(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...

(Western Mugwort, White Sagebrush)

Western mugwort is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial native to western North America, including Mexico. The lance shaped, silvery white leaves, become greener with age and bear insignificant, woolly, yellowish brown flowerheads from midsummer to fall.

Western mugwort is often regarded as invasive and grows best in well drained soil and full sun. This plant is used in sunny mixed borders and rock gardens. Cultivars of note include 'Silver King' which is compact and has leaves that turn reddish...

(Silver King Sagebrush, Western Mugwort, White Sagebrush)

Silver King western mugwort is a compact clump-forming, herbaceous perennial native to western North America, including Mexico. The lance shaped, white and woolly leaves turn an impressive red in autumn. Leave edges are mildly waved and curved. It also tends to bear more of the smaller male flowers in late summer.

Western mugwort is often regarded as invasive and grows best in well drained soil and full sun. This plant is used in sunny mixed borders and rock gardens.

(Silver Queen White Sagebrush, Western Mugwort, White Sagebrush)

Silver Queen western mugwort is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial native to western North America, including Mexico. The lance shaped, silvery white leaves are slightly larger than the regular species. These leaves become slighter greener with age. This cultivar does not produce as many of the woolly, yellowish brown flowerheads.

Western mugwort is often regarded as invasive and grows best in well drained soil and full sun. This plant is used in sunny mixed borders and rock gardens.

(Valerie Finnis White Sagebrush, Western Mugwort, White Sagebrush)

Valerie Finnis western mugwort is a compact clump-forming, herbaceous perennial native to western North America, including Mexico. The lance shaped, silvery white leaves may have some jagged edges or lobes at their tips. When crushed, they are fragrant. Woolly, yellowish brown flowerheads appear from midsummer to fall.

Western mugwort is often regarded as invasive and grows best in well drained soil and full sun. This plant is used in sunny mixed borders and rock gardens, and is a great dried...

(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...

(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...