Esoteric alert! Hailing from mountain woodlands from Hokkaido to Shikoku, Coptis japonica is a dwarf cimicifuga relative that makes a very cute tiny evergreen clump that enlarges from a thick underground rhizome. Our 10-year-old clumps are a whopping 1' across. The 6" tall leaf stalks end with glossy, dark green, triangular-shaped leaves divided into tiny leaflets and topped in spring with 9" tall flowers spikes that resemble mixed drink umbrella-stirrers. We really like coptis, but honestly, it has about as much curb appeal as a whitewall tire planter in New York City's Upper East Side. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
In 2001, we picked up this gem in the Florida panhandle where it resides, and have been so impressed with it since that we had to share. Coreopsis gladiata has been thoroughly confused by herbarium botanists (folks who identify only dead, smashed plants) to the point that some think it's the same as Coreopsis helianthoides (a stoloniferous, glossy leaf species), and others think it's an annual. Coreopsis gladiata is a tight clumping species composed of upright stems and thick, hairy 3" long linear leaves. The 18" wide clumps are topped, starting in mid-October, with thin stalks of bright golden daisies to 30" tall. Despite being native in moist sand, we grow them with yuccas where they thrive! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This rare NC native is another of the great overlooked garden plants growing naturally here in the Southeast. Native to swampy forested sites from NC to Florida, Coreopsis helianthoides is similar in growth habit to Coreopsis integrifolia. The shiny, uncut, dark green foliage adorns 30" tall clumps. From September to November, Coreopsis helianthoides is topped with a stunning show of yellow-orange daisies...perfect for an overly moist site in your garden, although it has performed beautifully for us in regular garden soil in full sun. Thanks to the late Rob Gardner at the NC Botanic Garden for sharing this eastern NC accession with us. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
From New York south to Florida, you are liable to run across Coreopsis major in open dry woodlands. So, why is it not grown in everyone's garden? Probably because it looks like crap (pardon my French) in the woods. Put a plant in full sun, and it becomes a killer perennial. The spreading rootstock makes a 5' clump in 5 years of sturdy 3' tall stems clothed in whorled green leaves. From late spring through midsummer, the drought-tolerant clumps are topped with 2" yellow daisies...simply superb! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
If you've been looking for another screamer for your garden, we've got just the plant. The folks at Terra Nova turned the foliage on Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' to bright gold, and I mean bright! In spring, this amazing new deer-resistant selection makes an 18" wide mound of bright golden foliage topped, starting in late spring, with the same blackberry-colored flowers of the parent. I can think of few plants with this much potential to bring the effect of sunshine into a woodland garden. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This stunning new deer-resistant corydalis from a recent China collection has performed amazingly well in our trials. What is normally a heat-sensitive woodland perennial is dazzling in our full-sun rock scree. For us, the 2'+ wide deciduous clump is topped with lovely, fragrant, wine-purple flowers, starting on tax day and continuing into early summer. In some climates, we are hearing reports of continued flowering through November. Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' is perfect in the lightly shaded woodland garden and integrates well with hostas and ferns. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This 1996 collection of plantsman, Dan Hinkley, comes from a rocky creek bank at 6,400' elevation in Sichuan, China. Corydalis leucanthema 'Silver Spectre' has proved to be a great corydalis for the Southeast where many corydalis fear to tread. The lacy, olive-green foliage emerges in late fall with a subtle silver-wash central pattern. In very early spring, the clumps are topped with short spikes of light lavender flowers with a dark purple lip. In very hot summers, the plants will go summer-dormant, but will reemerge in fall. For us, Corydalis leucanthema 'Silver Spectre' has made a nice 5' wide patch in 5 years and shows no sign of slowing down. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This amazing crinum lily has graced old southern gardens for decades, but was popularized by the late Dr. Thad Howard of Texas, who discovered the plant in the 1960s in Alamo Village, Texas. The fast-growing clumps of glossy, light green foliage are topped continuously throughout the summer with 20" tall stalks of large, spidery, pale pink, fragrant flowers. Although no one is sure of its origin, Dr. Howard suggested that Crinum americanum is one of the parents. Whatever combined to make this hybrid, it's a real winner. Just remember that to raise a garden, it takes an Alamo Village. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This collection of the native bog plant Crinum americanum hails from just south of Tallahassee, Florida, and has thrived in our garden for many years. The glossy, dark green, hippeastrum-like foliage forms 2' wide clumps that multiply from short underground runners. In late summer, the clumps are topped with 2' tall spikes, ending in clusters of large, fragrant, white, star-shaped flowers. We have found Crinum americanum very easy to grow in our moist bog and not difficult to flower as some have written. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Crinum 'Bambino' is a rarely offered hybrid of Crinum bulbispermum x Crinum 'Pink Perfume' from crinum guru, Dr. Dave Lehmiller of Texas. Crinum 'Bambino' produces 3' tall, sturdy stalks of lightly fragrant, large white flowers with each petal highlighted by a central reddish stripe. For us in NC, Crinum 'Bambino' starts flowering in mid-May and continues all summer. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Crinum 'Birthday Party' hails from the breeding program of crinum guru, the late Luther Bundrant, reportedly a cross of Crinum 'Bradley Giant' x Crinum scabrum. For us, Crinum 'Birthday Party' begins flowering in early- to mid-June and continues until August with sturdy 3' tall spikes topped with dark wine-colored buds, opening into large, fragrant outfacing flowers of rich pink with a wide darker stripe down the middle of each petal...outstanding against the 40" long, glossy green foliage! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
From the late H.B. Bradley of Australia comes this deep wine-flowered crinum with large open-faced flowers. Crinum 'Bradley' (probably Crinum scabrum x flaccidum) boasts much narrower, glossy green foliage than the powellii hybrids, eventually making a 2' tall x 3' wide clump. Each 2' tall scape is topped in summer with a dozen wine-colored, very fragrant flowers...superb! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Crinum 'Claude Davis' is a selection from Louisiana nurseryman, Claude Davis, and was reportedly a seedling of Crinum 'Cape Dawn'...we concur. The glossy green foliage forms a nicely offsetting clump topped, starting in mid-May, with 4' tall spikes of horizontal-facing, insanely fragrant, maroon-pink flowers...a most unusual shade of pink. Our clump has produced more than 15 flower spikes at once...a true showstopper! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Crinum 'Ruth Dubuisson Clone') Crinum 'Dragon Lady' is an introduction from Texas crinum breeder, Marcelle Sheppard, that has been a personal favorite since we first saw it in her garden in the early 2000s. Marcelle assumes this to be a cross of Crinum americanum x Crinum scabrum. Crinum 'Dragon Lady' has proven to be a very good grower and fast multiplier in our trials. For us, the lightly fragrant Crinum 'Dragon Lady' flowers on 3' tall stalks from mid-July through August. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' is still considered one of the finest crinum lilies for the home garden. This vigorously multiplying hybrid (possibly Crinum 'JC Harvey' x Crinum scabrum) was hybridized in Florida during the 1920s by Louis Bosanquet and named after his wife. Crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' begins flowering in mid-June and continues through most of the summer. The large, reddish-purple flowers on 2' stalks, emit a delightful spicy fragrance. The rosette of wavy, glossy, tropical-looking foliage is a great addition to the garden, even without the flowers. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
One of the classic pass-along plants of the deep South is Crinum erubescens...the South American equivalent of our native Crinum americanum. The wide, 30" long, glossy-green leaves form a large clump that spreads by means of a large, underground rhizome. In moist soil, Crinum erubescens will make a large colony, while it is more restrained in normal garden soil. The clumps are topped with 3' tall red stalks of sweet-scented, spidery white flowers that continue from July to frost. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This dwarf Les Hannibal cross of Crinum moorei x Crinum americanum is the fastest-multiplying crinum that we have ever seen. The glossy green, strap-like leaves of Crinum 'Hannibal's Dwarf' remain attractive all season, unlike those of other hybrids. In our area, expect a heavy flowering show of large, deep pink flowers, held 1' above the foliage in midsummer, followed by a rebloom in early fall...a great plant for smaller gardens! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Crinum hildebrandtii hails from the Comoros Islands, northwest of Madagascar, where it grows as an aquatic plant. In our trials, Crinum hildebrandtii resembles a clump forming Crinum erubescens, and has been quite happy in typical well-ammended, slightly moist garden soils. In summer, the offsetting clumps of 3' long dark green leaves are topped with umbels of fragrant white flowers that also resemble Crinum erubescens. We only have a limited quantity of Crinum hildebrandtii available. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This superb new hybrid crinum is a cross of Crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' x Crinum 'J.C. Harvey' from Florida crinum breeder, Alani Davis. Crinum 'Infusion' is a vigorous grower, topped, starting in early summer, with 3'+ tall sturdy spikes with up to a dozen well-formed, outfacing, bright cherry-red flowers. Crinum 'Infusion' is certainly one of the best new crinum hybrids we have grown in years. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Crinum 'Jubilee' is a wonderful but little-known hybrid (Crinum 'Sundance' x Crinum scabrum) from the late Luther Bundrant. The vigorous clump of medium green foliage is topped in summer with large, blush-pink, fragrant flowers atop 3' tall stalks...a very unique crinum. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
.jpg "Crinum 'Alamo Village' (Alamo Village Crinum Lily)")
.jpg "Crinum 'Birthday Party' (Birthday Party Crinum Lily)")
.jpg "Crinum 'Claude Davis' (Claude Davis Crinum Lily)")
.jpg "Crinum 'Ellen Bosanquet' (Ellen Bosanquet Crinum Lily)")
.jpg "Crinum 'Hannibal's Dwarf' (Hannibal's Dwarf Crinum Lily)")
.jpg "Crinum 'Infusion' (Infusion Crinum Lily)")
.jpg "Crinum 'Jubilee' (Jubilee Crinum Lily)")