(Morning Star Sea Pink)

Sea thrift is a short, evergreen perennial that originates from mountain and coastal regions across the northern hemisphere. In the United States it grows in the western coastal states. In late spring through summer, small pink,,white or blood-red globe-like flowers appear atop grass-like foliage. Grow this tidy perennial in sites with full sun and perfectly drained average soil. It makes a fine addition to rock gardens, border edges, or trough and container gardens. These are very prone to root...

(Horseradish)

This hardy, coarse, deep-rooted perennial is the source of horseradish, the familiar, fiery condiment. It grows as a clump of large, toothed, puckered, dark-green leaves on long stems arising from a fleshy root that divides vigorously into offshoots and sends out tunneling stems to start new plants with such vigor that one plant soon becomes many. Unless dug out regularly, the new plants can become invasive pests. Even a tiny fragment of root left in the ground will grow a new plant.

From late...

(Chokeberry)

(Black Chokeberry, Black Chokecherry)

Small, pretty white blossoms in spring, orangey fall color and dark purplish-black berries make black chokeberry a great shrub for naturalistic massed plantings. An upright deciduous shrub that suckers to form a thicket of twigs and leaves, it is native to the moist soils of the eastern United States and a thin sliver of southeastern Canada. Individual plants have a cluster of many, thin, dark brown stems that have a white, waxy, semi-flaky film on the smaller, reddish-brown twigs. It is slightly...

(Autumn Magic Black Chokecherry, Black Chokeberry, Black Chokecherry)

With small, pretty white blossoms in spring, 'Autumn Magic' black chokeberry has orange-red to burgundy-tinged fall color and black berries. A compact, upright deciduous shrub that may form a thicket, it is native to the moist soils of the eastern United States and a thin sliver of southeastern Canada. Individual plants have a cluster of many, thin, dark brown stems that have a white, waxy, semi-flaky film on the twigs, which are reddish-brown.

Small clusters of five-petaled white flowers appear...

(Black Chokeberry, Black Chokecherry, Viking Chokeberry)

Small, pretty white blossoms in spring, orangey fall color and dark purplish-black berries make black chokeberry a great shrub for naturalistic massed plantings. An upright deciduous shrub that suckers to form a thicket of twigs and leaves, it is native to the moist soils of the eastern United States and a thin sliver of southeastern Canada. Individual plants have a cluster of many, thin, dark brown stems that have a white, waxy, semi-flaky film on the smaller, reddish-brown twigs. It is slightly...

(French Tarragon)

The fragrant leaves of tarragon lend herbal sweetness to vegetables, salads and meats. Native from Europe to western North America, it is a clump-forming, shrubby perennial herb that's sun-loving and quite easy to grow. It is related to wormwood and absinthe and a member of the sunflower family, Asteraceae.

The aromatic, green, strap-like leaves of tarragon appear in spring, when they are at their sweetest. In summer insignificant clusters of yellowish white flowers may be produced. Stems of...

(Schmidt's Wormwood, Silvermound, Wormwood)

Schmidt's wormwood, or silvermound, is an herbaceous perennial that originates from Japan. It forms a mounded carpet of very finely divided silver foliage, hence the common name silvermound. It has panicles of insignificant yellow flowers that appear in mid-summer. The cultivar 'Nana' is a nice selection with a more compact habit. One ornamental aggravation with this plant is its tendency to fall open in the middle and show its bare inner stems (not pretty). This is a very hardy perennial that is...

(Dwarf Silvermound, Schmidt's Wormwood, Silvermound, Wormwood)

Dwarf silvermound is a prized selection of an herbaceous perennial native to Japan. It forms a mounding, fine-textured carpet of very finely divided, soft, silky, silver leaves, hence the common name. It blooms in loose clusters of small and insignificant yellow flowers in mid-summer. This dwarf selection, ‘Nana,’ is much shorter and more compact than the species.

This is a very hardy perennial that tolerates moderate drought and does best in full sun and well-drained soil. One ornamental failing...

(Silver Mound Wormwood, Wormwood)

Silver mound wormwood, is an herbaceous perennial that originates from Japan. It forms a low, mounded, clump of very finely divided silver foliage, hence the name silver mound, and has insignificant yellow flowers that appear in mid-summer. This cultivar is more compact than the straight species. One ornamental aggravation with it is its tendency to fall open in the middle and show its bare inner stems. This is a very hardy perennial that is moderately drought tolerant and does best in sites with...