Archives

Prunus angustifolia

Chickasaw Plum is a thicket-forming shrub with a tendency to form large colonies. It features clusters of white flowers which bloom in March, offering early spring appeal. The nectar provides an important food source for early emerging butterflies and bees. Edible, cherry-like, reddish plums ripen in midsummer and provide an excellent source of food for birds and wildlife. Fruits can be made into jellies and jams. Chickasaw Plum has medium-high wind resistance. Use Chickasaw Plum in sunny woodland areas of your yard, as a screen or hedge, in shrub borders, or along stream banks for erosion control.

Prunus americana

American Plum is a small, wildlife-friendly tree or multi-stemmed shrub. Aromatic clusters of white flowers bloom in mid-March, followed by edible red plums with yellow pulp, which ripen in midsummer. The nectar and fruit provide food sources for butterflies, bees, and birds. The fruit can be used for jams and jellies. American Plum can be used as a hedgerow, along borders, as a screen, or as a specimen in your yard.

Populus tremuloides

Quaking Aspen is a medium-sized deciduous tree. It is dioecious; inconspicuous flowers bloom in April on separate male or female trees. It features beautiful, white bark, and deep-green “quaking” leaves, which tremble in the wind. Fall foliage is a rich golden-yellow. Quaking Aspen prefers cooler climates, and is intolerant of heat and humidity. Quaking Aspen provides birds with nesting material and food. It is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Great Ash Sphinx (Sphinx chersis), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), and Viceroy (Limenitis archippus). Plant Quaking Aspen as a specimen tree or in woodlands and natural areas of your yard.

Physocarpus opulifolius

Common Ninebark is a wildlife-friendly, spreading, deciduous shrub, featuring clusters of pinkish-white flowers which bloom May-June. Flowers provide an excellent nectar source for native bees. Drooping clusters of red fruit offer food for birds in the summer. Common Ninebark is valued for its exfoliating (peeling) bark, which reveals layers of reddish-brown inner bark, offering winter interest. This plant tolerates poor soil conditions. Use Common Ninebark in your shrub border, or as a hedge or screen in your yard.

Phlox subulata

Moss Phlox is a vigorous, spreading, mat-forming evergreen perennial. It features red-purple to violet-purple to pink to white flowers, which bloom March-May to create an early spring carpet of color. Use Moss Phlox for edging, cascading walls, and as a groundcover in select areas of your yard.

Phlox drummondii

Phlox features fragrant, pink flowers May-July; the flowers decline in the summer heat. It prefers consistently moist soil, but can tolerate short periods of dryness. Many cultivars offer a variety of colors to choose from. Phlox will re-seed itself and spread. It offers a valued nectar source for butterflies. Use Phlox as edging for your borders and beds, in your rock garden, and in containers. Plant in masses to offer maximum appeal in your yard.

Phlox divaricata

Wild Blue Phlox offers slightly fragrant, loose clusters of blue-violet flowers April-May. This wildlife-friendly flower offers nectar to visiting pollinators, including butterflies and bees. It is susceptible to powdery mildew; maintain good air circulation between plants to prevent this fungal disease. Use Wild Blue Phlox in mixed borders, wildflower gardens, shade gardens, and for woodland groundcover around your yard.

Petunia x hybrida

Petunia is a flowering plant grown as an annual in New Jersey. Its green, thick leaves are slightly sticky. Its large, fragrant, funnel-shaped or ruffled flowers come in a variety of sizes and colors. This plant flowers non-stop from spring to frost. Removing the spent flowers encourages more blooms. Petunias are adaptable to many different soil types and conditions. Use Petunias in cascading beds, containers, hanging baskets, and in annual or mixed borders around your yard for a burst of long-lasting color.

Penstemon digitalis

Foxglove Beardtongue is a wildlife-friendly native of New Jersey. Clusters of tubular, white flowers on long stalks bloom April-June. The flower nectar is a food source for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.

Pelargonium x hortorum

Zonal Geranium is grown as an annual in New Jersey. The distinctive foliage of this plant has a zone of darker green circling the leaf centers. Clusters of colorful flowers on long stalks bloom throughout the summer and early fall; varieties are available in shades of pink, red, purple, orange, and white. Deadhead the spent flowers to promote new blooms. This plant prefers well-drained soil and good air circulation. Use Zonal Geranium in hanging baskets, window boxes, and in borders around your yard.