Scutellaria incana - (Downy Skullcap)

GARDEN SITE: ☀️-🌤️ Average, dry-medium, well-drained soil. Does not tolerate locations with poor drainage.

SIZE: 2-4 ft. SPREAD: 1-2 ft.

FLOWERS: Showy blue. August-September.

WILDLIFE: Flowers are attractive to butterflies and bees. Supports at least seven species of specialized bees.

HOST PLANT TO: Pearl Crescent butterfly

ZONE: 3-8

DISTRIBUTION: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV

A vital component of your late summer and fall pollinator garden! This stout, upright Aster boasts profuse bluish-purple flowers that blanket dark green leaves. Tough and adaptable, this gorgeous wildflower will fill your late season garden with breathtaking color and provide a much needed food source for hungry wildlife. Generally pest free, tolerant of light shade and resistant to deer browse.

GARDEN SITE: Part Shade. Fertile, Humus rich, Medium moisture, Well-drained Soil.

SIZE: 1 – 2 ft. Spread 1- 1 ½ ft.

FLOWERS: Violet blue-purple blooms April-May

WILDLIFE: Attracts Native Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds

ZONE: 4-7

Spring Ephemeral (plants go dormant in the summer). Grow in areas protected from strong winds and rain storms. “Delphinium” in the name means dolphin in Greek and refers to the shape of the immature flowers. Tulip substitute. Rabbit and Deer Tolerant.

GARDEN SITE: Part Shade to Full Shade. Fertile, Medium to Wet Soil. Needs constantly moist soil.

SIZE: 1-2 ft. Spread 1- 1 ½ ft.

FLOWERS: Green/Purple blooms April to May

WILDLIFE: Attracts Birds and pollinators

ZONE: 4-9

Plant in the shady woodland garden or wild garden and leave undisturbed. Heavy clay intolerant. Heavy Shade, Wet Soil and Black Walnut Tolerant. Seperate male and female plants.

About: A fun plant for the woodland garden, the pulpit-like flower in April yields bright red berries in late summer when most other woodland plants have already faded. Jack-in the Pulpit in rich woodland soil, even in wet, swampy areas.

Photo by A. Tonelli / Flickr

GARDEN SITE: Part Shade to Full Shade. Moist, Acidic, Humusy soil.

SIZE: 4 – 6 in. Spread: 3-6 in.

FLOWERS: White blooms with yellow accent in April

WILDLIFE: Attracts Bees

ZONE: 3-8

Spring Ephemeral (plants go dormant in late spring). Also called “white dogtooth violet”. Plant in shaded areas or in pond or stream banks or in shady areas of rock gardens.

About: Must be planted where it will receive ample sun and consistently moist soil during its flowering season in early spring

Photo by Eric Hunt/wikipedia commons