Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Solidago puberula

Family: Asteraceae

(P) to 3′.  Downy Goldenrod.  North America.  A less cultivated member of the genus, with unique, bright yellow flowers bearing eye-catching, large disk florets surrounded by strap-like ray florets, borne on leafy stems covered with fine, spreading hairs. This species has ovate, dark green glabrous foliage varying greatly in size depending on growing conditions.  Fantastic in a native or prairie garden, best in full sun to part shade.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Solidago ptarmicoides

Family: Asteraceae

(P) to 2′.  Upland White Goldenrod.  North America.  This unique Goldenrod is such a charmer, with delicate white Aster-like blooms and narrow linear grasslike, dark green foliage.  Sporting blooms that persist in late summer to fall, this is a great pick for a meadow or full-sun garden. Goldfinches love to eat the seed!  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Fagopyrum esculentum Pink

Family: Polygonaceae

(A) to 3′.  Pink Common Buckwheat.  Asia.  Cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop, this lovely pink version is an eye-catcher in the meadow at Stonecrop.  It is somewhat erect but has a tendency to sprawl in the absence of support. The stems become ribbed and reddish green with maturity. The alternate, cordate leaves are up to four-inches long and 3-inches across with a slightly undulated edge. One or two racemes of flowers develop from the axils of the upper leaves; some of these racemes may be terminal. The racemes are one to three inches long, and densely crowded with whorls of flowers. Each flower is up to ½-inch across, consisting of five petal-like, rosy-pink sepals that become green toward the throat of the flower. Long bloom period and a pleasant floral scent. Each flower is replaced by a winged achene with three sides. Primarily bees and ants visit the flowers for their abundant nectar. When honeybees visit the flowers of Common Buckwheat in fields, they produce a distinctive honey.  Self-sows.  Prefers moist, rich soil.  Direct sow or 3 & 7 for 3 weeks then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Rudbeckia hirta

Family: Asteraceae

(B) to 4′.  Black-eyed Susan.  Cheery, golden-yellow daisies with dark, purple-brown, cone-shaped centres.  A short lived perennial and reliable bloomer that has become popular as a bedding annual, but will opportunistically self-sow where happy.  Blooms mid to late summer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & 7

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Tanacetum vulgare

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 3′.  Tansy.  Europe.  Button-like yellow flowers with absent or inconspicuous rays appear in compact, flat-topped clusters.  Fern-like green leaves up to eight inches long are pinnately divided, strongly-scented, and somewhat reminiscent of Yarrow. Dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, this plant has a long history of use as a folk medicine remedy, the foliage has been used as an insect repellant, and the flowers have been used in funeral shrouds and wreaths. Summer bloomer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun to part shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Solidago canadensis

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 5′.  Canadian Goldenrod.  This North American native with its rhizomatous growth is perfect for the meadow.  Central stems are clad with many narrow, alternate, lance-shaped, sharply-toothed, leaves with conspicuous lateral veins.  The leaves are hairless above but hairy beneath and tapered at each end. Stems are topped in late summer to fall with large horizontally branched, terminal pyramidal panicles containing one-sided recurving branches filled with masses of tiny yellow flowers, each to 1/8″.  A magnet for pollinators, beneficial insects, and birds.  Average soil.  Full sun.  4 &T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cichorium intybus

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 4′.  Common Chicory.  Europe.  Attractive, stalkless, typically clear blue flowers to 1”, clasp rigid, nearly leafless stems in a long procession of bloom from May to October. Rays are typically blue but occasionally white or pink, and usually close by noon. Lower lance-shaped, dandelion-like, basal leaves up to 6″ long are variously toothed, cut or lobed and have rough-hairy surfaces. Upper stem leaves are smaller with clasping bases. The deep fleshy taproot exudes a milky sap when cut. Chicory can be found along roadsides, and is now common in North America, China, and Australia, where it has become widely naturalized. Many varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds).  Chicory roots (var. sativum), which are baked and ground, were used as a coffee substitute by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War and also used in the United Kingdom during the Second World War, where Camp Coffee, a coffee and chicory essence, has been on sale since 1885 and still popular today. 4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Achillea filipendulina

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 4′.  Fern-leaf Yarrow.  Native to the Caucasus, Iran, and Afghanistan.  Deeply dissected, hairy, fern-like, aromatic (spicy) green leaves up to 10″ long are divided into many pairs of linear-lanceolate toothed segments and form an attractive basal clump of foliage. Tiny, long-lasting, bright golden flowers (yellow rays and yellow discs) appear in dense flattened plate-like compound corymbs up to 4″ across on stiff, erect stems rising above the foliage.  Blooms throughout the summer.  The genus name Achillea refers to Achilles, hero of the Trojan Wars in Greek mythology, who used the plant medicinally to stop bleeding and to heal the wounds of his soldiers.  Great flower both fresh-cut and dried.  Average, well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Senna hebecarpa (sym. Cassia hebecarpa)

Family: (Caesalpiniaceae)

(P) to 6′.  Northern Wild Senna.  Eastern North America.  Bright yellow, pea-like, five-petalled flowers with dark brown anthers and a prominent ovary covered with long white hairs.  An erect, bushy shrub with grey-green to medium green compound leaves provides an interesting foliage display.  Attractive, four-inch long, segmented dark brown seed pods open to release its seed.  Blooms from July to September.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  1 & 3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Hibiscus moscheutos subsp. palustris White

Family: (Malvaceae)

(P) to 7′.  Swamp Rose Mallow.  Eastern US.  A lovely white version of the above with a dark pink centre.  Late summer bloomer.  1 & 2B, then 3 & T2