Introduction
One of the benefits of membership in the Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum is an annual plant dividend for each of our members. The selections for this year are described below and will be available for pickup at the Plant Sale Members Only Preview Party on Friday, May 1st (click the link for more information and to register for the Preview Party), as well as at the public Plant Sale on Saturday May 2nd and Sunday May 3rd .
You can make your choice at the Landscape Plug tables in the tent which will, of course, be subject to availability at the time of selection.
This year the Friends will be selling two hard-to-find, but higher priced plants as landscape plugs. They may be purchased at a reasonable cost at the plugs table but will not be part of the Plant Dividend distribution.
This Year’s Selections
Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’
Garden Phlox
Found by and named after Jeana Prewitt of Nashville, TN, this selection possesses outstanding mildew resistance with varying shades of sweetly scented, lavender-pink flowers, vibrant midsummer through early autumn. Foliage remains clean green while flower clusters create a tiered effect along upright, multi-stemmed branches. Expect a flurry of pollinator activity! Native.
4-5’tall, 2-3’wide
Baptisia sphaerocarpa
Yellow Wild Indigo
A sturdy, drought-resistant garden plant with striking spikes of pea flowers that range from butter yellow to gleaming gold. Native to Southern US. Full sun. Deer resistant. Drought and poor soil tolerant.
2—3’ tall. 2—3’ wide
Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’
Alumroot, Coral Bells
Fuzzy, chartreuse to lime green, nearly evergreen foliage erupts in September with white fountains of pure white flowers continuing until frost. A very easy-care plant tolerant of dry shade and a wide variety of conditions. A good, tough exciting meat-and-potatoes groundcover that doubles as a cut flower! Great for moist shade. US native.
2’ tall, 3’ wide
Lobelia cardinalis
Cardinal Flower
Clump-forming habit with brilliant red flower spikes set against green and purple-bronze colored foliage. Each individual spike of scarlet flowers open from bottom to top and stays in bloom for several weeks. A favorite of hummingbirds. Makes an excellent cut flower. A real show stopper! Wet site tolerant.
2-4’ tall. 2’ wide
Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Autumn Sun’
Cutleaf Coneflower
This long-blooming butterfly (especially monarch) magnet has large, glossy, deep green, deeply cut leaves along the stems and loose clusters of clear yellow ray flowers with large green cones that darken with age. Blooms for 8+ weeks in mid to late summer. Very cold hardy.
5-6’ tall, 3-4’ wide
Stachys x ‘Summer Romance’
Betony
A Brandywine Cottage selection.
‘Summer Romance’ has a summer display of wand-like inflorescences with violet flowers that stand up to 2 feet above dense, green foliage. Can be used as a groundcover, or along the edge of a bed, and will spread over time to fill in an area.
Deer resistant
FOR PURCHASE ONLY
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’
Little Bluestem
A North Creek discovery worthy of applause. It keeps a tight, upright habit throughout the entire season. A warm season grass that does well in poor, dry soils. Spikey bluish-green stems and leaves transition to oranges, reds, yellows, and purplish-browns in the autumn.
3-4’ tall, 12-18” wide
Polystichum acrostichoides
Christmas fern
While not as showy as some others, this fern makes up for it with its neat habit, easy culture, and its lustrous, nearly evergreen leaves. Often used in Christmas floral arrangements because it is still attractive in December. It is a wonderful companion for spring blooming bulbs. Found in acidic to neutral soils on shaded slopes and well drained flats.
FOR PURCHASE ONLY
Adiantum pedatum
Northern Maidenhair Fern
Dainty, bright green fronds are held on shiny black stems, creating a light, airy texture in the woodland garden. In rich soil and bright shade it will spread by shallow rhizomes to form a dense groundcover. Found in the humus-rich woodlands and moist woods of Eastern North America. Likes loose, rich soil.
12—24” tall, 12—18” wide
