American Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub with graceful, arching branches and spectacular fruits. Light lavender to pink flowers bloom June-August, followed by showy, bright purple, berry-like fruits, which encircle the stems. The fruits, which remain until early winter, are a source of food for many species of birds. American Beautyberry is a good shrub to plant under trees. Use massed in the back of a shrub border or in a woodland garden.
Feather Reed Grass is a low-maintenance ornamental grass. The feathery, purple-tinged flowers bloom May-June, followed by golden-brown seed heads that last until winter. Feathery Reed Grass is good both fresh-cut and dried for floral arrangements. It has a narrow, upright growing habit, which makes it a good plant for tight spaces. Use as an accent, or plant in masses. It mixes well with shrubs and flowering perennials, and can be used in rain gardens and other low, moist areas of the yard.
Strawflower is an annual, which blooms June to frost in a variety of colors (yellow, orange, red, pink, and white). The daisy-like flowers have a straw-like texture. It is an “everlasting,” meaning it retains its color and shape when dried. Strawflower is excellent for both fresh-cut and dried flowers. Use taller varieties in beds or borders and shorter ones as edging plants or in containers.
White Doll’s Daisy has delicate, aster-like flowers with narrow, white (sometimes pink or purple) rays and yellow centers. The flowers bloom August-October, adding white to the fall garden. The flowers are good fresh-cut for bouquets. Taller plants need support; however, cutting back plants in late spring keeps them compact. Use White Doll’s Daisy for naturalizing or in meadows and wildflower gardens.
Gray Birch is a medium-sized, short-lived deciduous tree with chalky white bark. It grows best in areas where the soil is shaded, cool, and moist. Keep the shallow root system moist by using mulch and watering during dry weather. This tree can be short-lived in New Jersey. It does not tolerate heat and humidity well, and grows best in areas with cool summers. Use Gray Birch in rain gardens and other areas of the yard with moist soil conditions, or in woodland gardens.
Paper Birch is a short-lived deciduous tree with beautiful, white bark that that peels in papery strips. Catkins (elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals) appear just before the leaves emerge. The flowers are followed by cone-like fruits holding small, winged seeds. The seeds are a food source for a variety of birds. The dark green leaves turn yellow in the fall. Paper Birch grows best in areas where the soil is shaded, cool, and moist. Keep the root system moist by using mulch and watering during dry weather. This tree can be short-lived in New Jersey. It does not tolerate heat and humidity well, and grows best in areas with cool summers. Under the proper growing conditions, Paper Birch is an excellent specimen tree. It can also be used in woodland gardens.
River Birch is a large deciduous tree with pinkish-brown, peeling bark, which provides year-round ornamental interest. The dark green, diamond-shaped leaves turn yellow in the fall. It prefers moist to wet soils, and tolerates periodic flooding. An adaptable tree, it will also grow in drier soils. Give this large tree with an extensive root system room to grow! Use River Birch as a specimen tree, or plant it in wet areas, such as rain gardens or along edges of ponds or streams.
Sweet Birch is a large deciduous tree with reddish-brown to reddish-black bark. The cherry-like bark is smooth on young trees and scaly on mature ones. The catkins (elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals) appear just before the leaves emerge. The leaves turn golden-yellow in the fall. The seeds are a food source for a variety of birds. Sweet Birch is a host tree for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillar), including Green Comma (Polygonia faunus). Crushed twigs have a wintergreen-like odor. Birch oil from this tree was once used to flavor candy and medicine, and the sap was used to make birch beer. This tree does well in areas where the soil is shaded, cool, and moist. Trees planted in full sun should be mulched and watered during periods of drought. Give this tree plenty of room to grow! Use Sweet Birch as a canopy tree in woodland gardens, or as a shade tree in moist areas of a large yard or park.
Yellow Birch is a large deciduous tree with distinctive bark. The peeling, yellow-bronze, shiny bark has a paper-like appearance. Crushed twigs have a wintergreen-like odor. The showy catkins (elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals) appear just before the leaves emerge. The seeds are a food source for a variety of birds. The leaves turn brilliant yellow in the fall. Yellow Birch does well in areas where the soil is shaded, cool, and moist. Trees that are planted in full sun should be mulched and watered during periods of drought. This tree is long-lived for a birch, often living over 100 years. Its strong, close-grained wood has a wide range of color variation, making it popular in furniture-making. Give this large tree plenty of room to grow! Use Yellow Birch as a canopy tree in woodland gardens, or as a shade tree in moist areas of a large yard or park.
Begonia is a long-blooming annual, which comes in a variety of flower colors, including white, pink, red, and bicolor. The compact plants have attractive, waxy, green to bronze leaves and fleshy stems. The flowers bloom from May to frost. Begonia performs best in sun-dappled shade with consistent moisture. This plant is most attractive when massed in beds or borders. It can also be used in container plantings.