(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...

(Goat's Beard)

(Goat's Beard, Misty Lace Goat's Beard)

(Dwarf Goat's Beard)

(Bride's Feathers, Goat's Beard)

A mound of ferny leaves and tall white plumes make goat's beard a lovely accent plant. It is an upright, tall perennial of woodlands in circumboreal regions-- native to eastern North America as well as Europe and across Siberia into eastern Asia.

The mid- to dark green leaves are large, and made up of many small oval leaflets that have teeth on their edges. Collectively they produce a lovely fern-like texture. In early and midsummer, tall stems tower above the leaves and produce creamy white male-gendered...

(Butterfly Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed)

Members of the Gay Butterflies group are distinguished by their very large flower clusters, vigorous sturdy plants and extended bloom time. They come in an array of colors such as tangerine orange, golden yellow and deep orange-red.

The colorful perennial wildflower butterfly weed is native to much of the United States and southern Canada. It is adapted to open meadows and old fields and offers bright color to sunny summer gardens. From summer to fall butterfly weed in the Gay Butterflies...

(Garden Asparagus)

Asparagus is one of the few truly perennial vegetables. It is also one of the rare veggies in the lily family. This tough herbaceous plant originates from the coastal regions of Europe, Asia and North Africa. Over time its clumps slowly spread via rhizomes.

Fully unfurled asparagus has a delicate ferny appearance. The much sought after luscious, asparagus spears are immature, unexpanded stems that are plucked from the ground when they first appear spring. Asparagus is dioecious, which means...