Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturalist Kevin Prall discusses 5 great perennials in 2 minutes
First one is Penstemon Hybrids – penstemons come in many different forms, they’re upright, they’re ground covers, purple, red, white, pink, dry soils, wet soils. Really a good group of plants to work with.
The next one Ligularia Stenocephala ‘The Rocket’. This one is an excellent Hosta substitute by the way. Big leaves, striking big yellow booms. In a very hot time of the year for perennials, blooming in August, when a lot of things aren’t blooming. A great plant to choose from, definitely if you have deer issues it’s a good one.
Epimedium, ‘orange queen’. Great for underneath large trees this is a really super plant for tolerating dry, under tree soil conditions. Should be used more often. Not just this variety, but all the epimediums, definitely a great plant for Pennsylvania gardens.
Brunnera Macrophylla ‘Siberian Bugloss’ – another good hosta substitute, great underneath trees, dry shade, regular shade. Big silver markings on large leaves, and very pretty blue flowers, typically in April. Excellent, again, deer resitsatan, great for the shade.
Here’s another one – Asclepias Tuberosa ‘Butterfly Weed’. If you want to attract Monarchs, this is the one to use. Orange flowers typically in the summertime, mid-late summer. Again, great for the sunny garden, it is deer resistant as well. For Butterfly attracting, should be top of your list right here, excellent plant.
