(Star Wormwood)

Despite its close resemblance to the tender perennial Senecio cineraria (better known as dusty miller), this herbaceous perennial from the coasts of Northeast Asia is rock hardy. It is also highly adaptable, having naturalized in both Northern Europe and the Northeast United States. It creeps and sprawls to form carpets of lobed leaves that are densely covered with silver-white fuzz. The leaves are concentrated toward the tips of the stems. Clusters of dull yellow nondescript flowers appear...

(Seashore Wormwood, Silver Brocade Wormwood, Star Wormwood)

Low-down, almost prostrate in habit, this selection of the popular foliage annual, Dusty Miller, is prized for its beautiful silver mat of overlapping, small, lobed leaves. The parent species of ‘Silver Brocade’ is native to coastal areas of northern Asia and Japan, and has naturalized in both Europe and the United States. The parent and this selection have proven tolerant of salt air and salty sandy soils. All the same, you can count on ‘Silver Brocade’ to do far better in areas with ordinary drainage,...

(Common Wormwood, Mugwort)

Put this weedy plant in the same classification as notorious weeds like Canadian thistle, star thistle, spotted knapweed and others. It is a bear of a plant that is next to impossible to get rid of once it takes hold. Plants aggressively spread via underground stems called rhizomes that form large matted colonies—even the smallest rhizome left in the ground will result in a new plant. The name “vulgaris” means common and this plant is common because it is a pest. Can you tell this is not one of our...

(Common Wormwood, Mugwort, Oriental Limelight Mugwort)

This variegated form of the weedy common wormwood has pretty enough golden variegated foliage but is profoundly invasive in the garden and beyond. It is next to impossible to get rid of once it takes hold. Plants aggressively spread via underground stems, called rhizomes, which form large matted colonies—even the smallest rhizome left in the ground will result in a new plant.

Common Wormwood is an herbaceous perennial that originates from areas across Europe, Africa, Asia and arguably northwestern...

(Arum, Cretan Arum)

At first glance of the Cretan arum in bloom, you'd think it was a lemon-scented calla lily. Native to the rocky mountainous hillsides of the Greek island of Crete, and adjacent western Turkey, it prospers in sunnier conditions, unlike many other arums which prefer shade.

The medium green, satiny leaves look like small arrowheads and appear from fall to spring. They die back in summer during the arid heat of the Mediterranean. Any time in spring, flower stems will rise above the leaves. Each bloom...

(Italian Arum, Lords-and-Ladies)

Grown primarily for its lush, often elegantly marked leaves, this tuberous herbaceous perennial is native to southern and western Europe. The large arrowhead-shaped leaves – which in many cultivated forms such as 'Marmoratum' are heavily veined with cream or silver – emerge from the ground in fall or early winter and persist through spring. Minute flowers are borne on a yellow club-like protuberance ("spadix") in late spring, which is hooded by a greenish-yellow leaf-like bract ("spathe"). Knobby...

(Italian Arum, Lords-and-Ladies)

Grown primarily for its lush, often elegantly-marked leaves, this tuberous herbaceous perennial is native to southern and western Europe. The large arrowhead-shaped leaves - which in many cultivated forms are heavily veined with cream or silver - emerge from the ground in fall or early winter and persist through late spring. Greenish-yellow, hooded spathes rise from the ground in late spring, each enclosing a yellow spadix that in summer bears red berries. The plant is considered to be in dormancy...

(Italian Arum, Lords-and-Ladies)

This tuberous perennial arum is distinctive for its vivid variegation. The large, arrowhead-shaped leaves are dark-green strikingly variegated with broad strokes of pale green in vein-like networks. Selected from a species native to southern and western Europe, 'Marmoratum' sends up its leaves in fall or early winter and they persist through late spring. Large, greenish-yellow, hooded spathes (purple at the base) appear in late spring, each enclosing a yellow spadix that in summer bears red berries...

(Italian Arum, Lords-and-Ladies, Spotted Jack Arum)

Prized for its large, variegated leaves and unusual flowers, 'Spotted Jack' is a selection of a perennial, tuberous arum native to southern and western Europe. The arrowhead-shaped leaves are veined with light and dark green and blotched with black. The leaves emerge from the ground in fall or early winter and persist through late spring. Large, greenish-yellow, hooded spathes appear in late spring, each enclosing a yellow spadix that in summer bears red berries displayed like an upright, plump...

(Italian Arum, Lords-and-Ladies, White Winter Arum)

Prized for the variegation of its large, wavy leaves, 'White Winter' is descended from a tuberous, perennial arum native to southern and western Europe. The arrowhead-shaped light-green leaves are stikingly marked with pale green in vein-like patterns. The leaves emerge from the ground in fall or early winter and persist through late spring. Large, greenish-yellow, hooded spathes appear in late spring, each enclosing a yellow spadix that in summer bears red berries displayed like an upright, plump...