(Jack-in-the-pulpit)

A familiar wildflower within its native range, Jack-in-the-pulpit is a tuberous herbaceous perennial found throughout eastern North America. In spring, it bears a pale green, white- or purple-striped spathe, over-arched by two large, glossy, three-lobed leaves. The spathe encloses a pale green or purple spadix, which in late summer produces bright orange-red berries.

This plant prefers a shady area with moist, humus-rich, well drained soil. It makes an ideal candidate for the woodland garden.

(Birthwort)

Pretty heart-shaped leaves and small yellow flowers on birthwort brings an aire of oddity and beauty to the perennial border. An upright and then arching herbaceous perennial native to southern Europe, it will creep its rhizomes (underground stems) to form a clump.

The light to medium green leaves are spade- or heart-shaped and are pretty as they line the stems that are first upright and then begin to weep. In late spring and early summer, small light yellow flowers occur in small clusters in...

(Dutchman's Pipe)

Foremost grown for its lush green, large heart-shaped leaves, Dutchman's pipe also bears small, pipe-like flowers in late spring. A heavy, deciduous vine native to the woodlands of the Appalachians in the eastern United States, the flowers are normally well-hidden by the foliage and do not smell of rotting flesh like other members of Aristolochia. The bright green leaves can become as large as a dinner plate. Heart-shaped, thye can become slightly purpled in late summer; their undersides...

(Fringed Dutchman's Pipe, Pipevine, White Veined Dutchman's Pipe)

A small vine that packs a visual punch with small pipe-like flowers and leaves of green with lighter yellow-green veins, the fringed dutchman's pipe is a well-behaved plant. A semi-hardy and semi-deciduous perennial vine from southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina, it is popular as a hanging basket specimen. With age, it forms a caudex, or swollen stem base that looks like a potato.

The leaves are heart-shaped, but the two lobes resemble kidneys. Each blade is medium to dark green and...

(Ministicks White Sea Thrift, Sea Pink, Sea Thrift)

A small tuft of a plant, ‘Ministicks White’ is a white-flowered selection of an evergreen species native to Europe and the Mediterranean region as fast east as Turkey. This sea thrift grows as a clump of short, narrow, stiff, dark-green leaves. In mid-spring upright stems rise from the clump in profusion and bloom at their tips with a pompom of small flowers that last almost to summer. It is a charming, extravagant show for a small plant.

In its native region, sea thrift is often found in full...

(Pink Lusitanica Sea Thrift, Sea Pink, Sea Thrift)

Tiny and exquisitely beautiful, ‘Pink Lusitanica’ is a perfect problem solver for small spaces and perennial container compositions. It is a hybrid of the species, Armeria maritima, native to the shores of the Mediterranean extending eastward into Turkey. Its species name refers to a preference for coastal or maritime climates. It grows as mounded tuft in the rapid drainage and full sun at the edge of a bluff. The leaves are stiff, narrow and dark, rising into a delightful, tidy dome.

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(Jersey Thrift)

Jersey thrift is a compact perennial native to the mountains of western Europe. In spring to early summer it produces globes of small pink flowers that rise on tall wiry stems above short tufts of thin, stiff, lance shaped leaves.

It prefers a full sun location and average to infertile, well drained soil. Jersey thrift makes a wonderful whimsical edging plant or an easy to care for, reliable addition to a rock garden. The cultivar 'Leucantha' is equally attractive and prodces white flowers....

(Girard's Thrift)

Girard's thrift is a compact perennial native to southern regions of France. In spring to early summer it produces globes of small lavender-pink flowers that rise on tall wiry stems above short, dense mounds of thin, stiff, lance shaped leaves.

Girard's thrift prefers a full sun location and average to infertile, well drained soil. Making a wonderful whimsical edging or an easy--care-for addition to a rock garden, it is a reliable plant. It may also look nice in combination with other thrifts,...

(Juniper-leaved Sea Thrift)

Juniper-leaf sea thrift is a very compact evergreen subshrub native to rocky pastures in the mountainous regions of Spain. In spring to early summer it produces loose globular clusters of pink flowers that rise on short stems above mounding tufts of hairy, needlelike foliage.

It prefers a full sun location and average to infertile, well drained soil. This sea thrift species makes a wonderful whimsical edging plant or an easy to manage, reliable addition to crevices in a rock wall. It is a terrific...

(Juniper-leaved Sea Thrift, White Juniper-leaved Sea Thrift)

The 'Alba' cultivar is a very compact evergreen subshrub native to rocky pastures in the mountainous regions of Spain. In spring to early summer it produces loose globular clusters of white flowers that rise on short stems above mounding tufts of hairy, needlelike foliage.

It prefers a full sun location and average to infertile, well drained soil. Juniper-leaf sea thrift makes a wonderful whimsical edging plant or a reliable addition to crevices in a rock wall.