Tradescantia ohiensis

Ohio Spiderwort, Blue-jacket

Family: Commelinaceae (Spiderwort Family)

·        Hardiness Zones:  4-9

·        Height: 16-40 inches

·        Spread: 18-30 inches

·        Bloom Time: April to July

·        Bloom: royal blue, 3-parted, 1 inches wide, petals alike; each flower opens up for only one day in the morning and by noon it shrivels into fluid jelly that trickles like a tear if touched during the heat of the day

·        Light: full to partial sun

·        Soil: acidic, sandy, loamy

·        Moisture: dry to medium

·        Use: long-blooming aromatic perennial for the borders of prairie, naturalized area, meadow or open spaces of the woodland garden; attracts butterflies and other pollinators like large bumble bees; erosion control

·        Care: cut back to 6-12" in mid-summer to encourage new growth and a possible fall bloom; divide clumps when they become overcrowded

·        Concerns: no serious insect or disease problems; foliage tends to sprawl in an unattractive manner by mid-summer; can self-seed and become somewhat aggressive in ideal growing conditions

·        Native to: Dane County, western, southern and central Wisconsin; United States

·        Notes: clump-forming herbaceous perennial; dark bluish-green arching grass-like leaves up to 1.5 feet long

·        Supplier: Agrecol Native Nursery

·        Teaching Garden Location & Code: Demonstration Prairie I028

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Pushkinia scilloides var. libanotica

Striped Squill

Family: Asparagaceae (Asparagus Family)

·        Hardiness Zones:  4-8

·        Height: 3-6 inches

·        Spread: 3-6 inches

·        Bloom Time: March to April

·        Bloom: pale blue to white with deep blue midveins

·        Light: full sun to part shade

·        Soil: well-drained or gritty soils

·        Moisture: medium

·        Use: naturalize in drifts in rock gardens, along walkways, in open woodland areas, front of shrubs or under deciduous trees

·        Care: low maintenance; foliage should not be mowed or removed until it turns yellow

·        Concerns: no serious insect or disease problems

·        Native to: species native to Turkey, Lebanon

·        Notes: goes dormant by late spring; naturalizes by both self-seeding and bulb offsets; tolerates deer and Black Walnut

·        Supplier: Brent & Becky's Bulbs

·        Teaching Garden Location & Code: Welcome Garden B016

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Acer campestre 'Stgrezam'

St. Gregory™ Hedge Maple 'Stgrezam'

Family: Sapindaceae (Soapberry Family)

·        Hardiness Zones:  4-8

·        Height: 24-40 feet

·        Spread: 12-15 feet

·        Bloom Time:

·        Bloom: inconspicuous

·        Light: full sun to part shade

·        Soil: not particular to soil tpe, but prefers alkaline soils

·        Moisture: adaptable to dry and moist locations

·        Use: excellent shade tree in narrow areas; use as accent, hedge/screening; windbreak

·        Care: low maintenance; only prune in summer after the leaves have fully developed - may bleed sap if pruned in late winter or rearly spring

·        Concerns: no serious insect or disease problems; susceptible to verticillium wilt, leaf spots, stem canker

·        Native to: species native to Europe and western Asia

·        Notes: columnar habit; dark green foliage turns outstanding yellow in fall; smooth gray bark

·        Supplier: Landscape Designs, Inc.

·        Teaching Garden Location & Code: Edibles Garden A001

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Spiraea x bumalda 'Goldflame'

Spirea 'Goldflame'

Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

·        Hardiness Zones:  4-8

·        Height: 3 feet

·        Spread: 4 feet

·        Bloom Time: late spring to early summer

·        Bloom: clusters of hot pink flowers at ends of branches

·        Light: full sun

·        Soil: average

·        Moisture: medium to moist; shouldn't be allowed to dry out

·        Use: mass in shrub borders, foundation planting, low informal hedge; attracts butterflies

·        Care: best pruned in late winter

·        Concerns: no serious insect or disease problems

·        Native to: interspecific hybrid

·        Notes: foliage emerges bright red fading to yellow in summer, turning deep red in fall; deer resistant

·        Supplier: America's Best Flowers

·        Teaching Garden Location & Code: Wet Garden D086

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Platycodon grandiflorus 'Astra Blue'

Balloon Flower 'Astra Blue'

Family: Campanulaceae (Bellflower Family)

·         Hardiness Zones:  3-9

·         Height: 8-10 inches

·         Spread: 12-16 inches

·         Bloom Time: July to August

·         Bloom: balloon-like buds open into bell-shaped periwinkle blue flowers; emerge late in spring

·         Light: full sun to part shade

·         Soil: best in light, organically rich, well-drained loams

·         Moisture: medium

·         Use: front of border, rock gardens, edging

·         Care: deadheading spent flowers prolongs bloom period

·         Concerns: no serious insect or disease problems; root rot may occur in wet, poorly-drained soils

·         Native to: genus native to East Asia

·         Notes: plants emerge late in spring so care must be taken not to damage crowns; forms compact mound of green foliage ; deer resistant

·         Teaching Garden Location & Code: Wet Garden D116

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       Dane County UWEX Horticulture Program