Perennials
| Type | Botanical Name | Native | Common Name | Description | Height | Light Req. | Zone | Add to My List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perennial | TRICYRTIS hirta ‘Variegata’ | Toad Lily | This is a creamy white-edged leaf clone of the popular toad lily. The 18″ arching branches burst into flower in midsummer through early fall with 1″ purple orchid-like flowers in each leaf axil. |
18-20" | Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | TRICYRTIS macropoda ‘Tri-Color’ | Toad Lily | Grey-green leaves have bronze speckling and create a nice mound over which arching stems of orchid-like flowers appear in late summer bearing mauve-purple speckles. |
20-24" | Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | TRILLIUM grandiflorum ‘Flore Plenum’ (syn. Multiplex) | Double White Trillium | A beautiful, long-blooming double form of the native white trillium. |
12-14 inches | Part Shade/Shade | 3 | ||
| Perennial | TRILLIUM simile or flexipes | Jeweled or Nodding Trillium | We’re not quite sure whether these are T. simile or T. flexipes. It is possible that you will get one, the other or a hybrid of them both. It has a large creamy white flower with a dark purple ovary. |
7-20" | Part Shade/Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | TULIPA tarda | Specie Tulip | A small species tulip with white tipped bright yellow flowers in spring. this is a true perennial tulip and will increase over time providing early pollen for the emerging pollinators in spring. Attracts pollinators |
6-8 inches | Full sun | 3 | ||
| Perennial | UVULARIA grandiflora | Giant Merrybells | Narrow, dangling yellow bell-shaped flowers in May on arching stems. Native woodland plant. |
16-18 inches | Part Shade/Shade | 3 | ||
| Perennial | UVULARIA perfoliata | Perfoliate Bellwort | Slightly smaller than U. grandiflora with stems perforating the leaves and dangling yellow bells in May. Good naturalizer. |
16-18 inches | Part Shade/Shade | 3 | ||
| Perennial | VERBASCUM ‘Southern Charm’ | Mullein | An old cottage garden plant with spires of soft pastel shades of lavender, cream and rose all with purple stamens. Blooms in summer. Deer resistant. |
2-4 feet | Sun | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERBENA hastata ‘Blue Spires’ | Blue Vervain | Native perennial with narrow blue-violet flower spikes in candelabra-like inflorescences mid to late summer. Attracts butterflies. Drought & wet soil tolerant |
2-4 feet | Sun | 3 | ||
| Perennial | VERNONIA fasciculata | Prairie Ironweed | Violet-colored flowers on 3’-6’ stems in late summer. Dramatic accent. |
4-6 feet | Sun/Part Shade | 3 | ||
| Perennial | VERNONIA glauca | Broadleaf Ironweed | An ironweed species more tolerant of drier conditions than others and slightly shorter in stature. Loose clusters of deep purple blooms in Aug. and Sept. |
4-6 feet | Sun/Part Shade | 3 | ||
| Perennial | VERNONIA lettermannii ‘Iron Butterfly’ | Threadleaf Ironweed | Densely branched perennial with fine textured foliage and bright purple flowers. A good nectar source for butterflies. |
28-30 inches | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERNONIA noveboracensis | New York Ironweed | Loose clusters of bright purple flowers on 3’-6’ stems in Aug-Sept. Native to moist meadows and roadsides. Nice partnered with Eupatorium and other late season bloomers. Attracts pollinators |
4-6 feet | Full sun | 3 | ||
| Perennial | VERNONIA ‘Southern Cross’ | Hybrid Ironweed | A hybrid with a vase-like, bushy habit and narrow foliage. It’s topped with small domes of purple flowers in late summer. |
3-4 feet | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA austriaca ‘Crater Lake Blue’ | Sawtooth Speedwell | Compact and very floriferous with many spikes of the most brilliant blue. Great for rock gardens. Deer & rabbit resistant |
8-12" | Full Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA austriaca ‘Venice Blue’ | Speedwell | Short spikes of violet-blue flowers in spring on a compact, mounding plant. Some repeat bloom in late summer with deadheading. |
10-12 inches | Sun/Part Shade | 2 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA ‘BLUE SKYWALKER’ | Loads of spikes covered in blue from mid-late summer. More compact to fit into the front of the perennial border. |
Full sun | 4 | ||||
| Perennial | VERONICA ‘Georgia Blue’ | speedwell | Low growing and mat forming this is a wonderful ground cover bearing brilliant blue flowers with white eyes all spring and sporadically for the rest of the season. Remaining attractive even when not in flower. |
4-6" | Sun | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA ‘Lavender Lightsaber’ | Spike Speedwell | Soft lavender flowers covering the top half of a columnar, upright habit. |
24-30" | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA Magic Show ‘Pink Potion’ | Spike Speedwell | ‘Pink Potion’ produces baby pink flowers that cover the top half of the plant while the deep green foliage forms a rounded, low habit that is wider than typical and packed full of flowers. |
14-16" | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA prostrata ‘Aztec Gold’ | Prostrate Speedwell | Creeping mats of golden foliage with blue spring flowers. |
4-6 inches | Full Sun/Part Shade | 3 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA ‘Purple Illusion’ | Magic Show Speedwell | Dense spikes of purple flowers in summer over thick, dark green foliage. |
16-18 inches | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA repens | Creping Speedwell | Forming a ground hugging carpet forming pale icy blue flowers along thin stems. Great for filling in between pavers. Deer & rabbit resistant |
2-4" | Full Sun/Part Shade | 5 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA spicata ‘Red Fox’ | Compact, producing many spikes of rosy-red flowers from mid-late summer. Makes a lovely edging. |
Full sun | 4 | ||||
| Perennial | VERONICA spicata ‘Royal Candles’ | Speedwell | An offspring of V. ‘Sunny Border Blue’ with a more compact habit and longer blooming. Dark violet-blue spikes through the summer. |
16-18 inches | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA ‘Tidal Pool’ | Prostrate Speedwell | A selection from the Chicago Botanic Garden with blue-violet flowers in spring covering a dense, low-spreading plant. Small, scalloped green leaves are slightly pubescent. Tolerant of tough conditions. |
2-4 inches | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICA Magic Show ‘Wizard of Ahhs’ | Magic Show Speedwell | Thick spikes of violet-blue flowers starting in early summer on a dense, compact plant. |
14-16 inches | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICASTRUM virginicum ‘Album’ | Culver’s Root | Stately native with whorled leaves and white tapering flower spikes in summer. Best with some moisture. Attracts pollintors |
4-6 feet | Sun/Part Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VERONICASTRUM virginicum ‘Fascination’ | Culver's Physic | Tall spires of lilac-blue flowers over whirled foliage in mid to late summer. |
30-36 inches | Full Sun/Part Shade | 3 | ||
| Perennial | VINCA minor ‘Bowles Variety’ | Periwinkle | Dark evergreen foliage and violet-blue spring flowers. Great groundcover. |
6-8 inches | Sun/Part Shade/Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VINCA minor ‘Ralph Shugert’ | Periwinkle | Glossy oval leaves with a wide white margin and sky-blue flowers. |
6-8 inches | Sun/Part Shade/Shade | 4 | ||
| Perennial | VIOLA ‘Etain’ | Hybrid Viola | English hybrid with large, fragrant lemon flowers edged in purple. Long-blooming. |
6-8 inches | Sun/Part Shade | 5 | ||
| Perennial | WALDSTEINIA ternata | Barren Strawberry | Tough rapid groundcover for any soil. Strawberry-like leaves and yellow flowers in spring. Combines well with spring bulbs. |
4-6 inches | Sun/Part Shade/Shade | 3 |