Aquilegia canadensis

Columbine is easy to grow and tolerates a wide range of conditions. Red and yellow 1"-2" lantern-shaped flowers are hummingbird magnets. Under favorable conditions Columbine spreads readily. Larval host plant for a cute little butterfly, the Columbine Duskywing. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: prefers Part Sun
Soil: Moist to Average
Height: 1-2 feet
Blooms: April-June
Flowers: Red with Yellow center

Conoclinium coelestinum

Lovely accent plant for late-season color and nectar. Excellent for container gardening. For home use, containers or planting in a contained area is recommended as Mist Flower spreads easily. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Shade to Full Sun
Soil: Average to Moist
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Blooms: July-November
Flowers: Periwinkle

Fragaria virginiana

Wild or Virginia Strawberry has white flowers which provide early-season nectar. Decorative in a hanging pot and effective as a ground cover as it spreads readily by stolons. Having high ecological value, it provides early season nectar, pollen & serves as a larval host plant. Provenance: Kentucky.

Light: Full to Part Sun
Soil: Average
Height: 4 to 7 inches
Blooms: April-June
Flowers: White

Helianthus angustifolius

The leaves are very narrow and when in bloom, the plant appears to be a bountiful bouquet. It has a long blooming period. If left standing, the dried seeds support many birds in winter. Under favorable conditions, this plant grows large and spreads readily. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Full Sun
Soil: Average to Moist
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Blooms: July-August
Flowers: Yellow

Physostegia virginiana

White to pink tubular flowers fill the flowering stalk attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Makes a lasting cut flower. Spreads readily. Consider using in contained situation for home garden use.

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Average
Height: 3 to 4 feet
Blooms: August-October
Flowers: White to Pink

Stylophorum diphyllum

Darling little plant useful as an early season ground cover. Self-sows in favorable conditions. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Part Shade to Full Shade
Soil: Medium to Moist
Height: to 1.5 feet
Blooms: April-June
Flowers: Yellow

Manfreda virginica

Also called American Agave, this plant has a basal rosette of fleshy leaves. The flowers, both interesting and fragrant, are borne on tall slender stems. An excellent drought-tolerant plant for a dry sunny spot or rock garden. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Dry to Average
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Blooms: July-October
Flowers: Yellowish-Green

Helianthus mollis

A showy true sunflower which serves as a larval host to over 70 Lepidoptera (moths & butterflies). The foliage is "ashy" or grayish. The seed heads are a favorite of local birds in autumn. Best placed where it is free to spread or grown in pots. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Full Sun
Soil: Average to Dry
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Blooms: July-September
Flowers: Yellow

Tradescantia ohiensis

Clump forming plant with interesting bluish-green foliage & bright blue-purple flowers. Spreads vigorously under ideal conditions.

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Average to Dry
Height: to 3 feet
Blooms: May to July
Flowers: Pinkish-Purple to Bluish-Purple

Equisetum hyemale

Belonging to a family of primitive vascular plants, this plant does not flower but forms cone-like heads that bear spores. Evergreen stems provide very interesting visual texture in all seasons. Be forewarned that containment in a large pot is highly recommended for home use of this plant. It can spread aggressively by rhizomes, even bypassing pavement underground to colonize new areas.

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Average to Wet
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Blooms: None

Verbena canadensis

Attractive low mounding short-lived perennial with an extended bloom period. Good for ground cover, hanging baskets, window boxes, rock gardens & in pots. Attracts hummingbirds.

Light: Full Sun
Soil: Average to Dry
Height: to 1.5 feet
Blooms: May to August
Flowers: Pink to Purple

Juncus effusus

A clumping semi-evergreen plant with an interesting spreading vertical habit. Use in areas in need of erosion control & in water gardens, container gardens, at pond's edge or other damp areas. Spreads under favorable conditions. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Full Sun
Soil: Wet to Average
Height: 2 to 4 feet

Sedum ternatum

Hardy & unique, this trailing succulent is ideal for use as a ground cover, in a window box or rock garden. Good source for early-season nectar. Drought-tolerant once established.

Light: Part Sun
Height: 3 to 6 inches
Soil: Average
Blooms: April to May
Flowers: White

Rudbeckia fulgida

A pleasing clump forming plant bearing bright & bold yellow-orange blooms that last for weeks. Great as a cut flower, for use in rain gardens & massing to create a border. Remove spent flowers to prolong bloom time. Spreads by rhizomes. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Full sun
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Soil: Average to Dry
Blooms: June to October
Flowers: yellow-orange

Polemonium reptans

Mound-shaped plant. Leaves have interesting textural appeal. In nature, occurs in rich soil, often near a stream. Self-seeds in optimal conditions.

Light: Intermediate
Soil: Medium
Height: 12 to 18 inches
Blooms: April to June

Chrysogonum virginianum var. australe

Also know as Goldstar, this is a readily-spreading & low, mat-forming perennial bearing yellow flowers. Excellent ground cover.

Light: Intermediate
Soil: Average
Height: 6 to 12 inches
Blooms: May to October
Flowers: Yellow

Pycnanthemum muticum

Also called Short-toothed Mountain Mint. In mid to late summer flowers are subtended by gray-silver bracts & are lovely en masse. Foliage is minty aromatic. Vigorous grower. Grown from Kentucky-source seed.

Light: Full sun to Part shade
Soil: Average
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Blooms: July to September
Flowers: White & pink

Phlox divaricata

Lovely low mat-forming native perennial with abundant, fragrant blue-violet flowers in spring. Useful along a path or rock garden. Prefers rich, moist well-drained humus soil.

Light: Part to Full Shade
Soil: Average
Height: to 1 foot
Blooms: April to May
Flowers: Blue-Violet

Asarum canadense

Heart shaped leaves spread via rhizomes to form an attractive ground cover for shade.

Light: Part to Full Shade
Soil: Average to Wet, Well-drained
Height: to 1 foot
Blooms: April to May (but are low to ground, making them difficult to notice)

Eurybia macrophylla

Aka Large Leaf Aster, this plant is useful as a ground cover in moist, well drained soil in part shade. Flowers provide important late season nectar. Spreads by rhizomes in optimal conditions.

Light: best in part shade
Soil: Medium
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Blooms: September to October
Flowers: white to violet

Opuntia humifusa

A native cactus found in glades and open woods. Semi-prostrate succulent pads form colonies when grown in well drained soil. Take care to avoid spines and tufts of bristles which easily attach to skin and cause discomfort. Flowers are yellow with a reddish inner ring. Kentucky source.

Light: Full Sun
Height: 6 to 12 inches
Soil: Dry, well-drained
Blooms: June to July

Teucrium canadense

Suitable for stream sides or low areas that would benefit from a lush ground cover. Spreads by seed and rhizomes to form colonies. Flowers range from white to lavender-pink. Grown from Kentucky source seed.

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Medium to Moist
Height: 1.5 to 3 feet
Blooms: June to September

Geranium maculatum

Pretty little plant with mounding habit. Can be massed as a ground cover. Resistant to rabbits, deer.

Light: Prefers intermediate
Soil: Medium
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Blooms: April to May

Senecio obovatus, Packera obovatus

Small, cheerful and typically prolific ground cover for intermediate light. Seeds in to provide a bright yellow blanket in spring. Under-utilized. Kentucky source.

Light: Prefers intermediate
Soil: Medium to Wet
Height: 12 to 18 inches
Blooms: April to June

Tradescantia subaspera

Long blooming with purple-violet flowers, this spiderwort is a great ground cover for part to full shade. Though optimal in moist, well drained soil, medium to at times dry soil is tolerated. Kentucky source.

Light: Full to part shade
Height: to 3 feet
Soil: Medium
Blooms: May to August

Iris cristata

Typically 8 inches or less in height, this spring-blooming iris spreads to form a lovely ground cover in a shaded portion of the garden. Deer resistant. Provenance: Kentucky.

Light: Intermediate
Soil: Average
Height: 3 to 8 inches
Blooms: April
Flowers: blue to pale blue with yellow crest