Under each species listed you will find suggested cultural requirements, (light, moisture, soil "pH"), and plant descriptions (flowering time, color, average height). Use these as a guide to choosing and selecting plants for your site conditions. Blooming times and height are approximate for Woodstock, Connecticut.
Soil pH ratings are:
4.0 - 5.0 very acid
5.0 - 6.0 moderately acid
6.0 - 7.0 slightly acid
Actea alba - White Baneberry
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; white flowers in May followed by red fruit; 3 ft.
Good plant for rear of woodland garden.
Actea rubra - Red Baneberry
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; white flowers in May followed by red fruit; 2 ft.
Good plant for rear of woodland garden.
Anemonella thalictoides - Rue Anemone
Shade ; well drained; pH 6.0-7.0; white flowers in May; 6 in.
Delicate flower and foliage for a woodland garden.
Anemone virginiana - Thimbleweed
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; white flowers in June; 2 ft.
Referring to the thimble-like shape of their seed heads.
Aquilegia canadensis - Wild Columbine
Light shade ; moist but well drained; pH 6.0-7.0; red and yellow flowers in May; 1.5 ft.
A classic woodland plant for the wild garden.
Arisaema triphvilum - Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Shade ; moist; pH 4.0-5.0; green and purple flowers in May; 2 ft.
brilliant red fruit
Aruncus dioicus - Goat's Beard
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; white flowers in July; 2-3 ft.
Similar in appearance to Astilbe.
Asarum europaeum - European Ginger
Shade ; moist, rich; pH 5.0-6.5; maroon flowers in late April-May; 8 in.
Exotic evergreen ground cover, flowers inconspicuous.
Asclepias tuberosia - Butterfly Weed
Sun ; Dry; pH 4.5-5.5; orange flowers in July; 2 ft.
Brilliant orange flowers. rare in New England.
Aster novae angliae - New England Aster
Sun ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; flowers in August-October.;
Combine Goldenrods and Sunflowers with New England Aster for contrast.
Aster spectabilis - Showy Aster
Sun, light shade ; dry to moist; pH 4.5-5.5; blue flowers in September; 1 ft.
Beautiful fall bloomer.
Caltha palustris - Marsh Marigold
Sun, light shade ; wet to moist; pH 5.0-6.0; yellow flowers in late April; 1 ft.
Good for naturalizing along a brook.
Chelone glabra - White Turtlehead
Sun, shade ; moist to wet; pH 4.0-6.0; white flowers in August-September; 3 ft.
Good companion for Cardinal flower.
Chelone lyonii - Pink Turtlehead
Sun or shade ; moist to wet; pH 4.0-6.0; pink flowers in August-September; 3 ft.
A robust, late summer bloomer, hardy Southern species.
Chrysogonum virginianum - Green and Gold
Sun, light shade ; moist, well drained; pH 5.0-6.0; yellow flowers in May-Sept.; 8 in.
Good ground cover if thickly planted, blooms sporadically over a long period of time.
Claytonia virginica - Spring Beauty
Shade ; moist humus; pH 5.0-6.0; pink flowers in April; 5 in.
Delicate and beautiful wildflower spreads easily, foliage disappears in summer.
Dicentra cucullaria - Dutchman's Breeches
Light shade ; moist, well drained; pH 5.0-6.0; white flowers in late April; 6-8 in.
Flowers in classic shape, foliage disappears in early summer.
Dodecatheon meadia - Shooting Star
Light shade ; moist, well drained; pH 5.0-7.0; white, lavender or pink flowers in MayJune; 1.5 ft.
A showy wildflower, foliage disappears in summer.
Gaultheria procumbens - Wintergreen
Shade ; moist, humus; pH 4.0-5.0; white flowers in May-June; 6 in.
Leathery, evergreen ground cover for shady woodland site, red berries in fall
Gentian andrewsii - Closed Gentian
Sun, light shade ; moist, wet; pH 4.0-5.0; blue flowers in August-September; 1-2 ft.
Has unique closed flowers that never open, long-lived perennial.
Geranium maculatum - Wild Geranium
Light shade ; moist, well-drained; pH 4.0-5.0; magenta-pink flowers in May-June; 1-2 ft.
Attractive flowers and foliage, especially in large groups.
Geranium maculatum var. albiflorum -
; ; ; ;
White flowered form of the wild geranium.
Hedyotis caerulea - Bluets
Sun, light shade ; moist; pH 4.0-5.0; white-blue flowers; 3-6 in.
Self-sows, but is never invasive.
Hepatica acutiloba - Sharp-Lobed Hepatica
Light shade ; moist humus; pH 6.0-7.0; white, pink, or lavender flowers in March - April.;
One of our best known early spring wildflowers.
Hibiscus moscheutos - Rose Mallow
Sun ; moist, wet; pH 4.0-6.0; pink to white flowers in August; 6 ft.
Robust grower.
Hypoxis hirsutus - Yellow Star Grass
Sun ; moist, well drained; pH 4.0-5.0; yellow flowers in June; 3-6 in.
Grass-like foliage, flowers bloom sporadically in summer.
Iris cristata - Crested Iris
Light shade ; moist; pH 4.5-5.5; blue flowers in May; 8 in.
A very showy iris for a woodland or rock garden.
Iris cristata "alba" - White Crested Iris Albino form of the above.
; ; ; ;
Jeffersonia diphylia - Twinleaf
Light shade ; moist, well drained; pH 6.0-7.0; white flowers in April-early May; 1 ft.
Classic American native for a wildflower garden.
Liatris pycnostachva - Prairie Blazing Star
Sun ; moist, well drained; pH 5.0-7.0; rose to purple flowers in July-August; 3-6 ft.
Popular choice for perennial border.
Lilium superbum - Turk's Cap Lily
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.5; orange flowers in July; 4-8 ft.
The most spectacular of our native lilies, protect from rodents.
Linum perenne ssp. lewisii - Prairie Flax
Sun ; well drained; pH 5.5-7.0 max.; blue flowers; 1.5 ft.
More robust that the species.
Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal Flower
Sun, light shade ; moist; pH 4.0-6.0; red flowers in August-September; 2-3 ft.
Striking red flowers.
Lobelia siphilitica - Great Lobelia
Light shade ; moist; pH 4.0-6.0; blue flowers in August-September; 2-3 ft.
Blue counterpart of the Cardinal Flower.
Me.rtensia virginica - Virginia Bluebells
Light shade ; moist. well drained; pH 5.0-6.0; blue flowers in April; 1.5 ft.
Flowers open pink, then turn blue, foliage disappears in summer.
Mimulus ringens - Allegheny Monkey Flower
Sun ; moist, wet; pH 4.0-5.5; blue flowers in June-September; 3 ft.
Good pond edge plant.
Mitchelia repens - Partridgeberry
Shade ; moist; pH 4.0-5.0; white flowers in June-July; 2 in.
Low growing evergreen ground cover, red berries
Oenothera fruticosa - Sundrops
Sun ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; yellow flowers in June-July; 1-1.5 ft.
Flowers open in sunshine, spreads easily.
Penstemon hirsutus - Hairy Beard-Tongue
Sun, light shade ; moist, well drained; pH 5.0-6.0; lavender/white flowers in JuneJuly; 1-3 ft.
Lavender, trumpet-shaped flowers with white lips.
Penstemon smallii - Small's Beard-Tongue
Light shade ; moist; pH 4.5-5.5; pink-purple flowers in June-July; 2 ft.
Beautiful, short-lived southern species.
Phlox divaricata - Blue Wood Phlox
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; blue flowers in May; 1 ft.
Ideal for naturalizing.
Physostegia virginiana - False Dragonhead
Sun, light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.5; pink flowers in July-August; 3 ft.
Attractive, snapdragon-like plant, often used in perennial border.
Physostegia virginiana "Alba" - Albino False Dragonhead
Sun, light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.5; white flowers in July-August; 3 ft.
White form of above.
Podophylium pellatum - Mayapple
Shade ; rich, moist; pH 5.0-6.0; white flowers in May; 1 ft.
Has umbrella-like leaves, waxy-white flowers.
Polygonatum odoratum var. thunbergii variegata - Japanese Variegated Solomon's Seal
; ; ; ;
variegated leaves create an interesting landscape effect.
Sanguinaria canadensis - Bloodroot
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; white flowers in April; 8 in.
An early spring favorite.
Sisyrinchium - Blue-Eyed Grass
Sun, light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.5; May-June; 1-1.5 ft.
Blue star-shaped flowers above grass-like foliage.
Solidago flexicaulis - Zigzag Goldenrod
Sun, light shade ; moist; pH 5.5-6.5; yellow flowers in August; 3 ft.
One of our least invasive goldenrods.
Stokesia laevis - Stokes' Aster
Sun, light shade ; moist, well drained; pH 5.5-6.5; lavender blue flowers in June.;
Spectacular flowers, drainage imperative during winter.
Stylophorum diphyllum - Celandine Poppy
Shade ; moist, well drained; pH 5.0-6.0; yellow flowers in May; 1-1.5 ft.
Good woodland and garden plant, self-sows freely.
Trillium grandiflorum - White Trillium
Light shade, shade ; moist; pH 6.0-7.0; white flowers in May; 1 ft.
Classic Trillium for wild garden. Seven years from seed to flower.
Viola canadensis - Canada Violet
Shade, light shade ; moist, humus; pH 5.0-6.5; white flowers in May.;
Flowers tinged purple on back, fragrant, good plant for wild garden.
Viola pubescens - Downy Yellow Violet
Shade ; moist; pH 4.0-5.0; yellow flowers in May; 6-16 in.
Good woodland plant, self-sows.
Adiantum pedatum - Maidenhair Fern
Shade, light shade ; moist, humus, well drained; pH 6.0-7.0; ; 2 ft.
One of our loveliest and most graceful ferns, likes a little lime.
Athyrium goeringianum "pictum" - Japanese Painted Fern
Light shade ; moist; pH 5.0-6.0; ; 1 ft.
Beautiful, variegated fern, slow to emerge in spring.
Cystoperis buibiferia - Bulblet Bladder Fern
I.ight shade ; moist, well drained; pH 6.0-7.0; ; 1 ft.
Graceful, slender fronds for a cool woodland garden.
Dryopteris gymnocarpium - Oak Fern
Shade ; moist, humus; pH 5.0-6.0; ; 4-6 in.
A tiny delicate fern for a cool moist woodland.
Matteuccia pennsylvanica - Ostrich Fern
Shade, light shade ; moist, well drained; pH 5.0-6.0; ; 3 ft. Grows larger under optimum conditions.
Polystrichum acrostichoides - Christmas Fern Shade, light shade
; moist; pH 5.5-6.5; ; 1 ft.
Good evergreen ground cover for shady areas.
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