yellow throat. Dan's Everblooming Coral Honeysuckle begins flowering in late winter and early spring and lasts through fall on established plants. This variety may produce a few flowers throughout winter even in zone 8B. Item# 9729.