Perennials

Perennials

Our enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable perennials team is here to answer your questions and help you choose the best perennials for your situation. There’s always something in bloom for sun, shade, butterflies, birds or deer resistance  as well as a variety of bulbs for your space.

Stroll through our time-tested favorites and introduce yourself to the newest varieties. We garden with perennials too; we love them and it shows!

Athyrium niponicum 'Regal Red'

Height: 18 inches

Spread: 24 inches

Sunlight: partial shade, full shade

Hardiness Zone: 4a

Other Names: Crested Japanese Painted Fern

Description:
Attractive tri-color fronds of silver, red and pale green; colorful maroon-red central stems and veins; compact and dense, perfect for shady spots; beautiful in masses on the edges of ponds or streams

Ornamental Features:
Regal Red Painted Fern is primarily valued in the garden for its cascading habit of growth. Its attractive twisted ferny bipinnately compound leaves emerge dark red in spring, turning silver in color with pointy dark red spines throughout the season. The red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes:
Regal Red Painted Fern is a dense herbaceous fern with a shapely form and gracefully arching fronds. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Regal Red Painted Fern is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing:
Regal Red Painted Fern will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Hibiscus 'Perfect Storm' PP27880

Pink-blushed white flowers contrast against dark, purple foliage. Shrub-like habit. USDA 4-9

Hibiscus x 'Cranberry Crush'

Dark red blooms. Purple toned foliage. Rounded habit. USDA 4-9

Hibiscus x 'Cranberry Crush'

Dark red blooms. Purple toned foliage. Rounded habit. USDA 4-9

Hibiscus 'Starry Starry Night' PP27901

Pink blooms are centered with dark-red. Dark, purple foliage contrasts against flowers. Bushy habit. USDA 4-9

Hibiscus 'Perfect Storm' PP27880

Pink-blushed white flowers contrast against dark, purple foliage. Shrub-like habit. USDA 4-9

Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy'

Pinkish blooms. Purple foliage. Prefers rich, Well-drained Soils. USDA 6-9

Lobelia cardinalis 'Black Truffle'

Red blooms. Purple-black foliage. Native. Tolerates wet sites. USDA 5-9

Penstemon 'Midnight Masquerade

Rich lavender purple flowers with white interiors. Rich, dark stem. USDA 3-8

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

Plant Height: 18 inches

Flower Height: 30 inches

Spacing: 18 inches

Sunlight: full sun partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 3b

Other Names: Beardtongue
Ornamental Features:

Husker Red Beard Tongue has masses of beautiful spikes of white tubular flowers rising above the foliage from early to mid summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive narrow leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning dark green in color with distinctive deep purple edges throughout the season. The deep purple stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the
plant.

Landscape Attributes:
Husker Red Beard Tongue is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Husker Red Beard Tongue is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting

Planting & Growing:

Husker Red Beard Tongue will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 30 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Husker Red Beard Tongue is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

White blooms. Dense maroon and green foliage. Clumping. USDA 3-8