(Blue Bedder Bugloss, Common Viper's Bugloss)

A compact, blue-flowered selection of a bristly Eurasian biennial, 'Blue Bedder' blooms its first year if sown in early spring.

Rosettes of rough, lance-shaped leaves give rise to conical clusters of small, violet-blue, funnel-shaped blooms on calf-high stems. Seedlings started in early spring bloom from early to late summer; those started in fall bloom from late spring to midsummer the following year. Plants usually self-sow abundantly if not deadheaded.

This bee, butterfly, and hummingbird...

(Paperbush)

Paperbush is a small deciduous shrub with interesting open branching that bears late winter blossoms. The small yellow flowers are covered in fuzzy hairs on this native of China. These fragrant flowers eventually fade to a creamy white. The large leaves are nice dark green on this unusual shrub. Young leaves emerge with a felt texture. The branches are relatively few, but are very architectually appealing. After blooming, little purple-green berries develop. New flower buds, interesting in themselves,...

(Elaeagnus)

A pleasant upright-shaped shrub with gently arching branches, the Quicksilver silverberry glistens with silvery gray-green foliage and red fruits. A hybrid originating in England as a chance seedling, 'Quicksilver' is a fast-growing deciduous shrub.

The thin branches have thorns. At first, the branches are held upright, but as they lengthen and carry more weight they begin to arch. In early spring, the oval leaves emerge with a whitish silver hue. They mature to silvery gray-green. In late spring...

(Russian Olive)

Russian olive is a large deciduous shrub or small tree that's remarkably hardy and beautiful but known to be invasive. It is native to southern Europe, Russia, central Asia and parts of China where it inhabits coastal regions, lake shores, dry river beds and mountainous areas. It has also become naturalized throughout much of North America. In addition to its graceful habit and silvery leaves it is valued for its edible fruit, quality timber and fast-growing nature.

The narrow, lance-shaped leaves...

(Red King Russion Olive, Russion Olive)

Russian olive is a large, deciduous shrub or small tree. It is native to southern Europe, central Asia and parts of China. The narrow, lance-shaped leaves are green above and silvery, gray-green below. Its brown, scaly, often thorny branches are covered with exfoliating bark that adds winter interest. The cultivar ‘Red King’ has silvery white, strongly fragrant flowers with yellow centers occur in late spring or early summer and are followed by edible, red-rust, olive-like fruit.

Russian olive...

(Silverthorn, Thorny Olive)

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing, tough and grows well in difficult areas but has a coarse, informal look that is visually unappealing.

The oblong to elliptical leaves of thorny olive are dark green on the top and silver-gray on the...

(Fruitland Silverberry, Silverberry, Thorny Olive)

The unique thorny olive,'Fruitlandii', is distinguished by its larger, more rounded and wavy-edged foliage. It is also said to have a more uniform habit than ungainly wild forms.

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the Oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing, tough and grows well...

(Thorny Olive)

This more compact form of thorny olive has a pleasing rounded to umbrella-shaped habit, unlike ungainly wild forms. 'Glen St. Mary' is also a fast-grower that boasts fewer thorns than uncultivated types.

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the Oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing,...

(Thorny Olive)

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing, tough and grows well in difficult areas but has a coarse, informal look that is visually unappealing.

The oblong to elliptical leaves of thorny olive are dark green on the top and silver-gray on the...

(Thorny Olive)

This large-leaved form of thorny olive has beautiful leaves marked with yellow central blotches. Reportedly, plants have a tendency to revert and maintain unvariegated leaves of yellow-green. Though still fast-growing, fully variegated forms tend to grow a bit slower than wild-type.

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the Oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern...