Archives

Penstemon hirsutus

Thin, tubular-shaped purple flowers bloom May-July, offering nectar for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Gentiana clausa

Sets of strikingly blue flowers are clustered at the tips of single stems surrounded by a whorl of rich green leaves. 

Scaevola aemula

Fanflower is a sprawling, tender perennial grown as an annual in New Jersey. Bluish-purple, fan-shaped flowers with yellow “throats” bloom on trailing stems non-stop throughout the spring and summer. Fanflower thrives in the heat of summer. This plant tolerates dry, sandy soils and salt spray, making it a good choice for seashore gardens. Use Fanflower in beds, containers, and hanging baskets, or as an annual groundcover.

Lobelia siphilitica

Great Blue Lobelia features purple-blue, tubular flowers, which bloom July-September in whorled clusters atop tall, erect stems. This plant’s nectar is a food source for bees and hummingbirds; it has special value for native bees and bumblebees. It prefers part-shade, but will tolerate full sun in cooler climates. Its native habitat includes swamps and moist, low areas. Use Great Blue Lobelia in the back of borders to add depth to your garden. Plant it in rain gardens, wildlife gardens, woodland gardens, and moist areas of your yard.

Panicum amarum

Coastal Panicgrass is a clump-forming, warm season, perennial grass that supports wildlife throughout the year.

Solenostemon scutellarioides

Coleus is grown for its boldly patterned, multi-colored leaves. Varieties are available in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, and white. Coleus prefers moist, organic soils and will tolerate shade. Pinch back stem tips to keep plant compact and bushy; remove flowers as they appear to promote lush leaf growth. Coleus provides beautiful color accent when mixed with flowering perennials. Use in groups in beds and borders or in pots and hanging baskets. Plants can be potted in fall and brought indoors to overwinter as houseplants.

Veronicastrum virginicum

Culver’s Root features tiny, multiple, white to pale-blue flowers, which bloom on erect spikes, June-August. The nectar is a valuable food source for native bees, honeybees, and butterflies. Culver’s Root prefers fertile, moist soil that does not dry out. Use Culver’s Root as a moist, woodland border or in your rain garden.

Wildlife Value: Butterflies and native bees,  such as sweat bees, carpenter bees and bumble bees, will visit the flowers.

Veronica spicata

Speedwell features deep blue-purple flowers on tall spikes, which bloom June-August. Deadhead flowers to promote continuous blooms. Speedwell prefers constant moisture in well-drained soil, but it will tolerate drought once established. The genus Veronica contains many cultivars offering other colors and characteristics. Use it in rock gardens and borders around your yard.

Verbena hastata

Swamp Verbena features purplish-blue flowers, which bloom on tall spikes, a few at a time from bottom to top, June-September. The flowers are a nectar source for bees and butterflies. Swamp Verbena is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). This plant prefers moist soil conditions. Use it in rain gardens, along water features, or in other moist areas of the yard. It can also be planted in borders and meadows.