Hosta 'Moonlight Sonata'

Hosta 'Moonlight Sonata'

Family: Asparagaceae (Asparagus Family)

·        Hardiness Zones:  3b-8b

·        Height: 19-22 inches

·        Spread: 4 feet

·        Bloom Time: late July to early August

·        Bloom: fragrant tubular bluish-white flowers with lavender stripes atop 30 inch stalks

·        Light: part shade to shade

·        Soil: average humusy well-drained

·        Moisture: average, consistent; drought-tolerant once established

·        Use: shade, pollinator and woodland gardens; ground-cover; containers; cut flower

·        Care: low maintenance; propagate by division

·        Concerns: slugs; not deer-resistant; leaf burn in direct sun

·        Native to: genus native to Japan and Korea

·        Notes: leaves (10.5 x 9 inches) thick and broadly-rounded, slightly cupped and wavy; intense powdery blue-green foliage becomes shinier in summer; bloom attracts hummingbirds and pollinating insects; salt tolerant; black walnut tolerant; rabbit resistant

·        Supplier: The Flower Factory

·        Teaching Garden Location & Code: Pollinator Garden C131

       Content produced through:

       Dane County UWEX Master Gardener Volunteer Program 

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Viola pedatifida

Prairie Violet, Larkspur Violet

Family: Violaceae (Violet Family)

       

·        Hardiness Zones:  3-8

·        Height: 4-8 inches

·        Spread: 6-9 inches

·        Bloom Time: May to June

·        Bloom: deep blue-violet, 3/4 inch bloom; five slightly-elongated petals, three bearded, on leafless stalks; fruit: oval capsule bursts to release brown seeds

·        Light: full to part sun; intolerant of deep shade

·        Soil: rich, well-drained loamy or sandy soil

·        Moisture: medium; intolerant of drought

·        Use: ground cover; naturalizing; massed border fronts; rock, cottage, and prairie gardens; larval host plant to fritillary butterflies; attracts bee (digger bees, mason bees, sweat bees, long-horned bees) who collect pollen and/or suck nectar

·        Care: low maintenance

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

·        Native to: Saskatchewan to Ontario, south to Oklahoma and Arkansas; Wisconsin native

·        Notes: erect, clump-forming perennial; leaves basically stemless and toothed, often deeply and irregularly lobed; fibrous root system; spreads by rhizomes; freely self-seeds in optimum conditions; deer-resistant; an indicator plant of high-quality prairie remnants

·        Supplier: The Flower Factory; Seeds from Prairie Moraine County Park grown at Bluestem Farm

·        Teaching Garden Location & Code: Demonstration Prairie I041

       Content produced through:

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Baptisia australis

Blue False Indigo, Wild Blue Indigo

Family: Fabaceae (Pea Family)                                                                                                          

       

·         Hardiness Zones:  3-9

·         Height: 3-4 feet

·         Spread: 3-4 feet

·         Bloom Time: June to July

·         Bloom: violet-blue pea-like flowers atop 4-16 inch long woody stems above foliage mound; inflated seed pods (2-3 inches long) ripen to charcoal black and rattle

·         Light: full sun to part shade

·         Soil: gravelly, sandy, or loamy well-drained; tolerates poor soils

·         Moisture: dry to medium; drought tolerant

·         Use: naturalized areas; cottage, meadow, or pollinator gardens; specimen plant; backdrop to other perennials; attracts butterflies and hummingbirds; cut flowers; seed pods in dried arrangements

·         Care: low maintenance; if desired, trim or shear after bloom to maintain rounded form and prevent seed formation; cut back stems before spring growth

·         Concerns: no serious insect or disease problems except weevils in seed pods; taller plants may need to be staked for support, especially in part-shade locations

·         Native to: eastern United States; Wisconsin native

·         Notes: perennial legume; bush-like foliage with trifoliate blue-green leaves (each leaflet to 2 inches long) turn silver gray in late fall; has deep roots once established; division during dormancy is possible after 4-5 years; black walnut tolerant; salt tolerant; deer and rabbit resistant

·         Supplier: The Flower Factory

·         Teaching Garden Location & Code: Naturalistic Garden H133

       Content produced through:

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       Dane County UWEX Horticulture Program

Sanguisorba officinalis var. microcephala 'Little Angel’

Burnet 'Little Angel’

Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

       

·         Hardiness Zones:  4-8

·         Height: 7 inches

·         Spread: 12-15 inches

·         Bloom Time: mid to late summer

·         Bloom: tiny oval ruby-red catkin-like flowers on strong stems; turn burgundy as they age

·         Light: full to part sun

·         Soil: average well-drained; moderately alkaline

·         Moisture: evenly moist to wet; tolerates slightly drier conditions once established

·         Use: pollinator, rain, moist rock, and cottage gardens; moist borders; mass plantings; containers; cut flowers

·         Care: low maintenance; remove spent blooms to prevent unwanted spread; benefits from some afternoon shade in hot locations

·         Concerns: no serious insect or disease problems

·         Native to: species native to northern Asia, Europe, and North America

·         Notes: deciduous dwarf perennial; foliage of dark green leaves with creamy borders forms mound 4 inches tall; spreads by rhizomes; may be propagated by division; deer and rabbit resistant; leaves edible as salad green

·         Supplier: Klein's Floral and Greenhouse

·         Teaching Garden Location & Code: Wet Garden D130

       Content produced through:

       Dane County UWEX Master Gardener Volunteer Program 

       Questions?  

       Dane County UWEX Horticulture Program