(White Coneflower, White Swan Coneflower)

White Swan coneflower is an easy-to-grow, herbaceous perennial that is native to the eastern United States and Canada. In early to late summer, long, sturdy stems bear clean white, daisy flowers with large conical centers of amber orange. Bloom time may be extended if their spent flowers are removed, or deadheaded. A dependable garden staple, white swan coneflower self-sows freely but not aggressively. These natives are happiest when planted in sites with full sun and well drained, moderately fertile...

(Eastern Purple Coneflower)

Introduced by PanAmerican Seed®, PowWow coneflowers are colorful, well-branched and compact. They reliably bloom first year from seed and will bloom in time for spring production if sown in midwinter. Their large daisies are fade resistant and strong-stemmed.

Who doesn't love this colorful, easy-to-grow garden perennial? Purple coneflower is a hardy herbaceous wildflower native to the eastern United States. In early to late summer, it bears tall, sturdy stems topped with single large daisies...

(Common Viper's Bugloss)

Native to Europe and western Asia and a common roadside weed over much of the United States, this bristly biennial is grown for its tall summer-long spikes of azure flowers.

First-year seedlings of this hardy biennial form broad rosettes of large, rough, lance-shaped leaves. The following growing season, long steeple-like clusters of small funnel-shaped blooms are borne on stout upright stems that continue to appear from late spring to late summer. Flowers are typically pink aging to blue, but...

(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,...

(Common Water Hyacinth)

Common water hyacinth is beautiful aquatic plant native to South America. It is a floating plant that forms dense mats, sometimes rooting in the mud. The leaves are elliptical to oval arising from rosettes on inflated petioles. The roots are dark blue-black and feathery. New plants form readily along floating stolons or horizontal stems. The flowers are held above the foliage in dense spikes when the weather is warm. The flowers are generally 2-lipped with blue to lavender petals and a central yellow...

(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...