(Longleaf Woodoats, Southern Woodoats)

Longleaf woodoats is a clumping perennial grass that forms tufted flowers along tall, wiry stems. Native to the southeastern United States, it forms a fountain of upright, medium-green, narrow leaves. In summer, thin, tall stems arise from the clump, with sparse clusters of flower tufts, with tiny white flowers emerging from the green buds.

Longleaf woodoats will perform superbly in a fertile, moist garden soil that isn't overly alkaline in pH. It will grow well in full sun if summers are not...

(Alabama Lipfern, Lipfern)

Here's one of the amazing ferns that manages to grow on rock faces and crevices without lots of water or soil. The Alabama or smooth lipfern naturally inhabits rocky slopes and ledges -- usually limestone -- from the southern Appalachians and the Ozarks into north-central Mexico. They grow at higher elevations, protected from intense summertime heat.

Alabama lipfern produces upright, triangular-shaped fronds of medium to dark green. The tiny leaflets in the frond are flat, smooth and triangular...

(Desert Fern, Lipfern, Rock Fern)

Imagine a drought-tolerant fern -- not overly particular to soil type -- that's native to a subtropical habitat with dry winters and rainy summers. This unusual plant exists and is known as the rock or desert fern. It grows from a clumping rhizome and produces attractive evergreen fronds.

(Lace Lipfern, Lipfern)

During a wilderness hike west of the Continental Divide in the American Pacific Northwest, you'll encounter a frilly, lacy-foliage fern growing on and among igneous rocks on slopes. The lace lipfern's narrow, upright fronds grow from a short, clumping rhizome. The native range extends from central California and Nevada northward to the border with British Columbia, Canada. High elevations protect this fern from excessive summertime heat and drought stresses.

The lace lipfern produces upright,...

(Hairy Lipfern)

Fine hairs cover the light green fronds of the hairy lipfern, delicate-looking deciduous, clumping fern. It is native to granite rocky slopes and ledges from the Catskill Mountains to central Missouri and southward to the Florida panhandle. It grows at higher inland elevations, protected from intense summertime sunlight from nearby trees, shrubs or sheltering rocks. It develops a short, slow-growing rhizome to form an attractive leafy clump.

Hairy lipfern produces upright, long, triangular-shaped...

(Lyon's Turtlehead, Pink Turtlehead)

Native to regions along the Appalachian Mountains, which extend from the southeastern to northeastern United States, Lyon’s turtlehead is an upright perennial grown for its stems topped with clusters of two-lipped, tubular, rose or purple-pink flowers. Wild populations can be found growing in rich, moist soils in open forests and along stream banks.

Deep green, opposite, lance-shaped leaves line the tall stems of this pleasing woodland native. In late summer and autumn the turtle head-like...

(Lyon's Turtlehead, Pink Turtlehead)

This vigorous cultivar of Lyon's turtlehead has particularly vibrant rose-pink flowers and attractive dark green leaves. Originating from regions along the Appalachian Mountains, which extend from the southeastern to northeastern United States, Lyon’s turtlehead is an upright perennial grown for its stems topped with clusters of two-lipped, tubular, rose-pink flowers. Wild populations can be found growing in rich, moist soils in open forests and along stream banks.

Deep green, opposite, lance-shaped...

(Turtlehead)

The rose-flowered turtlehead is an attractive hardy perennial that's native to the central and eastern United States. It is adapted to moist woodlands and forest edges.

Turtlehead forms vigorous clumps that spread slowly over time. Its upright stems are lined with deep green leaves with coarsely serrated edges. In mid to late summer they become topped with dense short spikes of rosy two-lipped tubular flowers that look like turtle's heads. These are attractive to hummingbirds and make sweet...

(Mexican Tea)

Long prized in Mexico as an herb and medicinal plant, this weedy annual or short-lived perennial from tropical America is naturalized worldwide from the tropics to the temperate zones. Plants form clumps of erect, waist-high stems with alternate, oval, toothed leaves. Bruised leaves emit a pungent, disagreeable odor. In summer, long spikes of small greenish flowers appear at the stem tips and leaf axils. Tiny greenish single-seeded fruits follow the flowers. Plants readily self-sow.

Mexican...

(Desert Willow)

An upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub or tree native to the deserts of Mexico and the southwestern United States, this willowy-leaved plant bears large, fragrant, tubular flowers from late spring until fall. The white, pink, or lavender flowers have yellow, purple-veined throats. Long bean-like pods follow the flowers. The long, green, narrow leaves drop in early fall. Many cultivars have been selected for flower color, habit, and other characteristics.

Desert willow is adapted to coarse,...