Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Akebia quinata

Family: (Lardizabalaceae)

Hardy vine to 20′.  Chocolate Vine.  China, Korea and Japan.  Fast growing, deciduous, and ideal for covering trellises, pergolas or other structures.  The compound leaves are tinged purplish when new and mature to a handsome blue-green.  Rather showy, pendant racemes of vanilla-scented flowers with wide, purple to dark chocolate maroon sepals.  The intriguing fruits are like fat, purple sausages, opening to reveal a white, pulpy interior with black seeds.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Xanthorhiza simplicissima

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

Hardy shrub to 18″.  Yellowroot.  Appalachians.  A much underused native plant that makes a striking groundcover for the woodland.  In early summer, sprays of peculiar, starry, brownish purple flowers emerge atop stems of rich green, irregularly toothed, pinnate leaflets.  Over time the plants form dense, lush green colonies with the foliage turning a burnished coppery-gold in the autumn.  Partial shade/shade.  PC – 4 wks, 3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Staphylea pinnata

Family: (Staphyleaceae)

Hardy Tree to 15′.  European Bladdernut.  An erect, branching, shrub-like tree with shiny, dark green, finely toothed, 5 to 7 pinnately compound, opposite leaves.  Drooping panicles of fragrant, white, bell-shaped flowers are comprised of five red-tipped sepals and five separate petals that form a tube.  The pale green, two to three lobed, membranous, three-inch seedpods are inflated, bladder-like and persist into fall.  Very attention-grabbing.  A good understory tree that blooms from late spring to early summer.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Shade/partial shade.  3, 6A & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Zanthoxylum simulans

Family: (Rutaceae)

Hardy shrub to 15′. Prickly Ash. China. Small, greenish-yellow flower panicles in July are followed by reddish fruits. Elegant, pinnately compound, lustrous, dark green leaves with a prickly midrib. Spreading branches form a gracefully arching shrub or small tree. Stems have distinctive, broad, flat spines along their length. A lovely and unusual specimen tree. Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Clematis texensis

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

Hardy vine to 9′.  Scarlet Leatherflower.  Southwest US.  Urn-shaped flowers consist of four, thick, leather-like, rose-red to scarlet coloured tepals that recurve at the tip to reveal a paler interior.  Flowers are borne only on new growth and are held atop purple pedicels in axillary clusters of one to seven. The delicate foliage is a glaucous green and the ovate to rounded leaves with wavy margins enhance the charm of the flowers.  A mass of feathery balls of plumed achenes follows the floral display. At Stonecrop ours grows in a crevice on the Rock Ledge.  This is a very hardy and relatively drought tolerant Clematis.  A long bloomer from mid-summer through fall.  3 & 7 for 8 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Clethra acuminata

Family: (Clethraceae)

Shrub to 12′. Cinnamon Clethra. Appalachia. A rarely seen but choice native shrub or small tree, grown for its striking exfoliating bark of rich cinnamon-brown, with accents of tan, grey and purple. Terminal racemes of white flowers with a musky-sweet fragrance appear in July and August. Foliage turns yellow in fall. Well-drained soil. Sun/partial shade. 3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Tripterygium regelii

Family: (Celastraceae)

Hardy vine to 30′. Regel’s Threewingnut. China, Manchuria and Korea. A sprawling, scandent, shrubby plant with small, white, green tinged flowers in large terminal panicles up to eight inches long. Produces green, three winged fruits that dry like the samaras of elm trees. Dark green, broadly rounded, alternate leaves. Notable as Beatrix Farrand’s favourite vine. Sun. PC- 4 weeks, 3 & T1

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Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Vitex negundo var. heterophylla

Family: (Lamiaceae)

Hardy shrub to 10′. East Asia. Cut-Leaf Chaste Tree. This choice shrub has a loosely branched, open airy habit with palmately compound, finely dissected, greyish green foliage. Small, 5 lobed, lavender, fragrant flowers in terminal panicles appear in July and August. Creates a good architectural backdrop for the dry, sunny border. Well-drained soil. Sun. PC- 4 weeks, 3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Clematis hexapetala

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

Hardy vine to 10′. Northeast China, Japan. This Clematis resembles the Sweet Autumn Clematis. Many flowered cymes of one-inch, white blooms with prominent, creamy stamens are borne in profusion. However, the major distinction is the early summer bloom. A focal point in our White Bed, growing up a tripod. Sun. 3 & 7 for 8 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Syringa reticulata

Family: (Oleaceae)

Hardy tree to 25′. Japanese Tree Lilac. A lovely, small tree with dark green leaves, downy beneath, and a well branched, rounded crown. Large, terminal panicles to 12 inches across of musk-scented, creamy white flowers. Fruits are warty, glabrous, persistent yet attractive. Older trees develop a warm chestnut brown, cherry-like peeling bark. Makes an excellent, trouble-free, specimen tree. June. Sun. PC- 4 weeks, 3 & T1