Cucumber-tree is a medium-large, flowering deciduous tree, offering a full, rounded form. Upon maturity, small, slightly fragrant, tulip-like greenish-yellow flowers bloom April-May, usually towards the crown of the tree. Flowers are followed by cucumber-like, showy red fruits in late summer. The seeds are a food source for birds and small mammals. Use Cucumber-tree as an ornamental shade tree in your yard or neighborhood park.
Sundial Lupine features blue, pea-like flowers on elongated stems that bloom April-July. Attractive, dark green, compound-palmate leaves orient themselves to the sun. This wildlife-friendly perennial is a valuable nectar and pollen source for hummingbirds and native bees. Its dried seeds are enjoyed by birds. Sundial Lupine is a host plant to butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus), Elf (Microtia elva), Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae), and Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius). Sundial Lupine is the only known host for larvae of the Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa sub. samuelis), which is nearly extinct over much of its range. Plant Sundial Lupine in perennial borders, meadows, edges of woodlands, and in sandy, naturalized areas of your yard that offer full sun. They are susceptible to powdery mildew.
Trumpet Honeysuckle is a twining, wildlife-friendly deciduous vine, which will attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to your garden! Its red-pink-orange, trumpet-shaped flowers bloom May-June and offer hummingbirds and nectar-loving pollinators an energy-rich food source. The berries are an attractive food source for many species of birds, including finches and robins. The foliage is host to butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) and Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis). Wait until after flowering to prune. Trumpet Honeysuckle can be trained on your trellis, arbor, pergola, or along a fence around your yard.
The showy, white flowers of Sweet Alyssum provide spring blooms from April through June. There are many cultivars that offer a palate of colors to choose from. To encourage a second bloom, shear spent flowers from the first bloom. Blooms can be so profuse, they sometimes hide the foliage! For continued enjoyment later in the season, sow seeds in August for an additional fall bloom. Find a protected area in your yard for these fagrant beauties, as they are somewhat intolerant of heat and humidity. Part-shade is preferred, but they can tolerate full sun. Try using Sweet Alyssum in containers for your patio, at the edge of borders around your yard, on cascading walls, and in rock gardens. Sweet Alyssum is native to the Mediterranean, and is commonly associated with sandy beaches and coastal landscapes.
Cardinal Flower is one of the most attractive native wildflowers in New Jersey. The showy, scarlet-red flowers are a hummingbird magnet, blooming July through September and offering a late summer nectar source. Cardinal Flower requires moist-wet, humus-rich soil to ensure optimum growth. It prefers partly shady areas, but it can tolerate full shade. Enhance your yard’s perennial border, butterfly garden, rain garden, or moist woodland edge with this gorgeous native!
Tuliptree is a large, fast-growing, flowering, wildlife-friendly deciduous tree. Yellow-and-orange bicolor flowers blooming May-June are valued by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Flowers lead to ornamental, cone-shaped fruits bearing numerous winged seeds. Large, tulip-shaped leaves give this tree its common name. It is favored by wildlife for nest sites, cover, and food. Tuliptree is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Tuliptree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera) and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). Use it as a specimen tree or shade tree for your large yard or landscape.
Spicebush is a deciduous shrub, which grows with a rounded form. The fragrant white-yellow-green flower clusters bloom in March. Use Spicebush as a shrub border, in naturalized areas, or along woodland edges around your yard.
Sea Lavender’s loose and airy, blue-violet flowers resemble Baby’s Breath and bloom July-August. The flowers appear in clumping masses on wiry, nearly leafless stems. Use Sea Lavender in your perennial border, rock garden, seaside garden, or as fresh-cut or dried flowers in bouquets.
The tiny, purple flowers of Lavender Thrift resemble Baby’s Breath, and bloom June-August, adding a delicate accent of color to your yard. This salt-tolerant plant grows in a variety of consistently moist, well-drained soils. For best appeal, plant in masses to add large swaths of wispy texture to your garden. Lavender Thrift also makes a lovely addition to dried flower arrangements.