Black Foliage/Stems or Marked with Black

Spikes of 1" long, two-lipped orangey-apricot flowers are produced throughout the growing season attracting hummingbirds and occasional larger bees and butterflies. Apricot Spring Salvia, a likely Jame Sage hybrid, a.k.a Salvia x jamensis, is a naturally evergreen, well-branched, small shrubby perennial cloaked in rich green, ovate, glossy, scented foliage and growing to about 18" high and wide.In areas where hard freezes do not occur, these Sages may develop a shrubby semi-woody base, while in zone 8 and colder, established plants act more like herbaceous perennials dying back to near ground level and returning in early spring. Enjoy these colorful pollinator attractors as forgiving container specimens or in a sunny garden or landscape. Provide full sun to part shade in well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13578

Dense, deep dark green foliage adorns the naturally upright and pyramidal form of this easy to grow evergreen. Black Dragon Japanese Cedar, a dwarf selection of Cryptomeria japonica, is a fine textured, small to medium-sized, evergreen shrub with a densely branching, conical, upright habit. This cultivar tends to have a moderate rate of growth to about 4-6' high and then growth slows as plants mature. Use this small evergreen as a specimen plant, accent, low maintenance hedge, as a container plant, or as a bonsai specimen. Cryptomeria or Japanese Cedars are adaptable provided they have an average to well-drained, fertile, acidic soil with average moisture in a full sun to partially shaded site. The dark colored foliage makes an excellent foil for lighter colored flowers and foliage. Black Dragon Cryptomeria has been selected as a Great Plant Pick of the Pacific Northwest. Item# 9111

The dark purple to deep burgundy foliage nearly black foliage of this sturdy perennial is topped by spikes of sweetly contrasting purple to lilac flowers in mid to late spring. Flowers attract native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Blackbeard Penstemon or Beardtongue is hybrid selection of our native species (Penstemon species are found native only in North America) whose intensely colored foliage is sure to provide wonderful contrast with surrounding perennials in the garden and landscape or use it as a specimen in containers. Provide a full to mostly sunny location for the darkest foliage coloration and a well-drained, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Blackbeard Penstemon was selected not only for its foliage color but also for its compact habit and flower power. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11904

The dark purplish-bronze, finely textured, licorice scented foliage makes a beautiful addition to the perennial border or the butterfly garden. Mix Bronze Fennel with yellow and chartreuse foliaged and flowering plants for a great combination. The foliage and stems are utilized by the Eastern Black Swallowtail, Baird's Swallowtail, and Anise Swallowtail as a caterpillar host plant. For optimum health and vigor plant Bronze Fennel in a full to mostly sunny site, in a well-drained, fertile soil. It can be grown as a reliable perennial in gardens and landscapes as well as in containers, either as a specimen plant or in mixed company. Item# 9121

A dwarf Loropetalum! The deep burgundy, purple, to near black foliage is accented by frilly bright cerise pink flowers in spring flowering a few weeks later than most Loropetalums and are so the flowers are less likely to get burned by a late freeze or frost. Cerise Charm™ Loropetalum, a.k.a Chinese Witch Hazel, is a new dwarf and compact selection that naturally develops into a dense rounded mound of dark foliage making this a great low-maintenance choice for small hedges, as accent plants, and even as a container specimens. Chinese Witch Hazel has few pests or disease problems when grown in an average to well-drained, acidic to neutral soil with average fertility in a full sun to partly shaded site. Images courtesy of Star Roses and Plants®, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12747

Spring and summer offer up a mound of dark purplish-black foliage that covers up in late summer and fall with contrasting white daisies with a purplish-red eye. The flowers of Lady in Black Calico or Woodland Aster attract a myriad of pollinators like bees, smaller butterflies, and other garden beneficials at a time when many are stock piling for winter. This is an easy and reliable clump forming native perennial selected for its deep dark foliage. Lady in Black Woodland Aster is tolerant of light shade but will have the darkest foliage where it receives the most direct sunlight. May reseed on exposed soils. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady.. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12114

New to the US for 2026! The large, bicolored flowers with bright pink hoods and tubes that fade into the large peach colored lower lips and emerge from contrasting black calyxes on black spikes providing sweet summer color atop the neat mounds of medium-green fragrant ovate foliage from spring to fall, and potentially through winter if not exposed to freezes and frosts. MELBA MAGIC® Peach Melba Salvia, a selection of the Little Leaf Sage, Salvia microphylla, boasts excellent vigor and flower power with flowering beginning early and continuing reliably through summer and into fall. The sweetly colored loose spikes of flowers are sure to attract hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. In areas where hard freezes do not occur, The Mountain Sages may develop a shrubby semi-woody base, while in zone 8 and colder, established plants act more like herbaceous perennials dying back to near ground level and returning in early spring. Enjoy these colorful pollinator attractors in the garden and landscape or as rewarding and forgiving container specimens. Provide full sun to partly shaded sites in well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Photos courtesy of New World Plants, LTD., all rights reserved. Item# 13572

New to the US for 2026! The large, bicolored flowers with cherry red hoods and tubes that fade into the large, starkly contrasting, cream colored lower lips and emerge from contrasting black calyxes on black spikes providing sweet summer color atop the neat mounds of medium-green fragrant ovate foliage from spring to fall, and potentially through winter if not exposed to freezes and frosts. MELBA MAGIC® Raspberry Melba Salvia, a selection of the Little Leaf Sage, Salvia microphylla, boasts excellent vigor and flower power with flowering beginning early and continuing reliably through summer and into fall. The sweetly colored loose spikes of flowers are sure to attract hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. In areas where hard freezes do not occur, The Mountain Sages may develop a shrubby semi-woody base, while in zone 8 and colder, established plants act more like herbaceous perennials dying back to near ground level and returning in early spring. Enjoy these colorful pollinator attractors in the garden and landscape or as rewarding and forgiving container specimens. Provide full sun to partly shaded sites in well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Photos courtesy of New World Plants, LTD., all rights reserved. Item# 13573

New to the US for 2026! The large, bicolored flowers with fuchsia hoods and tubes that fade into the starkly contrasting, bright white lower lips and emerge from contrasting black calyxes on black spikes provide sweet summer color atop the neat mounds of medium-green fragrant ovate foliage from spring to fall, and potentially through winter if not exposed to freezes and frosts. MELBA MAGIC® Strawberry Melba Salvia, a selection of the Little Leaf Sage, Salvia microphylla, boasts excellent vigor and flower power with flowering beginning early and continuing reliably through summer and into fall. The sweetly colored loose spikes of flowers are sure to attract hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. In areas where hard freezes do not occur, The Mountain Sages may develop a shrubby semi-woody base, while in zone 8 and colder, established plants act more like herbaceous perennials dying back to near ground level and returning in early spring. Enjoy these colorful pollinator attractors in the garden and landscape or as rewarding and forgiving container specimens. Provide full sun to partly shaded sites in well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Photos courtesy of New World Plants, LTD., all rights reserved. Item# 13574

Large 8-9" wide glowing deep red flowers are held against the dark burgundy maple-like foliage of this hardy Hibiscus. Midnight Marvel Perennial Hibiscus is a show stopper that absolutely pops in the summer and early fall landscape! Another excellent Walter's Gardens introduction, this hardy Hibiscus is sure to make a statement whether in the garden and landscape or all on its own. Like some of the other Walter's Gardens Hibiscus introduction, Midnight Marvel flowers all the way from the top to the bottom of these naturally rounded plants. Provide full to mostly sun and a moderately rich moist soil. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 11420

The large pink, white, and rose colored flowers are set against a foil of starkly contrasting near black, maple-like foliage of this hardy Hibiscus. Starry Starry Night Hibiscus has some of the darkest foliage of any of the new cultivars of perennial Hibiscus and the light colored flowers definitely stand out dramatically! This Walter's Gardens introduction was selected not only for its amazing foliage and flowers but also for the fact that it flowers from the top to the bottom of the naturally rounded plants unlike some of the older cultivars. Provide a moist, fertile soil in a full to mostly sunny position. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Image courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11419

New to the US for 2026! From dark spikes and calyxes emerge deep royal purple, 1" long, tubular flowers that are produced throughout the growing season atop tidy compact plants attracting a variety of smaller pollinators, especially bees and low flying hummingbirds. VISIONAL® Purple Improved Salvia, a Salvia x jamensis hybrid, boasts a densely branching compact habit with early and excellent flower power that continues reliably through summer and into fall. In areas where hard freezes do not occur, these Sages may develop a shrubby semi-woody base, while in zone 8 and colder, established plants act more like herbaceous perennials dying back to near ground level and returning in early spring. Enjoy these colorful pollinator attractors as forgiving container specimens or in a sunny garden or landscape. Provide full sun to part shade in well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13594