Rhododendron calendulaceum

Flame azalea

Where can you find this plant? In Ohio: Only in unglaciated southeastern parts on rock outcrops. At HF&G: Holden Arboretum, Wildflower Garden, Rhododendron and Discovery Gardens. Bloom time: May-June, usually...

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Impatiens capensis

Common jewelweed

Where can you find this plant? In Ohio: Throughout, floodplain forests, disturbed wetlands, moist woodland edges. At HF&G: Cleveland Botanical Garden, Woodland Garden; Holden Arboretum, Wildflower Garden, Rhododendron Garden. Growing...

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Physostegia virginiana

Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant)

Physostegia virginiana is a robust perennial wildflower with bold lance shaped leaves.  In late summer and early fall, foliage is topped by lavender, pinkish or white spikey inflorescences.  The individual florets are...

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Phlox paniculata 'Laura’

Phlox paniculata ‘Laura’ (garden phlox)

This garden phlox cultivar is easy to grow and purportedly mildew resistant, preferring full sun and moist, humus-rich soil. The dense flowers of phlox ‘Laura’ are deep lavender purple with a white eye...

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Penstemon digitalis

Penstemon digitalis (foxglove beardtongue)

Penstemon digitalis is an upright, clump forming perennial wildflower featuring deep green leaves on strong upright stems. In summer, plants are topped by showy tubular snapdragon-like white flowers which are frequently visited by pollinators. It flourishes in sunny sites with wet or moist...

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Lobelia siphilitica

Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia)

Lobelia siphilitica is a clump forming perennial that thrives in a moist location.  It adapts well to different light conditions like sun or shade as long as it has consistent moisture.  The tubular blue flowers start to bloom in July and continue into September.  Hummingbirds are enticed by these flowers. ...

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Chelone glabra ‘Black Ace’

Chelone glabra ‘Black Ace’ (turtlehead)

A cultivar of our native white turtlehead (see Chelone glabra above), ‘Black Ace’s’ distinguishing feature is its dark ebony-green foliage that appears in spring and provides a striking contrast the white snapdragon-like flowers of late summer. ‘Black...

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Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella’

Asclepias incarnata ’Cinderella’ (swamp milkweed) 

‘Cinderella’ features clusters of 2 in. wide vanilla-scented flower heads. Individual flowers within each cluster boast deep pink reflexed petals and a pink to white crown. This selection of swamp milkweed is easily grown in medium to wet soils...

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Kirengeshoma palmata

Kirengeshoma palmata (yellow wax bells)

Yellow wax bells is a large shade-loving herbaceous perennial native to mountainous areas of Japan and Korea. It offers a shrub-like habit, coarse texture, and pale-yellow flowers from late summer to early fall. This elegant plant in the...

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Indigofera heterantha

Indigofera heterantha (Himalayan indigo)

This shrub in the pea family is native to Himalaya as well as Afghanistan and Tibet. It is suited to a wide range of soil conditions but prefers slightly moist, well-drained soil.  Grows in full to part...

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Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’ (dwarf fothergilla)

Dwarf fothergilla is a deciduous shrub with great fall color and fragrant flowers. It prefers acidic soils with high organic matter that are consistently moist but with good drainage. Flowers best in full sun...

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Deutzia ‘Nikko Blush’

Deutzia ‘Nikko Blush’ (deutzia)

This new hybrid from the National Arboretum welcomes spring with a profusion of soft pink blooms. It has a compact, low-growing form perfect for a foundation planting or low hedge. Deciduous green...

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Callicarpa b. ‘Profusion’

Callicarpa b. ‘Profusion’ (beautyberry)

Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ features an outstanding display of violet-purple fruits in fall. Forms a vigorous bushy shrub with small lavender flowers in July and August.  New leaf growth has a bronze tinge. Easily grown in sun or...

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Athyrium niponicum var. pictum

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum (Japanese painted fern)

One of the easiest and most rewarding hardy ferns, this selection performs well in any rich, evenly moist soil. It forms a compact clump of fronds, dark green in colour, overlaid in olive and silvery-pewter, with contrasting...

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Astilbe ‘Deutschland’

Astilbe ‘Deutschland’ (astilbe)

 Plants are characterized by graceful, fern-like mounds of mostly basal leaves.  Plumes of snow white, feathery flowers create a very showy landscape accent in moist areas in a shaded to dappled shade setting. ‘Deutschland’, a hybrid cultivar of Japanese...

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Vaccinium macrocarpon

Large cranberry

Large cranberry is a creeping shrub with small alternate oval leaves.  The delicate pink to white flower petals recurve to form a Turk’s cap and bloom in mid to late...

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Thelypteris palustris

Marsh fern

This perennial fern has upright compound leaves whose leaflets are often slightly curved and twisted. The root system is rhizomatous and fibrous and can form dense colonies and performs as a wonderfully as a ground cover. Marsh fern...

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Polygonatum pubescens

Hairy Solomon’s seal

This Solomon’s seal prefers partial sun to medium shade, moist conditions, and organic soils.  It is a wonderful spring blooming plant with white tubular flowers gracing arching stems.  Flowers give way to large blue fruit...

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Phlox paniculata 'Laura'

Garden phlox

This garden phlox cultivar is easy to grow and purportedly mildew resistant, preferring full sun and moist, humus-rich soil. The dense flowers of phlox ‘Laura’ are deep lavender purple with a white eye and appear in later summer and will last until early fall.   ...

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Meehania cordata 

Creeping mint

Named for Philadelphia botanist, Thomas Meehan, creeping mint is a sturdy perennial groundcover and a great substitute for nonnative ground covers like Lamium or Ajuga. Meehania cordata has long, trailing stems run across the...

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Dryopteris goldiana

Goldie’s wood fern

A deciduous fern, Goldie’s wood fern occurs in moist, rich soil in cool woods.  Reaching a height of 3-5 feet, it is one of the largest Dryopteris in Ohio.  The spores occur on the...

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Carex plantaginea

Seersucker sedge

Carex plantaginea is an attractive, clump forming woodland sedge that will perform well in partly shaded moist, humus-rich woods. It can tolerate difficult dry conditions once established. The leaves are broad and semi-evergreen with a striking lime green color and puckered surface and provide a nice textural aspect in a...

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Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet' 

Swamp milkweed ‘Ice Ballet’ 

A white flowering version of swamp milkweed, it is easily grown in medium to wet soils in full sun but is also tolerant of average well-drained soils in cultivation.  ‘Ice Ballet’ is a compact, white-flowered form...

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Syringa vulgaris

Common lilac

Native to the Balkans in southeastern Europe, Syringa vulgaris (common lilac) is a member of the olive family (Oleaceae), which also includes Fraxinus (ash), Chionanthus (fringe tree), Ligustrum (privet), and...

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