Plants of Merit
listed in order of bloom time

Annuals

Lobularia maritima 'Snow Crystals' - Sweet alyssum (April, May, June)

Begonia 'Bepared' DRAGON WING RED - Begonia (May, June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Melampodium divaricatum 'Derby' - Melampodium (May, June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Cuphea hyssopifolia - Mexican heather - (May, June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Nierembergia scoparia 'Mont Blanc' - Cupflower (May, June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Nierembergia scoparia 'Purple Robe' - Cupflower (May, June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Scaevola aemula 'Blue Wonder' - Fan flower (“flowers freely” May, June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Verbena 'Imagination' – Verbena ( May, June, July, August, September, October to frost) 

Hemigraphis 'Exotica' - Waffle plant (June, July)

Hamelia patens - Scarlet bush (June, July, August, September)

Origanum 'Kent Beauty' - Ornamental oregano (June, July, August, September)

Ipomoea quamoclit - Cypress vine (June, July, August, September, October)

Asclepias curassavica - Blood flower (June, July, August, September, October)

Calibrachoa 'Sunbelkist' MILLION BELLS TERRA COTTA - Calibrachoa (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Evolvulus glomeratus 'Hawaiian Blue Eyes' - Evolvulus (June, July, August, September, October to frost)  

Gomphrena globosa 'Buddy' - Globe amaranth (June, July, August, September, October)

Isotoma axillaris – Laurentia (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Lablab purpureus - Hyacinth bean (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Nicotiana sylvestris - Flowering tobacco (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Tecoma stans GOLD STAR - Yellow bells (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer' - Black-eyed Susan (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea' - Purple heart (“seasonal bloomer” June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Strobilanthes dyerianus - Persian shield (“seasonal bloomer” June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Thymophylla tenuiloba - Dahlberg daisy (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Verbena bonariensis - South America verbena (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Zinnia angustifolia 'Classic' - Narrow-leaf zinnia (June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Melinis nerviglumis ‘Pink Crystals’ – Ruby grass (July, August)

Xanthosoma 'Lime Zinger' – Elephant ears (July, August)

Canna 'Striata' - Canna lily (July, August, September)

Capsicum annuum 'Park's Early Thickset' - Pepper (flowers not showy, fruiting July, August, September)

Lycopersicon esculentum 'Big Beef' – Tomato (flowers not showy, July, August, September)

Lycopersicon esculentum 'Pink Girl' – Tomato (flowers not showy, July, August, September)

Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group) 'Redbor' - Ornamental kale (flowers not showy)

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Perennials

Helleborus orientalis - Lenten rose (Februrary, March, April)

Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum' – Epimedium (April)

Narcissus ‘Tahiti’ – Double daffodil (April)

Amsonia hubrichtii – Bluestar (April, May)

Brunnera macrophylla - Siberian bugloss (April, May)

Hyacinthoides hispanica - Spanish bluebell (April, May)

Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' - Pincushion flower (April, May, June, July, August, September, October to frost)

Amsonia tabernaemontana – Bluestar (May)

Iris sibirica 'Caesar's Brother' - Siberian iris (May)

Callirhoe involucrata - Purple poppy mallow (May, June)

Baptisia australis - Blue false indigo (May, June)

Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles' - Coral bells (May, June)

Dianthus ‘Feuerhexe’ FIREWITCH – Cheddar pink (May, June)

Stachys macrantha 'Superba' - Big betony (May, June)

Geranium 'Gerwat' ROZANNE – Cranesbill (May, June, July)

Astilbe chinensis var. pumila - Chinese astilbe (May, June, July, August)

Nepeta racemosa 'Blue Wonder' – Nepeta (May, June, July, August, September)

Calamagrosu acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' - Feather reed grass (May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February)

Mazus reptans – Mazus (June, July)

Stachys byzantina 'Big Ears' - Lamb's ears (June, July, although rarely flowers)

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra 'Sommersonne' SUMMER SUN – Oxeye (June, July, August)

Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'June' – Hosta (July, August)

Hypericum calycinum - St. John's wort (July, August)  

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' - Mondo grass (July, August)

Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Longwood Blue' – Bluebeard (July, August, September)

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides – Hardy plumbago (July, August, September)

Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal flower (July, August, September)

Silphium laciniatum - Compass plant (July, August, September)

Thalictrum rochebruneanum - Meadow rue (July, August, September)

Perovskia atriplicifolia - Russian sage (July, August, September, October)

Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'Halcyon' – Hosta (August)

Actaea matsumurae 'White Pearl ' – Bugbane (August, September)

Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' - Japanese anemone (August, September)

Aster oblongifolius - Aromatic aster (August, September)

Boltonia asteroides var. latisquama 'Snowbank' – Boltonia (August, September)

Phlox paniculata ‘Robert Poore’ – Garden phlox (August, September)

Tricyrtis formosana – Toad lily (August, September)

Solidago sphacelata 'Golden Fleece' – Goldenrod (August, September)

Sporobolus heterolepis - Prairie dropseed (August, September, October)

Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' – Eulalia (August, September, October, November, December, January, February)

Helianthus salicifolius - Willow-leaved sunflower (September, October)

Polystichum acrostichoides - Christmas fern (non-flowering, evergreen)

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Shrubs and Vines

Hamamelis vernalis - Ozark witch hazel (January, February, March, April)

Cornus mas 'Golden Glory' - Cornelian cherry dogwood (March)

Lindera benzoin – Spicebush (March)

Forsythia 'Courtasol' GOLD TIDE – Forsythia (March, April)

Corylus avellana 'Contorta' - Harry Lauder's walking stick (April)

Fothergilla gardenii – Fothergilla (April, May)

Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' - Fragrant sumac (April, May)

Rhododendron 'Girard's Rose' - Evergreen azalea (April, May)

Syringa meyeri var. spontanea - Korean lilac (April, May)

Rhododendron ‘My Mary’ – Azalea (April, May)

Aristolochia tomentosa - Dutchman's pipe (May, June)

Cornus sericea 'Cardinal' - Redtwig dogwood (May, June)

Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' - Virginia sweetspire (May, June)

Physocarpus opulifolius – Ninebark (May, June)

Lonicera sempervirens - Trumpet honeysuckle (May, June)

Cotinus coggygria 'Velvet Cloak' – Smoketree (May, June, July)

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris - Climbing hydrangea (May, June, July)

Hydrangea quercifolia - Oakleaf hydrangea (May, June, July)

Aesculus parviflora - Bottlebrush buckeye (June, July)

Ilex verticillata 'Nana' RED SPRITE – Winterberry (June, July)

Symphoricarpos x chenaultii 'Hancock' – Coralberry (June, July)

Hydrangea arborescens - Smooth hydrangea (June, July, August, September)

Weigela 'Olympiade' BRIANT RUBIDOR – Weigela (June, July, August, September)

Hibiscus syriacus 'Diana' - Rose of Sharon (July, August, September, October)

Lagerstroemia ‘Acoma’ – Crape myrtle (July, August, September)

Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Morris Midget' - Japanese boxwood (evergreen, rarely flowers)

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' - Sawara cypress (non-flowering)

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Trees

Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam (February)

Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' - Upright European hornbeam (March)

Amelanchier arborea - Downy serviceberry (March, April)

Cercidiphyllum japonicum - Katsura tree (March, April)

Parrotia persica - Persian ironwood (March, April)

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' – Redbud (April)

Acer griseum - Paperbark maple (April)

Acer triflorum - Three-flowered maple (April)

Acer truncatum - Shantung maple (April)

Malus 'Mary Potter' – Crabapple (April)

Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance' - Apple serviceberry (April)

Quercus phellos - Willow oak (April)

Betula nigra 'Cully' HERITAGE - River birch (April, May)

Aesculus pavia - Red buckeye (April, May)

Styrax japonicus (Benibana Group) 'Pink Chimes' - Japanese snowbell (May)

Chionanthus virginicus – Fringetree (May, June)

Cornus kousa var. chinensis - Chinese dogwood (May, June)

Nyssa sylvatica - Sour gum (May, June)

Magnolia grandiflora 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' - Southern magnolia (May, June)

Magnolia virginiana var. australis - Sweet bay magnolia (May, June, July, August)

Heptacodium miconioides - Seven-son flower (September)

Picea pungens 'Fat Albert' - Colorado spruce (non-flowering, evergreen

Pinus bungeana - Lacebark pine (non-flowering, evergreen)

Thuja ‘Green Giant’ – Arborvitae (non-flowering, evergreen)

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