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Browse Plants

Narrowed By:Type: Perennials+ Zone: 4+ Uses: Ground Covers + Characteristics: Showy + Botanical Name: M - O, P - R
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 listings   Sort By: Sort
Myrrhis odorata Myrrhis odorata
(Sweet cicely)
(1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This elegant fern-like herb has a mounding form and anise-flavored bright-green leaves. In late spring, it bears compound umbels of star-shaped white flowers, followed by shiny, ridged brown seeds.

Nepeta × faassenii ‘Dropmore’ Nepeta × faassenii ‘Dropmore’
(Catmint)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This cultivar is a clump-forming perennial with toothed gray-green leaves and larger flowers than the hybrid. It flowers profusely and long, especially if sheared. The blue-purple flowers are small but abundant, and the foliage is aromatic.

Pachysandra terminalis Pachysandra terminalis
(Japanese spurge)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This plant has leathery, evergreen dark green foliage with slightly indented margins. It reaches about 8 to 10 inches tall and bears tiny white male flowers. It spreads by rhizomes, eventually forming a mat at least 2 inches thick. Cultivars offer more compact form with smaller, finely toothed leaves ('Green Carpet') or glossy dark green leaves ('Green Sheen').

Persicaria amplexicaulis Persicaria amplexicaulis
(Bistort, Mountain fleece)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This vigorous, but noninvasive perennial flowers from early summer into autumn with bright red, purple, or white blossoms. The narrow blossoms are up to 4 inches long, and are held on long stalks above pointed, slightly puckered leaves. It grows to 4 feet high and wide.

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail' Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail'
(Bistort, Mountain fleece)
(1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This vigorous but noninvasive perennial flowers from early summer into autumn with crimson blossoms to 6 inches long. Its leaves are dark green, arrow-shaped, and slightly puckered. It grows to 4 feet high and wide.

Phlox divaricata 'Clouds of Perfume' Phlox divaricata 'Clouds of Perfume'
(Blue phlox, Wild sweet William, Woodland phlox)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is a very fragrant native woodland phlox with powder-blue flowers in spring. Reaching only 1 foot tall, it can spread to almost 2 feet and makes an attractive groundcover under shrubs or planted with other spring-blooming wildflowers. Leaves are semi-evergreen and hairy; stems root along their length. The blue flowers are salverform with petal lobes. This plant attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

no image available Phlox divaricata and cvs.
(Blue phlox, Wild sweet William, Woodland phlox)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This spreading, semi-evergreen perennial has hairy leaves and lavender-blue to pale violet and white flowers borne in open clusters in early spring. Flowers can have notched or unnotched petal lobes. Cultivars include ‘Clouds of Perfume’ with light lavender-blue flowers; ‘Eco Texas Purple’ (dark purple with a violet eye); ‘Fuller’s White’ (white); and ‘London Grove’ (lavender-blue flowers).

Phlox stolonifera Phlox stolonifera
(Creeping phlox)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

A dense, vigorous, mat-forming ground cover, creeping phlox has short flower stems from 3 to 12 inches tall. The flowers can be pale lavender-blue, rose-pink, medium violet, or white, with unnotched petals and a yellow center.

Phlox subulata Phlox subulata
(Moss phlox)
(1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Moss phlox is a dense ground cover blanketed with notch-petaled flowers in April and May. Blooms can be muddy hot pink, bright rose, and magenta, while other cultivars include white, soft lavender-blue, clear pale pink to deep pink, clear scarlet, and lavender, some with a darker or lighter eye. Evergreen foliage is narrow, short, and stiff. Darker-flowered forms have dark-green leaves or red-tinged leaves that darken to burgundy in winter.

Polemonium caeruleum Polemonium caeruleum
(Jacob’s ladder, Greek valerian)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This North American native bears deep blue or occasionally white, bell-shaped blossoms in spring and possibly late summer if deadheaded. It grows from 1 to 3 feet tall. Use Jacob's ladder in a lightly shaded border, rock garden, woodland, or cottage garden.

Polemonium caeruleum 'Brise d'Anjou' Polemonium caeruleum 'Brise d'Anjou'
(Variegated Jacob’s ladder, Greek valerian)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This dramatic cultivar has bright green leaves that are richly edged with cream. It bears lavender-blue blossoms in spring, and grows from 1.5 to 2 feet tall.

no image available Polemonium reptans
(Greek valerian, Jacob’s ladder)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This North American native bears light blue bell-shaped blossoms in spring to early summer. It has a lax, sprawling habit to 1.5 feet tall. The leaflets are arranged like the rungs of a ladder, hence the common name.

no image available Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven'
(Greek valerian, Jacob’s ladder)
(1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This variegated cultivar offers white-edged leaves with pink tints on a compact plant to 1.5 feet tall. It bears light lavender-blue bell-shaped blossoms in spring.

Polygonatum biflorum Polygonatum biflorum
(Small Solomon's seal, Solomon's seal)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

From late spring into summer, this species bears tubular greenish-white flowers that dangle underneath the arching stems. The foliage is smooth; in autumn it turns to clear yellow, contrasting with the blue-black berries this plant produces. Its height varies wildly from 1.5 to 6 feet tall.

Polygonatum odoratum Polygonatum odoratum
(Fragrant Solomon’s seal, Solomon’s seal)
(1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

From late spring to early summer, this species bears pendent, green-tipped white flowers along arching stems. These mature into spherical black fruit in autumn, when the foliage turns yellow.

Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'
(Variegated fragrant Solomon's seal)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Gracefully arching 2 to 3-foot tall burgundy stems support narrow leaves streaked in pure white. From late spring to early summer, this species bears white flowers that mature into spherical black fruit in autumn, when the foliage turns a golden yellow. Variegated Solomon's seal is a fine choice for a shady bed. -Matt Griswold, Regional Picks: Northeast, Fine Gardening issue #27

Pulmonaria 'Silver Shimmers' Pulmonaria 'Silver Shimmers'
('Silver Shimmers' lungwort)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This eye-catching perennial has silver-plated leaves with speckled margins. Its blooms are among the largest of all lungworts, beginning as pink buds and opening in early spring to display platinum blue flowers.

This plant will eventually form a decent-sized mound that resembles a mountain of liquid silver. It's perfect in a woodland border and makes a great ground cover and container plant. In mild winters, its leaves may stay evergreen.

Pulmonaria saccharata 'Mrs. Moon' Pulmonaria saccharata 'Mrs. Moon'
(Bethlehem sage, lungwort)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This cheerful, reliable plant brings a nice touch of color to the garden in spring. The leaves are pointed and hairy and splattered with silvery blotches. As the plant grows, the leaves overlap, creating a swirly pattern. In spring, clusters of silky pink flowers appear. They fade to a soft blue that harmonizes well with the leaf color. -Sue Whetten, Regional Picks: Rocky Mountains, Fine Gardening issue #127


Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 listings   Sort By: Sort