(Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Barney Turkish Fir, Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Franke Turkish Fir, Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Christmastree, Veitch Fir)

A handsome evergreen with deep green needles that curved upwards to reveal the silvery undersides, veitch fir also produces purplish cones. A tall conifer evergreen that is relatively fast-growing, it is native to central and southern Japan. Its smooth bark is sandy brown to gray in hue.

The non-prickly needles are short and glossy, dark green with silver to blue-green undersides. Needles densely line the branches' end twigs. Male and female cones are borne in late spring; the female cones become...

(Bear's Breeches, Summer Beauty Bear's Breeches)

The tall and stately Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is a hybrid bear’s breeches that is tolerant of summer heat, if given regular moisture. Huge, glossy, semi-evergreen, lobed leaves with spines on the margins form a large, mounded rosette. Its tall flower stalks appear in late spring through midsummer with an abundance of widely-spaced, snapdragon-like blooms that are white with purple calyces (outer flower cover). The blooms are highly attractive to bees.

Acanthus prefers full to partial...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Oyster Plant)

This interesting Old World perennial has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breeches is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The long, sharply lobed, coarse leaves of bear’s breeches are deep green and form large, showy rosettes. In summer, tall, upright spikes of two-lipped, tubular maroon and white flowers are produced. Once spent, the old blooms should be cut back to...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Hollard's Gold Bear's Breeches)

This interesting Old World perennial has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breeches is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The long, sharply lobed, coarse leaves of bear’s breeches are deep green and form large, showy rosettes. In summer, tall, upright spikes of two-lipped, tubular maroon and white flowers are produced. Once spent, the old blooms should be cut back to...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Oak Leaf Bear's Breeches)

This cultivar of the popular bear’s breech has bigger leaves that are more deeply lobed, almost oak-like. It is an interesting Old World perennial that has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breech is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The deeply lobed, coarse leaves are rich dark green and form large rosettes. In summer, it produces tall upright spikes of two-lipped,...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Tasmanian Angel ™ Bear's Breeches, Variegated Bear's Breeches)

This interesting Old World perennial has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breeches is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The long, sharply lobed, coarse leaves of bear’s breeches are deep green and form large, showy rosettes. In summer, tall, upright spikes of two-lipped, tubular maroon and white flowers are produced. Once spent, the old blooms should be cut back to...

(Mountain Thistle)

This shrubby, spreading, semi-evergreen to evergreen perennial bears spiny, leathery leaves that are sharply divided and have attractive silver markings. For most, this native of West Africa is less of an ornamental and more of a weed. Mountain thistle is adapted to the forest understory and grassy fields, so it grows well in sunny and shaded locations.

Tall, upright spikes of pinkish tubular flowers appear from summer to fall. These are highly attractive to bees. Spent flower spikes should...