Tiedemann Park and Nature Center Plant List
Shaded walkway garden, planted April 26th, 2014:
Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Soft Caress’ – Great shade plant. Small evergreen shrub, growing 2-3 feet tall. Yellow flower clusters in fall give way to blue berries. Like well-drained soil.
Athyrium niponicum ‘Ghost’ – Ghost Lady Fern – Named ‘Ghost’ for its silver color, this deciduous fern native to east Asia unfurls fronds from the base that grow to about 24-30″. Upright growth habit and likes mostly shady spots.
Dryopteris erythrosora – Autumn fern – Small fern with green and bronze foliage, shade.
Hydrangea quercifolia – Oakleaf Hydrangea – Deeply lobed oak-like leaves with white flowers in summer. Deciduous, great fall color. Shade to part sun.
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Big Daddy’ – Great shade shrub with intense clusters of bloom all summer long. Color of bloom depends on acidity of soil, with rich blues the more acidic the soil is. Shade to part sun, likes moist soil.
Odontonema cuspidatum – Firespike – Showy evergreen shrub with branches that grow mostly straight up to about 4-6 feet tall. Shiny dark green leaves with wavy margins and long pointed tips. In Summer through Winter produces long spikes of red, tubular flowers. Attracts hummingbirds. Does well in sun and shade.
Liriope muscari ‘Green Goddess’ – Green Goddess Liriope – Perennial, evergreen clumping herb. Very tough. Moderately drought tolerant. Like partial to deep shade. Small purple flowers on short spikes.
Acanthus mollis – Bear’s Breeches – Clumping growth habit. Deep green, shiny leaves with tall 5-6 foot flower spikes in summer. Showy purple and white flowers. Like shade to part sun.
Farfugium japonicum ‘Crispata’ – Leopard Plant – Great evergreen, hardy shade plant with large, leathery leaves. Produce numerous daisy-like flowers in winter months atop 5-6 foot tall spikes.
Fatsia japonica – Japanese Aralia – Large tropical evergreen shrub with palmate leaves on thick stems. Shade to part sun.
Caladium – Tuberous foliage plant. Many different varieties in pinks, reds, greens and whites. Plant corms in May when soil becomes warm enough.
Swale garden, planted May 23rd, 2014:
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘George Davidson’ – Falling Stars – Perennial bulb in the Iris family that loves moist soil and full sun. Great planted in large clumps. Showy yellow flower spikes on this variety Summer into Fall.
Hibiscus coccineus – Red Swamp Mallow – Hemp-like, palmate leaved perennial growing 3-6 feet tall. Enjoys full sun and medium to wet soils, can become leggy and not flower well if given too much shade, great for swale and rain gardens. Bright red blooms from Summer into Fall.
Chasmanthium latifolium – Northern Sea Oats – Upright ornamental grass that grows 2-5 feet in height. Likes full sun to part shade. Flowers in the fall and foliage adds great fall and winter color to the garden.
Iris louisiana ‘Black Gamecock – Black Gamecock Iris – Great wetlands iris, likes full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Blooms in summer with rich black/purple color.
Iris virginica var. Shrevei – Southern Blue Flag Iris – Another great wetland iris that likes full sun and moist, swampy conditions. Grows to 2 feet tall with violet/blue and yellow blooms in summer.
Malvaviscus drumondii – Dwarf Pink Turk’s Cap – Evergreen shrub in the Hibiscus family. Pink, funnel-like flowers in summer and fall. Like full sun.
Agapanthus africanus ‘Storm Cloud’ – Storm Cloud Agapanthus, Lily of the Nile – Grows from rhizomes with long, grass-like clump of leaves. Likes full sun to part shade and moist soil. Flowers on 2-3 foot tall spikes with umbels of rich purple-black flowers in the Summer.
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower – Long blooming, upright perennial. Rich lavender single flower with purple/brown, spiny centers atop a 2-3 foot stem. Bloom from spring and deep into fall. Full sun. Also a great cut flower.
Hamelia patens ‘Compacta’ – Dwarf Firebush – Herbaceous perennial shrub. This dwarf variety grows to 2 feet tall, producing tubular orange/red flowers in Summer and Fall. Thrives in full sun and high heat but can tolerate some shade.
Sisyrinchium angustifolium – Purple-Eyed Grass – Though grass is in the common name, this perennial is in the iris family, not the grass family. Best grown in full sun and moist soil. Clumping growth habit with clusters of small purple flowers in mid-Summer.
Eragrostis elliottii – Lovegrass – Rapid growing ornamental grass. Blue-green foliage with blooms from summer into fall. Like full sun and moist soil.
Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ – Burgundy Pineapple Lily – Rich purple, clumping accent plant. Produces long bloom stalk in summer that resembles a pineapple, which is where it derives its name, since it is in the Asparagus family, not the Pineapple family. Like shade, filtered sun.
Helianthus angustifolius – Swamp Sunflower – Clumping sunflower growing 3-6 feet tall. Loves full sun and medium to high moisture. Attracts bees and butterflies with bright yellow blooms in late Summer and early Fall.
Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ – Semi-evergreen shrub with showy, fragrant white flowers from summer to fall. 3 to 4 feet tall, likes full sun to part shade. Garnet fall color