Perennials - All

The most floriferous Esperanza that we grow! Gold Star Esperanza produces an endless display of large clusters of large golden yellow, lightly fragrant trumpets from late spring to frost. This Greg Grant selection is the standard by which all other Esperanza's are judged. Hardy, heat and sun loving, and with a nicely branched habit Gold Star Esperanza is great for tropical settings in containers and in the garden. Attracts pollinators including butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Item # 9902

Golden Alexanders ( zizea aurea) produces flat topped clusters of tiny yellow flowers atop tall 2-3' high stems in spring atop the rosette of glossy lobed foliage. This is a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae previously Umbelliferaceae, and is a host of the Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. A native clump forming perennial, Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea, is found throughout the central and eastern US. It is commonly found in moist woodlands, roadsides, meadows, and prairies. The flowers attract a variety of smaller pollinators including bees and butterflies. The ripened seed heads are utilized by songbirds. Item# 11774

Clusters of bright golden yellow upward facing daisies sit atop sturdy stems and emerge from rosettes of finely cut medium green foliage in early(8B) to midspring(6), depending on your cold hardiness zone. The flowers attract bees and other pollinators. Golden Groundsel is rhizomatous native perennial that readily develops into a groundcover and is tolerant of moist shaded conditions as well as in rain gardens, at the edges of ponds or other perennial water sources, or use it in naturalistic settings, roadsides, meadows and prairies. For optimum vigor this winter growing perennial prefers a consistently moist soil but can tolerate average moisture where it receives more shade. Item# 11803

10" golden yellow flowers that resemble a lotus when first opening, sit atop nearly leafless thick sturdy stems and last for months on mature plants. When young the plants look just like dwarf bananas with long rounded medium-green tropical foliage. This is tough, hardy, and easily grown, tightly clump forming rhizomatous tropical. After flowering is finished the mature plant produces a multitude of pups and then dies making way for the young plants which should flower in their 2nd or 3rd year. Item# 9578.

The tall dense spikes of golden yellow flowers and seedheads are held well above the fountaining clump of wide olive green foliage on sturdy 6' high stems beginning in early August and are showy throughout winter. Golden Sunset® Yellow Indiangrass, a University of Minnesota selection of Sorghastrum nutans,  was selected for its early flowering, sturdy stems that do not fall over or lodge and last through winter, as well as for its reliable zone 3 cold hardiness. it has received high marks in trials and has been in development for about 15 years. This is a wonderful refinement for this showy native grass making it a useful addition to both formal and informal garden and landscape settings. The seed heads provide fodder for songbirds and other wildlife and the foliage is utilized by the Pepper-and-Salt Skipper butterfly as a caterpillar host plant. Provide a full to mostly sunny site optimally in a well-drained loamy soil with average moisture but the plants are fairly adaptable to soil types and are drought resistant once fully established. When not in 'flower' the grass itself is about 3' x 3'. Plants may top out at about 4-5' high the first two years of establishment. Images courtesy of the University of Minnesota. Item# 12850

Large, double to triple flowered or more, intensely fragrant, long lasting flowers open a soft primrose yellow and age to a golden yellow to near orange. Goldflame's rich perfume lasts into the morning and is sure to turn heads and attract the local hummingbird moth population! It begins flowering at 4-5' high making it well adapted to container culture. Angel's Trumpets are fast growing tropical shrubs that act-like die-back perennials in the northern parts of their range but readily return from the roots in spring. Item# 11078

A profusion of dark-eyed golden yellow, 3-5'', daisies are held above the tidy rosette of foliage throughout summer. A reliable, tough, and deservedly award winning clump forming perennial. Excellent for butterflies and the birds will enjoy the seedheads in winter. Item# 9155.

Airy, wispy, fragrant, tan and pink, conicle panicles are held atop the mounds of deep green foliage in late summer with the plants taking on red tones in fall and lightening to beige for winter. Gone With The Wind Prairie Dropseed, a selection of our native Sporobolus heterolepis, is a tough, herbaceous, medium-sized, clump forming, perennial grass with a slightly more compact size than the typical species and growing to about 36-40" high and 24-30" wide. The flowers are reported to have a fragrance reminiscent of coriander. It is deer and drought resistant and is tolerant of sandy and rocky dry soils but will grow in most soils, including clay, that have good drainage. Prairie Dropseed typically does not reseed in garden and landscape settings. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, well-drained soil for optimum growth and vigor. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13301

Few plants can consistently attract as many butterflies as this Lantana making the plant appear alive with these fluttering wonders, especially in summer and fall. Grandpa's Pumpkin Patch Lantana produces yellow centered clusters of brilliant pumpkin orange flowers from late spring to frost on this vigorous Lantana that can certainly keep up with New Gold for flowering ability. Item# 9605

Hundreds of 1" wide dark purple daisies are produced in fall atop these dense mounding perennials that could easily be grown in the place of fall mums. Grape Crush New England Aster, a selection of Aster novae-angliae (a.k.a. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), is a clump forming native perennial with a densely branching, naturally rounded habit requiring no pinching, and producing a superior fall show. It doesn't lodge or break over like the species can. The flowers attract bees and butterflies. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, Gorgonne Checkerdpot, and American Lady. Use these perennials where you would normally buy Chrysanthemums whether as part of the perennial border, landscape, or as container plants. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average to well-drained, fertile soil with average moisture for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12741

The tall dusky flower spikes are adorned with grape juice purple buds that open to display the deep magenta, pea-like flowers with a starkly contrasting creamy to yellow keel and are produced in summer held above the dense mounds of lush green foliage. The flowers attract a variety of bee species. Grape Escape Baptisia or False Indigo, a hybrid cultivar of our native species (a.k.a. nativar), replaces the older Grape Taffy and boasts deeper richer colors, heavier flowering and vigor. Grape Escape grows to about 4' high and nearly as wide with a neat vase shaped habit. Baptisia or False Indigo are easy and low-maintenance, deer resistant, long-lived, taprooted perennials that produce more and more flowering spikes with each passing year with some plants producing over a 100 spikes on mature plants. Considered a must for the cutflower garden as the spikes have an excellent vase life. Provide Baptisias with a full to mostly sunny site in a soil with average or better drainage and moderate fertility. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13145

Dense spikes of pea-like blossoms that are exceptionally dark purple with a hint of red are accented by contrasting primrose yellow keels and are held above the tidy mounds of gray-green foliage. Flowers are produced in late spring to early summer and attract mainly bees. Grape Taffy Baptisia or False Indigo, a hybrid cultivar of US native species (a.k.a. nativar), is one of the most compact in this category growing to just 24-30"H x 30-36"W. Its compact habit lends it to use in both smaller garden settings as well as in containers. Baptisias are easy and low-maintenance, deer resistant, long-lived, taprooted perennials that produce more and more flowering spikes with each passing year with some plants producing over a 100 spikes on mature plants. Considered a must for the cutflower garden as the spikes have an excellent vase life. Provide them with a full to mostly sunny site in a soil with average or better drainage and moderate fertility. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12894

The huge, to 6", golden, daisy-like blooms with tall dark brown cones or eyes are held on tall sturdy stems which can grow to 7' or more! A tough and hardy, native perennial. Great for pollinators. The large attractive soft, blue-green foliage makes a nice garden accent and is at its prime in winter and spring. Selected as 2019 Missouri Botanic Gardens Plant of Merit selection. Item# 1152

The mounding to trailing stems are adorned with beautifully variegated rounded foliage that is brushed with a patch of creamy white to pale yellow at its base that creates a stark contrast with the patches of burgundy, purple, and magenta all edged in a narrow band of blue-green. Great Falls™ Iguazu Coleus is a compact well-branched selection that is perfectly suited to create colorful hanging baskets, window boxes, specimen container plants, as a filler or spiller in mixed container gardens, as well as in the garden and landscape. This was the top-rated Coleus in 2017 trials at Penn State receiving a 4.96 out of a possible 5! Great Falls™ Iguazu Coleus is suitable for both shade and full sun conditions and it will prefer a moist to average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil. Images courtesy of Dümmen Orange, all rights reserved. Item# 12406

Flat topped clusters of bluish-purple Ageratum-like flowers are borne atop short sturdy stems that are adorned with finely cut and softly textured, medium green foliage. The flowers attract loads of butterflies as well as other pollinators and Gregg's Mist Flower flowers most heavily beginning in late summer and lasting through fall. Its rhizomatous though non-aggressive nature makes this durable and drought resistant perennial an excellent addition to the garden where it can be utilized as a groundcover as well as in naturalistic settings. It does seem to prefer a little midday and afternoon shade, especially in the hottest summer climates and in dryer settings. Caterpillar host: Rawson's Metalmark. Item# 10811.

Dense spikes of tubular coral orange flowers emerge from long lasting showy deep mauve pink colored calyxes. The flowers are produced basically from late spring to fall atop the fruitily fragrant grayish green foliage. Guava Lava Hummingbird Mint or Agastache was selected for its dense habit as well as for its ability to provide a long season of color as a container plant or in the garden and landscape. The flowers attract hummingbirds and larger butterflies. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in a well-drained sandy soil for optimum vigor and flowering as well as the plant's longevity. Image courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13296

A multitude of tall spikes of small purple foxglove like blooms are born in spring on this evergreen native perennial. Great for butterflies, bees, & birds. Reseeds readily. Enjoys an average moist to moist soil with ample sunlight. Excellent as a cut flower. Item# 9158.

Steel blue spring and summer foliage is topped by nicely contrasting tan colored airy panicles in late summer and fall. In fall the foliage changes to yellow and finally beige creating winter interest and providing food, habitat, and nesting material for a variety of birds and other fauna. Gunsmoke is a selection of our native Switchgrass, Panicum virgatum, with an initially upright to vase shaped habit becoming rounded once flowering begins. This is a naturally clump-forming herbaceous perennial that is found throughout much of the US and into Canada, except for the westernmost states, and is a major component of the Tall Grass Prairies. Switchgrass was also used by native Americans to build long-lasting, rain resistant shelters. The foliage is a larval host to the Delaware Skipper, Arogos Skipper, Tawny Edged Skipper, Northern Pearly Eye, and Dotted Skippers. Adaptable to a wide variety of soil types and moisture regimes. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12305

Dense clusters of dainty white to lavender tubular flowers top the hairy blue-green to green fragrant foliage in summer. The small nectar rich flowers of Hairy Mountain Mint attract a wide variety of pollinators, and are especially important to native bees. This is a rhizomatous native perennial that will readily spread especially in moist soils. Hairy Mountainmint, Pycnanthemum verticillatum var. pilosum, is native to the northcentral US, mainly Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Arkansas, eastern Tennessee, eastern Kentucky and as far south as northern Mississippi. It is typically found in moist, calcareous soils but can tolerate drier sites where it is less likely to spread aggressively. Item# 11763

4-6" wide, white to pale pink flowers with a contrasting burgundy eye and showy staminal column are produced in summer along the 4-6' high stems attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The Halberdleaved Rosemallow, Hibiscus laevis, is a root hardy herbaceous native perennial Hibiscus producing multiple stems at maturity. It is typically found growing along freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams where it has an ample moisture supply and will likely prefer a similar, consistently moist, fertile soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum growth and vigor. This will be a good choice for bogs and rain gardens. The Halberdleaved Rosemallow is native to much of the central and eastern US and gets its name from its halberd shaped foliage. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 12975

Earned 4 out of 4 stars in trials at Chicago Botanic Gardens! Dome shaped clusters, up to 5" wide, are composed of deep blue pointed buds that open to pale blue starry flowers and are produced in mid to late spring attracting butterflies, larger bees, hummingbirds, and hummingbird moths. Halfway to Arkansas Blue Star, an Intrinsic Perennials selection, is a clump forming, taprooted, herbaceous, native perennial with a dense bushy, almost neatly formal habit once mature and is cloaked in deep green, fine textured, narrow foliage that changes to gold tinged with purple in autumn. Amsonias or Blue Stars are tough, easy, heat and humidity loving, deer and rabbit resistant, and tolerate low fertility soils. Grow Halfway to Arkansas Blue Star in a full sun to partly shaded site and the plants will generally need more moisture or a quality organic mulch in hotter sunnier sites and can tolerate slightly drier conditions where they receive some shade during the heat of the day, while sunnier sites tend to offer the sturdiest growth and best flowering. Images courtesy of Intrinsic Perennials, all rights reserved. Item# 13332

.