What's in Bloom
Bloom Highlights
Helianthus petiolaris subsp. petiolaris
Prairie Sunflower
This plant is native to a large swath of North America from southern central Canada in the north, throughout most of the continental United States, and into northern Mexico in the south, where it is found in dry, open grasslands, prairies, fields, and plains. It is an herbaceous perennial with an erect, clumping habit. The bright green stems are pubescent and branching, bearing leaves with prominent petioles oppositely at the base and alternately on the upper stems. The leaves are green and rough with a slight shine. Lower leaves are cordate to ovate while the upper leaves gradually become narrower with dentate margins that undulate the length of the leaf. Leaf axils and stem termini produce large, solitary capitula inflorescences. There are seven to 20 outer ray florets that are bright yellow, ringing a button of many tubular, brown disc florets that are subtended by many green, recurved bracts. The genus name is derived from the Greek words helios meaning “sun” and anthos meaning “flower.” The specific and subspecific epithet means “with stalked leaves” in Latin due the prominent petioles (leaf stalks).
Hydrangea quercifolia
Oakleaf Hydrangea
This plant’s native range primarily falls in Mississippi and Alabama but extends into central Louisiana, southern Tennessee, western Georgia, and the Floridian panhandle, where it thrives in open woodlands and along streambanks. It grows as a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with an erect, mounding habit. Shoots are green and smooth before lignifying to brown and mature to produce papery, brown bark that exfoliates to expose cinnamon-colored inner bark. Stems are erect and sparingly branch to bear large, leathery, green leaves in opposite pairs. The leaves are ovate with three to seven prominent lobes with smooth or sometimes serrate margins. In autumn the leaves turn attractive shades of purple, red, and orange before turning brown and falling off. Primarily from shoot termini, and secondarily from upper leaf axils, large pyramidal panicles of creamy white and green flowers are produced. Sterile flowers are mainly produced at the tips of the panicle branches noted by their large, showy bracts. Many tiny, fragrant, fertile, green or creamy white flowers line the panicle branches and are largely hidden by the large, sterile flowers. In autumn the sterile flowers will persist and turn pink before fading to brown. The genus name comes from the Greek words hydōr meaning "water” and angeîon meaning “vessel” due to the fruit capsules resembling cups. The specific epithet means “with oak-like leaves” in Latin.
Iris ‘Black Gamecock’
Black Gamecock Louisiana Iris
This plant is a result of an undocumented interspecific hybridization of Iris from the taxonomic group Iris ser. Hexagonae. All five species in this group are native to the southeastern United States and are found in various wetlands of the region. They grow as clump-forming herbaceous perennials that spread rhizomatously to form colonies of erect foliage. The green leaves are knife-like and are folded along the midrib, clasping around the younger leaves and forming a fan-like appearance. The fleshy, round, smooth stem terminates in a sparingly branched floral stalk producing up to three large solitary flowers. The flowers have three outer tepals called falls that are spreading and broad with a yellow indicator mark instead of a hairy patch, three inner tepals called standards that are slender, erect, and shorter than the falls, three yellow anthers that are concealed in between each of the falls, and three slightly fringed style arms. This cultivar is noted for its large dark purple to black flowers and its cold-hardiness. The genus was named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow since the flowers in this genus come in a wide range of colors.
Sorbaria kirilowii var. arborea
Tree Spirea
This plant is native to the temperate regions of central China where it is found in mountainous woodlands. It grows as a colony-forming tree with an erect habit and gracefully arching branches. The shoots are green and lignify to a light tan. The branches alternately bear long, pinnately compound dark green leaves with 13 to 21 leaflets. The leaflets are lanceolate with doubly serrate margins and have stellate hairs on the undersides along the veins. Shoot termini produce a large panicle inflorescence of small, white flowers. The panicles become pendulous under their own weight. The flowers have five small, green sepals and five round, white petals that form a floral cup around a nectar gland around the pistil; from the “rim” of the cup five white stamens extend. The genus name is derived from the closely related genus Sorbus with the Latin suffix -aria meaning “pertaining to” added to the end to indicate the close resemblance. The specific epithet honors Russian botanist Ivan Petrovich Kirilov. The variety name is Latin for “woody or tree-like.”
Tilia cordata
Littleleaf Linden
This tree is native to a broad swath of Europe to northern Iran, western Asia, and western Siberia, where it is found in woodlands and is a marker of ancient woodlands in some countries. It is a large, deciduous tree with an upright oval to pyramidal habit. The stems are slightly zig-zagged and are burgundy-copper and smooth, maturing to produce grayish-brown bark with furrows; with age, the bark darkens and the furrows deepen. Branches alternately bear cordate leaves with serrate margins. The upper side of the leaves are dark green and glossy while the undersides are light green and matte. In autumn, the leaves turn chartreuse and then golden-yellow. In early summer, leaf axils and shoot termini produce cyme inflorescences with long, pendulous stalks with a single subtending, strap-like, chartreuse bract. The cymes have five to seven creamy white, fragrant flowers. The flowers have five sepals, five petals, and many stamens around a pistil with a large ring-shaped nectar gland at its base that attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. The genus name is derived from both the Greek word pteléā meaning “elm tree” and tilíai meaning “black poplar”—both Greek words have roots in the Proto-Indo-European word *ptel-ei̯ā which linguists believe meant “broad-leaved.” The specific epithet means “heart-shaped” in Latin in reference to the leaves.
Dimorphotheca ecklonis ‘Serenity™ Pink Magic Balserpima’
African Daisy
African daisies are tolerant of spring’s cold temperatures. The color of ‘Pink Magic’ changes as the flowers fully open. These deer-resistant plants grow 10 to 14 inches tall. Use them in cool-season containers and garden beds.
Calibrachoa ‘Conga™ Purple Star Balcongplar’
Calibrachoa
An abundance of bright blooms covers these well-branched, trailing plants. Great for containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes. Plants grow 6 to 10 inches tall and spread to 10 inches wide. Tolerates cool weather all spring. Blooms into summer.
Viola cornuta ‘Sorbet® XP Yellow Pink Jump Up’
Horned Violet
Early-blooming, free-flowering plants that remain compact all season long; frost tolerant and low maintenance. Great color for early spring or autumn in garden beds, containers, and hanging baskets. Grows to 6 to 8 inches tall and wide.