Timeline
See young plants become mature structure
Choose a growth year to compare height, spread, and establishment notes across the catalog. It is a quick way to spot which plants stay low, which become anchors, and which need room from the start.
English lavender
Mounded woody subshrub
Height
10-13"
Spread
9-18"
Settles in with light bloom.
Purple coneflower
Clumping upright perennial
Height
22-29"
Spread
10-17"
Builds roots and a modest crown.
Genovese basil
Bushy tender annual herb
Height
18-30"
Spread
12-18"
Annual crop reaches harvest size quickly.
Switchgrass
Upright warm-season grass
Height
1.5-3.5 ft
Spread
11-22"
Narrow young clump.
Orange coneflower
Clumping daisy-form perennial
Height
16-23"
Spread
7-13"
Establishes quickly with some bloom.
Annabelle hydrangea
Rounded deciduous shrub
Height
18-30"
Spread
16-27"
Small framework with limited bloom.
Lacinato kale
Upright leafy biennial crop, typically grown as a cool-season annual
Height
2-3 ft
Spread
18-24"
Annual crop reaches harvest size in one season.
Coral bells
Low mounded foliage perennial
Height
7-21"
Spread
11-14"
Small but decorative mound.
Common milkweed
Erect colony-forming native wildflower
Height
21-35"
Spread
4-16"
Builds roots and a few stems.
Common sunflower
Fast, erect coarse annual
Height
1.5-10 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Annual reaches full size, bloom, and seedhead stage in one season.
Fragrant plantain lily
Dense mounding herbaceous perennial
Height
5-11"
Spread
14-19"
Small crown and modest foliage.
Highbush blueberry
Upright multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Height
2.1-4.2 ft
Spread
1.9-3.2 ft
Root establishment year.
Butterfly weed
Upright clump-forming native perennial
Height
5-11"
Spread
6-9"
Deep taproot establishing; top growth modest; flowers unlikely.
Scarlet bee balm
Upright spreading native perennial
Height
13-26"
Spread
12-18"
Establishing colony; some bloom likely in first summer.
New England aster
Tall upright native perennial
Height
1.7-3.8 ft
Spread
12-18"
Modest first-year clump.
Wild columbine
Airy clumping native perennial
Height
7-20"
Spread
6-9"
Small but blooms early.
Stiff goldenrod
Upright clump-forming native perennial
Height
20-33"
Spread
9-15"
Steady establishment.
Little bluestem
Upright clumping native warm-season grass
Height
12-24"
Spread
11-22"
Tight young clump.
Big bluestem
Tall upright clumping native warm-season tallgrass
Height
1.6-3.2 ft
Spread
11-16"
Establishes deep roots; modest first-year top growth.
Winterberry
Multi-stemmed deciduous native shrub
Height
1.2-6 ft
Spread
1.1-4.2 ft
Root establishment year.
Canadian serviceberry
Multi-stemmed small native tree
Height
4.5-7.5 ft
Spread
4.5-6 ft
Young transplant year.
Christmas fern
Evergreen native fern with arching fronds
Height
7-13"
Spread
9-12"
Young crown with a few fronds.
Common thyme
Low woody mounded herb
Height
3-7"
Spread
3-8"
Young mound establishing.
Garden phlox
Upright clumping perennial
Height
14-29"
Spread
10-13"
Establishing clump with light bloom.
Garden tomato
Sprawling or upright warm-season vegetable
Height
3-8 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Annual reaches full size, flowers, and fruit in one season.
Common yarrow
Spreading rhizomatous perennial with fine-textured foliage
Height
7-20"
Spread
6-23"
Establishes a basal rosette with modest first-year bloom.
Northern spicebush
Broad rounded multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Height
11-22"
Spread
11-27"
Slow establishment; focus root development.
Wild bergamot
Clumping erect perennial with square stems and opposite leaves
Height
12-24"
Spread
12-18"
First-year clump establishes with limited bloom.
Sweet Joe-Pye weed
Erect clump-forming perennial with whorled foliage
Height
24-34"
Spread
10-19"
Establishes basal foliage; flowering modest in year one.
Eastern redbud
Small multi-trunked deciduous tree with broadly rounded crown
Height
3-4.5 ft
Spread
3.8-5.3 ft
Slow establishment; first-year focus is root development.
Common witch hazel
Erect multi-stemmed open spreading shrub or small understory tree
Height
2.3-4.5 ft
Spread
2.3-3 ft
Slow establishment; first-year focus is roots.
Woodland phlox
Low spreading clump-forming perennial that naturalizes by node-rooting stems
Height
3-7"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes a basal mat; first-year bloom modest.
White oak
Broad rounded long-lived deciduous canopy tree with a strong central trunk
Height
5-9 ft
Spread
5-8 ft
Slow establishment; first-year focus is the deep taproot.
Northern red oak
Broad rounded fast-growing deciduous canopy tree
Height
5-7 ft
Spread
5-7.5 ft
Faster establishment than white oak; saplings grow 12 to 24 inches per year in favorable sites.
Red maple
Oval to pyramidal deciduous canopy tree with shallow surface root system
Height
4-12 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Fast establishment; saplings grow 12 to 24 inches per year in moist sites.
Sugar maple
Dense oval to rounded long-lived deciduous canopy tree with deep heavy shade
Height
4-12 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Slow establishment; first-year focus on root development.
Tulip tree (yellow poplar)
Tall pyramidal-to-oval deciduous canopy tree with a straight central leader
Height
8-12 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Fast establishment; saplings grow 2 to 3 feet per year in favorable sites.
Pawpaw
Small multi-stemmed pyramidal understory tree forming colonies via root suckers
Height
2.3-4.5 ft
Spread
2.3-4.5 ft
Slow establishment; first-year focus on the taproot. Resist transplanting.
Sassafras
Multi-stemmed pyramidal-to-irregular deciduous tree forming colonies via root suckers
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
2.5-4 ft
Slow first-year establishment; large taproot develops underground.
Flowering dogwood
Small understory deciduous tree with distinctive horizontal layered branching
Height
18-30"
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Slow establishment; first-year focus on roots.
Southern magnolia
Large dense conical-to-pyramidal evergreen tree with low-sweeping branches
Height
6-8 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Slow establishment; medium growth rate overall.
Black chokeberry
Multi-stemmed open-rounded suckering deciduous shrub
Height
1.2-4 ft
Spread
14-29"
Establishes a multi-stem base; modest first-year bloom.
Blue false indigo
Clumping shrub-like perennial with deep taproot
Height
14-19"
Spread
8-17"
Establishes the deep taproot; modest first-year bloom.
Dense blazing star
Clumping erect single-stem perennial growing from a corm
Height
1.7-3.3 ft
Spread
2-11"
Corm establishes; modest first-year bloom.
Virginia bluebells
Spring-ephemeral clump-forming perennial that dies back to underground roots by midsummer
Height
9-12"
Spread
5-8"
Establishes underground roots; modest first-year display.
Swamp milkweed
Clumping erect perennial with lance-shaped opposite leaves
Height
18-30"
Spread
12-18"
Establishes the taproot; first-year bloom modest.
California poppy
Clumping mounded annual or short-lived perennial with finely dissected foliage
Height
8-17"
Spread
8-17"
Establishes from seed quickly; reaches full height + bloom in a single growing season.
Garden pepper
Compact mounded erect annual vegetable
Height
1-3.7 ft
Spread
6-12"
Reaches full size in a single warm-season growing cycle.
Common bean
Bush or climbing warm-season annual legume
Height
1-8 ft
Spread
0.5-3 ft
Reaches full size + harvest within a single warm-season cycle.
Summer squash / zucchini
Sprawling or bushy warm-season annual vine
Height
1-3 ft
Spread
2-25 ft
Reaches full size + harvest within a single warm-season cycle.
Cucumber
Climbing or sprawling warm-season annual vine with tendrils
Height
8-18"
Spread
3-8 ft
Reaches full size + harvest within a single warm-season cycle.
Garden lettuce
Compact basal-rosette cool-season annual leafy green
Height
6-12"
Spread
6-12"
Reaches harvest in 30-60 days; bolts + becomes bitter past prime in heat.
Indian grass
Erect warm-season clumping bunchgrass
Height
24-34"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes clumping base; first-year bloom modest.
Summersweet (sweet pepperbush)
Multi-stemmed upright dense oval-to-rounded deciduous shrub
Height
12-24"
Spread
10-14"
Slow establishment from container stock; first-year focus is roots.
Mountain laurel
Multi-stemmed dense rounded evergreen shrub
Height
5-18"
Spread
5-10"
Slow first-year establishment; focus on root development in acid soil.
Foxglove beardtongue
Clumping erect perennial with basal foliage and tall vertical flowering stems
Height
12-24"
Spread
9-12"
Establishes basal rosette; first-year bloom modest.
Black tupelo (black gum)
Pyramidal-to-rounded long-lived deciduous canopy tree
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
Slow first-year establishment; deep taproot develops.
Rosemary
Evergreen woody subshrub with needle-like aromatic foliage
Height
10-24"
Spread
10-19"
Slow first-year establishment; focus on root development.
American red raspberry
Suckering cane-forming deciduous bramble
Height
18-30"
Spread
1.2-3.2 ft
Canes (primocanes) develop in year one without fruit; root suckers extend the colony.
Sweetbay magnolia
Multi-stemmed semi-evergreen deciduous tree (evergreen in zones 8+, deciduous in colder)
Height
1-4 ft
Spread
12-24"
Slow first-year establishment.
Southern live oak
Massive evergreen canopy tree with horizontally-spreading limbs
Height
4-8 ft
Spread
6-12 ft
Very slow first-year establishment.
American sweetgum
Pyramidal-to-oval large deciduous canopy tree
Height
5-7.5 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Slow first-year establishment.
American sycamore
Massive deciduous canopy tree with broad rounded crown
Height
7-11 ft
Spread
5-7 ft
Fast first-year establishment; sycamores grow rapidly.
Shagbark hickory
Tall narrow long-lived deciduous canopy tree with distinctive shaggy bark
Height
6-9 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Very slow first-year establishment; focus on the deep taproot.
Paper birch
Slender pyramidal-to-oval deciduous canopy tree with peeling white bark
Height
5-7 ft
Spread
2-3.5 ft
Fast first-year establishment.
River birch
Multi-stemmed pyramidal-to-oval deciduous canopy tree with exfoliating salmon bark
Height
4-7 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Fast first-year establishment.
Eastern white pine
Tall pyramidal-to-irregular evergreen coniferous tree
Height
5-10 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Slow first-year establishment.
Vine maple
Multi-stemmed small understory deciduous tree or large shrub
Height
1.5-4.5 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Slow first-year establishment.
Blackhaw viburnum
Multi-stemmed upright deciduous shrub or small tree
Height
1.8-4.5 ft
Spread
11-22"
Slow establishment; first-year focus on roots.
Arrowwood viburnum
Multi-stemmed upright spreading deciduous shrub
Height
1.2-3 ft
Spread
1.2-3 ft
Establishes the root system; light first-year bloom.
Virginia sweetspire
Multi-stemmed arching suckering deciduous shrub
Height
11-29"
Spread
14-29"
Establishes the root system.
Carolina allspice (sweetshrub)
Multi-stemmed rounded suckering deciduous shrub
Height
14-29"
Spread
14-29"
Slow establishment.
Common ninebark
Multi-stemmed arching deciduous shrub with exfoliating bark
Height
1.5-3 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Fast first-year establishment.
Red-osier dogwood
Multi-stemmed thicket-forming suckering deciduous shrub
Height
2.4-3.6 ft
Spread
4-8 ft
Fast first-year establishment.
Pinxter azalea
Multi-stemmed open-rounded deciduous shrub
Height
10-19"
Spread
10-19"
Slow establishment.
Bearberry (kinnikinnick)
Prostrate creeping evergreen groundcover shrub
Height
2-6"
Spread
10-24"
Slow first-year spread.
New Jersey tea
Compact rounded deciduous shrub with deep taproot
Height
7-14"
Spread
11-18"
Slow first-year establishment; focus on deep taproot.
Oregon grape
Multi-stemmed upright evergreen broadleaf shrub
Height
9-24"
Spread
9-15"
Slow establishment.
Salal
Multi-stemmed suckering evergreen broadleaf shrub
Height
6-24"
Spread
9-24"
Slow establishment.
Western sword fern
Clumping evergreen fern with long arching pinnate fronds
Height
14-24"
Spread
14-24"
Establishes basal crown.
Bloodroot
Spring-ephemeral clumping perennial that dies back to underground rhizomes by midsummer
Height
3-5"
Spread
3-5"
Establishes underground rhizome.
Mayapple
Spring-ephemeral colonial perennial spreading by underground rhizomes
Height
6-9"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes rhizome.
Foamflower
Clumping semi-evergreen woodland perennial with heart-shaped basal foliage
Height
4-8"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes basal foliage.
Wild ginger
Colonial creeping deciduous perennial with rhizomatous habit
Height
2-4"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes rhizome.
Wild geranium
Clumping woodland perennial with palmately-lobed foliage
Height
9-12"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes basal clump.
Indian pink
Clumping upright perennial with terminal flower clusters
Height
6-12"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes basal clump.
Swamp sunflower
Tall erect perennial sunflower with narrow foliage
Height
2.5-4 ft
Spread
12-18"
Establishes clump.
New York ironweed
Tall erect clump-forming perennial
Height
1.6-3.2 ft
Spread
14-19"
Establishes clump.
Cutleaf coneflower
Tall erect rhizomatous perennial
Height
2-3.6 ft
Spread
14-19"
Establishes rhizome.
Spotted Joe-Pye weed
Erect clumping perennial with whorled foliage
Height
2-3.5 ft
Spread
12-24"
Establishes clump.
Canada goldenrod
Erect aggressively-rhizomatous perennial
Height
1.5-3 ft
Spread
10-24"
Establishes rhizome.
White wood aster
Clumping woodland perennial with wiry stems
Height
9-18"
Spread
9-12"
Establishes clump.
Smooth blue aster
Erect clumping perennial with smooth blue-green foliage
Height
12-24"
Spread
9-15"
Establishes clump.
Threadleaf coreopsis
Clumping perennial with fine threadlike foliage
Height
9-18"
Spread
9-12"
Establishes clump.
Aromatic aster
Mounded clumping perennial with aromatic foliage
Height
9-18"
Spread
12-18"
Establishes clump.
Garden sage
Mounding gray-leaved Mediterranean subshrub
Height
7-12"
Spread
10-14"
Establishes woody base.
Oregano
Spreading mat-forming aromatic perennial herb
Height
6-12"
Spread
9-18"
Establishes initial clump.
Spearmint
Aggressively rhizomatous spreading perennial herb
Height
6-18"
Spread
12-30"
Establishes initial clump.
Chives
Clumping grass-like perennial onion-relative
Height
5-9"
Spread
5-9"
Establishes small clump.
Parsley
Low biennial Apiaceae rosette (grown as annual)
Height
7-13"
Spread
7-8"
Vegetative rosette; harvest leaves freely.
Carrot
Annual Apiaceae rosette grown for taproot
Height
10-24"
Spread
6-8"
Harvest 60-80 days after direct-sow; foliage hosts black swallowtail larvae.
Garden pea
Annual climbing or bush legume
Height
2-6 ft
Spread
6-12"
Harvest 55-70 days from direct-sow; nitrogen-fixing root nodules.
Garlic
Fall-planted Allium bulb harvested in summer
Height
18-30"
Spread
8-10"
Plant cloves in fall; harvest bulbs the following summer.
Onion
Annual Allium grown for bulb
Height
12-24"
Spread
4-6"
Plant sets in spring; harvest mid-summer when tops fall over.
Beet (and chard)
Annual root + leaf crop (same species used as beet or chard)
Height
10-18"
Spread
6-10"
Harvest beets at 50-70 days; harvest chard continuously through season.
Wild strawberry
Low stoloniferous native groundcover with edible berries
Height
2-5"
Spread
7-22"
Establishes initial crown.
Allegheny blackberry
Native thicket-forming biennial-caned thorny bramble
Height
2.8-4.9 ft
Spread
3.5-7 ft
Primocanes vegetative; do not fruit.
Fox grape
Vigorous climbing tendrilled native grape vine
Height
6-12 ft
Spread
6-12 ft
Establishes root system + initial cane.
Prairie dropseed
Clumping fine-textured native warm-season prairie grass
Height
5-11"
Spread
5-9"
Slow establishment.
River oats
Native upright shade-tolerant grass with distinctive dangling seed heads
Height
12-24"
Spread
9-15"
Establishes clump.
Side-oats grama
Clumping fine-leaved native warm-season prairie grass
Height
9-15"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes clump.
Lady fern
Upright clumping deciduous temperate native fern
Height
9-18"
Spread
9-15"
Establishes initial crown.
Ostrich fern
Tall vase-shaped rhizomatous native fern
Height
1.5-3 ft
Spread
15-24"
Establishes initial crown.
Marginal wood fern
Vase-shaped evergreen leathery-leaved native fern
Height
7-14"
Spread
7-14"
Establishes initial crown.
Northern maidenhair fern
Native fern with distinctive horizontal pinwheel fronds on black wiry stems
Height
5-10"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes initial crown.
Blue flag iris
Clumping native wetland iris
Height
12-18"
Spread
9-12"
Establishes initial rhizome.
Dwarf crested iris
Diminutive spreading native woodland iris
Height
2-5"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes initial rhizome.
Hairy alumroot
Clumping native heuchera with velvety leaves + airy bloom panicles
Height
6-15"
Spread
8-12"
Establishes initial crown.
American hazelnut
Rounded multi-stemmed deciduous suckering shrub
Height
3-4.8 ft
Spread
2.4-3.9 ft
Root establishment year with modest top growth.
American persimmon
Medium-sized deciduous native tree with a rounded oval crown
Height
3.5-6 ft
Spread
2.5-3.5 ft
Establishes a deep taproot; modest first-year top growth. Site selection is durable - trees stay where you put them.
American plum
Small suckering deciduous tree or thicket-forming shrub with a broad spreading crown
Height
3.8-6.3 ft
Spread
3.8-6.3 ft
Establishes roots; modest first-year top growth.
Blue grama
Low clumping native warm-season shortgrass
Height
4-11"
Spread
8-11"
Establishes a deep fibrous root system; modest first-year top growth.
Common fig
Spreading deciduous shrub or small tree with bold lobed foliage
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Establishes roots; modest first-year top growth, often a single or few whips.
Pomegranate
Multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree
Height
1.8-6 ft
Spread
1.2-4.5 ft
Root establishment; modest top growth.
Sea buckthorn
Large multi-stemmed thorny suckering deciduous shrub
Height
2-3 ft
Spread
19-29"
Establishes roots and nitrogen-fixing nodules; modest first-year top growth.
American basswood
Medium-to-large deciduous native shade tree with an ovate-rounded crown
Height
10-16 ft
Spread
5.4-9 ft
Young whip establishing a single leader; modest top growth while roots develop.
Black walnut
Large single-trunked deciduous shade tree with an oval to rounded crown
Height
7.5-10 ft
Spread
7.5-10 ft
Sends down a deep taproot; modest first-year top growth and difficult to transplant.
Borage
Rough, sprawling branched annual herb
Height
1-3 ft
Spread
9-18"
An annual - germinates, flowers, sets seed, and dies within a single season; reaches full 1 to 3 feet size by mid-summer.
Comfrey
Coarse upright tuberous-rooted clumping perennial
Height
7-20"
Spread
5-15"
Tuberous roots establish; modest first-year leaf mass.
Eastern prickly pear
Low, semi-prostrate clump-forming native cactus that spreads by rooting pads
Height
2-5"
Spread
4-6"
Establishes shallow fibrous roots; a few pads, modest first-year spread.
American elderberry
Suckering, somewhat sprawling multi-stemmed native shrub forming colonies
Height
2-4.8 ft
Spread
1.8-4.2 ft
Root establishment year; modest top growth.
Fennel
Upright branching aromatic herbaceous perennial, usually grown as an annual
Height
4-6 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Direct-sown in spring, fennel reaches full size, flowers, and sets seed in a single season.
Globe artichoke
Upright clumping perennial vegetable with bold silver-green foliage
Height
18-30"
Spread
14-22"
Establishes the leafy clump; first-year bud production is light, especially from seed.
Golden currant
Upright, rhizomatous, multi-stemmed deciduous native shrub
Height
14-34"
Spread
8-25"
Root-establishment year; modest top growth.
Green hawthorn
Dense, rounded, largely spineless small deciduous flowering tree
Height
3-5.3 ft
Spread
2.4-4.2 ft
Young whip or small tree establishing roots; little top growth the first season.
Common olive
Evergreen Mediterranean tree with a rounded crown that gnarls with age
Height
4-6 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Slow establishment; needs full sun and sharp drainage.
Pecan
Large deciduous lowland shade tree with a broad rounded crown
Height
11.3-15 ft
Spread
4-7 ft
Establishing a deep taproot; slow above-ground growth and difficult to transplant.
Red mulberry
Upright-spreading to rounded native deciduous shade tree
Height
3.5-5 ft
Spread
3.5-4 ft
Establishes roots; water deeply through the first seasons.
White clover
Low prostrate mat-forming perennial legume that roots at the stem nodes
Height
2-4"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes quickly from seed; creeping stems begin rooting at the nodes.
Black willow
Fast-growing single- or multi-trunked deciduous tree with a spreading, rounded crown
Height
4.5-9 ft
Spread
3.6-7.2 ft
Establishes a shallow, fast-spreading root system in moist soil; rapid early shoot growth.
Pussy willow
Large multi-stemmed deciduous native shrub
Height
2.4-6 ft
Spread
1.4-4.2 ft
Fast-rooting establishment year; modest top growth.
Quaking aspen
Medium-sized clonal deciduous tree with a narrow, rounded crown
Height
3-7.5 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Establishment year; fast-growing but short-lived overall.
Eastern cottonwood
Large fast-growing deciduous native bottomland tree with a broad open-rounded crown
Height
5-8 ft
Spread
3.5-6 ft
Extremely fast establishment for a tree; a sapling can add several feet in a single season on a moist site.
Black cherry
Medium-to-large deciduous native shade tree with an oval-to-irregular crown
Height
5-8 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Young tree develops a long taproot that makes transplanting difficult; top growth is modest.
Chokecherry
Suckering, thicket-forming native large shrub or small tree
Height
6-9 ft
Spread
3.8-5 ft
Establishes roots; modest first-year top growth, may begin to sucker.
Common hackberry
Medium-to-large deciduous shade tree with upright-arching branches and a rounded spreading crown
Height
4-6 ft
Spread
4-6 ft
Establishment year - prioritizes root growth; needs deep watering through the first season.
Bur oak
Large deciduous shade tree with a broad, rounded crown
Height
6-8 ft
Spread
6-8 ft
Slow establishment - bur oak develops a deep taproot early and invests little in top growth.
Sweet crabapple
Small deciduous native tree with a short, often crooked trunk and a broad, irregular, thorny crown
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
3-4.5 ft
Establishment year; modest top growth while roots take.
American hophornbeam
Small-to-medium deciduous understory tree with a generally rounded crown
Height
3.8-6 ft
Spread
2.4-3.6 ft
Root establishment; slow first-year top growth.
Ponderosa pine
Large single-trunked evergreen conifer with an open conical crown
Height
6-12.5 ft
Spread
2.5-3 ft
Establishes a deep taproot; minimal first-year top growth.
Douglas fir
Narrow pyramidal evergreen conifer, branching to the ground when young and becoming cylindrical with age
Height
4-8 ft
Spread
1.8-3 ft
Young pyramidal sapling branching to the ground; prioritize establishment.
Oregon white oak
Slow-growing deciduous tree with a broad, rugged, rounded crown; often shrubby when young
Height
4-9 ft
Spread
2-6 ft
Invests in a deep tap root; very little top growth - slow-growing from the start.
Coast live oak
Broad-canopied evergreen tree with dense foliage and a short, often massive trunk
Height
3-9 ft
Spread
3.8-9 ft
Slow establishment; deep taproot and root system develop before much top growth.
Western redbud
Multi-stemmed deciduous native large shrub or small tree with a rounded, spreading to vase form
Height
3.8-6.3 ft
Spread
3.8-6.3 ft
Root establishment year; modest top growth on a drought-adapted native.
Pacific dogwood
Small deciduous tree with horizontal tiered branching and a rounded-to-conical crown
Height
2.3-6 ft
Spread
1.2-3 ft
Establishment year; water deeply while roots take hold and keep a wide mulch ring off the trunk flare.
Toyon
Large multi-stemmed evergreen chaparral shrub, occasionally tree-like
Height
1.5-5 ft
Spread
1.3-3.8 ft
Root establishment; modest top growth while the deep, drought-proofing root system forms.
Blueblossom
Fast-growing billowing broadleaf-evergreen shrub
Height
2.1-7 ft
Spread
1.8-3.6 ft
Fast establishment year; size up quickly with good drainage and minimal summer water.
Common manzanita
Large evergreen chaparral shrub to small tree with crooked, spreading branches
Height
1.3-5 ft
Spread
19-29"
Establishes a deep, drought-adapted root system; modest first-year top growth.
Fremont cottonwood
Large fast-growing deciduous riparian shade tree with a broad open spreading crown
Height
8-18 ft
Spread
4.5-9 ft
Establishes fast in moist riparian soil; a vigorous first-year leader.
Blue elderberry
Large multi-stemmed native deciduous shrub to small tree
Height
4.5-9 ft
Spread
4.5-9 ft
Root establishment; modest first-year top growth.
Firecracker penstemon
Slender upright flowering stalks above a low evergreen-ish basal rosette
Height
4-16"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes a low basal rosette; little or no bloom the first year.
California fuchsia
Slender, highly-branched western-native subshrub / woody perennial
Height
9-18"
Spread
7-19"
Establishes roots in lean, fast-draining soil; modest first-year top growth.
Adam's needle
Virtually stemless evergreen basal rosette with tall summer flowering stalks
Height
1.6-3.2 ft
Spread
10-14"
Establishes the evergreen rosette; usually too young to send up a flowering stalk.
Soapweed yucca
Low evergreen rosette-forming native subshrub with a tall flowering stalk
Height
7-16"
Spread
13-17"
Establishes a deep taproot; small first-year rosette.
Parry's agave
Rosette-forming evergreen succulent that suckers into a colony of rosettes
Height
7-10"
Spread
8-13"
Establishes roots in sharply drained soil; modest first-year growth.
Russian sage
Woody-based upright clumping perennial subshrub with airy flowering panicles
Height
18-30"
Spread
12-24"
Establishes its woody base and root system; modest first-year top growth and bloom.
Catmint
Low, spreading mounded clump of aromatic foliage
Height
7-14"
Spread
9-18"
Establishes the crown and roots; flowers modestly in the first season.
Autumn-joy stonecrop
Upright to slightly spreading clump-forming herbaceous perennial
Height
10-13"
Spread
9-12"
Establishes the clump; first-season bloom is modest.
Anise hyssop
Upright clump-forming herbaceous perennial of the mint family
Height
12-24"
Spread
8-16"
Establishes a basal clump; some bloom possible the first season from spring planting.
Wild lupine
Erect clumping native herbaceous perennial legume
Height
5-12"
Spread
2-5"
Establishes a taproot; modest first-year top growth and often no bloom.
Common blue violet
Low clump-forming rhizomatous native woodland perennial
Height
4-6"
Spread
3-5"
Establishes a basal rosette; first flowers possible.
Short-toothed mountain mint
Clump-forming aromatic native perennial herb
Height
6-18"
Spread
10-14"
Establishes a crown and roots; modest first-year clump.
Cardinal flower
Erect, clump-forming native herbaceous perennial with terminal flower spikes
Height
11-22"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes a basal rosette in its first season; modest or no bloom.
Golden alexanders
Erect clump-forming native perennial forb
Height
9-18"
Spread
8-11"
Establishes a basal clump; modest first-year flowering.
Blue vervain
Rough, clump-forming upright perennial branching above into candelabra-like flower spires
Height
10-29"
Spread
5-12"
Establishes a basal clump; modest first-year top growth on moist ground.
Boneset
Large, hairy, clump-forming native herbaceous perennial
Height
22-32"
Spread
16-22"
Establishes its clump and root system in consistently moist soil.
Wild senna
Tall upright clumping native herbaceous perennial legume
Height
19-29"
Spread
16-22"
Establishes a deep taproot; modest first-year top growth.
Prairie smoke
Low rhizomatous native prairie perennial forming a soft, hairy groundcover mat
Height
3-9"
Spread
2-5"
Establishes a low rosette of ferny leaves; modest first-year bloom.
Apple
Deciduous fruiting orchard tree, size set by rootstock (dwarf to standard)
Height
2.8-8.8 ft
Spread
2.4-7.5 ft
Young grafted whip establishing its scaffold branches; little to no fruit.
Sweet cherry
Single-trunked deciduous flowering and fruiting tree
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
2.3-4.5 ft
Establishes its root system; minimal top growth and no fruit.
European pear
Upright, pyramidal deciduous fruit tree
Height
5-6 ft
Spread
2.3-3 ft
Establishes its root system; little top growth and no fruit. Most trees take 4-5 years before bearing.
Jujube
Small droopy-branched, somewhat spiny deciduous tree or large shrub
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Establishment year; may sucker from the roots.
Groundnut
Twining herbaceous tuberous perennial vine
Height
3.2-6.4 ft
Spread
11-22"
Establishes tubers and roots; modest first-year vining and little or no bloom.
Sunchoke
Tall, rhizomatous, colony-forming herbaceous perennial sunflower
Height
3.6-6 ft
Spread
14-24"
Tubers planted after last frost sprout and reach much of full height the first season; below-ground rhizomes begin colonizing.
Common hops
Herbaceous twining perennial vine that dies back to perennial roots each winter
Height
7.5-10 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Establishes perennial rootstock; first-year vines run shorter than mature length.
Rhubarb
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial vegetable
Height
11-16"
Spread
14-19"
Establishes the root crown; do not harvest the first year.
Asparagus
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial from a crown; ferny summer top growth
Height
14-19"
Spread
9-12"
Crowns establish; let all spears grow into fern to build the root reserves. Do not harvest.
Lemon balm
Bushy upright herbaceous perennial herb
Height
11-14"
Spread
9-18"
Forms a leafy clump the first season; harvestable leaves by midsummer.
Sweet corn
Tall upright warm-season annual grass
Height
19-24"
Spread
6-12"
Direct-sown after soil warms; rapid seedling and early-vegetative growth.
Potato
Bushy upright cool-season annual grown for underground tubers
Height
5-7"
Spread
5-7"
Sprouts emerge from seed pieces; vegetative growth begins.
Sweet potato
Trailing tender perennial vine grown as a warm-season annual
Height
3-6"
Spread
3.2-4 ft
Slips set out after the last frost establish roots and begin trailing.
Spinach
Low cool-season annual leafy vegetable in a basal rosette
Height
3-6"
Spread
3-6"
Seedling and young rosette; first leaves harvestable as soon as they reach usable size.
Cabbage
Low head-forming cool-season leaf vegetable grown as an annual
Height
5-10"
Spread
6-12"
Seedling rosette of loose outer leaves establishing shallow roots.
Broccoli
Upright cool-season annual vegetable with a single terminal head over a basal rosette of leaves
Height
7-12"
Spread
6-12"
Seedling/transplant stage: leafy rosette establishes shallow roots.
Radish
Fast cool-season annual root vegetable; bolts to an upright flowering stalk
Height
7-11"
Spread
5-10"
Germinates and forms a leaf rosette within days of sowing.
Eggplant
Upright tender herbaceous perennial grown as a warm-season annual vegetable
Height
11-22"
Spread
5-16"
Transplant 8-10 weeks after an indoor start; establishes once nights hold at or above 65°F.
Okra
Tall upright warm-season annual vegetable
Height
11-18"
Spread
11-18"
Seedling stage after warm-soil direct sowing; slow until heat arrives.
Leek
Upright biennial onion-family vegetable grown as an annual, forming a fan of strap leaves above a blanched stalk
Height
7-14"
Spread
6-9"
Seedling and early leaf growth; thin, grass-like at first.
Celery
Upright clump of fleshy ribbed leaf stalks from a basal crown
Height
10-12"
Spread
6-9"
Seedlings started indoors ~10 weeks before last frost; slow, even early growth.
Dill
Upright annual herb with stiff hollow stems and feathery foliage
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
A true annual, dill is direct-sown in spring and reaches full size, flowers, and sets seed in a single season.
Cilantro
Upright warm-season annual herb that bolts to a branched flowering stem
Height
5-7"
Spread
5-8"
Direct-sown seed germinates and forms a rosette of broad, scalloped lower leaves - the prime cilantro-harvest stage.
Bay laurel
Aromatic evergreen large shrub or small tree, pyramidal and easily kept pruned
Height
1.6-6 ft
Spread
1-4 ft
Slow establishment; evergreen and easily kept small by pruning.
French tarragon
Shrubby clumping rhizomatous culinary perennial herb
Height
9-18"
Spread
8-11"
Establishes from a cutting or division; light harvesting only the first season.
Sweet marjoram
Bushy upright-mounding aromatic sub-shrub
Height
8-24"
Spread
12-24"
Grown as a warm-season annual outside zones 9-10 - reaches full 1-2 foot size in a single season from a spring start.
French marigold
Compact bushy warm-season annual
Height
6-12"
Spread
6-9"
Annual - sown or set out after last frost, it reaches full 6-12 inch size and blooms the same season.
Common zinnia
Bushy upright branching warm-season annual
Height
5-19"
Spread
4-5"
Seedling-to-juvenile stage 3-6 weeks after direct sowing; first true leaves and branching begin.
Petunia
Low mounding-to-spreading tender perennial grown as a warm-season bedding annual
Height
5-6"
Spread
5-14"
Transplanted bedding start after frost; mounds out and begins flowering within weeks.
Impatiens
Low succulent-stemmed mounding tender perennial grown as a shade annual
Height
3-12"
Spread
3-12"
Set out after last frost; pinch young stems to encourage branching and compact growth.
Zonal geranium
Shrubby mounding tender perennial grown as a bedding or container annual
Height
1-3 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Reaches full bedding size in a single season; typically grown as an annual and replaced or overwintered indoors.
Cosmos
Upright, airy warm-season annual with finely divided foliage
Height
1-4 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
As an annual, cosmos completes its life in one season - germinating, flowering from early summer, and setting seed until frost.
Nasturtium
Sprawling-to-climbing tender annual; dwarf-bushy or trailing/vining by type
Height
1-10 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
An annual - direct-sown plants reach full sprawling or climbing size and flower the same season.
Snapdragon
Upright spike-forming tender perennial, usually grown as a cool-season annual
Height
6-18"
Spread
3-6"
Pinch young stems to encourage a bushier, multi-spike plant.
Calendula (pot marigold)
Upright bushy cool-season annual herb
Height
5-11"
Spread
5-10"
Seedling-to-young-plant stage; pinch back to encourage compact bushy growth.
Sweet alyssum
Low mat-forming mound of well-branched stems
Height
3-9"
Spread
6-12"
Grown as a cool-season annual: fast from seed to a flowering mound in a single season.
Pansy
Low mounding cool-season bedding plant, often run as an annual or biennial
Height
4-6"
Spread
6-8"
Set out small established transplants in early spring (or fall in mild/deep-South climates); they bloom within the first season.
Garden rose
Deciduous thorny flowering shrub
Height
1.3-3.6 ft
Spread
10-29"
Establishes roots and basal canes; first-season bloom is modest.
Peony
Erect, clump-forming herbaceous perennial
Height
9-15"
Spread
7-12"
Establishes roots from the planted rootstock; modest top growth and few or no flowers the first season.
Daylily
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial with arching strap-like foliage and naked flowering scapes
Height
15-18"
Spread
14-16"
Establishes its fan of foliage and root system; sparse first-year bloom.
Tulip
Upright spring-blooming bulb with a single flower per stem
Height
9-24"
Spread
6-9"
Fall-planted bulbs reach full flowering size and bloom the first spring.
Daffodil
Clump-forming bulbous perennial with leafless flowering stems above strap-shaped foliage
Height
5-26"
Spread
3-6"
Fall-planted bulbs flower the first spring; clump still small.
Shasta daisy
Upright clump-forming herbaceous perennial
Height
14-22"
Spread
10-13"
Establishes the clump; first-season bloom is modest.
Clematis
Deciduous twining large-flowered climbing vine
Height
2.4-3.5 ft
Spread
14-29"
Establishes roots; modest top growth with few flowers. Shade the root zone.
Bearded iris
Clump-forming rhizomatous herbaceous perennial with upright sword-shaped foliage
Height
12-18"
Spread
5-10"
Newly planted rhizomes establish foliage; bloom may be sparse the first spring.
Common lilac
Upright, multi-stemmed, suckering deciduous shrub
Height
3-4 ft
Spread
19-29"
Root establishment; little top growth.
Border forsythia
Upright, arching multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Height
2.1-3.5 ft
Spread
2.8-4.2 ft
Root-establishment year; modest top growth.
Crape myrtle
Upright, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree
Height
1.5-6.3 ft
Spread
1.5-5 ft
Root establishment; modest top growth.
Japanese maple
Rounded deciduous small tree or large shrub with layered branching
Height
12-30"
Spread
12-30"
Slow establishment as a young nursery tree; prioritizes root growth over height.
Common boxwood
Dense rounded to broad-rounded evergreen shrub
Height
1-3 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Slow to establish; modest first-year growth as roots develop.
Catawba rhododendron
Large rounded to spreading multi-stemmed broadleaf evergreen shrub
Height
1.8-3 ft
Spread
2.4-3.6 ft
Slow-establishing shallow fibrous roots; keep mulched and never let roots dry out.
Japanese spirea
Dense, upright, mounded deciduous shrub
Height
19-29"
Spread
24-34"
Root establishment year; modest top growth.
Garden strawberry
Low stoloniferous herbaceous perennial forming a mounding rosette
Height
2-8"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes the crown and first runners; pinch off all flowers the first year so the plant invests in roots and stolons rather than fruit.
Peach
Small rounded deciduous fruit tree
Height
2.8-3.5 ft
Spread
2.4-3 ft
Establishes roots and scaffold limbs; focus on training the open-center framework, not fruit.
Apricot
Small spreading deciduous fruit tree (dwarf to standard depending on rootstock)
Height
2.8-7 ft
Spread
2.4-6 ft
Establishment year; little fruit.
European plum
Erect deciduous large shrub or small tree
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Young nursery-grafted tree establishing roots; little fruit.
Wine grape
Woody deciduous tendril-climbing vine, pruned to a trained framework
Height
1.2-3.6 ft
Spread
1.1-3.2 ft
Establishment year - train a single trunk to the support; little to no fruit.
Watermelon
Sprawling prostrate annual vine
Height
5-9"
Spread
5-7.5 ft
Direct-sown or transplanted in late spring; vines begin running once soil is warm.
Cantaloupe
Trailing or climbing warm-season annual cucurbit vine
Height
6-9 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Annual - sown after frost, the vine runs, flowers, and ripens its melons all in one growing season.
Lemon
Small thorny broadleaf-evergreen citrus tree
Height
2.5-5 ft
Spread
2.5-3.8 ft
Establishes roots; container or young field stock. Protect from frost and wind.
Pumpkin
Sprawling annual trailing vine with large lobed leaves and big yellow flowers
Height
5-14"
Spread
10-14"
Seedlings emerge after soil warms to 65°F; vines begin to run and set their first flowers.
Cauliflower
Cool-season annual brassica forming a single central curd over a leaf rosette
Height
5-14"
Spread
6-12"
Seedling/transplant establishes the leaf rosette in cool soil.
Brussels sprouts
Single upright stem with sprouts forming in the leaf axils; grown as a cool-season annual
Height
12-18"
Spread
11-14"
Indoor-started or nursery transplant set out in early-to-mid summer; builds leafy rosette and stem.
Collard greens
Upright cool-season leafy biennial grown as an annual, forming a non-heading leaf rosette on a stout stem
Height
5-29"
Spread
5-11"
Seedling to young rosette; leaves harvestable at about the size of a human hand.
Arugula
Low cool-season annual leafy vegetable in a basal rosette
Height
12-18"
Spread
6-9"
Seedling and young rosette; in St. Louis seed sown after the last spring frost typically germinates in May.
Bok choy
Low non-heading cool-season leaf vegetable grown as an annual
Height
2-7"
Spread
2-7"
Seedlings emerge from seed sown about a quarter-inch deep; thinnings are already edible.
Turnip
Cool-season annual root vegetable with a leafy basal rosette over a swollen storage root
Height
6-9"
Spread
3-6"
Seedlings emerge fast from a direct sowing; thin to 2 to 4 inches to give each root room.
Parsnip
Cool-season biennial root vegetable grown as an annual; first-year leafy rosette over a long taproot
Height
6-9"
Spread
2-5"
Slow to germinate (2-3 weeks); builds a leafy rosette while the taproot lengthens underground.
Ginger
Clumping tropical herbaceous perennial with reed-like pseudostems rising from an aromatic rhizome
Height
14-29"
Spread
12-18"
Sprouts from a planted rhizome section; pseudostems and foliage develop over the warm season.
Turmeric
Clumping tropical rhizomatous herbaceous perennial
Height
22-29"
Spread
20-26"
Rhizomes planted in spring break ground and push the first leafy shoots in warm soil.
Dahlia
Upright tuberous-rooted herbaceous perennial, often grown as a summer annual
Height
1-6 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Tubers planted in spring reach full size and bloom mid-summer to fall in a single season.
Gladiolus
Upright corm-grown perennial with sword-shaped leaf fans and one-sided flower spikes
Height
1.5-6 ft
Spread
12-24"
Reaches full flowering size the same season the corm is planted - roughly 70-100 days from planting to bloom.
Common hyacinth
Low spring-flowering bulb with a single dense flower spike over basal strap-shaped leaves
Height
6-12"
Spread
3-6"
Fall-planted bulb flowers the following April at full spike density.
Dutch crocus
Low spring-blooming corm (bulbous geophyte) with grassy leaves
Height
3-5"
Spread
1-2"
Fall-planted corms flower the following spring at near-full height but as single corms.
Asiatic lily
Upright bulbous perennial on rigid, unbranched stems
Height
25-34"
Spread
5-7"
Bulbs planted in fall or very early spring emerge and flower the first summer, though the clump is still modest.
Garden mum
Compact, clump-forming herbaceous perennial mound
Height
14-22"
Spread
7-14"
Establishes a low mound; pinch back through midsummer for bushy, compact growth.
Lantana
Upright frost-tender broadleaf evergreen shrub, grown as an annual in cold climates
Height
3-4 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Grown as an annual in most of North America - reaches full bedding size in one warm season.
Annual vinca
Mounding to spreading tender perennial grown as a warm-season annual
Height
3-9"
Spread
3-9"
Set out as a transplant after frost; slow to start until soil warms.
Morning glory
Fast-growing twining annual climbing vine
Height
8-10 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Grown as an annual - germinates, climbs 8 to 10 feet, blooms, sets seed, and dies in one season.
Hollyhock
Tall, upright, short-lived perennial with rigid unbranched flowering spires
Height
21-34"
Spread
7-14"
Biennial habit: forms a low rosette of large heart-shaped leaves the first year; usually no bloom.
Bleeding heart
Mounded, arching herbaceous perennial that goes summer-dormant
Height
12-18"
Spread
9-15"
Establishes a crown from a spring or fall planting; modest first-year top growth.
Wax begonia
Compact mounding tender perennial grown as a warm-season bedding annual
Height
4-7"
Spread
4-7"
Transplanted starts fill in and begin blooming within weeks of warm-soil planting.
Sweet pea
Cool-weather annual; bushy mounding or tendril-climbing vine on support
Height
3-8 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
Annual - sown early, climbs to 6 to 8 feet and blooms within the same cool season.
Coleus
Mounding tender tropical foliage perennial, grown as a warm-season annual outside its hardiness range
Height
0.5-3 ft
Spread
0.5-3 ft
Reaches full mounded size within a single warm season from a starter plant or cutting; grown as an annual outside zones 10-11.
Camellia
Upright broadleaf evergreen flowering shrub
Height
2.1-3.6 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Establishment year; slow-growing, prioritizes roots in sheltered part shade.
Gardenia
Rounded broadleaf-evergreen shrub with glossy dark-green foliage
Height
24-29"
Spread
24-29"
Establishes roots; needs acidic, humus-rich, well-drained soil and light-to-moderate shade.
American holly
Upright, pyramidal native broadleaf evergreen tree
Height
2.3-4.5 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Slow root establishment; minimal top growth.
Eastern red cedar
Broadly conical to columnar evergreen coniferous tree
Height
3-6.5 ft
Spread
10-30"
Establishes a deep, drought-tolerant root system; slow visible top growth.
American arborvitae
Dense conical to narrow-pyramidal single-trunked evergreen tree
Height
4-8 ft
Spread
2.5-3.8 ft
Establishment years; slow steady upward growth from a young whip or rootball.
Bald cypress
Large pyramidal deciduous conifer with a buttressed base
Height
5-7 ft
Spread
2-4.5 ft
Establishment year; focus on root growth.
Ginkgo
Large deciduous shade tree, pyramidal when young and broadening with age
Height
5-8 ft
Spread
3-4 ft
Establishment year; slow, somewhat sparse initial growth.
Weeping willow
Large deciduous tree with a broad-rounded weeping crown of branches sweeping to the ground
Height
6-10 ft
Spread
4.5-7.5 ft
Establishes fast from a whip or young tree in moist soil near water.
Rose of Sharon
Vigorous upright vase-shaped multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Height
2.4-3.6 ft
Spread
1.8-3 ft
Establishes roots; modest first-year top growth, may bloom lightly.
Sweet orange
Small rounded broadleaf-evergreen subtropical fruit tree
Height
2.4-4.5 ft
Spread
2.4-4.5 ft
Establishes roots; minimal fruiting on a young tree.
Key lime
Vigorous small evergreen tree to large shrub
Height
1.8-3.9 ft
Spread
1.5-4.5 ft
Establishes in the warmest, wind-protected spot in full sun; tender to cold.
Grapefruit
Rounded, spreading broadleaf-evergreen citrus tree with thorny twigs
Height
2.3-4.5 ft
Spread
2.3-4.5 ft
Young grafted tree establishing roots; little or no fruit.
Kiwifruit
Vigorous deciduous woody climbing vine, trained on a sturdy trellis or arbor
Height
4.5-9 ft
Spread
18-30"
Establishes roots and first cane growth; needs a sturdy support to climb.
Avocado
Multi-stemmed frost-tender broadleaf evergreen tree
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
Establishes from a grafted whip or sprouted pit; tender to any frost.
Asian persimmon
Deciduous tree with a rounded, spreading crown
Height
3-4.5 ft
Spread
2.4-3.6 ft
Establishes in deep, moist, well-drained soil; promptly remove root suckers unless a naturalized effect is wanted.
Quince
Multi-stemmed deciduous small tree or large shrub with crooked branches
Height
3-3.8 ft
Spread
22-29"
Establishes its root system with little top growth; suckers when young and must be trained to a single trunk to keep it as a tree rather than a thicket.
Maypop (purple passionflower)
Fast-growing tendril-climbing native vine, woody in mild winters and herbaceous in cold ones
Height
2.4-3.2 ft
Spread
14-29"
Establishes roots and a first season of vining growth; train onto a support.
Ramps
Low colonial spring-ephemeral woodland perennial from a bulb
Height
2-5"
Spread
4-7"
Slow to establish from seed or bulb; first-year leaves are small and the colony is sparse.
Common camas
Erect spring-flowering native bulb with basal grass-like foliage
Height
6-18"
Spread
2-5"
Fall-planted bulb establishes roots; first spring leaves and a modest scape.
Beach plum
Low, rounded, densely branching deciduous coastal shrub
Height
13-34"
Spread
14-29"
Root establishment in lean sandy soil; modest first-year top growth.
Ground cherry
Low, branching, sprawling annual (tender perennial where frost-free)
Height
1-3 ft
Spread
12-24"
Grown as an annual: sown indoors and transplanted out, it reaches full size and fruits in a single season.
Honey locust
Large deciduous native shade tree with a rounded, spreading crown
Height
6-8 ft
Spread
6-8 ft
Establishment year; fast-growing once roots take.
Yoshino cherry
Deciduous flowering tree with a spreading, broad-rounded, open crown
Height
6-8 ft
Spread
4.5-6 ft
Establishment year; prioritize root growth and even moisture over top growth.
Peppermint
Rhizomatous, upright herbaceous perennial herb spreading into a ground cover
Height
7-14"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes a leafy clump and begins running by rhizomes; harvestable leaves by midsummer.
German chamomile
Upright, branching aromatic annual herb
Height
6-12"
Spread
5-6"
Seedling and young rosette of feathery foliage after sowing in spring; from indoor starts begun 6-8 weeks before the last frost or direct sowing before the last spring frost.
Lovage
Tall, imposing clump-forming herbaceous perennial herb
Height
14-29"
Spread
10-14"
Establishing clump from seed or root division; leaves can be harvested lightly once the plant is actively growing.
Garden sorrel
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial herb with a basal leaf rosette
Height
11-14"
Spread
9-12"
Establishes a basal clump of leaves the first season; young leaves harvestable for the best, mildest flavor.
Summer savory
Erect, multi-stemmed bushy annual aromatic herb
Height
9"
Spread
6-18"
Seedling and young branching plant; growth is rapid and leaves can be harvested within about two months of sowing (NC State Extension).
Salad burnet
Low mounding herbaceous perennial herb in a basal rosette
Height
5-14"
Spread
7-13"
Forms a low rosette of pinnate leaves the first season; young leaves harvestable as soon as they reach usable size.
Stevia
Tender perennial herb with weak, floppy stems, grown as an annual in most climates
Height
7-14"
Spread
7-14"
Young plant from a starter plant or indoor-started seed; pinch growing tips to encourage a bushier, leafier habit.
Chervil
Erect, spreading, fine-textured cool-season annual culinary herb
Height
5-10"
Spread
6-9"
Direct-sown seed germinates (the seed needs light, so it is pressed onto the surface, not buried) and forms a low rosette of feathery light-green leaves - the prime leaf-harvest stage.
Kohlrabi
Low, compact cool-season annual vegetable with a swollen edible stem
Height
4-5"
Spread
4-5"
Seedling stage from an indoor sowing 6-8 weeks before the last frost, or a direct sowing about 2 weeks before the last frost (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).
Edamame (soybean)
Columnar, dense, multi-stemmed mounding warm-season annual legume
Height
5-10"
Spread
4-10"
Seed germinates best at a soil temperature between 75 and 85F (NC State Extension); inoculate seed with a soybean nitrogen-fixing inoculant for best results.
Fava bean
Stiffly erect cool-season annual legume
Height
8-25"
Spread
5-14"
Seed sown direct in cool soil germinates into an erect seedling; growth is rapid (NC State Extension) and the nitrogen-fixing legume establishes quickly.
Rutabaga
Spreading, slow-growing cool-weather biennial root crop grown as an annual
Height
4-7"
Spread
3-5"
Direct-sown seed germinates and forms a low rosette of deep blue-green, deeply lobed leaves; thin seedlings to give each plant room (NC State Extension).
Mustard greens
Erect, fast-growing cool-season annual leaf vegetable
Height
5-7"
Spread
5-7"
Direct-sown seed germinates and forms a leafy rosette; growth is rapid (NC State Extension) - young leaves are the prime salad-harvest stage.
Endive
Erect, rapid-growing cool-season leafy annual forming a low rosette
Height
4-10"
Spread
4-7"
Seed germinates and forms a young leafy rosette; growth is rapid (NC State Extension), and the plant develops over about 70-100 days to harvest.
Celeriac
Cool-season biennial root vegetable grown as an annual, forming a first-year rosette over a swollen root
Height
10-14"
Spread
6-9"
Seed started indoors about 10 weeks before the last spring frost; young seedling and establishing rosette (Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder).
Tall verbena
Erect, open, see-through clump of thin wiry flowering stems
Height
1.4-3.5 ft
Spread
14-22"
Fast-growing from seed or a transplant; reaches much of its height and begins flowering by late summer of the first season (NC State Extension lists a rapid growth rate).
Oakleaf hydrangea
Upright, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Height
14-29"
Spread
12-30"
Establishes roots and the multi-stemmed crown; growth is slow (NC State Extension), so size gains the first season are modest.
Bigleaf hydrangea
Rounded, mounded, woody deciduous flowering shrub
Height
14-29"
Spread
14-29"
Establishes roots and woody framework in a protected, partly shaded site; flowers sparingly the first season after planting.
Hardy hibiscus
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with a woody base
Height
1-3 ft
Spread
10-24"
Establishes the crown and woody base in moist soil; flowers modestly in the first season.
Garden salvia
Erect, clump-forming, multi-stemmed aromatic perennial
Height
11-22"
Spread
3-12"
Establishes the crown and roots in its first season; flowers modestly while the clump fills in (NC State Extension lists it as a clump-forming perennial).
Sweet William
Dense, erect, rounded clump of leafy flowering stems
Height
6-12"
Spread
4-7"
Establishes a leafy basal rosette from a spring or summer sowing; as a biennial-leaning plant it often builds foliage the first year and flowers the next (NC State Extension lists growth by division and seed).
Lily of the valley
Low, spreading rhizomatous perennial groundcover
Height
4-7"
Spread
1-4"
Establishes its rhizomes and roots from divided pips; foliage emerges and the planting begins to knit together, with modest first-season bloom.
Lamb's ear
Low, mat-forming clump of woolly silver foliage in basal rosettes
Height
7-11"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes basal rosettes and roots; the woolly foliage mat begins to knit together in the first season.
Common foxglove
Upright biennial or short-lived perennial forming a basal rosette the first year and a tall flowering spike the second
Height
5-12"
Spread
6-15"
First year: forms a low basal rosette of large, soft, wrinkled leaves; no flowering.
Moss rose
Low, prostrate to slightly ascending succulent annual forming a moss-like mat
Height
1-3"
Spread
2-5"
Seedling stage 2-3 weeks after direct sowing or transplanting; fleshy cylindrical leaves and reddish branching stems begin.
Moss phlox
Low creeping mat-forming groundcover
Height
2"
Spread
10-14"
First-year mat establishing with light bloom as roots take hold.
Common blanketflower
Clumping, mounding, rounded perennial with upright bloom stems above a basal rosette
Height
7-22"
Spread
7-13"
Establishes a basal rosette and usually blooms its first season, especially from spring-sown or nursery starts.
Allegheny spurge
Low spreading rhizomatous semi-evergreen woodland perennial
Height
3-6"
Spread
4-7"
Establishes a single clump and begins rooting rhizomes.
Flowering raspberry
Erect, suckering deciduous shrub forming spreading colonies
Height
14-29"
Spread
14-29"
Establishment year: roots settle in and a few bristly canes rise; little to no bloom.
Creeping mahonia
Low spreading evergreen groundcover shrub
Height
5-10"
Spread
3-6"
Establishes its root system and begins sending out underground spreading stems; slow first-year top growth.
Piedmont azalea
Tall, erect, open multi-stemmed deciduous native azalea
Height
19-24"
Spread
14-18"
Slow to establish; keep the shallow fibrous roots mulched and evenly moist through the first summer.
Firecracker blanketflower
Erect, clumping warm-season annual
Height
4-8"
Spread
3-4"
From a spring direct-sow or transplant, builds a low basal rosette of grayish, lobed leaves before stretching upward.
Longleaf pine
Large, slow-establishing fire-adapted conifer with an open, tufted crown
Height
6-12 ft
Spread
3-4 ft
Grass stage: the seedling looks like a tuft of grass, putting its energy into a deep taproot and a fire-resistant ground-level bud rather than height.
Eastern hemlock
Large evergreen conifer with a dense pyramidal-to-conical crown and arching, feathery lower branches
Height
4-7 ft
Spread
2.5-3.5 ft
Slow establishment; a young hemlock prioritizes roots and resents drought, heat, and wind in its first seasons.
Littleleaf linden
Deciduous shade tree with an erect trunk and a dense, symmetrical pyramidal-to-oval crown
Height
6-7.2 ft
Spread
3.5-5 ft
Establishment year; prioritize a strong root system and steady, even moisture over top growth, and stake only if needed.
Chinese redbud
Dense, erect, multi-stemmed deciduous large shrub or small tree
Height
1.6-3 ft
Spread
14-29"
Establishment year; growth concentrates on roots with modest top growth.
Fern-leaf yarrow
Upright clumping perennial with stiff bloom stems above ferny foliage
Height
18-24"
Spread
11-16"
Establishes a low clump of ferny gray-green foliage; nursery or spring-set plants often send up a few flower stems the first summer.
Hardy fuchsia
Arching, rounded, spreading deciduous shrub (often dies to the ground in cold winters)
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
1.8-3.5 ft
Establishment year: the root crown settles in and arching shoots rise; it flowers the first season but stays well short of full size.
Indian shot
Erect, clumping rhizomatous tropical perennial with broad paddle-shaped leaves
Height
0.9-4.9 ft
Spread
9-18"
From a spring-planted rhizome, sends up leafy shoots quickly in warm soil and usually flowers by mid to late summer of the first season.
White ash
Large oval to rounded deciduous canopy tree
Height
6-12 ft
Spread
5-7.5 ft
Establishing sapling; moderate to fast growth of roughly 12 to 24 inches per year on a good moist site.
Carnation
Erect, loosely tufted short-lived perennial with slender flowering stems rising from a low mound of grassy blue-gray foliage
Height
7-29"
Spread
4-8"
Settles into a low foliage mound and, from spring starts or cuttings, often flowers lightly its first summer.
Sweet mock-orange
Large arching, dense, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub of upright-oval form
Height
4-4.8 ft
Spread
2.8-3.5 ft
Establishes its root system and puts up vigorous new shoots; bloom is light or absent the first season as the plant settles in.
Chinese hibiscus
Erect, bushy evergreen tropical flowering shrub
Height
1.6-4 ft
Spread
21-34"
Establishment year: a young plant settles its roots and begins flowering by summer; growth is fast in warmth and consistent moisture.
Oleander
Clumping, erect, rounded broadleaf-evergreen shrub
Height
1.3-4.9 ft
Spread
14-24"
Establishes quickly from a nursery plant; water through the first dry season, after which it becomes strongly drought-tolerant.
Japanese andromeda
Dense, upright-to-rounded spreading broadleaf evergreen shrub
Height
24-30"
Spread
18-24"
Slow to establish; keep the shallow fibrous roots evenly moist and acidic-mulched, never letting them dry out.
Japanese anemone
Clumping, erect perennial that mounds with basal foliage and sends up tall bloom stems, spreading slowly by rhizomes
Height
14-16"
Spread
14-22"
Establishes a low foliage clump its first season; root systems settle in and bloom is light or absent while the plant invests in roots.
Bird of paradise
Clumping, multi-stemmed evergreen perennial
Height
14-19"
Spread
9-12"
Young division or seedling; building its first fan of leaves, rarely flowering.
Panicle hydrangea
Large arching, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub, often vase-shaped, sometimes trained as a small tree
Height
2-6.3 ft
Spread
1.2-5 ft
Establishment year: keep the root zone consistently moist; a young plant may bloom lightly the first summer since it flowers on new wood.
Flossflower
Compact mounding, clumping warm-season annual
Height
2-5"
Spread
4-5"
Annual - sown or set out only after the last frost; seedlings establish a low mound and begin flowering as warm weather settles in.
African marigold
Erect, clumping-to-mounding warm-season annual
Height
5-19"
Spread
5-10"
Seedling-to-juvenile stage a few weeks after sowing or transplanting; first true leaves and branching begin as soil warms.
Orange daylily
Clumping, arching herbaceous perennial spreading aggressively by rhizomes
Height
1.5-3 ft
Spread
10-12"
Establishes its fan of foliage and rhizome system; sparse first-year bloom.
Wild daffodil
Clumping erect spring bulb
Height
10-15"
Spread
4-5"
Fall-planted bulbs flower the first spring; the clump is still small and tight.
Calla lily
Clumping, erect rhizomatous perennial with arrow-shaped foliage
Height
14-23"
Spread
6-12"
From a spring-planted rhizome it sends up arrow-shaped leaves quickly in warm, moist soil and often produces its first white spathes by late spring or early summer.
Swiss cheese plant
Climbing epiphytic tropical aroid
Height
11-29"
Spread
11-22"
Young plant with smaller, mostly entire or lightly notched juvenile leaves; the dramatic holes and splits develop as it matures.
Golden pothos
Vigorous evergreen climbing and trailing tropical vine
Height
2"
Spread
2.6-8 ft
Establishes fast from a cutting or small plant; pot it up, give it bright indirect light, and let the soil dry between waterings to start trailing stems.
Poinsettia
Erect, open, multi-stemmed tropical shrub (sold as a compact potted plant)
Height
0.9-3.6 ft
Spread
11-29"
As a potted gift plant or young outdoor shrub: settling in, with bracts coloring in its first winter under naturally long nights or short-day forcing.
Rugosa rose
Dense, erect, multi-stemmed, suckering thorny deciduous shrub
Height
19-29"
Spread
17-25"
Establishes roots and the first thorny basal canes; modest first-season bloom.
Japanese barberry
Dense, mounding, rounded thorny deciduous shrub
Height
11-22"
Spread
14-25"
Establishes readily in almost any soil; the dense thorny twigs begin to fill in from a young plant.
Fullmoon maple
Rounded, spreading small deciduous tree
Height
1.5-3 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Slow establishment as a young nursery tree; puts energy into roots over top growth.
Horse chestnut
Large erect, oval-to-rounded deciduous shade tree
Height
5-7.5 ft
Spread
4-7 ft
Young tree establishes a deep taproot; water through the first dry seasons and stake only if exposed. Slow to moderate the first few years.
Norway spruce
Large, fast-growing evergreen conifer with a broadly pyramidal crown and pendulous, drooping branchlets
Height
4-6 ft
Spread
2.5-3 ft
Establishment year: a young transplant settles its roots and adds little height; keep it consistently moist and out of hot, dry, windy exposure.
Sour cherry
Rounded, spreading small deciduous fruit tree
Height
2.6-4 ft
Spread
22-32"
Young nursery-grafted tree establishing its roots; little to no fruit.
Weeping fig
Large weeping, rounded tropical tree; grown as an indoor tree elsewhere
Height
1-6 ft
Spread
0.6-6 ft
Establishes from a young plant or rooted cutting; give it bright, indirect light and a stable spot - resist moving it, as relocation triggers leaf drop while it adjusts.
Fiddle-leaf fig
Erect tropical evergreen tree, usually grown as an indoor or container plant
Height
1.5-3.8 ft
Spread
7-14"
Young rooted plant or single-stem nursery start, 1 to 3 feet tall, building a column of large leaves up a slender trunk.
Bougainvillea
Sprawling, climbing thorny tropical woody vine (kept as a shrub, hedge, or container plant)
Height
3.8-10 ft
Spread
3.8-10.3 ft
Establishes from a young plant or rooted cutting; train the long, whippy thorny stems to a strong support and keep it lean - overfeeding and overwatering give leaves at the expense of bracts.
Banana
Giant clumping herbaceous perennial with a pseudostem
Height
5.4-9 ft
Spread
2.1-3.5 ft
Establishment year: a single pseudostem grows fast in heat and steady moisture, unfurling progressively larger leaves; no fruit yet.
Habanero pepper
Erect, bushy warm-season annual (tender tropical perennial in frost-free climates)
Height
12-30"
Spread
12-24"
Reaches full size and fruits in a single long, warm growing season; in frost-free zones 10-11 the same plant can overwinter and regrow as a short-lived perennial, often fruiting more heavily in its second year.
Chicory
Erect, wiry-stemmed taprooted perennial
Height
20-26"
Spread
9-12"
From a spring sowing the plant forms a leafy basal rosette and drives down its taproot; it may flower lightly its first season but puts most of its energy into the root.
Rubber plant
Erect, spreading evergreen tropical fig (tree outdoors; kept small as a houseplant)
Height
5-10 ft
Spread
5-10 ft
A young nursery plant or rooted cutting building its first set of large leaves; grows steadily in bright indirect light and warmth.
Butterfly bush
Arching, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Height
2.7-5.4 ft
Spread
1.4-5.3 ft
Fast first-season growth from a nursery start; usually blooms its first summer on new wood once established.
English walnut
Large rounded, spreading deciduous nut and shade tree
Height
4-6 ft
Spread
4-6 ft
Establishes a deep taproot with modest first-year top growth; difficult to transplant once the taproot sets.
Deodar cedar
Large pyramidal evergreen conifer with a nodding leader and gracefully drooping, weeping branch tips
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
3-4 ft
Establishment year: a young transplant settles its roots and grows modestly. Keep it watered through the first dry spells and protect the soft new growth from hard, cold wind, which can scorch it in the colder part of its range.
Common oat
Erect cool-season annual cereal grass
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
6-12"
A true annual: a single sowing germinates fast, tillers into a clump, sends up culms to 2 to 4 feet, flowers, and ripens its seed head within one cool-season cycle, then dies.
New Guinea impatiens
Mounding tender perennial grown as a warm-season annual
Height
3-12"
Spread
7-14"
Set out transplants only after the last frost and once soil has warmed; pinch to encourage branching.
Japanese honeysuckle
Vigorous semi-evergreen twining woody vine
Height
5.6-10.3 ft
Spread
11-22"
Establishes and runs fast from the first season, twining onto any support and beginning to sprawl where it cannot climb.
Callery pear
Pyramidal-to-rounded deciduous flowering tree
Height
4.5-7.5 ft
Spread
2.4-4.2 ft
Fast establishment from a nursery start; Callery pear is a quick grower, which is exactly why it was over-planted.
Giant white bird of paradise
Giant clumping, erect evergreen tropical foliage perennial
Height
4-6 ft
Spread
14-24"
Establishment year: a young plant of one or a few trunks builds its big paddle leaves; grows steadily in warmth with part shade and moderate moisture, and does not flower yet.
Silver linden
Large deciduous shade tree with a dense, symmetrical pyramidal-to-oval crown
Height
5-7 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Establishment year; prioritize a strong root system and steady, even moisture over top growth, and stake only if needed.
Silver maple
Very large deciduous shade tree, 50 to 80 feet tall and 40 to 60 feet wide, with a short trunk dividing low into several heavy upright limbs and an open, spreading, often irregular crown. Growth is fast - frequently 2 to 3 feet a year on a moist site - and the branch structure that speed produces is the source of most of its problems.
Height
7.5-12 ft
Spread
4.8-7.2 ft
Establishes very fast on a moist site; roughly 8 to 12 feet and already showing the low forking habit that will need corrective pruning.
California bay laurel
Dense, rounded aromatic broadleaf evergreen tree (multi-stemmed and shrubby on harsh sites)
Height
3-7.5 ft
Spread
3-7.5 ft
Establishment year: a young plant settles its roots and grows slowly. Keep it watered through the first dry summers; it is slow to start but long-lived once established.
Chinese wisteria
Vigorous, twining woody climbing vine
Height
2-5 ft
Spread
0.6-4.5 ft
Establishes from a young plant and begins sending out long, fast twining shoots; tie the leader to its support and expect little or no bloom for the first few years - seed-grown plants can take many years to flower at all.
Kudzu
Extremely vigorous semi-woody climbing and twining perennial vine
Height
6-20 ft
Spread
6-20 ft
Even from a single plant it runs hard the first season, sending out long twining and trailing stems and beginning to build the deep tuberous roots that make it so hard to remove later.
Field bindweed
Low twining and creeping herbaceous perennial vine
Height
1-2"
Spread
0.6-4.5 ft
From seed or a root fragment, sends up twining stems and immediately begins driving roots deep; even a first-year plant is hard to pull cleanly because the root snaps and resprouts.
Broadleaf plantain
Prostrate basal rosette of broad ribbed leaves with erect flower spikes
Height
3-10"
Spread
4-10"
Germinates fast on bare or compacted ground; builds a flat leaf rosette and may flower the first season.
Dandelion
Prostrate basal rosette with hollow flower stalks over a deep taproot (introduced herbaceous perennial)
Height
1-8"
Spread
4-11"
From seed, a rosette forms fast and the taproot drives down; many plants flower in their first season and immediately set wind-borne seed.
Ribwort plantain
Low perennial rosette with erect ribbed flower spikes
Height
4-11"
Spread
4-8"
Germinates readily and forms a flat basal rosette of ribbed leaves the first season, often flowering by late summer; quickly takes hold in disturbed, compacted, or mown ground.
American chestnut
Large broad, dense, spreading deciduous hardwood (historically to 100 feet)
Height
5-7.5 ft
Spread
5-7.5 ft
A fast-starting seedling or sprout; American chestnut was famously quick-growing. Keep it watered and watch for the first blight cankers, which can appear within a few years on a wild-type tree.
Venus flytrap
Clumping low rosette of hinged snap-traps (carnivorous herbaceous perennial)
Height
2-5"
Spread
2-3"
A young nursery-propagated plant forms a small rosette of a few traps; size and trap count are modest while it builds its rhizome.
Florida torreya
Slow-growing pyramidal evergreen conifer with sharp, pungent needles; critically endangered in the wild
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Establishment year: a young, ethically sourced transplant settles slowly into cool, moist, shaded, well-drained ground. Growth is deliberate from the start; keep it shaded and evenly moist and protect it from heat, drought, and sudden sun.
Red horse chestnut
Medium deciduous flowering shade tree with a dense, pyramidal-to-rounded crown
Height
3.6-4.8 ft
Spread
2.5-3.5 ft
Establishment year; focus on a strong root system and steady, even moisture rather than top growth, and stake only if the site is exposed.
Thanksgiving cactus
Arching, weeping epiphytic holiday cactus grown as a houseplant
Height
4-5"
Spread
5-10"
A young rooted cutting or small plant of a few stem segments, settling in and putting on new segments; may flower lightly in its first fall if given cool nights and short days.
London plane
Very large deciduous shade tree, pyramidal in youth becoming open and spreading
Height
7-10 ft
Spread
6-7.5 ft
Establishment year; fast-growing, but prioritize a strong root system and even moisture and train to a single central leader.
Bigleaf mahogany
Very large spreading, rounded tropical timber tree (100 to 150 feet); CITES Appendix II, frost-tender
Height
10-15 ft
Spread
5-7.5 ft
A young seedling or sapling in a frost-free tropical site, putting on its first compound leaves; needs warmth, full sun, and steady moisture, and is killed outright by frost.
Sausage tree
Large spreading, rounded-crowned tropical shade tree (30 to 60 feet)
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Establishment year: a young tree builds roots and a single straight leader with compound leaves; it grows steadily in warmth with full sun and moderate moisture, and is far from flowering or fruiting size.
Round kumquat
Dense, rounded small evergreen citrus tree or shrub
Height
2.4-4.5 ft
Spread
1.8-3 ft
Young container or field stock establishing roots; protect from frost and drying wind, and expect little to no fruit.
Korean velvet grass
Low mounding, stoloniferous warm-season turfgrass/groundcover
Height
1-4"
Spread
0.3-15 ft
Slow to establish - plugs or sod knit in gradually, leaving visible gaps the first season; keep weeded and watered while runners reach out.
Blackberry
Vigorous arching, thicket-forming thorny bramble
Height
1.8-4.8 ft
Spread
1.6-4.8 ft
Primocanes grow vegetatively; arching canes establish but do not fruit the first year.
American germander
Erect, rhizomatous, colony-forming herbaceous perennial
Height
6-18"
Spread
5-14"
A young plant settles in and sends up a few erect flowering stems while it begins extending the shallow rhizomes that will drive its spread; keep it consistently moist through this first season.
Prairie ironweed
Erect, clumping tall herbaceous prairie perennial (3 to 6 feet)
Height
14-29"
Spread
8-13"
Establishes a low leafy clump and a deep, moisture-seeking root system its first season; bloom is often sparse or skipped while roots build.
Rose-scented geranium
Bushy, mounding tender evergreen subshrub grown for its rose-scented foliage
Height
11-22"
Spread
11-16"
A rooted cutting or nursery start fills out into a soft, branching young plant over its first warm season; pinch the tips to keep it bushy and to harvest the first fragrant leaves.
Passion fruit
Vigorous evergreen tendril-climbing vine
Height
6-12 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Establishes its roots and runs hard up a support in its first season, sending out long twining stems with grabbing tendrils; train it onto a sturdy trellis early and it may flower and set its first fruit late in the season in warm climates.
Texas bluebonnet
Low mounding winter/spring annual legume
Height
12-18"
Spread
6-12"
A true annual on a fall-to-spring cycle: seed sown in fall germinates and forms a low leaf rosette over winter, then in spring shoots up flower spikes to 12 to 18 inches, blooms, sets seed pods, and dies as summer heat sets in - its whole life in one cool-season cycle.
Tasmanian blue gum
Very large, very fast evergreen tree - erect and open, 90-150+ ft, with peeling bark and aromatic blue-green foliage
Height
9-15 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Establishment year, but already alarmingly fast - a young tree can put on many feet of height in a single season from juvenile silvery-blue rounded leaves; the speed that looks impressive is the same vigor behind its invasiveness.
White rose
Upright to arching, fragrant, once-blooming Old Garden (alba) shrub rose
Height
2-3.2 ft
Spread
17-25"
Establishes roots and the first arching basal canes; expect modest or no bloom in the first season as the framework forms.
Christmas cactus
Arching, weeping epiphytic holiday cactus grown as a houseplant
Height
4-5"
Spread
5-10"
A young rooted cutting or small plant of a few stem segments, settling in and putting on new segments; may flower lightly in its first winter if given cool nights and short days.
Pin oak
Large vase-to-pyramidal deciduous red oak with drooping lower limbs
Height
9-12.6 ft
Spread
5.6-8.4 ft
A vigorous young sapling - pin oak is among the faster-growing oaks, often putting on 12 to 24 inches a year on a good acidic, moist site. Watch the lower limbs already starting to droop and begin limbing up early if it is near a walk or drive.
Shumard oak
Large deciduous red oak, broad-pyramidal in youth becoming open and rounded
Height
5-7 ft
Spread
3-4 ft
Slow, deep-rooted establishment - invest in even moisture and train to a single central leader; top growth is modest while the root system develops.
Scarlet oak
Large open high-branched deciduous red-oak with a pyramidal-to-rounded crown
Height
6-9.6 ft
Spread
4.5-6 ft
Slow early establishment; energy goes into the deep taproot. Plant small young stock and water through dry spells.
American elm
Large vase-shaped deciduous shade tree with high-arching spreading limbs
Height
10.8-14.4 ft
Spread
3.6-7.2 ft
A fast-starting young tree with an upright leader; American elm grows quickly for a hardwood. Train to a strong single leader now and, on a DED-tolerant cultivar, watch the bark and crown for any early flagging.
Sweet birch
Medium-large deciduous birch, pyramidal in youth becoming rounded and spreading, with non-peeling dark cherry-like bark
Height
10.8-12.6 ft
Spread
5.3-6.8 ft
Slow-establishing young tree; pyramidal form with smooth reddish-brown bark developing.
Pignut hickory
Large open oval-to-rounded long-lived deciduous canopy hickory
Height
6-8 ft
Spread
2.5-4 ft
Very slow early establishment - energy goes into the deep taproot, not visible height. Plant young; this is when the tree resents disturbance least.
European beech
Large domed deciduous shade tree (or dense formal hedge) with smooth grey bark and marcescent young foliage
Height
5-8 ft
Spread
4-6 ft
Slow to establish - a young whip puts roots down first; a hedge planting is just beginning to knit.
European hornbeam
Medium domed deciduous tree with a fluted grey trunk and a dense, twiggy crown
Height
7.2-10.8 ft
Spread
4.5-7.5 ft
Young whip or feathered sapling; roots establishing, slow early top growth.
Field maple
Small-to-medium rounded deciduous maple with corky-winged twigs
Height
4.5-8.1 ft
Spread
3.8-6 ft
Establishing sapling; slow but steady, building a single leader or a low branching frame for hedging.
Sycamore maple
Large, fast-growing deciduous maple with a broad domed crown
Height
7.2-10.8 ft
Spread
4-7 ft
Establishment phase; growth is fast for a large tree. Train to a single central leader and keep it watered through the first seasons - it asks for little once rooted.
European silver fir
Very large narrowly conical evergreen conifer, broadening with age, a montane forest tree
Height
8-15 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Establishment years: a young transplant settles slowly into cool, moist, deep, well-drained ground. Growth is deliberate at first - keep it sheltered and evenly moist and protect the soft new growth from late spring frosts.
Silver birch
Slender, fast-growing deciduous pioneer tree with white peeling bark and weeping branchlets
Height
7.2-12.6 ft
Spread
3-4.5 ft
Fast for a tree - a slim whip already showing the leader and first hints of pale bark.
Rowan
Small-to-medium deciduous tree with ascending branches, ferny pinnate leaves, flat creamy spring flower heads, and dense clusters of orange-red autumn berries
Height
4.5-9 ft
Spread
3-4.5 ft
Slender young tree establishing quickly even on poor, exposed, acidic sites; first light flowering possible.
Strawberry tree
Evergreen shrub or small tree with dark glossy leaves, shredding red-brown bark, and white urn-shaped flowers borne alongside red warty strawberry-like fruit in autumn; drought- and lime-tolerant but only moderately cold-hardy and disliking waterlogging.
Height
17-32"
Spread
17-32"
Slow, bushy young plant establishing an evergreen framework; protect from hard frost in its first winters.
Grey-leaved cistus
Evergreen Mediterranean rockrose with soft grey-felted (whitish) leaves and large, papery, crumpled pink flowers through spring and early summer, each lasting a single day. A superb drought-, heat- and poor-soil shrub for full sun and sharp drainage - its whole reason for being is hot, dry, lean sites - but it is short-lived, resents wet, cold, or rich soils, and is fire-adapted (Mediterranean maquis). Do not pamper it; grown for its flowers and grey foliage, not fruit, and the dry seed capsules and foliage are not edible.
Height
16-27"
Spread
14-24"
Establishing a low grey mound with first reliable flowering.
French lavender
Compact evergreen aromatic subshrub with narrow grey-green foliage and dense dark-purple flower spikes topped by tufts of showy violet "rabbit-ear" bracts. It demands full sun and sharp drainage, is drought-tolerant once established, but is less cold-hardy than English lavender and short-lived on heavy or wet soil; it self-seeds readily and is recorded as invasive in some Mediterranean-climate regions, so deadhead and site it responsibly.
Height
9-18"
Spread
9-18"
Settling in as a small grey-green mound on a hot, sharply-drained site, already flowering freely with its tufted violet bracts in its first full seasons.
Laurustinus
Dense, rounded evergreen shrub with dark glossy leaves, forming flat heads of white flowers from pink buds across late autumn, winter, and early spring, followed by metallic blue-black berries. Holds its leaves to the ground, making it a strong screen or hedge. Note the load-bearing cautions: the berries are mildly toxic to people in quantity, and the shrub can suffer viburnum beetle and leaf spot.
Height
2.1-4.2 ft
Spread
2.1-3.5 ft
Filling out as a young rounded shrub; first reliable winter flowering.
European spindle
Deciduous hedgerow shrub or small tree, upright and twiggy, grown above all for its spectacular autumn show of rosy-pink four-lobed fruit capsules that split to reveal vivid orange-coated seeds against red-purple foliage. Honesty note: every part is toxic if eaten, the fruit especially so - site it away from where children might be tempted. It is also a primary winter host of the black bean aphid, so avoid planting it right beside a vegetable plot. Those caveats aside, it is a tough, wildlife-rich European native for hedgerows and informal screens.
Height
2-5 ft
Spread
16-32"
Establishing young shrub, twiggy and upright; little fruit yet, building a branching frame.
Cornelian cherry
Deciduous large shrub or small tree, often multi-stemmed, that can be grown as a broad shrub or limbed up into a small tree. Exceptionally tough and adaptable: tolerates most soils including chalk, plus shade and cold. Its very early bloom is genuinely valuable to emerging pollinators, and the tart fruit is edible - used for syrups, preserves and liqueurs once fully ripe and soft. Insect-pollinated by early bees; the fruit is also taken by birds.
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
2.4-4 ft
Slow, steady establishment; a young multi-stemmed framework with the first scattered late-winter flowers.
Black elder
Vigorous deciduous shrub with pinnate leaves, broad flat creamy-white flower umbels in early summer, and drooping clusters of small black berries in late summer. The flowers and cooked ripe berries are edible and much-used, but the raw berries, leaves, bark, stems and roots are toxic (cyanogenic glycosides) - berries must be cooked and never eaten raw or unripe. A fast, tough plant that can sucker and seed about.
Height
2.4-6 ft
Spread
2.4-4.5 ft
Fast young shrub establishing quickly on most soils; first flower umbels likely, with vigorous shoots that may need shaping.
Common snowdrop
Small late-winter bulb forming a low tuft of grey-green strappy leaves, each stem carrying a single nodding white flower whose inner segments are green-tipped - one of the very first blooms of the year. It is the classic naturalising woodland and grass bulb, slowly building into drifts where left undisturbed. Honest caution: all parts are mildly toxic if eaten (it contains galanthamine and lectins), which also makes it largely deer- and rodent-proof. It needs moisture while in growth, then tolerates summer shade under deciduous trees. Insect-pollinated and a valuable nectar and pollen source for the first bees of late winter.
Height
3-5"
Spread
1-2"
Planted bulbs (best moved 'in the green') reach near-full flowering height the first late winter, as a small clump.
Poet's daffodil
Clumping erect late-spring bulb
Height
10-15"
Spread
2"
Fall-planted bulbs flower the first late spring; the clump is still small and tight.
Christmas rose
Evergreen, clump-forming woodland perennial with leathery dark leaves and large white winter flowers; all parts toxic if eaten
Height
5-7"
Spread
5-7"
Newly planted crowns settle in slowly and may flower only sparsely the first winter; resist the urge to disturb them.
European columbine
Airy clump-forming perennial with ferny blue-green foliage and nodding spurred flowers
Height
11-22"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes a ferny mound; many plants bloom lightly the first year.
Cowslip
A clump-forming spring meadow perennial that builds rosettes of crinkled, tongue-shaped leaves, from which rise slender stems bearing one-sided clusters of nodding, fragrant, deep-yellow tubular flowers marked with orange in the throat. It is a classic grassland/meadow wildflower, excellent for naturalising in unimproved grass - once common but much reduced in the wild by agricultural intensification, so a genuinely good plant to give back to a meadow. Unusually for this group the flowers and young leaves are EDIBLE and traditionally used (cowslip wine, salads), so it is treated as parts-edible rather than toxic. It is distylous (pin/thrum) and sets seed best with more than one plant nearby. Insect-pollinated: early nectar for long-tongued bees and a larval food plant for some moths.
Height
4-6"
Spread
5-6"
From a young plant or first-year division, a leaf rosette establishes and may give a few flower stems the first spring.
Ivy-leaved cyclamen
Low autumn-flowering tuberous perennial (geophyte) with silver-marbled, ivy-shaped winter foliage and a long summer dormancy. The best hardy cyclamen for naturalising in dry shade under trees and shrubs, spreading into long-lived colonies by self-sown seed. The tubers are toxic if eaten (saponins) - grown for ornament only. Plant the tuber shallowly and leave it undisturbed; it resents deep planting and summer wet.
Height
3-4"
Spread
2-3"
A single tuber flowers in its first autumn and produces a modest tuft of marbled winter leaves; nearly full height already, but reads as one small plant.
Glory tree
Evergreen tropical flowering tree (Melastomataceae), fast-growing but brittle-wooded, with a rounded crown of glossy ribbed leaves; frost-tender (USDA zone 10+); accepted name Pleroma granulosum
Height
4.5-12 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
A young, fast-growing tree already beginning to flower in a frost-free site; vigorous but with soft, brittle wood, so stake and shelter it from strong wind.
Paraná pine
Huge evergreen conifer with the classic candelabra form: a tall bare trunk crowned by upswept whorled branches and stiff, sharply pointed leaves. It is dioecious - separate male and female trees, so two are needed for seed. Slow, very long-lived, wind-pollinated, and demanding space and a cool-subtropical highland climate. HONESTY: a Critically Endangered (IUCN) keystone of southern Brazil's heavily logged Araucaria forest, and a true conservation-notable species.
Height
8-13 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
A slow, narrow young plant establishing its root system; keep it watered and protect it from hard frost while small.
Cockspur coral tree
Deciduous small tree or large shrub with arching, sparsely-thorny branches that carry dramatic terminal sprays of waxy deep-red pea-flowers through the warm season. It is a tough, frost-hardy-to-the-roots subtropical tree - it can resprout after a light freeze (roughly zone 8b and up) and tolerates wet ground. The branches bear scattered thorns, so site it away from paths. The seeds and bark contain toxic erythrina alkaloids and must not be eaten. In its native range the flowers are pollinated by perching birds and hummingbirds, not bees.
Height
4.5-7.5 ft
Spread
4.5-7.5 ft
A fast-establishing young tree, multi-stemmed and already flowering in warm climates; thorny new wood.
Pride of Barbados
Fast-growing semi-evergreen shrub or small tree with ferny bipinnate foliage and showy flower crests; bears small prickles
Height
4.4-8.3 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Fast establishment to a young multi-stemmed shrub already flowering through the warm season.
Pink trumpet tree
Large, fast-growing, semi-deciduous tropical flowering tree with a broad rounded crown - frost-tender (USDA 10a-11b), deep-rooted and fairly drought-tolerant once established
Height
12-24 ft
Spread
6.3-12.5 ft
A fast-growing young tree establishing a single straight trunk and the first branches; train to a strong central leader and give it full sun and room - flowering on bare branches usually begins once the tree is older and well established.
Paper flower
Vigorous evergreen thorny woody climber from Brazil - frost-tender, drought-tolerant, and grown for its papery bracts (kept as a mounding shrub when pruned); armed with sharp thorns and an irritant sap, ornamental only
Height
4.5-13.5 ft
Spread
5-10 ft
In frost-free ground it becomes a substantial climbing, sprawling vine flushing repeatedly with bracts; train the long, whippy thorny stems to a strong support and keep it lean - overfeeding and overwatering give leaves at the expense of bracts.
Angel's trumpet
Large, fast-growing soft-wooded shrub or small tree carrying enormous (up to 12-inch) pendulous, night-fragrant white-to-blush trumpet flowers; frost-tender and thirsty in warmth, and HIGHLY TOXIC in every part.
Height
4.5-6.8 ft
Spread
3.6-5.4 ft
Fast-built young shrub already flowering in warmth; frost-tender, so protect or overwinter under cover in cold-winter areas.
Pineapple
Frost-tender terrestrial bromeliad forming a low rosette of stiff, often spiny-margined sword-shaped leaves with a single central fruiting stem - a slow tropical edible crop (USDA 10a-11b), self-incompatible clones setting seedless fruit
Height
15-24"
Spread
15-24"
A young rosette establishing its stiff sword-shaped leaves from a crown, sucker, or slip; it is building leaf area and is far from flowering - pineapple is slow and will not fruit in its first year.
Guava
Evergreen large shrub or small tree with smooth, mottled, peeling bark, prominently veined leaves, and white flowers followed by fragrant, vitamin-C-rich edible fruit (the goiaba). Easy, fast and productive in warm climates (roughly zone 9b and warmer), with delicious edible fruit - but load-bearing caution: it is a serious INVASIVE WEED in many tropical regions (Hawaii, the Pacific, parts of Africa and Australia), spread by fruit-eating animals, so plant it responsibly and never where it can escape into native habitat. Frost-tender; insect-pollinated by bees.
Height
4.5-9 ft
Spread
4-8 ft
Young, fast-growing shrub-tree of roughly 4 to 9 feet; in warm, frost-free conditions it often begins flowering and setting its first fruit by about this point.
Papaya
Fast-growing, short-lived, single-stemmed tree-like herb topped by a crown of large, deeply-lobed leaves, with melon-like fruit borne against the trunk - extremely fast (it can fruit within a year) but short-lived and frost-tender (roughly USDA zone 10a-11b). It is usually dioecious, so a female plus a male (or a hermaphrodite form) is needed to set fruit. The ripe fruit is edible; the unripe fruit and all green parts ooze a white papain latex that can irritate skin and should not be eaten raw.
Height
5-12.5 ft
Spread
1.2-3.2 ft
Astonishingly fast from seed: a soft, single, unbranched stem shoots up and often begins flowering and even fruiting within the first year in a warm, frost-free spot. This is the year you discover whether a seedling is male or female.
Cacao
Small evergreen understory rainforest tree, cauliflorous - tiny flowers and the large ridged pods are borne directly on the trunk and main branches. HONESTY: this is the chocolate tree and it is genuinely demanding. It needs deep humid tropical warmth plus overhead shade and is very frost-tender (roughly zone 11+), failing below about 50°F - a greenhouse/tropical-only plant in most of the world. The seeds inside the pods (cocoa beans) are food only after fermenting, drying, and roasting, so it is edible-with-prep, though the sweet white pulp around the seeds is eaten fresh in the tropics. Pollinated by tiny midges, not bees.
Height
5.3-8.8 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Young tree establishing in warm, humid shade; first flowers and pods typically begin around years 3-5.
Blue passionflower
Vigorous semi-evergreen tendril climber with deeply-lobed leaves and intricate, unmistakable flowers - white-to-pale-blue petals beneath a crown of blue-and-purple-banded filaments - followed by egg-shaped orange fruit. By far the hardiest common passionflower, root-hardy to roughly zone 6b/7 and resprouting from the base after a freeze, and very vigorous: in mild climates it can become weedy or invasive, suckering and self-seeding, so give it room and cut it back. The ripe orange fruit is edible but bland and insipid and is NOT the commercial passion fruit; the leaves and unripe fruit contain cyanogenic compounds, so only the ripe pulp is edible. Pollinated by large bees.
Height
6-12 ft
Spread
1.8-3.6 ft
A fast first season - tendrils race up a support and the first flowers often appear by late summer.
Cassava
Fast-growing woody shrub with palmately-lobed leaves on often red-tinged, jointed stems, grown for its swollen starchy storage roots - cassava / mandioca, a global staple. It is frost-tender (roughly USDA 9b and up) and drought-tolerant once established. HONESTY (load-bearing): one of the most important food crops of the tropics, but the raw roots AND leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides (linamarin) and are TOXIC if eaten raw or under-processed - they must be peeled and properly cooked (and bitter varieties soaked and/or fermented) to drive off the cyanide before eating.
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
1.8-3 ft
Stem cuttings root and shoot away fast, building a leafy upright shrub through the first warm season while the storage roots begin to swell underground - sweet (low-cyanide) types can be lifted as early as 8-12 months.
Gloxinia
Low, tuberous tropical perennial (Gesneriaceae) forming a velvety-leaved rosette topped by large bell-shaped flowers - very frost-tender (hardy in the ground only in roughly USDA zone 11+), dying back to a dormant tuber after flowering; grown as an inedible ornamental pot or houseplant
Height
4-7"
Spread
5-7"
A young tuber sprouts a low rosette of velvety leaves and, given warmth and bright indirect light, produces its first flush of large bell-shaped flowers within its first growing season - gloxinia reaches flowering size quickly.
Common primrose
A low, rosette-forming semi-evergreen woodland perennial. Each crinkled, tongue-shaped leaf rosette throws up many single, pale soft-yellow flowers with a deeper yellow eye, one per slender stem, in late winter and early spring. Be clear which plant this is: the TRUE wild primrose in pale soft yellow, not the loud multi-coloured Polyanthus or Primula hybrids sold as winter bedding. It wants cool, humus-rich soil that does not dry out, in dappled shade or - in cool summers - sun, and can be short-lived but self-seeds into drifts. It is distylous (pin/thrum) and sets seed best with more than one plant. The flowers and young leaves are edible (traditional in salads, as a garnish, and in primrose wine), with the flowers the usual edible part - enjoy in moderation. A crucial early nectar source for the first bees, bee-flies, and brimstone butterflies; insect-pollinated.
Height
5-6"
Spread
5-7"
From a young plant or division, a leaf rosette establishes and gives a first flush of single pale-yellow flowers the first spring.
Bigroot geranium
Vigorous semi-evergreen clump- and colony-forming groundcover spreading by thick surface rhizomes
Height
8-13"
Spread
7-10"
Establishes quickly and begins to mat; flowers lightly the first year as the rhizomes take hold.
Cottage pink
Evergreen, mat-forming perennial making a low cushion of narrow, grassy, blue-grey (glaucous) foliage topped in early summer by intensely clove-scented, fringed flowers in pink, white, or bicolour, single or double. It demands full sun and sharp drainage in neutral-to-alkaline soil and rots in wet, heavy, or acidic ground; the petals are edible (clove-flavoured) once the bitter white heel is removed.
Height
7-13"
Spread
7-11"
From spring starts the young mat settles in and often flowers lightly its first summer.
Madonna lily
Stately upright summer bulb on a single tall, leafy stem topped by a cluster of pure-white outward-facing trumpet flowers with golden anthers.
Height
25-34"
Spread
5-7"
Bulbs planted shallowly in late summer make a basal leaf rosette in autumn, then send up the first flowering stem the following early summer.
Baby sage
Bushy, semi-evergreen small shrub (subshrub) with small aromatic blackcurrant-scented leaves and an exceptionally long succession of bright red or magenta-pink two-lipped flowers from early summer to the first frosts. Prized for its very long bloom and toughness in hot, dry, sunny spots, and one of the best garden plants for pollinators. Honest caveats: only borderline hardy (RHS H4) - in cold-winter climates it needs a warm, sheltered site with sharp drainage and may be cut to the ground or killed by hard frost, so it is often grown as a tender perennial or overwintered under cover; and it goes woody and leggy, so cut it back in spring to keep it bushy. It is an ORNAMENTAL salvia and is NOT the culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) - inedible.
Height
14-29"
Spread
13-20"
Settling in as a small bushy subshrub on a hot, sharply-drained site and already flowering freely over a long season.
Orpine
Clump-forming, upright herbaceous succulent perennial reaching 18 to 24 inches, with stout fleshy stems and toothed grey-green leaves topped by broad, flat flowerheads in late summer and autumn. Keep it lean and sunny: it thrives in poor, sharp-drained soil in full sun, but in rich soil or shade the stems flop open. Leave the seedheads standing for winter structure and birds.
Height
13-17"
Spread
11-14"
Establishes a clump of fleshy shoots; already substantial and often flowering in its first late summer.
Common poppy
Erect, hairy-stemmed hardy annual with finely cut leaves and papery scarlet flowers
Height
12-24"
Spread
6-9"
A true annual completing its whole life in one season: seed sown in situ germinates in open, disturbed soil, forms a low rosette of finely cut leaves, sends up hairy stems to 12 to 24 inches, opens its papery scarlet flowers in early summer, then ripens the pepper-pot capsules and self-sows before dying back.
Cornflower
A slender, upright, grey-green hardy annual that bears the iconic intense-blue (also pink, white, or purple in cultivars), fringed, thistle-like flowerheads from early to mid summer - the classic cornfield cornflower or bachelor's button. Be clear what this is: a beloved, easy, self-seeding cottage and meadow annual whose WILD form has declined sharply across northern Europe under modern farming and is now a genuine conservation concern there. It is grown from seed sown direct, completing its life in a single season and self-seeding freely where the soil is open and disturbed. Its blue florets are EDIBLE - a traditional garnish for salads, cakes, and teas (the blue petals in some Lady Grey-style blends). A strong nectar plant for bees and butterflies, it also bears extrafloral nectaries that feed ants and other insects. Insect-pollinated.
Height
1-3 ft
Spread
6-12"
A hardy annual: from a direct sowing it germinates, grows on, and reaches its full 12-to-36 inch height and flowers from early to mid summer, completing its whole life in one season before setting seed.
English daisy
Low, rosette-forming spreading perennial - the classic lawn daisy - flowering close to the ground from spring into autumn
Height
2-4"
Spread
2-3"
Establishes a low leafy rosette and begins flowering; spreads gently as the crown thickens.
Lady's mantle
Clump-forming perennial grown above all for its softly hairy, pleated, scalloped leaves and frothy chartreuse flowers; apomictic and a prolific self-seeder, so shear it back hard right after bloom
Height
7-11"
Spread
7-10"
Settles in and builds its rosette of pleated leaves; flowers lightly the first summer as the clump takes hold.
Peach-leaved bellflower
Upright, clump-forming perennial with evergreen basal rosettes of narrow, glossy, peach-like leaves and tall, slender, almost wiry stems carrying large, outward-facing, cup- or bell-shaped blue (or white) flowers in early to mid summer. It is long-lived, easy, and unfussy in sun or light shade, but it self-seeds readily - welcome naturalising through a border, weedy where it is not wanted - so deadhead to control it, which also prolongs the bloom. The flowers are edible as a traditional mild garnish, and the open bells are excellent for bees, especially long-tongued bumblebees that work right inside the cups.
Height
12-18"
Spread
6-9"
From a spring start the basal rosette settles in and bulks up; first-year flowering is light or skipped while the clump establishes.
Globe thistle
Architectural clump-forming perennial with spiny, deeply cut, grey-green leaves (white-woolly beneath) and metallic steel-blue spherical flowerheads on tall stems in mid to late summer. It is one of the very best garden plants for pollinators - the blue globes are smothered in bees and butterflies at the height of summer. It is genuinely drought-tolerant and thrives in poor, dry, sharp-drained soil in full sun; rich or wet soil makes it flop open and shortens its life, so keep it lean and sunny. It can self-seed and forms robust spreading clumps, and the foliage is spiny, so site it back from paths. The dried seedheads stand well for winter structure and arrangements, and their seeds feed goldfinches and other small birds. It is grown ornamentally and is not a food plant.
Height
12-24"
Spread
8-11"
Establishes a basal rosette of spiny grey-green leaves; first-season flowering is modest if it blooms at all.
Candle larkspur
Stately, clump-forming border perennial with deeply palmate-lobed leaves and towering, densely packed spires of spurred flowers - classically an intense blue (also purple, white, or pink in the Elatum hybrids), each bloom with a contrasting central "bee" - in early to mid summer; it is the parent of the tall border delphiniums. Magnificent but genuinely high-maintenance: the tall hollow flower spikes need staking and a position sheltered from wind, the plant is hungry and thirsty (it wants rich, moist, well-drained soil), a favourite target of slugs and snails on its emerging spring shoots, fairly short-lived, and it dislikes hot, humid summers - it is at its best in cool-summer climates. It is HIGHLY TOXIC: all parts contain diterpenoid alkaloids (delphinine) and are poisonous if eaten, while the foliage and sap can irritate skin, so handle it with care and keep it away from children and livestock - that same toxicity makes it reliably deer-resistant. It is insect-pollinated, the long flower spurs suiting long-tongued bumblebees.
Height
2-3 ft
Spread
9-12"
Establishes a crown of palmate-lobed leaves and a few short stems; flowering is modest in the first summer while the plant builds roots. Protect the emerging shoots from slugs and provide support early.
Common mullein
Architectural biennial forming a low silvery-woolly ground-rosette the first year and a single tall, stout, felted flower spike of soft-yellow blooms the second year, after which it sets seed and dies. It self-seeds prolifically and is a widespread naturalised weed (noxious in some places), so deadhead the spike to control spread. The fine leaf hairs can irritate skin and throat and the seeds are toxic, so it is inedible and ornamental, not a casual food plant.
Height
12-21"
Spread
10-20"
First year: a large, flat ground-rosette of soft, felted, silvery-grey woolly leaves sits low to the ground and does not flower.
Field scabious
Airy meadow perennial with a basal rosette and slender, branching, wiry stems carrying domed, pincushion-like lilac-blue to mauve flowerheads from summer into autumn; a top-tier pollinator plant that self-seeds freely and naturalises, so give it a meadow or relaxed setting (or support) rather than a tidy formal border.
Height
12-18"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes a basal rosette and roots in; sends up its first slender flowering stems and begins to bloom as the clump takes hold.
Blue sea holly
Architectural, branching perennial that flushes metallic steel-blue in summer, with small, egg-shaped flowerheads ringed by spiny, silvery-blue bracts on rigid, blue-tinted stems above a basal rosette of leathery, heart-shaped leaves. It is a tough, genuinely drought-tolerant plant for hot, dry, sharply drained, even poor sandy or gravelly soil in full sun, and it resents rich, wet ground, where it rots and flops - so keep it lean and sunny rather than feeding or irrigating it. That makes it ideal for gravel gardens and coastal, seaside plantings, and it is one of the best long-lasting cut and dried flowers. It is a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. It can self-seed, and it has a deep taproot, so it dislikes being moved once settled and the spiny bracts mean it is best sited back from paths. It is grown ornamentally and is not a food plant.
Height
12-18"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes a basal rosette of leathery, heart-shaped leaves and sends down a deep taproot; first-season flowering is modest if it blooms at all.
Ox-eye daisy
A clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial with spoon-shaped, toothed, dark-green basal leaves and long, wiry stems bearing single white-rayed flowerheads around a flat yellow disc from late spring through summer. It is easy, exceptionally long-flowering, an excellent pollinator plant, and a good cut flower that naturalises beautifully in wildflower meadows and rough grass. Be honest about its vigour: it self-seeds freely and spreads aggressively by rhizome, and across North America, Australia, and New Zealand it has naturalised into an invasive pasture weed - declared a noxious weed in several US states - so plant it only where its spread is welcome (a meadow or rough grass, not a formal border) and deadhead to limit seeding. The young leaves and flower buds are edible, a traditional salad ingredient. Design roles: border, pollinator, filler.
Height
7-20"
Spread
7-10"
Establishes low rosettes of spoon-shaped toothed leaves and begins to throw up flowering stems; a young plant or first-year sowing flowers modestly.
Catnip
Bushy, aromatic, grey-green herbaceous perennial herb with toothed, downy, mint-like leaves and spikes of small white, purple-spotted flowers in summer. Its leaves contain nepetalactone, a powerful euphoric attractant that draws cats: about two-thirds respond by rolling, rubbing, and chewing, so expect neighbourhood cats to flatten the clump - the same compound has documented repellent activity against mosquitoes and some insect pests. It is a tough, drought-tolerant, easy herb that self-seeds and can spread and flop, so cut it back hard after flowering for a fresh, tidier flush. It is a traditional human herb as well - catnip tea is a mild, calming herbal infusion and the young leaves have culinary use, so it is parts-edible - and a good bee and pollinator plant. This is the species catnip (Nepeta cataria), distinct from the sterile ornamental catmint hybrid Nepeta x faassenii.
Height
14-22"
Spread
11-14"
From a spring start the young plant bushes out into an aromatic grey-green clump and usually gives a first, lighter flush of summer flowers while it establishes.
Peace lily
An evergreen tropical foliage houseplant forming a clump of glossy, dark-green, lance-shaped leaves with elegant white "flowers" that are actually a white leafy hood (spathe) wrapped around a creamy spadix. It is one of the most forgiving houseplants: it tolerates LOW light and conveniently tells you when it is thirsty by drooping, then recovers after watering. Two honest cautions carry the most weight. Toxicity: every part contains insoluble calcium-oxalate crystals and is TOXIC to cats, dogs, and people if chewed, causing intense mouth and throat irritation - keep it away from pets and small children. And the famous "air-purifying" reputation, from a 1989 NASA chamber study, is OVERSTATED - at realistic room densities the effect on indoor air quality is negligible. Frost-tender (RHS H1B), it is grown indoors or under glass in nearly all climates, where it forms no garden wildlife relationships.
Height
8-17"
Spread
8-17"
A presentable young clump of glossy lance-shaped leaves in its pot, already throwing the odd white spathe in bright indirect light; it grows slowly indoors.
Snake plant
A stiff, upright, clumping evergreen succulent grown as a houseplant - a slow-spreading rhizome throws up rigid, sword-shaped grey-green-banded leaves (yellow-margined in "Laurentii"); architectural, low-maintenance, frost-tender, and killed far more often by overwatering than by neglect.
Height
11-22"
Spread
6-9"
Already a presentable potted plant - a small clump of a few stiff, upright leaves established in a free-draining pot. Snake plant is slow, so do not expect fast filling; keep it in bright indirect light and let the mix dry between waterings.
Spider plant
A clump-forming evergreen perennial grown as a houseplant, making a fountain of arching, grassy leaves (green with a central or marginal creamy-white stripe) above a tuberous-rooted crown, and sending out thin, wiry stolons that carry small plantlets at their tips. Frost-tender; grown in a pot indoors (or in a hanging basket) in most climates.
Height
7-11"
Spread
6-9"
A young potted rosette of arching, variegated leaves - already a presentable houseplant; it may begin sending out its first stolon or two.
ZZ plant
A glossy, architectural houseplant with upright stems of dark-green, waxy, pinnate leaflets rising from a thick, water-storing rhizome, among the toughest and most drought-tolerant houseplants there is. It is near-indestructible: it thrives on neglect and low light, storing water in its rhizome, so the main way to kill it is OVERwatering, which rots the rhizome; it is slow-growing and rarely needs repotting. It is toxic to cats, dogs, and people if chewed (insoluble calcium-oxalate crystals), and the sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves when handling or dividing it and keep it from pets. Its air-purifying reputation is overstated. Grown indoors, it forms no garden wildlife relationships.
Height
17-25"
Spread
13-17"
Already a presentable plant in its first year: a few upright stems of glossy, dark-green pinnate leaflets in a pot, slow-growing and undemanding while it settles in indoors.
Jade plant
A long-lived succulent subshrub grown as a houseplant, with thick, woody, branching stems and plump, glossy, jade-green oval leaves that flush red at the edges in bright light - the familiar "money plant". It is an easy, very long-lived succulent that wants BRIGHT light or a sunny windowsill and infrequent watering: let the potting mix dry out completely between waterings, because overwatering and too little light cause soft, leggy, rot-prone growth that is the usual way this plant dies. Mature plants can be trained as an indoor bonsai-like specimen and may bloom with clusters of small white-pink star flowers, though indoor plants flower only with age and a cool, bright winter rest. It is TOXIC to cats and dogs, causing vomiting and lethargy if eaten. It rarely flowers or sets seed as a foliage houseplant, so it is grown for its sculptural, tree-like form rather than for bloom.
Height
10-14"
Spread
7-10"
Already a presentable rooted plant in a small pot: a single or few-branched succulent with plump jade-green leaves. Growth is slow, so give it bright light and let the mix dry fully between waterings to keep it compact rather than leggy.
Aloe vera
A succulent perennial houseplant forming a low rosette of thick, fleshy, gel-filled, toothed grey-green leaves - the familiar medicinal aloe. Grown in a pot in free-draining mix on a bright windowsill, it stays compact and slow-growing, offsetting into clumps of small 'pups' around the parent. It wants bright light or sun and very infrequent watering: it is highly drought-tolerant and rots if overwatered, so the usual cause of decline is too much water, not too little. Its uses are genuinely nuanced and worth getting right: the clear inner leaf gel is widely applied to skin for minor burns and is consumed in aloe juices, but the yellow latex just beneath the rind is a powerful laxative and irritant that should not be casually eaten (and is best avoided in pregnancy), and the whole plant is toxic to cats and dogs. Treat it as edible only with preparation - the prepared inner gel alone, latex and green rind removed - and keep the plant away from pets.
Height
7-14"
Spread
9-12"
From a pup or small plant, pot it in free-draining mix on a bright sill and water sparingly; it settles in slowly as a presentable single rosette, already handsome the first year.
Weigela
Arching, multi-stemmed deciduous flowering shrub
Height
13-25"
Spread
13-25"
A young nursery start settling in; puts on roots and a low framework of arching stems, with light first-season bloom.
Japanese kerria
Suckering, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with slender, arching bright kelly-green stems and a loose, fountaining-to-thicket-forming form
Height
13-25"
Spread
14-25"
A young plant settling in; modest top growth and the first arching green stems while it establishes its running root system.
Flowering quince
A thorny, twiggy deciduous shrub reaching about 5 to 8 feet tall and 5 to 10 feet wide. It flowers on OLD WOOD, opening cup-shaped scarlet-to-orange (also pink or white) blooms in late winter and early spring on bare twigs before the leaves, followed by hard, fragrant, yellow-green quince-like fruits in autumn. Because it flowers on old wood, prune just AFTER flowering - pruning earlier removes the next season's bloom. It is THORNY, which makes it a good informal barrier or hedge but means it should be sited away from paths and play areas, and it can SUCKER to form a thicket. The fruit is edible but hard, very sour, and astringent RAW; it is used COOKED in jellies and preserves (it is rich in pectin), never eaten off the bush.
Height
21-34"
Spread
1.5-3 ft
A young twiggy plant establishing its roots; modest first-spring bloom on the few existing shoots.
Beauty bush
Large, vigorous, fountain-shaped deciduous shrub with arching stems and peeling brown bark, reaching 6 to 10 feet tall and wide. It flowers on old wood, so it must be pruned only right after flowering - a late-winter or spring cut removes the coming season's bloom. Because it is a big shrub, give it open ground and do not crowd it; with age it grows leggy and twiggy at the base, renewed by cutting some of the oldest stems out after flowering. Grown purely for ornament - no part is eaten.
Height
2.1-3.5 ft
Spread
22-29"
A young plant settling in and rooting out; little or no bloom the first spring as it establishes.
Guelder rose
Large deciduous European-native shrub with maple-like lobed leaves, flat white lacecap flowers, and drooping red berries; reaches 8 to 12 feet tall and wide. It tolerates wet soil and suits hedgerows and wild gardens. Honest points: the raw berries are mildly toxic to people and cause stomach upset if eaten in quantity (they are bird food, used only cooked in some traditions) - treat them as ornamental and wildlife food, not a crop. Do not confuse it with the North American cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus var. americanum / V. trilobum), and note the popular snowball form ("Roseum") has all-sterile round flowerheads and bears no berries.
Height
2.8-4.2 ft
Spread
2.4-3.6 ft
A young multi-stemmed plant settling in and rooting; flowering and fruit are light or absent the first season.
Slender deutzia
Compact, neat, mounding deciduous shrub with arching stems
Height
8-15"
Spread
7-14"
A young plant settling in and putting down roots, with a light scatter of bloom; water through its first season to establish it.
African lily
Clump-forming evergreen perennial with arching strap-shaped leaves and tall bare flower stalks topped by rounded umbels of blue or white trumpet flowers. Honesty: the evergreen Agapanthus is FROST-TENDER (the deciduous kinds are hardier), so in cold-winter areas grow it in a container and overwinter it under cover. It SELF-SEEDS freely and has become an INVASIVE weed in mild climates - notably New Zealand, parts of Australia, and coastal California - so deadhead before the seed sets where that is a concern. The sap and the fleshy rhizomes are mildly TOXIC and can irritate skin.
Height
11-22"
Spread
7-10"
Young division or seedling building its first fan of strap leaves; flowering is sparse or absent the first year.
Red-hot poker
Bold, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with grassy, arching foliage and tall torch-like flower spikes
Height
15-24"
Spread
7-10"
Newly planted crown settles in and builds its first fountain of grassy leaves; bloom is often sparse the first summer while roots establish in sharply drained soil.
Treasure flower
A low, spreading, mat-forming perennial with narrow dark-green leaves (white-felted beneath) and large, brilliant daisy flowers in dazzling orange, yellow, bronze, pink, or striped tones, often with a dark central ring, all summer - the treasure flower. It is superbly drought-, heat-, and salt-tolerant, making it excellent for hot, dry, gravelly, and coastal or seaside plantings, but its flowers close in shade and on cloudy days, opening only in bright sun, so it is no good for shade. Frost-tender, it is almost always grown as an annual bedding plant in cold climates and is a true perennial only in zone 9 and up. In mild climates it can become invasive on coastal dunes and disturbed ground (parts of California and Australia). Grown for its flowers, not for food - it is inedible.
Height
4-8"
Spread
6-8"
Settling in and spreading low; flowers freely from its first summer in full sun.
Cape leadwort
Vigorous, scrambling, semi-climbing tender evergreen shrub that flowers continuously in warmth
Height
1.4-3.5 ft
Spread
1.2-3 ft
A young plant settling in; puts on roots and a low framework of soft, scrambling stems, with light first-season bloom in warmth.
Natal lily
Evergreen, clump-forming shade perennial with arching strap-shaped leaves; frost-tender (zone 9b+), toxic, and best left pot-bound
Height
6-12"
Spread
7-10"
A young plant or single fan settles in slowly, building a strong root system and a small clump of strap-shaped leaves; seed-grown plants are not yet of flowering size.
Society garlic
Clump-forming, grassy-leaved perennial herb with garlic-scented grey-green foliage and lilac-pink flower umbels
Height
7-14"
Spread
6-9"
From a spring-planted division or pot it settles in quickly in warm, well-drained soil, sending up grassy grey-green leaves and often a first flush of lilac-pink umbels by mid to late summer.
Chinese silver grass
A large, clump-forming, warm-season ornamental grass with arching narrow leaves and showy silvery-pink to coppery feathery plumes in late summer and autumn that fade to pale silver and stand through winter for superb autumn colour and winter structure - but the straight species self-seeds and is invasive across much of the eastern and central United States, so plant only a sterile or low-seeding named cultivar, deadhead before seed ripens, and keep it away from wild areas.
Height
1.8-3.6 ft
Spread
14-24"
A modest young clump in its first season - a fountain of arching blades that may not yet flower well; water to establish and let the crown build.
Fountain grass
Graceful, clump-forming, fountain-shaped warm-season ornamental grass
Height
12-24"
Spread
12-18"
Establishes its crown and roots; a modest first-year mound, often light on plumes.
Blue fescue
A small, neat, evergreen ornamental grass forming a tidy rounded hedgehog-tuft of fine, needle-like, intensely steel-blue leaves, with slim wheat-coloured flower spikes in early summer; grown mainly for the striking blue foliage. It demands full sun and sharp drainage - the blue is best in sun and lean soil, and the plant sulks, greens, and rots in rich, wet, or shaded ground. It is short-lived, tending to die out in the centre after three or four years, so lift and divide it regularly to keep fresh blue tufts going, and comb or rake the dead leaves out in spring.
Height
5-7"
Spread
4-6"
A small young tuft establishing in lean, sharply drained soil and full sun; bluest where it is sunniest and driest.
Quaking grass
A clump-forming perennial meadow grass with slender wiry stems hung with dangling, heart-shaped, locket-like spikelets that quake and rattle in the slightest breeze - green ripening to straw-gold, lovely both fresh and dried. An easy, well-behaved, non-running grass for wildflower meadows, naturalistic borders, and cutting or drying. It self-seeds gently - charming in a meadow setting and easily pulled where unwanted - tolerates a wide range of soils including poor, dry, and chalky ground, and is altogether unfussy: a traditional grass of old unimproved grasslands.
Height
9-15"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes a small tuft of fine basal foliage; may flower lightly the first summer if planted early.
Crimson fountain grass
A showy, tender, clump-forming fountain grass with arching leaves and long, soft, nodding, foxtail plumes in pink to purple - most striking in the burgundy-leaved 'Rubrum' and 'Fireworks' forms sold for summer containers and bedding. The green-leaved species is one of the world's most serious invasive grasses - a fire-promoting noxious weed that has overrun wild land in California, Hawaii, and Arizona - so grow only the sterile ornamental cultivars (the burgundy 'Rubrum' / 'Fireworks', which rarely set viable seed) and never the seeding green species. It is frost-tender (zone 9 and up) and is grown as a summer annual in cold climates. Grown for its plumes, not for food - it is inedible.
Height
2.1-3.5 ft
Spread
14-22"
Settles in and mounds up quickly, throwing its first plumes by late summer in full sun - fast from a spring transplant in warm soil.
Umbrella bamboo
Clump-forming, non-invasive evergreen bamboo with slender arching canes and fine fluttering leaves
Height
3.2-4.8 ft
Spread
19-29"
Establishes slowly from a young plant or division, settling its root system and sending up the first slender canes; keep it sheltered from cold, drying winds and watered through the first season.
Grape hyacinth
Low, clump-forming spring bulb with conical spikes of grape-scented blue florets over grassy basal leaves that emerge in autumn
Height
6-8"
Spread
2"
Fall-planted bulbs flower the following spring at near-full height, but each bulb is still a single tidy tuft.
Snake's-head fritillary
Delicate, slender spring bulb with nodding, chequered, bell-shaped flowers over grey-green leaves; a much-declined meadow native that wants consistently moist soil and is toxic if eaten
Height
6-8"
Spread
2-3"
A newly planted bulb sends up its slender leaves and, if the bulb was a good flowering size, a first nodding chequered bell; keep the soil consistently moist and never let it bake dry.
Grecian windflower
Low, spreading spring tuber forming carpets of ferny foliage and daisy-like flowers, naturalizing gently in dappled shade
Height
4-5"
Spread
2-4"
Fall-planted tubers (soaked overnight first) flower the following early spring at near-full height as single plants.
Siberian squill
A tiny, very early spring bulb with nodding, intense gentian-blue (or white) bell-shaped flowers over strappy leaves, carpeting the ground in vivid blue before most other bulbs - extremely cold-hardy (to about zone 2) and easy, but it naturalizes and self-seeds very freely and can become invasive in lawns and natural areas (reported invasive in parts of North America), so site it only where a spreading blue carpet is welcome and away from wild land; toxic if eaten.
Height
4-5"
Spread
1-2"
Fall-planted bulbs flower the following very early spring at near-full height, but as single small bulbs rather than a carpet.
Summer snowflake
Clump-forming bulb taller than a snowdrop, bearing several dangling, green-tipped white bells per stem above strappy leaves in mid-to-late spring.
Height
8-13"
Spread
2-4"
A newly planted bulb sends up its first strappy leaves and a stem or two of green-tipped white bells in spring; flowering is often modest the first season as the bulb settles into the damp soil it prefers.
Star-of-Bethlehem
A low spring bulb (6 to 12 inches) forming loose umbels of green-striped white stars over grassy foliage; the flowers open in sun and close in dull weather and the evening. An aggressive naturalizer that multiplies fast by underground bulbils into dense, hard-to-dig colonies, and toxic (cardiac glycosides) if eaten.
Height
4-8"
Spread
2-3"
Planted bulbs reach near-full flowering size in their first spring; foliage and a few stars appear.
Jerusalem sage
Evergreen, drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub with felted grey-green leaves and tiered yellow flower whorls
Height
14-19"
Spread
13-17"
A young plant settles in and puts its energy into rooting; water just enough to establish through the first season, then back off - it wants sharp drainage and resents wet, heavy soil from the start.
Wall germander
Low, spreading, evergreen sub-shrub with small, glossy, dark-green, scalloped (oak-leaf-like) leaves and short summer spikes of rose-pink to purple flowers; a classic clipped edging and knot-garden plant. Tough, DROUGHT-tolerant, and sun-loving, it wants full sun and SHARP DRAINAGE and rots in wet or rich soil; clip it after flowering to keep it dense. Honest caution: wall germander is HEPATOTOXIC and has caused serious liver damage taken as a herbal remedy or slimming tea - grow it strictly as an ornamental and do NOT consume it.
Height
5-8"
Spread
5-7"
A young plant settles in and knits a low evergreen tuft; give it full sun and sharp drainage, water just enough to establish, and resist feeding - lean ground is the point.
Wormwood
Aromatic woody-based perennial with a soft mound of silky silver-grey dissected foliage
Height
13-26"
Spread
12-18"
Establishes its woody crown and roots; puts on a modest mound of silver foliage in the first season.
Hyssop
Compact, semi-woody, aromatic sub-shrub herb, upright and bushy with narrow leaves and blue flower spikes
Height
7-10"
Spread
8-11"
Young plant from seed or a small division forms a low, leafy mound; flowers lightly in its first summer as roots establish in sharp-draining soil.
Rue
Evergreen, woody-based sub-shrub with distinctive aromatic, fern-like, blue-green foliage and clusters of small mustard-yellow flowers in summer. Drought-loving and easy in hot, dry, full sun with sharp drainage; it rots on heavy, wet, or rich soil, and a hard spring cutback keeps it dense rather than woody and leggy. Honest, load-bearing caveats: it is PHOTOTOXIC - sap plus sunlight causes blistering skin burns, so handle only with gloves and covered skin, especially on bright days - and it is TOXIC if eaten and a historical abortifacient, so it should NOT be eaten today; grow it as an ornamental for the blue foliage. It is also a larval food plant for swallowtail butterflies.
Height
12-18"
Spread
9-12"
Settling in on a hot, sharply-drained, sunny site as a small mound of blue-green foliage; water just enough to establish, then keep it dry.
Greek mountain tea
Low, drought-tolerant, woolly silver-grey Mediterranean herb forming rosettes of soft, felted leaves and stiff summer spikes of small, soft-yellow flowers cupped in woolly bracts; "Greek mountain tea" or ironwort. It is a tough alpine and rock-garden plant for hot, dry, very sharply drained, sunny spots - it needs grit and full sun and rots in wet or rich soil - and is only borderline hardy, so give it the sharpest drainage you can and never feed or over-water it. The dried leaves and flower spikes make a traditional, caffeine-free Greek herbal tea (ironwort tea), long valued as a folk remedy for colds and coughs, so it is parts-edible as a herbal infusion. It is a good bee plant. Cut back the spent flower spikes to keep the rosettes compact and tidy.
Height
4-8"
Spread
5-6"
Settles in as a low woolly rosette and roots into sharply drained, gritty soil; keep it lean and dry and expect little or no flowering this first season.
King protea
Sculptural, woody evergreen fynbos shrub on a fire-adapted rootstock, bearing the largest flower head of any protea
Height
11-22"
Spread
12-18"
Young plant settling its cluster (proteoid) roots into sharply-drained, acidic soil; building a low woody framework and rarely flowering.
Pincushion protea
Spreading, rounded evergreen fynbos shrub with pincushion flower heads over heart-based blue-green leaves
Height
13-21"
Spread
14-22"
Young rooted plant settling into sharply drained, acidic soil; building its framework of branches, usually too young to flower.
Common sunshine conebush
A bushy, rounded to spreading evergreen shrub roughly 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, with wiry stems clothed in slender grey-green leaves that colour up toward the tips around the cones.
Height
14-24"
Spread
14-24"
A young nursery start settling in; concentrate on root establishment in lean, acidic, sharply drained soil and water sparingly - never feed with phosphate or bone meal.
Bearded protea
Tall, robust evergreen fynbos shrub with narrow oleander-like leaves and large goblet-shaped bearded flower heads
Height
15-30"
Spread
10-17"
Young plant establishing its proteoid root system in lean, sharply-drained acidic soil; little to no flowering yet - never feed with phosphate or bone meal.
Blushing bride
A slender, soft, ferny-leaved evergreen fynbos shrub whose nodding flower heads are surrounded by delicate, papery, white-flushed-pink bracts - the famous Cape "blushing bride". It is the most demanding plant of this protea-family group: short-lived (often 3-5 years), it needs acidic, extremely sharply drained, sandy soil, full sun, and excellent air movement. Like all Proteaceae it is PHOSPHORUS-SENSITIVE - never give it phosphate fertiliser or BONE MEAL, which will kill it. It is FROST-TENDER (RHS H3) and is best in a pot or a perfectly drained Mediterranean bed; it is drought-tolerant once established but rots with wet feet. Honest, load-bearing flags: it has a conservation story - very rare in the wild, a tiny natural range in the Franschhoek mountains of the Cape Provinces, long thought nearly extinct, and surviving largely through cultivation. Grown ornamentally and as a cut flower; inedible.
Height
10-19"
Spread
10-14"
A small, soft, ferny seedling or young plant settling into acidic, sharply drained sand in full sun; water just to establish and never feed phosphate or bone meal.
Whorl heath
Erect, slender evergreen Cape heath with whorled tubular flowers
Height
13-25"
Spread
7-11"
Young rooted plant settling in; keep the acidic, sandy soil sharply drained but never bone-dry while roots establish.
African gladiolus
Tall, summer-growing cormous perennial with sword-shaped leaves and arching spikes of hooded orange-red-and-yellow summer flowers
Height
20-33"
Spread
2-5"
A corm planted in spring sends up its first fan of sword-shaped leaves and, on a strong corm, a single arching spike in summer before dying back to a dormant corm for winter.
Cape cowslip
Small winter-growing, summer-dormant Cape bulb with spotted strap leaves and pendent tubular flowers
Height
3-6"
Spread
2"
A single planted bulb makes its pair of strap leaves and, if mature enough, a first slender flower stem; water it through the autumn-to-spring growing season, then keep it dry through its summer rest.
White freesia
A winter-growing cormous perennial with a fan of narrow leaves and a one-sided spray of creamy-white, yellow-throated, funnel-shaped flowers carried horizontally in spring, famous for an intense, sweet scent - the wild parent of the scented garden freesias. HONESTY: a WINTER-GROWING, SUMMER-DORMANT Cape corm - grow and water it from autumn to spring, then dry it off for a summer rest; full sun and very sharp drainage. It is FROST-TENDER (RHS H3): in cold-winter areas grow it in pots brought under cover, lift the corms, or treat it as a sheltered-border bulb. The powerful fragrance is the point. The corms are inedible. It is pollinated by long-tongued bees and night-flying moths drawn to the scent.
Height
6-9"
Spread
2"
From a planted corm a small fan of leaves and usually a first, modest scented spray appear in the autumn-to-spring growing season; water through growth, then let it dry off for its summer rest.
Large wild iris
Tough, evergreen, rhizomatous wild iris forming fans of stiff sword-shaped leaves and day-lasting white iris flowers marked yellow and violet, borne in repeated flushes
Height
16-22"
Spread
10-14"
Young rhizome settling in and putting up its first fans of stiff sword-shaped leaves; flowering is sparse or absent as the plant establishes.
Bowden lily
Autumn-flowering Amaryllid bulb with bare flower stems topped by umbels of wavy-petalled bright-pink trumpet flowers, followed by strap-shaped winter leaves; the hardiest nerine, building into long-lived clumps
Height
11-14"
Spread
2-3"
A newly planted bulb settles in and grows winter leaves; set it shallow with the neck at or above the soil and expect few or no flowers the first autumn while it establishes.
Cape bugle-lily
A tall, statuesque, winter-growing cormous perennial with bold fans of upright sword leaves and branched spikes of pink (to white) tubular flowers in late spring; a striking fynbos geophyte that flowers profusely after fire. It is TALL (4 to 6 feet) and WINTER-GROWING: it grows through autumn and winter, flowers in late spring, then rests dry through summer, so water it autumn-to-spring and keep it dry and dormant in summer. Give it FULL SUN, well-drained soil, and the room its height needs. It is FROST-TENDER to borderline (RHS H3-H4): in cold-winter areas grow it in a warm, sheltered, sharply-drained spot or a large pot. In the wild it is FIRE-ADAPTED, flowering en masse the season after a fynbos fire. The corms are inedible. Bird-pollinated by sunbirds and worked by long-tongued flies.
Height
19-29"
Spread
5-7"
A planted corm sends up its first fan of sword leaves in autumn and grows through winter; water it from autumn to spring and keep it dry and at rest through summer. It may not yet reach full flowering height in its first year.
Meadow crane's-bill
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with tall branching flower stems above a broad basal mound of deeply cut leaves
Height
14-22"
Spread
12-18"
Establishes a basal clump of deeply cut leaves and flowers lightly its first summer as the roots take hold.
Clustered bellflower
Upright, clump-forming and steadily spreading perennial that makes clumps of rough, oval, slightly hairy basal leaves and erect, leafy flowering stems topped from early to midsummer with dense rounded heads of upward- and outward-facing, deep violet-blue (sometimes white or purple) bell-shaped flowers, with further tight clusters in the upper leaf axils. It runs at the root by underground rhizomes to form a colony - vigorous and good for filling ground in a relaxed border, but it will spread where it is happy, so give it room to run or lift and divide it to keep it in check. The dense clusters of open bells are excellent for bees, especially bumblebees. POWO (Kew) and Wikipedia record no edible use, so treat it as an ornamental only.
Height
6-12"
Spread
5-10"
From a spring start the basal clump settles in and the rhizomes begin to creep; first-year flowering is light while the plant establishes.
Lenten rose
Clump-forming evergreen woodland perennial with leathery palmate foliage
Height
7-11"
Spread
7-10"
Establishes its root system and evergreen leaf clump; often flowers little or not at all the first late winter as it settles in.
Spotted deadnettle
Low, spreading semi-evergreen groundcover that roots as its trailing stems run
Height
4-7"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes and begins to run; trailing stems root where they touch moist soil and the silver foliage starts to knit into a patch.
Maiden pink
Low, loosely tufted, mat-forming perennial making a carpet of fine, grassy, green-to-glaucous foliage that throws up slender flowering stems to about 6 to 18 inches in early-to-mid summer, each topped by small (0.6 to 0.8 inches) bright rose-pink - occasionally white - flowers with toothed petal tips and usually a darker eye-ring. It wants full sun and lean, sharply drained, neutral-to-alkaline soil and resents wet, heavy, or acidic ground. The flowers are nectar-rich for pollinators; the plant is not grown for eating and has no significant toxicity to people.
Height
4-11"
Spread
7-11"
From spring starts the young mat settles in and knits across the ground, often flowering lightly its first summer.
Sneezewort
Hardy, clump-forming but running herbaceous perennial with upright stems, narrow linear sharply-toothed dark-green leaves, and loose, airy sprays of small button-like white flower heads from June to August. POWO (Kew) gives its native range as across Europe and temperate Asia, and it is introduced and naturalised widely across North America, where it is a garden escape rather than a native. The honest caveat is its running, rhizomatous rootstock: the species form spreads at the root and can colonise a border, so give it room, a contained spot, or grow the double, largely-sterile Pearl Group / "The Pearl", which gives cleaner, fuller white pompoms (a classic cut flower) but still travels at the root. Its leaves have a numbing, Sichuan-pepper-like tingle and the dried plant was a traditional sneezing powder - the source of the names sneezewort and ptarmica - so it is a pungent, parts-edible herb rather than a salad green. It is a good, accessible nectar source for bees and hoverflies, and is hardy to about USDA zone 3.
Height
11-22"
Spread
9-12"
From a spring start the young plant settles in and forms an upright leafy clump, usually giving a first, lighter flush of white summer flowers while it establishes its running rootstock.
Cape aloe
A bold, single-stemmed tree-aloe that builds a thick trunk clothed in a persistent skirt of old dried leaves and is topped with a big rosette of thick, blue-green, red-toothed, spiny leaves, sending up tall candelabra spikes of orange-red (sometimes yellow) flowers in winter; it is the source of "bitter aloe". It is an architectural, extremely drought-tolerant succulent for full sun and very sharp drainage - the main way to kill it is overwatering and wet, cold soil, so water sparingly and never let it sit wet. It is frost-tender (RHS H3, hardy only to a light frost), so outside warm, dry climates grow it large in a pot and move it under cover for winter. The bitter yellow leaf latex (the source of the laxative drug "Cape aloes") is a strong purgative and is toxic if eaten - do not treat the plant as food. It is a superb winter nectar plant, bird-pollinated by sunbirds in the wild.
Height
14-24"
Spread
13-17"
Succulents are slow: from a young plant it settles in as a low, stemless rosette of spiny blue-green leaves, building roots more than height. Give it full sun and very sharp drainage, and water sparingly so the leaves stay firm rather than soft. In cold-winter climates start it in a generous pot that can be moved under cover.
Spekboom
A soft-wooded, much-branched succulent shrub with red-brown stems and small, rounded, glossy, jade-green leaves - the spekboom or elephant bush, a staple browse of elephants and a famous carbon-capture plant. It is extremely tough, drought-tolerant and forgiving, taking full sun to light shade, very sharp drainage and only occasional water; overwatering in cold, wet soil is the main risk. It is frost-tender (about RHS H3), so in cold-winter areas it is grown in a pot or as a clipped indoor or patio plant. It is widely planted for carbon sequestration and thicket restoration because its switchable CAM photosynthesis fixes carbon efficiently in heat and drought. The slightly tart, lemony leaves are edible in small amounts, eaten raw in salads in South Africa. It reads as structure, border or container in a planting.
Height
11-29"
Spread
11-22"
A small rooted plant or cutting that establishes quickly but grows slowly: a few branching, red-brown succulent stems set with small jade-green leaves. Give it the sharpest drainage and only occasional water while it roots; in cold-winter areas keep it in a pot you can move under cover.
Silver jade plant
Rounded, slow-growing silver-leaved succulent shrub with thick stems and red-edged grey leaves; frost-tender, drought-tolerant, rots if overwatered, mildly toxic if eaten
Height
10-19"
Spread
10-14"
A young rooted cutting or small plant settling into very sharply drained, gritty soil; slow to build its first thick stems and silver leaves, usually too young to flower.
Cushion haworthia
A tiny, clump-forming succulent perennial forming a low rosette of plump, soft, blue-green leaves whose tips end in translucent "windows" that let light into the leaf - a jewel for a pot or windowsill rather than the open garden. It is a small, drought-tolerant succulent that, unlike most of this group, prefers BRIGHT INDIRECT light or part shade rather than harsh full sun, which scorches and reddens it. Give it sharp drainage and water sparingly during growth, and far less in winter: OVERWATERING and cold, wet soil are the main killers, causing the soft leaves to rot at the base. It is FROST-TENDER (about RHS H1c-H2), so almost everywhere it is grown as a houseplant or in a frost-free greenhouse. It offsets slowly into a cushion-like clump and is grown for its translucent foliage rather than its bloom, which it seldom produces in cultivation; it is inedible.
Height
1-2"
Spread
1-2"
Already a presentable little rosette in a small pot: a single cushion of plump, window-tipped, blue-green leaves. Set it in bright indirect light - not harsh sun - in sharply drained mix, and water sparingly; growth is slow, so the first-year plant changes little but settles in.
Living stones
A near-stemless dwarf succulent - a single pair of fused, swollen leaves sitting almost flush with the ground, coloured and patterned to mimic the surrounding pebbles. It is grown as a curiosity pot plant in full sun and a gritty, extremely sharp-draining mix.
Height
1"
Spread
1-2"
A tiny single body - one pair of fused leaves barely an inch across, sitting almost flush with the gritty mix. Growth is extremely slow; give it full sun and keep it almost dry, watering only lightly during active growth and never while the old leaves are being reabsorbed.
Pig's ear
A rounded succulent shrublet with thick, rounded, grey-white, often red-edged leaves coated in a chalky bloom, sending up tall stalks of nodding, orange-red, bell-shaped flowers that are loved by sunbirds - the "pig's ear". It is an easy, very drought-tolerant succulent for full sun and sharp drainage: water it sparingly, because overwatering rots it, and wet, cold soil is the usual way it dies. It is FROST-TENDER (about RHS H3) and is grown in a pot under cover in cold-winter climates. It is sunbird-pollinated in the wild rather than relying on insects.
Height
7-14"
Spread
7-12"
A small rooted succulent with a few thick, grey, red-edged leaves. Growth is slow, so give it full sun and very sharp drainage and water sparingly to keep it firm and compact rather than soft and rot-prone. In cold-winter climates start it in a pot you can move under cover.
Sorghum
A tall, robust, warm-season annual cereal grass (4 to 8 feet) with broad maize-like leaves and a dense terminal panicle of grain ripening cream, red, or brown; a drought-hardy C4 staple of semi-arid Africa and Asia, grown as a frost-tender summer annual for full sun, with young or stressed foliage cyanogenic to livestock while the mature grain is a safe gluten-free food
Height
12-24"
Spread
5-10"
Early establishment within the one growing season: sown after the last frost into warm soil, the seedling sends up its first broad, maize-like leaves and roots down, building leaf area in full sun and warmth before it bulks up.
Cowpea
A frost-tender, warm-season annual legume - bushy or twining - with trifoliate leaves, pale lilac-to-white pea flowers, and long slender pods of edible seeds
Height
4-13"
Spread
4-7"
Sown after the last frost into warm soil, the seed germinates fast in the heat and the young legume puts out its first trifoliate leaves while its roots begin forming the nodules that fix nitrogen.
Pearl millet
Frost-tender warm-season annual cereal grass with strappy leaves and a dense, cylindrical, cattail-like flower-and-grain spike - the most drought- and heat-hardy of the major cereals, a grain crop for full sun on hot, dry, sandy ground (purple-leaved "Purple Majesty" grown ornamentally too)
Height
1.2-3 ft
Spread
5-10"
Sown after the last frost into warm soil, the seedling establishes quickly in full sun, sending up its first strappy leaves and a fast, deep root system that makes it so drought-hardy; it is a frost-tender annual, so all of this happens within one warm season.
Finger millet
Compact, warm-season annual cereal grass with finger-like incurved seed spikes
Height
7-14"
Spread
3-6"
Sown after the last frost in warm soil; germinates and establishes as fine grass seedlings, slow at first while the roots reach down.
Roselle
Upright frost-tender warm-season annual mallow grown for its fleshy deep-red calyces
Height
14-25"
Spread
7-14"
Sown after the last frost into warm soil; seedlings establish slowly in early summer and put on leafy, branching growth in full sun.
Bambara groundnut
Low, ground-hugging warm-season annual legume with trifoliate leaves on creeping stems and protein-rich seeds that ripen in pods underground
Height
2-5"
Spread
3-5"
Seed sown into warm soil after the last frost germinates and sends up the first trifoliate leaves on a small, low seedling that begins to creep outward.
Baobab
A massive, swollen, water-storing bottle-trunk topped by a sparse crown of stout branches that looks like roots flung into the air, bearing big, pendulous, white night flowers and large velvety "monkey-bread" fruits. It is a frost-tender, extremely drought-adapted savanna tree that wants full sun and very sharp drainage and stores its own water in the caudex - it is among the slowest-growing and longest-lived trees on Earth, taking many centuries to millennia. It needs enormous space and warmth outdoors (USDA 10b-11); in any colder climate it is grown only as a slow potted curiosity or caudex bonsai, kept nearly dry and frost-free in winter, when it is deciduous in the dry season. It is bat-pollinated in the wild. The dry fruit pulp (very high in vitamin C - "baobab powder" is this pulp) and the young leaves are eaten, so it is parts-edible.
Height
1.5-5 ft
Spread
1.5-4 ft
Baobab is one of the slowest-growing trees on Earth, so the first year is about a tiny seedling settling its roots, not visible height. Give it the hottest, brightest spot, very sharp drainage, and only sparing water in the warm season; keep it bone-dry and frost-free in winter, when it naturally drops its leaves. In any cold-winter climate start it in a deep, free-draining pot that can be moved under cover.
Moringa
Fast-growing, slender, soft-wooded tropical tree with airy tripinnate foliage and long 'drumstick' pods; native to NW India (GBIF), grown across Africa; frost-tender, drought-tolerant, often coppiced or grown as an annual for leaves
Height
4-12 ft
Spread
2.4-4.5 ft
Exceptionally fast from seed or cutting in heat: a single warm season can produce a tall, slender young tree, and where it is grown as a coppiced shrub or warm-season annual it is already yielding tender leaves and even some pods this first year. It is killed outright by frost, so in cold climates this is a potted or annual plant kept frost-free.
Marula
Large spreading, round-crowned savanna tree (about 18 to 35 feet) with grey bark, compound leaves, and heavy crops of plum-sized yellow fruit; frost-tender, drought-deciduous, and dioecious - separate male and female trees, so a female with a male nearby is needed to fruit.
Height
2.2-4.2 ft
Spread
1.8-3 ft
Establishment year: a young tree builds deep roots and a single leader with compound leaves; in frost-free warmth and full sun it grows steadily but is years away from flowering or fruiting, and you cannot yet tell a male from a female tree.
African tulip tree
Large, fast-growing tropical tree with a dense, rounded crown of glossy compound leaves and showy upturned clusters of big, frilly, scarlet-to-orange, tulip-shaped flowers; the boat-shaped buds hold water. Frost-tender and full-sun-loving, it reaches 20 to 40 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide and needs real space. INVASIVE WARNING (load-bearing): it is one of the IUCN "100 of the world's worst invasive species" and has overrun wet-tropical forests across the Pacific, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and parts of Asia and Australia; its flowers can also kill native bees. Plant it ONLY where it is native or cannot escape, and check it is not prohibited locally.
Height
4-8 ft
Spread
2.7-5.4 ft
Establishes fast in warm, frost-free conditions, putting on height quickly.
Sweet thorn
A tough, adaptable African thorn tree with a rounded crown, fine bipinnate leaves, and conspicuous paired WHITE THORNS along the branches, smothered in sweetly fragrant, golden, puff-ball flowers in summer; the 'sweet thorn' (recently moved from Acacia to Vachellia). It is one of the hardier and most adaptable African trees - frost-tender but hardy to about USDA zone 9 once established - drought-tolerant, fast, and undemanding in full sun. It is THORNY, carrying long, sharp, paired white spines, so it must be sited away from paths and play areas. It fixes nitrogen, makes an excellent fodder and shade tree, and the flowers are a superb bee plant and a noted honey source. The gum is edible as a gum-arabic substitute, but the tree is grown for shade and wildlife rather than for food.
Height
1.5-3.8 ft
Spread
14-29"
A fast-establishing young tree in a frost-free, full-sun site, already throwing up thorny shoots and beginning to fix nitrogen; quick to root and grow but killed outright by frost, so it is kept frost-free in any marginal climate.
Tamarind
Large, long-lived, slow-growing spreading tropical tree (20 to 40 feet) with a dense evergreen feathery crown; frost-tender, drought-tolerant once established
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
2-3.5 ft
A young seedling or sapling in a frost-free site, putting on its first feathery leaves; it needs warmth, full sun, and good drainage, grows slowly, and is killed by frost - in cold climates this stage lives in a pot kept frost-free.
Lion's ear (wild dagga)
Fast-growing, soft-woody evergreen shrub with erect square stems and tiered whorls of orange tubular flowers.
Height
2.3-4.4 ft
Spread
16-24"
Rapid first-season growth from seed or cuttings; soft upright stems with first flower whorls in a warm site.
Cape honeysuckle
Evergreen, scrambling/suckering shrub that can be hedged or trained tall on support.
Height
2.4-4 ft
Spread
1.8-3.5 ft
Establishes from a cutting or rooted sucker; produces flexible scrambling stems and first flushes of bloom.
Angel's fishing rod
Arching, evergreen cormous perennial forming grassy clumps with tall wiry stems of pendulous bell-shaped flowers.
Height
16-24"
Spread
5-8"
Establishes a grassy tuft of narrow leaves from a young corm; may not flower freely in its first year.
Pineapple lily
Deciduous, summer-growing bulb forming a basal leaf rosette topped by a bract-crowned flower spike.
Height
10-24"
Spread
4-8"
Newly planted bulb establishes a leaf rosette; may flower modestly or skip the first year.
Blood lily
Summer-growing bulbous geophyte sending up a leafless stem topped by a spherical scarlet umbel above a tuft of broad leaves.
Height
9-20"
Spread
3-8"
Newly planted bulb establishes roots and a first flush of foliage; may flower modestly or skip bloom the first season.
Stalked bulbine (snake flower)
Low, spreading clump of grassy succulent grey-green leaves topped by 12 inches spikes of yellow-to-orange flowers.
Height
4-11"
Spread
14-24"
Establishes a tidy basal rosette-like clump of succulent leaves and begins flowering within the first season from cuttings or seed.
Trailing African daisy
Low, mat-forming to sprawling evergreen perennial that spreads by creeping rooted runners; semi-succulent stems up to about 20 inches long trail to make a groundcover or cascade over rocks and walls.
Height
2-10"
Spread
8-16"
From a spring-planted cutting or division, establishes a low rosette of grey-green leaves and begins to send out short trailing stems with first flowers by late summer.
Barberton daisy
Tufted, clump-forming evergreen perennial herb with a basal rosette of lobed leaves and naked flowering scapes, each bearing one solitary daisy-like flowerhead.
Height
7-10"
Spread
5-8"
Establishes a basal rosette from seed, division, or a young plant; first flush of flowering scapes appears as the crown settles in.
Belladonna lily
Deciduous bulbous geophyte forming a clump of large bulbs; bare flowering scapes 12-24 in (12 to 24 inches) rise in late summer to autumn, with strap-shaped basal foliage following after bloom and dying back in summer dormancy.
Height
7-10"
Spread
4-5"
Newly planted bulb establishes roots and foliage; often skips flowering or blooms sparsely in the first autumn while settling in.
Forest lily
Clump-forming bulbous geophyte with a basal rosette of glossy, wavy-margined strap leaves and an erect flower scape carrying a dense oval raceme of pendent tubular blooms.
Height
5-10"
Spread
5-6"
Seedling or offset establishes a small rosette of strap leaves from the bulb; typically no flower scape in the first year.
Krantz aloe
Large, multi-stemmed sprawling succulent shrub forming a candelabra of branches, each tipped with a rosette of fleshy, toothed, recurved blue-green leaves.
Height
2-3.9 ft
Spread
15-25"
Rooted cutting or young rosette establishes a single thick stem; little branching yet.
Soap aloe
Stemless, clump-forming evergreen succulent with a basal rosette of broad, spotted leaves, spreading by offsets (suckers) into colonies; flower spikes rise well above the foliage in branched, flat-topped racemes.
Height
6-12"
Spread
6-13"
Establishes a single spotted rosette from offset or seedling; roots in and begins to firm up; usually too young to flower.
Ivy-leaved geranium
Trailing, scrambling semi-succulent perennial with long, slender, somewhat fleshy stems that cascade or climb through nearby vegetation, clothed in glossy ivy-shaped leaves.
Height
4-8"
Spread
11-22"
From a spring cutting or transplant, establishes a low mound and begins trailing; flowers the first season in containers.
Montbretia (garden hybrid)
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial growing from corms, with erect fans of arching sword-shaped leaves and wiry, often-zigzag flowering stems bearing one-sided sprays of orange flowers; spreads into dense colonies by corm offsets.
Height
9-18"
Spread
1-5"
Corms planted in spring sprout fans of sword-shaped leaves and a few flowering stems; clump is small and not yet at full height.
English oak
Massive, broadly spreading deciduous tree with a domed, asymmetrical crown; stout ascending branches and a thick, deeply furrowed grey-brown trunk; open-grown specimens develop a wide, irregular silhouette wider than tall at maturity.
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Slow-establishing sapling, typically 4.9 to 6.6 feet; root development prioritised over top growth in early years
Kousa dogwood
Multi-stemmed to single-trunked small deciduous tree with a broadly rounded to vase-shaped crown; horizontally tiered branching becomes increasingly architectural with age; attractive exfoliating bark revealed in winter.
Height
2.3-3.8 ft
Spread
1.8-3 ft
Slow to establish; typically 2 to 4 feet tall after 3 years from a nursery-size transplant; minimal flowering
Cherry laurel
Vigorous, densely branched evergreen shrub or small tree with a broadly upright to spreading crown; responds strongly to clipping and can be maintained as a formal hedge or left to develop a natural multi-stemmed form
Height
6-18"
Spread
5-12"
Establishes slowly in first season; modest shoot extension once roots settle.
Atlas cedar
Large, broadly conical to flat-topped evergreen conifer. Young trees are narrowly pyramidal; with age the crown widens and the top flattens into the characteristic cedar silhouette. Branches are borne in tiered horizontal to slightly ascending whorls. Needles are 0.4 to 1 inch, borne in dense rosette-like clusters on short shoots, typically blue-grey to glaucous silver-green. Bark is dark grey and fissured on mature trunks.
Height
9-11 ft
Spread
4-6 ft
Young pyramid 13 to 16 feet tall; establishing root system; slow early growth
Japanese Box
Dense, compact, rounded to broadly mounding evergreen shrub with fine-textured small oval leaves. Holds its form well without clipping but responds readily to shearing into geometrical shapes.
Height
2-5"
Spread
2-6"
Establishes slowly from rooted cutting; minimal above-ground growth in year one as roots develop
Filbert
Large, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree with a broad, rounded, suckering crown. Stems are upright and arching; bark is smooth grey-brown. Leaves are broadly ovate with a pointed tip, doubly serrate, softly hairy, turning yellow in autumn. The cultivar 'Purpurea' holds deep wine-purple foliage through the season.
Height
3-4.9 ft
Spread
22-35"
Establishes basal root system; 3.3 to 4.9 feet tall with a few upright stems; light nut production unlikely
Japanese flowering cherry
Small to medium deciduous tree with a spreading, layered, vase-shaped to broadly domed crown; chestnut-brown bark with conspicuous horizontal lenticels; alternately arranged ovate-lanceolate leaves turning yellow, red, or crimson in autumn.
Height
5.2-7.8 ft
Spread
3-4.5 ft
Grafted specimens establish relatively quickly; expect 4.9 to 6.6 feet of upright growth by year 3, with the characteristic branching framework beginning to develop.
Yulan magnolia
Deciduous small to medium tree with a low, rounded to broadly spreading crown; branches notably thick for the tree's size, developing a tiered architectural silhouette at maturity
Height
2-3 ft
Spread
18-30"
Slow establishment year; little top growth while roots develop.
Kobus magnolia
Deciduous small-to-medium tree with a broadly rounded to spreading crown; often multi-stemmed when young, developing a single trunk with age; slow-growing with graceful tiered branching.
Height
2.5-3 ft
Spread
2.5-3.5 ft
Slow-growing young tree, typically 3 to 5 feet tall; little to no flowering at this stage - patience required
Tea plant
Upright to broadly rounded evergreen shrub with dense, layered branching; left unpruned gradually becomes a small multi-stemmed tree. Commercially pruned flat to knee height; in gardens naturally mounds to 6 to 10 feet over many years.
Height
4-12"
Spread
4-10"
Slow to establish; seedling or rooted cutting reaches 6–12 in; root development dominates over top growth
Persian lilac
Deciduous multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded, slightly arching form; slender branches carry lance-shaped to ovate leaves and bear terminal panicles of fragrant pale-lilac flowers on the previous season's wood each spring.
Height
14-29"
Spread
15-30"
Establishes root system; modest upright growth to 18–24 in; first light flowering may occur
Mountain Clematis
Vigorous deciduous climber that scrambles by twisting leaf-stalks around supports, producing long arching stems that cascade over walls, fences, pergolas, and large trees.
Height
1.2-4 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Establishes slowly; little top growth while roots develop; may reach 1.6 to 3.3 feet
Saucer Magnolia
Deciduous multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree with a broad, rounded crown; stout upright branches clad in smooth gray bark. Flowers appear on bare branches in early spring before foliage; large alternate oval leaves emerge mid-spring and turn yellow in autumn. Often wider than tall at maturity.
Height
2.3-3.8 ft
Spread
18-30"
Young grafted plant establishes slowly; may produce first few blooms by year 3–5; seedling-grown plants may not flower for 10+ years
Japanese apricot
Spreading, rounded-crown deciduous tree with sinuous, picturesque branching. Bark smooth grey on young stems, becoming furrowed and dark on older trunks. Leaves emerge after flowers, ovate with a drawn-out tip and finely serrate margin.
Height
2.6-5 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Establishes root system; may produce first tentative flush of flowers on young wood by year 3 in good conditions
Fraser Photinia
Large, upright to slightly rounded evergreen shrub with a dense branching structure. Produces vivid scarlet new-growth flushes in spring and again in summer and autumn, fading to lustrous dark green with age. Fast-growing when young; slows at maturity.
Height
12-29"
Spread
6-14"
Establishes slowly in first season; modest 12 to 24 inches of new growth expected.
English Yew
Broadly conical to rounded multi-stemmed evergreen tree with densely set, flat dark-green needles arranged in two ranks on horizontal sprays; extremely slow-growing; bark reddish-brown and flaking in thin scales; female plants bear bright red fleshy arils in late summer.
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
12-30"
Slow-growing; reaches roughly 24 to 35 inches after 5 years from planting; dense but compact
Scots pine
Large, long-lived evergreen conifer with a conical form when young, becoming irregular and flat-topped or dome-shaped with age. Trunk is tall and straight with warm orange-red bark on the upper portion, grading to scaly gray-brown at the base. Paired blue-green needles 1 to 2 inches long are retained 2–9 years. Produces small (1–3 inch) pointed brown cones that persist on branches for several seasons before releasing winged seeds.
Height
4-8 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Slow-growing pyramid 2 to 4 feet tall; establishing deep taproot; needles already distinctly blue-green
English Holly
Upright, broadly conical evergreen shrub or small tree with dense, spiny foliage from base to tip; naturally forms a tight pyramid when open-grown; suckers modestly at the base in undisturbed settings.
Height
8-24"
Spread
6-18"
Slow establishment; typically 12 to 18 inches tall after three years from a 2-litre pot; dense but compact
Sweet box
Rounded, densely branched, suckering evergreen shrub with glossy, lance-ovate leaves. Spreads slowly outward by underground suckers to form a colony; young plants are upright; mature specimens become broadly mounded.
Height
2-8"
Spread
2-4"
Establishes slowly; little visible top growth in the first year as roots develop
Japanese Aralia
Upright, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a bold, architectural, tropical-looking mound of large palmate leaves held on long petioles; stems are unbranched when young and develop a candelabra silhouette with age.
Height
4-19"
Spread
4-19"
Establishes slowly in its first season; produces a rosette of large leaves at low height while roots develop.
Japanese laurel
Dense, rounded, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with thick, glossy, opposite leaves on stout green stems. Grows slowly, maintaining a tidy mounded form without regular pruning.
Height
7-12"
Spread
5-7"
Slow establishment; typically 6 to 12 inches of new growth in first season
David viburnum
A compact, dome-shaped evergreen shrub forming a low mound of bold, glossy foliage. Grows slowly to about 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, with stiff, arching stems clad in large oval leaves up to 6 inches long that display three prominently impressed veins running the length of the blade. Flowers in flat white corymbs in late spring; fruit matures to a distinctive oval metallic turquoise-blue drupe in late summer and autumn, but only when male and female plants are grown together (Wikipedia). The neat, dense habit and bold leaf texture give it strong ground-cover and structure value year-round.
Height
11-18"
Spread
9-15"
Slow to establish; puts energy into roots. Foliage bold from the start but the plant barely gains height the first season.
Star jasmine
Evergreen woody twining vine (liana); climbs by stem twining and can also be grown as a sprawling groundcover. Stems exude milky white latex when cut. Dense, self-layering growth; old plants build substantial woody trunks.
Height
14-18"
Spread
10-24"
Establishes slowly in year one; a rooted cutting or small plant may grow 12 to 24 inches of new stem. Focus is root development, not top growth.
English ivy
Self-clinging evergreen woody vine; grows as dense groundcover to 6 to 12 inches tall, or climbs vertical surfaces to 30+ feet via aerial rootlets
Height
2-4"
Spread
5-18"
Slow to establish in the first season; roots are developing and spread is limited.
Common Periwinkle
Trailing, mat-forming evergreen subshrub with slender stems that root where they touch the ground, building dense clonal colonies. Leaves are opposite, glossy dark green, and leathery; flowers are solitary in leaf axils with a distinctive five-lobed pinwheel corolla.
Height
2-5"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes root system; stems begin to root at nodes; limited lateral spread in year one
Creeping Cotoneaster
Prostrate to low-mounding deciduous shrub with stiffly horizontal, two-ranked herringbone branches that fan outward in flat tiers. Self-pegs to the ground and will cascade down retaining walls. Bare-stemmed in winter, the angular branch silhouette remains ornamental year-round.
Height
4-6"
Spread
5-7"
Slow to establish; low mound, few branches
Scotch broom
Multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with erect then arching, green ribbed photosynthetic stems; nearly leafless in winter; profusely flowering in spring
Height
9-30"
Spread
7-19"
Fast early growth from seed or transplant; 12 to 24 inches in first season on well-drained soil
Winter daphne
Compact, rounded broadleaf-evergreen shrub with an open branching framework and glossy dark-green foliage
Height
8-14"
Spread
7-12"
Slow to establish; sensitive to root disturbance at planting - handle carefully and avoid disturbing after siting.
Japanese Pittosporum
Rounded, dome-forming evergreen shrub with dense, tiered branching. Leaves are obovate, leathery, and clustered conspicuously at branch tips, giving a neat architectural appearance. Can be sheared tightly or allowed to develop a natural mounding form. In ideal conditions may grow into a small multi-stemmed tree to 33 feet, though garden specimens rarely exceed 10 to 12 feet.
Height
14-24"
Spread
14-24"
Establishes slowly; small mounded plant 18-24 in, building root system
Heavenly bamboo
Upright, multi-stemmed broadleaf evergreen shrub with cane-like unbranched stems and finely divided pinnate foliage; spreads slowly by rhizomes and, in mild regions, by bird-dispersed seed
Height
10-17"
Spread
4-9"
Slow establishment year; root system building, top growth modest.
Katsura tree
Large deciduous tree with a broad, rounded to pyramidal crown; often multi-stemmed from the base; smooth to shallowly furrowed grey-brown bark on mature trunks
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Slow establishment year; focus on consistent moisture.
Persian ironwood
Broadly spreading, low-branched deciduous tree with a rounded to wide-domed crown; often multi-stemmed, with horizontal layers of tiered branching that give a sculptural silhouette in winter. Bark is smooth and exfoliating, flaking like a plane tree to reveal a patchwork of cinnamon, pink, green, and pale-cream tones.
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Slow-growing young tree; 3.3 to 6.6 feet tall by year 5 in most garden soils; patience required
Paperbark maple
Upright, narrowly oval to broadly oval deciduous small tree; multi-season interest from exfoliating cinnamon bark and brilliant autumn foliage
Height
2-3 ft
Spread
19-29"
Slow establishment; roots settle, top growth minimal - less than 6 inches in year one.
Golden Rain Tree
Small to medium deciduous tree with a broad, dome-shaped crown. Pinnately compound leaves give a fine-textured appearance in summer; large terminal panicles of yellow flowers appear in midsummer. The distinctive inflated, papery, three-valved seed pods turn pink-orange in autumn and persist into winter. Bark is grayish-brown with shallow furrows on mature trunks.
Height
3.8-6 ft
Spread
3-4.8 ft
Young tree establishing; single leader with sparse branching, reaching roughly 4 to 5 feet; minimal crown spread
Cabbage tree
Upright, palm-like evergreen tree forming a stout unbranched trunk in youth, then branching repeatedly after each flowering to produce a candelabra-like crown of arching, sword-shaped grey-green leaves up to 3.3 feet long.
Height
2-3.3 ft
Spread
12-19"
Juvenile rosette stage - unbranched, low crown of leaves, no trunk evident yet; typically 1.6 to 3.3 feet tall
Mountain hydrangea
Compact, rounded, woody deciduous flowering shrub with serrated foliage and flat lacecap flowerheads
Height
8-17"
Spread
8-17"
Establishes a root system in its first season; modest above-ground growth as energy goes into anchoring; may flower lightly or not at all.
Wintersweet
Upright to multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with arching branches; open habit in winter reveals flowers on bare wood; coarse, unremarkable foliage mass in summer
Height
2.5-3.8 ft
Spread
19-29"
Slow establishment; young plants rarely flower before year 5–7 when grown from cuttings
Koreanspice viburnum
Broadly rounded, densely branched deciduous shrub with a slow growth rate; multi-stemmed from the base with arching branches that give a symmetrical, dome-shaped outline at maturity.
Height
12-18"
Spread
12-18"
Slow-growing; establishes root system in years 1-2 with modest top growth, typically 12-18 in tall
Bodnant viburnum
Upright multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a vase-shaped to broadly columnar form; suckering habit produces a thicket of erect stems over time
Height
11-18"
Spread
7-13"
Establishes slowly; may produce a few flower stems in first winter if planted in autumn.
Bluebeard
Compact, mounding, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with upright to slightly arching stems; dies back to the base in colder parts of its range and regrows each spring
Height
12-21"
Spread
11-19"
A nursery transplant establishes quickly and will bloom its first summer on new wood, though the shrub is still small and mounding.
European Honeysuckle
Vigorous deciduous twining climber with arching stems that spiral clockwise around supports; shoots can reach 9.8 to 23 feet in a season once established, producing new growth from the base each year.
Height
6-28"
Spread
4-16"
Establishment year; root system developing, top growth modest - 1.6 to 3.3 feet of new shoot
Seven-son flower
Upright multi-stemmed deciduous large shrub or small tree with an arching, open crown. Produces ornamental exfoliating tan-to-cinnamon bark on mature stems. Develops a suckering, spreading root system over time.
Height
12-24"
Spread
10-18"
Establishment year; modest top growth as roots settle; 12 to 24 inches of new growth typical
Harlequin glorybower
Deciduous multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree with a broad, spreading crown; produces continuous basal shoots and root suckers that spread outward from the trunk each season
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
14-27"
Young plant establishes slowly in its first season; top growth is modest but the root system is already beginning to spread. Little or no bloom in year one from a container start.
Red escallonia
Dense, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with arching branches; glossy, oval, serrated dark-green leaves and sticky-resinous young stems. Bark starts red and rough-haired, aging to gray and furrowed.
Height
5-18"
Spread
4-12"
Establishes root system; modest above-ground growth of 8 to 12 inches in first season
Sasanqua camellia
Upright to spreading evergreen shrub with a naturally layered, open-branched silhouette; vigorous and faster-growing than Camellia japonica; becomes tree-like with age in mild climates.
Height
9-22"
Spread
6-14"
Slow to establish; 12 to 24 inches of growth in the first two years; shallow roots settling in.
Glossy Abelia
Multi-stemmed, rounded to broadly mounding shrub with gracefully arching branches; semi-evergreen in mild winters, deciduous where temperatures fall hard. Stems are slender and slightly pendulous at the tips, giving a soft, fountain-like silhouette.
Height
10-18"
Spread
10-14"
Establishes root system; modest top growth, 10 to 18 inches tall from a container-grown plant
Silk Tassel Bush
Erect, bushy, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub forming a roughly spherical crown. Branches spread outward and slightly arching; the overall silhouette is dense and rounded. Can be trained against a wall where it fans outward elegantly.
Height
1.4-3.2 ft
Spread
11-25"
Slow to establish; reaches knee height by end of year 2 under good conditions
Cotton Lavender
Dense, mound-forming evergreen subshrub with spreading, intricately branched stems clothed in narrow, silver-grey, pinnately divided aromatic leaves. Slender upright stems carry solitary yellow button flower heads well above the foliage in midsummer. Naturally compact but inclined to become open and woody without annual pruning.
Height
8-11"
Spread
6-11"
Establishes quickly in well-drained soil; compact mound of silver foliage by first summer
Silverbush
Low, spreading, dome-shaped evergreen mound of intensely silver silky-haired foliage
Height
11-22"
Spread
10-19"
Establishes slowly in the first year; roots into well-drained substrate and puts on modest leafy growth. Flowers sparingly if planted in spring.
Tree Germander
Wide-spreading, mound-forming evergreen shrub with arching, white-felted stems. Growth is vigorous and sprawling rather than upright; mature specimens are far wider than they are tall.
Height
8-11"
Spread
14-23"
Establishes slowly in first season; focuses energy on root development; modest above-ground extension
Curry plant
Compact, mounded evergreen sub-shrub; woody at the base with densely branched silver-grey aromatic stems; retains foliage year-round in mild climates
Height
9-12"
Spread
5-11"
Establishes quickly in warm, well-drained conditions; already a recognizable silver mound by end of first growing season.
Shrubby scorpion vetch
Rounded, mounding evergreen shrub with slender, somewhat lax stems; pinnate blue-green to mid-green leaves give a fine-textured, airy appearance; growth rate is moderate and the plant stays fairly compact (commonly knee- to waist-high, taller in mild gardens) without pruning.
Height
7-14"
Spread
6-12"
Establishes slowly; may reach 10 to 12 inches in a warm first season; focus is root establishment.
Grecian horehound
Low, dome-shaped evergreen subshrub with upright then arching stems densely clothed in opposite, nearly circular, silver-grey felted leaves; forms a tight mound at maturity without staking or support.
Height
6-8"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes slowly in year one; forms a low rosette of felted shoots, typically 6-8 in tall
Common hawthorn
Deciduous small tree or large multistemmed shrub with a dense, rounded to irregular crown, stiff thorny branches, and deeply lobed leaves. Forms impenetrable hedges when closely planted and hard-pruned; left unpruned it develops into a picturesque gnarled specimen tree.
Height
1.5-4.9 ft
Spread
12-24"
Young sapling; vigorous root establishment but slow above-ground growth in the first few years; already bearing thorns
Snowy mespilus
Upright multi-stemmed small deciduous tree with an oval to broadly rounded crown; branches ascending then arching; often suckering at the base to form a thicket-like clump if not pruned.
Height
4-6.6 ft
Spread
2.9-4.7 ft
Establishes root system; reaches roughly 4.9 to 6.6 feet, first flowering by year 2–3
Flowering Currant
Multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with arching branches; upright when young, becoming broader and more open with age. Palmate, lobed leaves have a resinous, gooseberry-like scent when crushed. Pendant flower racemes 2 to 4 inches long emerge alongside or just before the leaves in early spring.
Height
14-24"
Spread
9-18"
Establishes root system; modest top growth, may flower lightly in first spring if planted as a rooted cutting or potted specimen
Snowberry
Upright to arching, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub that spreads by rhizomes to form dense colonies. Stems are slender and twiggy; leaves are small, opposite, and oval. Bell-shaped pink flowers appear in summer, followed by conspicuous snow-white berries that persist through autumn and into early winter.
Height
8-16"
Spread
7-13"
Establishes slowly in year one; minimal top growth while roots spread.
Blackthorn
Multi-stemmed, densely branched deciduous shrub with stiff, interlacing, spine-tipped branches. Spreads vigorously by root suckers to form impenetrable thickets. Bark is dark grey-brown, nearly black on older wood - the feature that gives it its common name.
Height
1.6-3.3 ft
Spread
14-27"
Establishing; young plants put energy into root system and produce only sparse branching; suckers may appear around the base.
Red valerian
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with glaucous, branching stems and dense terminal flower corymbs; often behaves as a short-lived perennial that perpetuates by prolific self-seeding.
Height
14-22"
Spread
10-13"
Establishes quickly from seed or transplant; flowers in first year if planted early; self-sown seedlings may exceed transplants in vigour
Bear's breeches
Clump-forming, upright-flowering perennial with a large basal rosette of deeply lobed, glossy dark-green leaves to 20 inches long; sends up stiff erect spikes of hooded white and purple flowers in summer; spreads slowly by tuberous roots to form substantial colonies.
Height
7-14"
Spread
5-9"
Establishes slowly in year one; foliage rosette present but compact; unlikely to flower
Siberian bugloss
Low mounding, slowly spreading rhizomatous groundcover; evergreen foliage in mild winters, semi-evergreen to herbaceous in cold zones
Height
6-9"
Spread
7-12"
Establishes a small crown; modest foliage, may flower lightly if planted in spring.
Great Masterwort
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with deeply palmate basal leaves and branching stems bearing compound umbel flowerheads; dies back fully in winter.
Height
10-14"
Spread
5-6"
Establishes slowly in year one; may produce scattered flowers but energy goes to root development
Elephant's ears
Low, clump-forming evergreen perennial with a spreading rosette of large basal leaves arising from thick, fleshy surface rhizomes. Leafless flower stems rise 6 to 16 inches above the foliage in early-to-mid spring.
Height
8-14"
Spread
7-10"
Establishes basal rosette; may flower lightly in first spring if planted in autumn; rhizomes begin creeping by end of season
Common Lungwort
Low, clump-forming rosette of basal leaves spreading by short rhizomes; semi-evergreen in mild winters, dying back in cold climates.
Height
6-10"
Spread
7-10"
Establishes a basal rosette; blooms lightly in first spring if planted early; spread limited while roots develop
Barrenwort
Low, slowly spreading mound of wiry stems bearing biternate compound leaves; deciduous with attractive copper flush on new spring growth; rhizomatous but not aggressively spreading.
Height
4-6"
Spread
2-4"
Slow establishment; plant may not flower strongly in year 1 as energy goes to root development.
Balloon flower
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with erect stems; dies back fully to the ground in autumn and reappears very late in spring
Height
8-15"
Spread
4-6"
Establishes slowly from a fleshy root; modest top growth in year one, may not bloom until late in the season or hold bloom back entirely.
Toad Lily
Upright, arching herbaceous stems clad in alternate, broadly ovate, hairy leaves that clasp the stem; stems may arch or flop at full height, forming an open clump that dies back to ground level in winter.
Height
14-22"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes slowly; may flower sparsely in the first year if planted in spring
Japanese Iris
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with strap-shaped, erect leaves and tall flower stems rising well above the foliage in midsummer. Dies back to the ground in winter.
Height
12-18"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes slowly; may produce only one or two stems; foliage reaches half mature height
Lilyturf
Clump-forming evergreen perennial with arching, strap-like dark-green leaves arising from a fibrous root system with short rhizomes; spreads slowly to form dense weed-suppressing mats.
Height
7-11"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes slowly in year one; foliage fills in but clump remains modest. Flowering may be sparse.
Mondo Grass
Low, dense, evergreen groundcover forming a spreading turf of narrow, arching, dark green leaves 8 to 16 inches long. Spreads steadily by fleshy underground stolons to create a weed-suppressing mat; individual clumps become indistinguishable in established plantings.
Height
6-8"
Spread
4-7"
Establishes slowly in year one; foliage reaches near-mature height but spread is limited to the original clump.
Weeping forsythia
Arching, weeping, wide-spreading deciduous shrub with pendent stems that root on contact with soil
Height
2.4-3 ft
Spread
18-30"
Root establishment; modest top growth; few arching canes.
Thunberg Spirea
Arching, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub forming a rounded mound of slender, wiry branches clothed in narrow, willow-like leaves; stems arch gracefully outward giving a fountain-like silhouette.
Height
14-18"
Spread
12-15"
Establishes root system; moderate shoot growth reaching 12–18 in; sparse bloom in first spring after planting
Redvein enkianthus
Upright, tiered, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with whorled branching that creates a layered architectural silhouette. Slow-growing and narrowly vase-shaped when young, gradually broadening with age.
Height
14-27"
Spread
6-12"
Slow establishment; may reach 18 to 24 inches; tiered branching structure beginning to form
Doublefile viburnum
Deciduous multi-stemmed shrub with strongly tiered, horizontal branching that gives a layered, architectural silhouette wider than tall at maturity. Branches arranged in distinct horizontal planes, especially pronounced in the f. tomentosum (doublefile) cultivars.
Height
21-30"
Spread
19-34"
Young plant establishing; branching pattern beginning to show but still upright
Thunberg Bush Clover
Clump-forming subshrub with long, slender, arching stems that rise from a woody base, weeping outward under the weight of their terminal racemes to form a broad fountain shape; stems die back to near ground level each winter and re-shoot vigorously in spring.
Height
17-29"
Spread
12-18"
Establishes slowly; stems reach knee height in first season from the woody crown, flowering lightly if at all.
Redbud hazel
Multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a broadly rounded, open habit; slow-growing with arching branches carrying alternate heart-shaped leaves that strongly resemble those of Cercis. Spreads as wide as or wider than it is tall at maturity.
Height
14-24"
Spread
19-24"
Slow to establish; may reach 18 to 24 inches in ideal acid soil conditions
Japanese Holly
Dense, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a rounded to mounded form; very fine-textured twiggy branching; naturally compact and amenable to heavy formal clipping into hedges, balls, or topiary.
Height
7-19"
Spread
7-17"
Establishes slowly; young plants form a compact mound roughly 8-16 in tall by end of year 2.
Japanese Mahonia
Upright, suckering, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with bold pinnate foliage radiating from stiff, unbranched or lightly branched stems; spreads slowly by basal offshoots to form a dense colony over time.
Height
12-18"
Spread
12-19"
Establishes slowly; typically 16 to 20 inches tall with a few upright stems and characteristic pinnate leaves.
Chinese Fringe Flower
Evergreen multi-stemmed shrub with a mounding, broadly rounded habit and strongly horizontally layered branches. Purple-leaved cultivars (f. rubrum) are the most commonly sold; the straight species has green leaves with white flowers. Naturally dense, branching from the base.
Height
9-12"
Spread
7-10"
Establishment year; slow above-ground growth while roots develop; may reach 12 to 18 inches
Japanese Spindle
Dense, upright-to-rounded evergreen shrub with glossy, leathery opposite leaves. Multi-stemmed from the base, branching well without pruning to form a solid mass of foliage. Columnar in youth, broadening with age. Responds readily to clipping and can be trained as a formal hedge, standard, or wall shrub.
Height
6-14"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes root system; top growth modest - 8 to 12 inches of new shoot extension from a container-grown transplant.
Japanese Privet
Upright, densely branched evergreen shrub with thick glossy ovate leaves and smooth pale-grey bark; responds vigorously to shearing and can be trained into a formal hedge or small multi-stem tree to about 16 to 20 feet.
Height
9-29"
Spread
6-14"
Establishment year; root development limits top growth; reaches roughly 12 to 18 inches from a 15 cm liner.
Snowrose
Dense, rounded evergreen-to-semi-evergreen mound with extensively branching upright stems; forms a fine-textured bushy dome with small oval leaves that emit an unpleasant odour when bruised (Wikipedia).
Height
5-11"
Spread
5-9"
Establishes slowly from cuttings; reaches 6 to 8 inches in the first season under ideal conditions
Star magnolia
Slow-growing deciduous small tree or large multi-stemmed shrub with an upright oval form when young, gradually spreading and mounding with age. Bark is smooth and grey. Branches are densely set and the plant remains relatively compact compared with other magnolias.
Height
9-18"
Spread
9-18"
Slow establishment; typically 12 to 20 inches tall - may begin flowering at year 2–3
Japanese Stewartia
Upright-pyramidal when young, rounding with age; single or multi-trunked; exfoliating bark reveals a patchwork of orange, green, and grey on the trunk and limbs throughout the year
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
12-24"
Slow-establishing sapling; root system developing - do not move at this stage
Japanese Zelkova
Deciduous tree with a short trunk that divides into many upright, arching stems forming a broad vase-shaped to round-topped crown. Bark is smooth, grayish white to grayish brown, exfoliating in patches to reveal orange inner bark; lenticels are prominent on young stems. Alternately arranged, ovate to oblong-ovate leaves with sharply serrated margins and 8-14 pairs of impressed veins; rough texture above, paler and smoother beneath. Autumn color is reliably spectacular - yellow, orange, and deep red - varying by individual and cultivar.
Height
4-10 ft
Spread
3-8 ft
Young tree establishes a strong central leader with ascending branches; reaching roughly 8 to 12 feet; aggressive staking and watering help during this phase
Dawn redwood
Broadly conical deciduous conifer with a strong central leader, ascending branches, and a buttressed, fluted trunk clad in shaggy, exfoliating cinnamon-orange bark. Feathery, opposite, bright-green needles flush early in spring and turn warm foxy-red in autumn before shedding.
Height
7-10 ft
Spread
2.5-4 ft
Vigorous young tree 13 to 20 feet tall; strong leader established, feathery branching underway
Trident Maple
Deciduous tree with a rounded to oval crown; short trunk with ascending branches; exfoliating bark on mature specimens reveals orange-brown and grey patches; small three-lobed leaves on slender petioles give a fine-textured appearance throughout the growing season.
Height
1.5-4 ft
Spread
1.2-3 ft
Slow-establishing sapling; root system developing; 1.6 to 4.9 feet tall
Chinese Pistache
Deciduous, medium to large tree with a rounded to broadly spreading canopy. Single or multi-stemmed trunk with scaly, grey-brown bark. Pinnately compound leaves with 10–12 leaflets (terminal leaflet usually absent); brilliant scarlet, orange, and red autumn colour. Dioecious: male trees produce small reddish flower clusters in spring; female trees bear clusters of small drupes ripening from red to blue-black.
Height
4-6.6 ft
Spread
2.5-4 ft
Establishing; slow in first 1–2 years, then picking up pace; reaches roughly 6 to 8 feet
Loquat
Broad-crowned small to medium evergreen tree with a short trunk and rounded, spreading canopy. Large (up to 12 inches / 12 in) corrugated, dark-green glossy leaves are held year-round, giving dense shade beneath. New growth emerges bronze-felted. Flowers appear in terminal panicles in autumn and early winter; orange-yellow fruits ripen in tight clusters the following spring.
Height
14-29"
Spread
10-19"
Young sapling reaching 3.3 to 4.9 feet; establishes root system, begins showing characteristic large corrugated leaves
Japanese Plum
Upright to spreading deciduous tree with ascending purplish-reddish branches; forms a broad, rounded crown at maturity. Grown widely as a fruiting orchard tree and occasionally as an ornamental for spring blossom.
Height
3-3.9 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
Bare-root or container transplant establishes; little top-growth as roots settle; may reach 1.6 to 3.3 feet
Mandarin orange
Evergreen small to medium tree with a rounded, dense canopy; stems bear small thorns; short nearly wingless petioles; glossy dark-green lanceolate leaves; highly fragrant white flowers borne singly or in small axillary clusters in spring
Height
12-30"
Spread
10-24"
Young tree establishes slowly; 12 to 24 inches of growth in first two seasons; may bear a few exploratory fruits if grafted
Date plum
Broadly spreading deciduous tree with an open, somewhat horizontal branch structure. Bark is dark grey-brown, breaking into small rectangular plates with age. Leaves are ovate-elliptic, glossy dark green above, paler beneath, turning yellow in autumn. Small greenish-cream flowers appear in June–July, followed by ornamental fruits ripening from yellow to blue-black in October–November.
Height
2-4 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Establishes slowly; young tree 3.3 to 6.6 feet, sparse branching - patience required in the first few years
Lychee
Broad-canopied evergreen tree with a dense, rounded to spreading crown; pinnate glossy leaves cast medium to deep shade; older specimens develop a gnarled, picturesque trunk.
Height
1.2-4 ft
Spread
14-24"
Air-layered transplant establishes slowly; 3.3 to 6.6 feet seedling or grafted whip; minimal canopy.
Shiso
Upright, branching annual herb with square stems and opposite, broad-oval, serrated leaves. Green-leafed (var. frutescens) and purple-leafed (var. purpurascens) forms are both widely grown. Foliage is strongly aromatic with a distinctive anise-mint scent.
Height
2-3 ft
Spread
12-18"
Completes its full life cycle in one season; germinates in warm soil (above 64°F), reaches mature flowering height of 24 to 35 inches by midsummer, and sets seed by late summer or autumn before dying at first frost.
Japanese wisteria
Woody deciduous twining climber with clockwise-twining stems; in the wild it ascends tree canopies; in gardens it is typically trained flat against walls, over pergolas, or up arches. Old specimens develop thick, gnarled, rope-like trunks. Pinnate leaves emerge after the flowers in spring.
Height
2-3 ft
Spread
1-4 ft
Establishment year; modest whippy growth of 1.6 to 3.3 feet; no flowers expected
Chocolate vine
Vigorous twining woody climber with semi-evergreen to deciduous palmate foliage; stems spiral rapidly around any support and layer readily on the ground.
Height
1-3.3 ft
Spread
7-18"
Establishes root system; produces modest top growth of 3.3 to 6.6 feet if well-watered
Armand clematis
Vigorous, woody, evergreen climber that attaches by twining leaf-stalks (petioles); forms a dense curtain of long, dark-green trifoliate leaves on support structures, producing arching stems that can reach the top of a two-storey wall within several years.
Height
12-24"
Spread
6-14"
Establishes slowly; may not flower in first year while roots develop.
Climbing Hydrangea
Vigorous deciduous woody climber; ascends trees, walls, and structures via self-clinging aerial rootlets on stems. Develops a strong woody framework over time with exfoliating cinnamon-orange bark on mature stems. Branches grow outward in layered, horizontal tiers. Can also spread as a ground cover.
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
6-8"
Establishment year; little visible growth - plant is developing roots. May appear to do nothing at all.
Persian silk tree
Broad, spreading, flat-topped or vase-shaped deciduous tree with arching branches. Bark is dark greenish-grey, becoming vertically striped with age. Foliage is finely bipinnate and fern-like, closing at night and in rain (nyctinastic). Crown is typically as wide as or wider than tall at maturity.
Height
1.6-4 ft
Spread
1.6-4 ft
Establishes from transplant; seedlings or whips reach 3 to 5 feet in first season with good drainage and heat
Windmill Palm
Single-stemmed evergreen palm with a slender, upright trunk densely clad in brown fibrous leaf-sheath matting; crown a dense mop of stiff, pleated, dark green fan-shaped fronds radiating 24 to 35 inches from a central petiole. Slow to establish, but ultimately imposing. Trunk diameter 6 to 12 inches; no suckering.
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
15-30"
Slow-establishing juvenile: little visible trunk, rosette of fronds at ground level; patience required
Tiger Aloe
Compact evergreen succulent forming a low, dense rosette of spirally arranged, keeled, dark-green leaves with irregular white crossbands. Clump-forming over time via offsets. Sends up a single unbranched or slightly branched flower spike 8 to 12 inches tall.
Height
2-4"
Spread
3-4"
Single young rosette, 3-4 leaves visible; establishing root system in well-drained mix.
Zebra haworthia
Stemless or very short-stemmed succulent rosette, clumping slowly by basal offsets into a tight colony. Leaves are stiff, triangular and dark green with bold horizontal rows of white tubercles. In the true species the white tubercles are confined to the outer (abaxial) surface and the inner surface is smooth - the key identifier separating it from the near-identical, more commonly traded H. attenuata, which is tuberculate on both surfaces. Mature rosettes rarely exceed 4 inches tall.
Height
2-3"
Spread
1-2"
Establishes slowly; a rooted offset or seedling reaches roughly half mature height by end of first season under good light and infrequent watering.
Panda Plant
Slow-growing, erect evergreen succulent subshrub with densely felted, silver-white leaves edged in rust-brown; forms a compact, semi-woody clump that rarely exceeds knee height in cultivation.
Height
3-5"
Spread
2-4"
Slow to establish from cuttings; produces a small rosette of 4–8 leaves; vulnerable to root rot if overwatered.
String of buttons
Scrambling, rambling succulent with long unbranched stems and stacked perfoliate leaf pairs; spreads laterally as stems sprawl and root where they touch soil
Height
4-8"
Spread
4-7"
Young plant or rooted cutting establishing; upright stems with characteristic stacked leaf pairs, growing slowly while roots develop.
Hardy Ice Plant
Prostrate, mat-forming succulent ground cover; trailing stems root at nodes and spread outward, creating a dense, weed-suppressing carpet. Foliage turns reddish in cold temperatures.
Height
2-4"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes root system; blooms first summer if planted in spring; spread is modest
Ox-tongue
Clump-forming rosette succulent; leaves arranged distichously (in two opposite ranks) when young, spiralling in mature rosettes; slowly offsetting to form dense clumps. Evergreen, with upright to arching strap-shaped leaves heavily mottled white on dark green.
Height
2-3"
Spread
2-3"
Seedling or small offset establishing slowly; one or two pairs of leaves visible
Rooper's Red-Hot Poker
Clump-forming evergreen perennial with arching strap-shaped leaves emerging at an angle from the crown; tall, stiff scapes bear dense cylindrical torches of bicoloured tubular flowers. Foliage fans remain through winter but may become untidy by late season.
Height
14-17"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes a modest leaf fan in the first season; unlikely to flower unless transplanted as a large division.
Golden calla
Upright, clump-forming tuberous perennial with bold spotted basal foliage and tall-stemmed golden spathes purple-marked at the base
Height
11-22"
Spread
6-9"
From a spring-planted tuber in warm soil, large spotted leaves emerge quickly and a newly planted tuber often produces at least one golden spathe in its first summer, though flowering is typically modest.
Harlequin Flower
Upright, clump-forming cormous perennial. Produces a fan of narrow strap-like basal leaves in autumn, sends up slender branching stems bearing successive funnel-shaped flowers in spring, then dies back completely to a dormant corm through the dry summer months.
Height
4-10"
Spread
2-4"
First-season corm flowers freely if planted in autumn; reaches near-mature flowering height by spring
Blue daisy bush
Compact, rounded, evergreen subshrub with a woody base and freely branching stems; mound-forming in cultivation, often spreading as a low groundcover and capable of reaching about 3.3 feet where conditions suit
Height
6-12"
Spread
9-12"
Young plant establishes and begins bushing out; first flower flush appears in the first warm season if planted in spring.
Japanese Cedar
Strongly columnar to narrowly conical evergreen conifer; single straight trunk with whorled horizontal branching; awl-like spiral foliage; coppery-red fibrous bark peeling in vertical strips; small globular seed cones 0.4 to 0.8 inches diameter.
Height
4-6 ft
Spread
12-24"
Established sapling 6.6 to 9.8 feet tall; columnar form clearly established; bark beginning to show fibrous character
Japanese Umbrella Pine
Narrowly conical to columnar evergreen conifer with tiered, upswept branches bearing whorls of glossy dark-green cladodes at the tips; reddish-brown exfoliating bark on trunk and main stems.
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
12-24"
Slow establishment phase; typically 16 to 24 inches tall after five years from a 15 cm liner; tight pyramidal tip.
Japanese Plum Yew
Broad, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with horizontal to arching branches; needles arranged in two ranks along each shoot in a distinctive flat V-shape, dark green above with silvery stomatal bands beneath. Slow-growing with a medium-fine texture and a dense, layered silhouette.
Height
9-18"
Spread
7-20"
Slow establishment; dense low mound, typically under 18 inches tall
China Fir
Large pyramidal evergreen conifer with tiered, whorled branches, stiff lance-shaped needles, and a strong central leader when young; crown becomes more open and irregular with age, and dead foliage persists visibly on interior and lower branches.
Height
3-7.5 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Establishes root system; reaches roughly 4 to 6 feet with a narrow pyramidal shape; dead-needle accumulation begins on interior branches.
Buddhist Pine
Narrow columnar to broadly conical evergreen tree (often grown clipped as a large shrub); densely branched with whorled strap-shaped leaves arranged spirally on the shoot. Responds well to clipping and can be maintained as a formal column, cone, or hedge. Naturally multi-stemmed when young, becoming single-trunked with age. Very slow-growing.
Height
4-26"
Spread
2-12"
Slow-growing seedling or rooted cutting; 12 to 20 inches tall; dense juvenile foliage; establish irrigation in first two seasons
Golden Larch
Broadly conical deciduous conifer with tiered, horizontal branching and a strong central leader; develops a wide, open crown at maturity. Needles are borne in rosette-like clusters on short spurs on older wood and spirally on long shoots.
Height
5-10 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
Slow-growing sapling, typically 4.9 to 9.8 feet tall; growth even slower in cool-summer climates
Chinese astilbe
Clump-forming, upright-to-mounding herbaceous perennial with basal rosettes of finely divided ternate compound leaves and erect flowering stems bearing dense, plume-like panicles.
Height
7-14"
Spread
6-8"
Establishes slowly in year one; may produce limited flower spikes; energy goes to root development
Rodgersia
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial that spreads slowly by stout underground rhizomes, building into a broad, bold colony over several years with upright stems bearing large palmate leaves.
Height
12-20"
Spread
10-16"
Establishes slowly; single crown, modest leaf canopy in first season - patience required
Leopard Plant
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial with large, broadly heart-shaped, toothed basal leaves on long crimson stalks and erect flowering stems that rise well above the foliage canopy.
Height
16-24"
Spread
13-14"
Establishes slowly; smaller leaf size and possibly no flowers in first season; prioritises root development
Tractor-seat plant
Clump-forming evergreen perennial with large basal leaves on long petioles arising from a shallow rhizome. In cold winters the foliage blackens at temperatures much below 23°F; the rhizome usually survives and re-sprouts in spring in zone 7b.
Height
7-10"
Spread
5-7"
Establishes slowly; produces a handful of leaves from rhizome; no flowers in first year from small divisions.
Japanese forest grass
Deciduous, clump-forming bunchgrass with gracefully arching, cascading leaf blades that create a rounded fountain shape. Slowly spreads via rhizomes but is not invasive. Foliage rustles audibly in a breeze. Dies back to ground in winter.
Height
4-5"
Spread
2-5"
Slow to establish; may look underwhelming the first season while roots develop
Yellow waxbells
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with arching stems; dies back to ground in winter and re-emerges in spring.
Height
7-14"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes slowly; may produce only a few stems and leaves while root system develops; no flowers expected in year one from bare-root.
Sea thrift
Tight, grass-like, evergreen mounding perennial that sends up wiry stems bearing globe-shaped pink flower heads; short-lived in heavy or moist soils and prone to going bare at the centre without periodic division
Height
4-8"
Spread
3-6"
Establishes a compact grass-like rosette; flowers modestly in its first season while rooting in.
Aubrieta
Low, mat-forming evergreen perennial spreading outward from a central crown; stems root where they touch soil; forms a continuous carpet 2 to 4 inches tall cascading over walls, banks, and rock edges.
Height
1-3"
Spread
4-8"
Establishes a rosette and begins spreading outward; may produce some bloom in first spring if planted in autumn
Carpathian harebell
Low, tidy mounding perennial with slender, freely branching stems rising from a compact basal rosette. Flowers are wide, upward-facing bells held singly on fine pedicels well above the foliage, giving a light, airy appearance. Stems die back fully to the ground each winter.
Height
4-11"
Spread
6-9"
Establishes from transplant or seed; flowers in first year if planted early, but bloom may be sparse while root system develops.
Cheddar Pink
Low, mat-forming evergreen cushion perennial with densely tufted, narrow, glaucous blue-grey foliage. Spreads slowly by vegetative offsets to form a ground-hugging carpet rarely exceeding 6 inches in height in leaf, with flowering stems rising to about 10 inches.
Height
3-5"
Spread
4-5"
Establishes a modest rosette in year one; minimal spread from a pot-grown transplant
Trumpet gentian
Low, spreading, evergreen mat-former with basal rosettes of glossy lanceolate leaves and solitary upright trumpet flowers held just above the foliage on very short stems.
Height
2"
Spread
2-4"
Establishes a small rosette; may not flower in first season
Perennial candytuft
Low, spreading, mat-forming evergreen subshrub
Height
4-7"
Spread
5-6"
Establishes and produces first modest bloom; root system developing.
English bluebell
Bulbous geophyte forming clumping colonies; basal strap-like leaves emerge in early spring followed by arching one-sided racemes of nodding tubular flowers; dies back completely by midsummer
Height
5-12"
Spread
2-3"
Bulb establishes; single stem may flower modestly or not at all in year one depending on bulb size at planting.
Amaryllis
Upright, clump-forming geophyte producing one to three leafless scapes per bulb, each topped with a cluster of two to five enormous trumpet-shaped flowers; strap-like basal leaves emerge with or just after the flowers and persist through the growing season before the plant enters summer dormancy.
Height
8-17"
Spread
7-11"
First-season bulb produces one to two scapes; may not achieve full scape height until bulb fattens through the growing season.
Glory of the Snow
Dwarf bulbous perennial forming low clumps of two strap-like basal leaves per bulb; foliage dies back completely by early summer. Spreads steadily by seed and bulb offsets to form dense colonies over several years.
Height
4-5"
Spread
0-1"
Single bulb flowers reliably in its first season; offsets not yet visible.
Autumn Crocus
Low-growing cormous perennial with a split season: bare goblet flowers in autumn, then broad strap-like leaves and a seedpod in spring that yellows and vanishes by early summer, leaving bare ground all summer.
Height
3-6"
Spread
2-3"
First-year corms may produce 1-2 flowers; leaves follow the following spring and are smaller than mature foliage.
Persian Buttercup
Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial growing from a cluster of tuberous claw-like roots; stems simple to branched, softly hairy, bearing lobed basal leaves and one to several flowers per stem; goes fully dormant in summer heat.
Height
9-15"
Spread
6-10"
Tubers planted in autumn flush foliage and flower in first spring; reach near-full display size in the first season
Winter aconite
A tiny spring-ephemeral tuberous perennial that flowers in the dead of winter and vanishes completely by early summer. Each tuber produces a single short stem bearing one bright yellow cup-shaped flower surrounded by a ruff of deeply-lobed green bracts - the characteristic collar that makes the genus instantly identifiable. After flowering the leaves expand briefly to feed the tuber, then the whole plant dies back underground by late spring. Left undisturbed in humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil under deciduous trees, established colonies self-seed freely into spreading golden drifts. All parts are toxic.
Height
2-4"
Spread
0-1"
First season from dry tuber is unpredictable - many fail to establish at all; from a fresh or green-transplanted tuber, a single flower or small clump may appear at near-full height but as a sparse plant.
Common hazel
Multi-stemmed, suckering deciduous shrub or small tree with a rounded, spreading crown; readily coppiced to the base on a multi-year rotation.
Height
3.6-6 ft
Spread
2-3.8 ft
A young whip or layered plant establishes a multi-stemmed clump and begins to sucker outward.
Midland hawthorn
Thorny deciduous large shrub or small tree with a dense, twiggy, rounded crown; readily kept as a clipped or laid hedge.
Height
3-5.2 ft
Spread
2.2-3.6 ft
A young whip or hedging plant establishes its root system and thorny framework; a hedge is beginning to knit.
Heather
Low, dense, spreading evergreen sub-shrub forming wiry ground-covering mats of fine scale-like foliage.
Height
2-12"
Spread
4-8"
A young plant settles into acidic ground and begins to spread; light flowering in the first autumn.
Common laburnum
Small deciduous tree or large shrub with an open, spreading crown and grey-green trifoliate foliage; often trained over an arch or pergola.
Height
4.5-9 ft
Spread
3.8-6.3 ft
A young grafted or seed-grown tree establishes its framework and may begin light flowering.
Montpellier rockrose
Rounded, twiggy evergreen shrub with narrow sticky aromatic leaves; fast-growing but relatively short-lived, resprouting poorly from old wood.
Height
15-24"
Spread
14-24"
Fast establishment from a young plant in warm, sharply drained soil; light flowering may begin.
Mediterranean spurge
Upright, dome-forming evergreen sub-shrub of biennial stems: each stem grows leaves one year, flowers and sets seed the next, then dies and is replaced from the base.
Height
25-34"
Spread
22-29"
A young plant builds its first leafy stems and a dome of blue-green foliage; flowering follows on second-year stems.
Lemon thyme
Low, spreading, mat-forming evergreen sub-shrub that roots as it creeps, forming a dense fragrant carpet a few inches tall.
Height
2-7"
Spread
3-5"
A young plant settles into warm, sharply drained soil and begins to creep outward, with some first-summer flower.
New York aster
Upright clump-forming native perennial
Height
18-30"
Spread
6-12"
Establishing first-year clump.
White heath aster
Mounding, colony-forming native perennial
Height
9-18"
Spread
6-9"
Establishing first-year clump.
Blue-stemmed goldenrod
Clumping, arching-stemmed woodland perennial
Height
6-24"
Spread
9-18"
Establishing first-year clump.
Clary sage
Big, aromatic, short-lived perennial or biennial: a broad rosette of large soft leaves the first year, then branching flower spikes to 3 to 4 feet the second, after which the plant usually dies and relies on self-sown seedlings.
Height
14-19"
Spread
17-25"
Builds a broad basal rosette of large aromatic leaves; usually no flowers in the first year.
Common houseleek
Low, mat-forming evergreen succulent: a central rosette that spreads by short runners into a colony of offset rosettes; each rosette is monocarpic, dying after it flowers while its offsets carry on.
Height
1-5"
Spread
4-6"
A young rosette settles into gritty soil and begins to produce its first offset chicks on short runners.
Fraser fir
Small to medium evergreen conifer with a dense, narrowly conical to spire-like crown. Usually 30 to 50 feet tall (rarely to about 80 feet) with a trunk 20 to 30 inches thick, the branches short and stiff and held horizontally to slightly upswept. Needles are flattened, 0.4 to 0.9 inches (up to about 1 inch) long, soft to the touch with a rounded or notched tip, dark to blue-green above and marked with two silvery-white stomatal bands beneath, and strongly fragrant when crushed. The erect cones are about 1 to 3 inches long, dark purple when young, with distinctive yellow-green papery bracts that curl backward and downward over the scales - the feature that separates it from balsam fir. Bark is thin, smooth, and gray, blistered with resin on young trunks.
Height
4.2-7 ft
Spread
1.3-3.3 ft
Reaches Christmas-tree size, about 6 to 7 feet, after seven to ten years; a dense narrow pyramid making slow, steady growth.
White fir
Large, slow-growing evergreen conifer with a narrow, dense pyramidal crown of soft blue-green needles and horizontal branches; it broadens and sheds its lower limbs with age, and is unusually heat-, drought-, and city-tolerant for a fir.
Height
4-7 ft
Spread
1-3 ft
Establishment years: a young transplant settles slowly into deep, moist, well-drained soil. Growth is deliberate at first - keep it evenly moist, mulch off the trunk to keep the roots cool, and shelter the soft new growth from late spring frosts.
Spiny bear's breeches
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial with a basal mound of deeply cut, arching, glossy dark-green leaves that are finely divided and spine-tipped; sends up stiff erect spikes of white hooded flowers under spiny reddish-purple bracts in early to midsummer, and spreads outward by deep, creeping, brittle rootstock to form broadening colonies.
Height
7-10"
Spread
4-5"
Establishes slowly, putting energy into deep roots; a compact foliage mound forms but flowering is unlikely the first year.
Amur maple
Small deciduous tree or large multi-stemmed shrub, 15 to 20 feet tall and wide, with a rounded to open, sometimes irregular crown. Fast-growing and adaptable; often low-branched and multi-stemmed unless trained early to a single leader.
Height
3-4 ft
Spread
2.7-3.6 ft
Fast-establishing young plant, often multi-stemmed; roughly 3 to 5 feet, adding 12 to 24 inches a year once settled.
Trailing abutilon
A lax, scrambling, semi-evergreen shrub with slender arching stems that reach roughly 6 to 8 feet, wider still when fanned out and tied to a wall. It is grown for its pendent lantern flowers - an inflated red calyx over pale-yellow petals with a dark maroon staminal column - carried over a long season. It is tender: hard frost kills the top growth, so in cool-temperate climates it is trained on a warm sunny wall, grown in a container moved under cover for winter, or kept as a conservatory plant. The stems are not self-supporting and want a wall, trellis, or a raised position to cascade from. In its native range the nectar-rich lanterns are worked by hummingbirds.
Height
2.4-3.2 ft
Spread
2.4-4 ft
Establishes fast as a lax, scrambling shrub, throwing long slender shoots; often begins flowering in its first warm season.
Korean fir
Compact, slow-growing evergreen conifer with a dense, neat, conical to broadly pyramidal crown, in gardens usually 15 to 30 feet tall (to about 50 feet in ideal cool conditions, and 33 to 59 feet in the wild) and 6 to 12 feet wide. Growth is slow, roughly 4 to 6 inches a year. The short needles are 0.4 to 0.8 inches long, broad and blunt, radiating densely around the shoots, dark green above and marked beneath with two broad, vivid white stomatal bands. The erect cones are cylindrical, about 2 to 3 inches (2 to 3 inches) long, an intense violet-blue when young and ripening to brown, and are borne freely even on young trees only a few feet tall. Bark is smooth and grey-brown with resin blisters.
Height
1.8-3.6 ft
Spread
7-14"
A small, dense young pyramid a few feet high, already able to set its violet-blue cones despite its youth.
Greek yarrow
Low, mat-forming, mound-shaped alpine perennial: a dense cushion of silvery, narrow, toothed, softly hairy leaves only a few inches high, near-evergreen in mild winters, from which slender stalks carry comparatively large, solitary or few-headed white daisy-like flower heads to about 6 to 10 inches in late spring and early summer. A tidy, small-scale, sharp-drainage plant of Balkan mountain rocks rather than a spreading border yarrow.
Height
4-6"
Spread
5-6"
From a spring start the young plant settles in and builds its low silvery mat, usually giving a first, lighter flush of white daisy heads while it establishes.
Bottlebrush buckeye
Big, multi-stemmed, mound-forming deciduous shrub that suckers steadily from the roots to build a broad, dense colony. Reaches 8 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 15 feet wide, often wider than tall, with the lowest branches sweeping the ground. Left alone it keeps widening, so it reads as a single rounded mass rather than a set of separate stems.
Height
14-22"
Spread
10-18"
Settles in slowly, putting energy into roots with little top growth and no suckering yet; keep it moist while it establishes.
Arkansas blue star
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial: a dense, rounded mound of upright stems densely set with very fine, thread-like leaves, slowly widening to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Slow to establish but long-lived and undemanding once settled.
Height
10-14"
Spread
10-14"
Settles in slowly and puts most of its energy into roots; expect a modest single-season clump and few flowers.
Black cohosh
Tall, clump-forming woodland perennial: a low mound of dark, deeply divided (tripinnate) basal foliage about 2 to 3 feet high, over which slender flowering stems rise to 4 to 8 feet carrying wand-like white bottlebrush racemes in summer. It spreads slowly from a woody rhizome and is long-lived and non-aggressive, neither running nor self-sowing into a nuisance.
Height
1.6-3.2 ft
Spread
10-19"
Settles in and builds the low mound of divided foliage; usually little or no flowering in the first year.
Red buckeye
Small, often multi-stemmed understory tree or large shrub, rounded and low-branched, typically 12 to 20 feet tall and about as wide, occasionally reaching 25 feet on a good site. One of the earliest woody plants to leaf out in spring and one of the earliest to defoliate: the canopy declines in mid to late summer, so it reads as a full, dark-green mound in spring and early summer and an open or bare frame by early fall.
Height
2.4-4 ft
Spread
2-4 ft
Settles in and puts energy into roots; keep it moist in part shade while it establishes and expect modest top growth.
American beautyberry
Loose, open, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with long arching branches. Fast-growing and informal, reaching about 3 to 6 feet tall and wide; plain and green in summer, then defined in fall by whorls of magenta-purple berries clasping the stems at every leaf axil.
Height
1.5-3 ft
Spread
14-29"
Establishes roots with fast top growth; a young plant may set a first light crop of berries by fall.
Canada anemone
Vigorous, rhizomatous native perennial that forms spreading colonies rather than tidy clumps: erect hairy stems to 12 to 24 inches rise from long, thin underground runners, so a single plant travels outward season by season and knits into a broad patch.
Height
7-14"
Spread
10-12"
Settles in and begins sending out rhizomes; modest first-year flowering as the colony gets going.
Dwarf fothergilla
Compact, slow-growing, mounded to rounded deciduous shrub, multi-stemmed and usually a little wider than tall. Most plants settle around 2 to 3 feet high, though older or well-fed specimens can push toward 4 to 5 feet, and it can spread by root suckers into a low colony if the suckers are not removed.
Height
6-12"
Spread
6-12"
Slow to establish; put energy into roots in acidic, moist, humus-rich soil rather than into top growth.
Whorled milkweed
Slender, fine-textured colony-forming native perennial with narrow needle-like leaves in whorls on wiry unbranched stems.
Height
6-15"
Spread
5-10"
Establishes roots and a few slender stems; little or no bloom the first year.
Black-eyed Susan
Erect, short-lived bristly daisy
Height
22-32"
Spread
10-19"
Blooms in its first season from an early sowing - unusually fast for a perennial.
Norway maple
Medium-to-large deciduous shade tree, 40 to 50 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet wide, with a dense, symmetrical, rounded crown carried on a single straight trunk. The canopy is noticeably heavier and more light-tight than a sugar maple of the same size, which is both its appeal as a shade tree and the root of its ecological problem.
Height
7.2-9 ft
Spread
4.5-7.5 ft
Roughly 8 to 10 feet, establishing readily in almost any soil. Seedlings from a nearby mature tree will already be appearing in beds and lawn.
Boxelder
Fast, weak-wooded deciduous tree, 30 to 50 feet tall and about as wide, with a short trunk that forks low into several heavy, often leaning limbs beneath a broad and characteristically untidy crown. Open-grown specimens are wider and lower than woodland ones; neither is symmetrical, and that irregularity is the species rather than a defect of the individual.
Height
6-10 ft
Spread
5.4-9 ft
Roughly 8 to 12 feet already - among the fastest establishment of any North American tree, which is exactly why it colonises disturbed ground first.
Colorado blue spruce
Narrow, stiffly pyramidal needled evergreen, 30 to 60 feet tall but only 10 to 20 feet wide, with rigid horizontal branching carried right down to the ground on an open-grown tree. In the wild it can exceed 100 feet. The silhouette is markedly more upright and formal than Norway spruce, which droops.
Height
3-6 ft
Spread
14-29"
Roughly 4 to 6 feet. Growth is slow and steady; blue spruce is not a tree that rewards impatience.
Willow oak
Large deciduous oak, 40 to 75 feet tall and 25 to 50 feet wide, narrowly pyramidal when young and opening with age into a dense, broad oval-to-rounded crown on a straight central trunk. The branching is fine and twiggy rather than heavy, which is what gives the tree its unusually light texture for an oak.
Height
6-11.3 ft
Spread
2.5-5 ft
Roughly 8 to 12 feet and distinctly narrow and pyramidal - nothing yet suggests the broad crown to come, which is the commonest reason people think they have planted the wrong tree.
Swamp white oak
Large deciduous oak, typically 50 to 60 feet tall and as wide, with a short trunk and a broad, open, rounded crown. Older trees develop a distinctive ragged, peeling bark on the younger branches that curls away in papery flakes - a reliable winter identification feature.
Height
7.5-9 ft
Spread
6-7.2 ft
Roughly 8 to 10 feet. Establishment is the slow part - swamp white oak resents root disturbance and takes a season or two to settle before it moves.
Mugo pine
Highly variable needled evergreen - a bushy, multi-stemmed shrub or broad-rounded small tree, 15 to 20 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide at full size, characteristically growing wider than tall. The wild species forms dense prostrate thickets at altitude; garden cultivars range from ground-hugging cushions to compact pyramids, and the variation between them is enormous.
Height
2.3-3 ft
Spread
3.8-4.5 ft
Roughly 2 to 3 feet on the species, and still the neat bun most people picture. Dwarf cultivars may be only 12 inches, growing 2 to 4 inches a year.
Siebold hosta
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial building a low, spreading, dome-shaped mound of overlapping basal leaves, roughly 18 to 24 inches tall and 4 to 5 feet across. There is no stem: every leaf rises on its own stalk from a crown at ground level, and the plant dies back completely to that crown each winter.
Height
6-8"
Spread
12-15"
A single crown with a few leaves, perhaps 8 inches tall and a foot across. Hostas take their time and look sparse for the first two summers.
Black oak
Large deciduous oak, 50 to 60 feet tall and about as wide, carrying a globular, spreading, rather open crown on a straight trunk. The branching is heavier and more irregular than the red oaks it grows alongside, and an open-grown tree keeps low limbs that a forest-grown one sheds.
Height
6-7.2 ft
Spread
5-6 ft
Roughly 7 to 9 feet, putting far more into the taproot than into the top. This is the age at which the tree is still cheap to establish and impossible to move.
Southern red oak
Large deciduous oak, 60 to 80 feet tall and 40 to 50 feet wide, carrying a notably straight trunk and an open, rounded, high crown. The crown is more open and airy than most large oaks, which is part of why it works as a street tree - it shades without feeling heavy.
Height
7.2-9.6 ft
Spread
4.8-6 ft
Roughly 8 to 10 feet and narrow, with leaves that already show the variable lobing that confuses people trying to key it out.
Chestnut oak
Large deciduous oak, 50 to 70 feet tall and about as wide, less frequently reaching 100 feet, with a broad rounded crown. On an exposed rocky ridge - its characteristic habitat - it is often shorter, heavier-limbed and more picturesquely irregular than the same tree grown on a good site.
Height
5-7 ft
Spread
5-7 ft
Roughly 6 to 8 feet. Slow above ground, as befits a species adapted to hold on where water is scarce, and putting its effort into a root system that will later make it drought-proof.
Chinkapin oak
Medium to large deciduous oak, 40 to 60 feet tall and less frequently to 80, with an open globular crown that is characteristically broader than the tree is tall - 50 to 70 feet of spread over a 40-to-60-foot trunk. The crown is open and high-branching rather than dense.
Height
4.8-7.2 ft
Spread
5-7 ft
Roughly 6 to 8 feet and upright. Establishing well on limey ground where a pin or red oak of the same age would already be showing chlorosis.
Post oak
Medium deciduous oak, 35 to 50 feet tall and about as wide, with a dense rounded crown and heavy, often crooked, low branching. Open-grown trees are broad and gnarled rather than upright, and on a poor dry site an old post oak can look far younger and smaller than it is.
Height
3.5-5 ft
Spread
3.5-5 ft
Roughly 4 to 6 feet. Genuinely slow, and slow on purpose - this is a species built for drought endurance rather than for rate.
Loblolly pine
Large needled evergreen with a notably straight single trunk and an open, oval to rounded crown carried high on a long clean bole. Fast-growing, 40 to 50 feet in cultivation and 90 feet or more on a good wild site, and self-pruning in a stand so that mature trees in a plantation carry foliage only in the top third.
Height
7.2-16.2 ft
Spread
4-8 ft
Roughly 10 to 15 feet and already conspicuously fast - loblolly outgrows almost every other pine in its range at this age, which is exactly why plantation forestry uses it.
Red pine
Tall, narrow, conical needled evergreen with a straight central trunk and horizontal to ascending branching, opening into an oval to rounded crown with age. Notably slender for its height - 50 to 80 feet tall against only 20 to 25 feet wide, and less frequently to 125 feet.
Height
6-9.6 ft
Spread
4-5 ft
Roughly 7 to 10 feet and conical, growing steadily on sand where little else establishes.
Jack pine
Small to medium needled evergreen, 35 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide, conical when young and becoming open, irregular and frequently crooked with age. On the poorest sites it stays a low scrubby tree with a leaning trunk and sparse branching, which is the form most people actually encounter.
Height
7-10 ft
Spread
4-6 ft
Roughly 8 to 10 feet and dense - this is the age and structure Kirtland's warbler requires, and it lasts only a decade or so before the stand grows out of usefulness.
Lodgepole pine
Habit depends entirely on variety, and the range is extreme. Inland Rocky Mountain trees (var. latifolia) are narrow columnar to conical, commonly 40 to 75 feet and occasionally over 100, on a very slender straight trunk with short branches - the dense pole stands are the characteristic form. Coastal shore pine (var. contorta) is a low, crooked, broad-crowned, wind-shaped tree often under 30 feet. The size given here describes the inland form; a coastal-sourced plant will be far smaller and much more picturesque.
Height
6-11.3 ft
Spread
3-5 ft
Roughly 7 to 10 feet on a reasonable site, already narrow. Post-fire regeneration comes in at extraordinary density - tens of thousands of stems per acre is normal, and self-thinning does the rest.
Austrian pine
Medium to large needled evergreen, 40 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide, less frequently to 100 feet. Densely pyramidal in youth with regular whorled branching, opening with age into a broader, flat-topped or umbrella-like crown on a dark trunk - the mature form is considerably more picturesque than the stiff young one.
Height
6-9 ft
Spread
3-6 ft
Roughly 6 to 9 feet and densely pyramidal. This is the stage at which the species looks most like the nursery photograph and least like its mature self.
Inkberry
Slow-growing, upright-rounded broadleaf evergreen shrub, 5 to 8 feet tall and about as wide, spreading by underground stolons into a multi-stemmed colony. Older plants tend to go bare and leggy at the base, which is the usual reason a foundation planting of inkberry stops looking like the one in the catalogue.
Height
18-29"
Spread
15-24"
Roughly 24 inches and still a single tidy mound. Suckering has not started visibly yet, so this is the stage that sells the plant as a boxwood substitute.
Yaupon
Slow-growing, upright, multi-stemmed broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree, 10 to 20 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide, with dense fine twiggy branching and small leathery toothed leaves. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center records wild plants commonly to 25 feet and occasionally far taller. It sprouts freely from the base and from root suckers, so an unmanaged plant becomes a thicket rather than a specimen, and the same trait is what makes it recover from shearing better than any other holly here.
Height
2.5-5 ft
Spread
19-29"
Roughly 3 to 4 feet and still tidy and single-crowned. Slow is the honest description; this is the stage at which a hedge line should start being sheared, not the stage at which it looks like one.
Possumhaw
Large deciduous shrub or small multi-stemmed tree, 7 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 12 feet wide in cultivation, with an open crown of pale grey, twiggy, distinctly horizontal branching. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center gives 15 to 30 feet for wild plants, so a hedgerow specimen can be roughly twice the size Missouri Botanical Garden quotes for the garden - worth knowing before siting one under a wire. It suckers modestly at the base and is usually seen as a thicket-forming clump rather than a single trunk.
Height
1.4-3 ft
Spread
9-22"
Roughly 3 feet, upright and sparse. Nursery stock is often sold unsexed at this age, which is where most possumhaw disappointments begin.
Chinese holly
Dense, rounded to upright broadleaf evergreen shrub, typically 8 to 10 feet tall in the garden and reaching 15 feet with age, about as wide as it is tall, and trainable as a small single-stemmed tree to as much as 25 feet. The branching is stiff and congested and the foliage is held to the ground, which is what makes it an effective barrier hedge and an unpleasant one to weed under.
Height
2-3.8 ft
Spread
2-3.8 ft
Roughly 2 to 3 feet and already dense and spiny. Growth is medium rather than fast, and a young plant looks tidy in a way an older one will not.
Rocky Mountain juniper
Small to medium needled evergreen tree, typically 30 to 50 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide, pyramidal and often narrowly columnar when young and opening with age into a rounded, oval or irregularly spreading crown, frequently on a short leaning trunk with several stems. The Wildflower Center records it to about 65 feet at the extreme and adds "often much shorter", and on dry exposed foothill sites it stays a 15-to-20-foot tree or barely more than a large shrub. Bark is red-brown on the branches, weathering grey and shredding in long strips on old trunks.
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
12-24"
Roughly 4 to 6 feet and narrowly pyramidal, still carrying sharp needle-like juvenile "whip" foliage on much of the plant - which is why young trees prick and mature ones do not.
Creeping juniper
Procumbent needled evergreen forming a dense ground-hugging mat, 6 to 18 inches tall and 4 to 10 feet across, built from long trailing branches carrying abundant short branchlets. Stems root where they lie against the soil, so an established plant advances outward from its own edge rather than thickening upward. Foliage is mostly scale-like adult growth with some prickly awl-shaped juvenile needles in opposite pairs.
Height
3-9"
Spread
15-24"
Roughly 4 to 9 inches tall and 12 to 24 inches across, with open ground still showing between plants. This is the stage that tempts over-planting, and over-planting is the commonest mistake made with this species.
Common juniper
The most variable habit in this genus, and one of the most variable of any conifer. In the US it is most often a multi-stemmed spreading shrub 5 to 15 feet tall and 9 to 12 feet wide; in harsh exposed sites it becomes a prostrate mat only 9 to 12 inches high; and infrequently it rises as a medium tree to about 45 feet. MBG notes that these forms are not neatly geographic - several can occur together in one place - so the plant you get is decided by the provenance or cultivar you buy, not by your address. Branches are ascending to sprawling, the bark exfoliates in attractive reddish-brown strips, and the whole plant is aromatic when brushed.
Height
9-27"
Spread
16-22"
Roughly 12 to 24 inches and still obviously a young plant. Growth is slow throughout - this is not a species that fills a gap quickly, and the prostrate forms in particular spend years spreading a foot at a time.
Chinese juniper
Dioecious needled evergreen, in its species form a conical to narrowly pyramidal tree 40 to 50 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide on a single leader, with brown bark that peels in strips on mature stems. Wild plants are far more variable than that suggests - anything from a 3-foot shrub to a 65-foot tree, including spreading forms - and the cultivars extend the range further in both directions. Foliage is dimorphic: awl-like juvenile needles 0.2 to 0.4 inches long and scale leaves 0.06 to 0.12 inches long, usually both present on the same plant, with the juvenile type persisting on shaded lower branches.
Height
6-7.5 ft
Spread
2.3-3 ft
Roughly 6 to 8 feet and conical, still carrying a lot of prickly juvenile foliage. These figures describe the SPECIES tree - a groundcover or Pfitzer-type cultivar sold under the same botanical name follows a completely different trajectory and never approaches these numbers.
Canada lily
Single erect unbranched stem from a scaly bulb, carrying several tiers of flat, mostly whorled, lance-shaped leaves and terminating in a candelabra of long arching pedicels, each holding one nodding bell. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center gives 3 to 8 feet with up to twenty flowers on a strong stem; Wikipedia gives a more conservative 1.6 to 4.9 feet, and both are true - the tall figure describes a settled bulb on deep moist ground, not a first-year planting. The bulb itself is rhizomatous rather than a tidy sphere: it creeps and produces new bulbs at the ends of short stolons, so an established plant wanders sideways over the years instead of forming a fixed clump. Foliage dies to the ground entirely in autumn and leaves nothing behind.
Height
14-29"
Spread
6-9"
A nursery bulb planted in autumn typically sends up a single modest stem of 2 to 3 feet the following summer, often with one to three flowers or none. First-year performance understates the plant badly; judging it here is the usual reason it gets dug up.
Tiger lily
Upright single-stemmed bulbous perennial, the stem 2.6 to 6.6 feet tall (roughly 2.7 to 6.6 feet) and usually dark, slender and finely woolly, clothed the whole way up in scattered lance-shaped leaves 2 to 4 inches long and 0.4 to 0.8 inches wide. Up to about ten nodding flowers per stem hang from the upper third on outward-arching pedicels, each with six strongly recurved orange tepals spotted dark purple-black and long exserted stamens carrying rusty pollen. In the axils of the upper leaves sit one to three small purple-black BULBILS, which sometimes push out roots while still on the plant. The bulb below is a true lily bulb - loose overlapping fleshy scales with no papery tunic - and the plant is stem-rooting, throwing a second root system from the stem above the bulb.
Height
13-32"
Spread
4-8"
From a planted bulb, one stem of roughly 2 to 3 feet with a handful of flowers. From a collected bulbil, expect no flowers at all - a bulbil takes about two seasons to reach flowering size, which is the trade for how freely they are produced.
Easter lily
A single unbranched leafy stem 2 to 3 feet tall and under a foot wide, carrying narrow lance-shaped dark green leaves along its whole length and a head of large, fragrant, outward-facing pure white trumpets 5 to 7 inches long. Missouri Botanical Garden gives the stems as rigid, which is true in full sun and not true in shade or wind, where they lean and want staking. It is a STEM-ROOTING lily: as well as the roots under the bulb it puts out a second set of feeding roots from the buried length of stem above the bulb, which is why planting depth is a real horticultural decision here rather than a rule of thumb. A forced pot plant is the same plant chemically dwarfed to 16 to 20 inches, and it rebounds to full height the season after it goes in the ground.
Height
13-20"
Spread
5-7"
The forced pot plant, or the first season in the ground. Chemically dwarfed stock stands 16 to 20 inches - roughly half to two-thirds of the natural stem - and a bulb planted out after its Easter bloom usually spends the rest of the year making leaves rather than flowers. This year is about getting the bulb established, not about a display.
Regal lily
Upright summer bulb throwing a single rigid, reddish-purple, often glaucous stem 3 to 5 feet tall - sometimes 6 feet when well established - clothed to the top in narrow lance-shaped leaves 3 to 5 inches long and finished with an outward-facing cluster of large trumpets. Missouri Botanical Garden puts the spread at 9 to 12 inches, which describes one stem rather than the plant: a settled bulb splits over time into a clump of several stems, and Missouri Botanical Garden notes that in good conditions each bulb multiplies into a large clump. The bulb itself is the thing to picture - up to 4 inches across, ovoid, built of thick overlapping white scales with no papery tunic over them. It is also a STEM-ROOTING lily, putting out a second set of roots from the buried length of stem above the bulb, and that single fact sets the planting depth.
Height
1.8-3 ft
Spread
5-6"
From a planted bulb: roughly 2.5 to 3 feet in the first summer with perhaps 3 to 6 flowers on a single stem. Bulb size at planting decides this almost entirely, and a top-size bulb flowers hard in year one.
Virginia iris
Clump-forming beardless rhizomatous perennial, 1 to 3 feet tall and wide, typically settling around 24 inches, spreading by slowly creeping surface rhizomes into colonies where conditions suit it. Leaves are bright medium green, sword-shaped, up to about 3 feet long, and characteristically LAX - they lean out and often lie along the ground or across the water surface rather than standing stiffly upright, which is one of the plainest differences from a bearded iris and from the wiry-erect Siberian in this wave. Flower stalks are correspondingly weak and frequently flop while in bloom. This is a beardless iris of series Laevigatae, the water-iris group that also contains Iris versicolor, Iris ensata and the invasive Iris pseudacorus, and its rhizome behaviour follows that group rather than the bearded one.
Height
6-18"
Spread
4-11"
A single fan or two establishing rhizome. Flowering the first spring is unreliable from a division and normal from a container plant. The one thing that matters this year is that the ground never dries out.
Siberian iris
Beardless rhizomatous herbaceous perennial forming a dense upright clump of narrow grass-like foliage, with hollow flowering stems standing above the leaves. The rhizome is creeping and slender, roughly 0.4 to 0.5 inches thick, and is soon buried under a thatch of brown leaf remnants from previous seasons - nothing like the thick fleshy surface rhizome of a bearded iris, and the single most useful identification point in the genus. Leaves are 10 to 31 inches long and only 0.16 to 0.24 inches wide, ribbed, sometimes pink-tinted at the base, and usually shorter than the flowering stems. Stems are 1.6 to 3.9 feet tall, hollow, slightly compressed and carry one to three branches. The Royal Horticultural Society gives an ultimate height of 3.3 to 4.9 feet for garden plants, the upper end reflecting the taller Iris sanguinea hybrids rather than the wild species. Clumps thicken outward slowly rather than running, and the plant is sturdy enough that staking is never required.
Height
8-19"
Spread
4-7"
A single fan or two and often no flowers at all. Year one is root-building, and a first-summer Siberian iris that sulks is behaving normally rather than failing. Keep it watered through its first spring.
Sweet iris
Clump-forming rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, 2 to 3 feet tall in flower and 18 to 24 inches wide, building outward from thick horizontal rhizomes that creep along the soil SURFACE rather than descending into it. Foliage is the distinguishing feature: stiff sword-shaped fans of silvery grey-green leaves to about 24 inches long and 1 to 1.2 inches wide, heavily glaucous, held upright. Flower scapes are sparsely branched and carry two to three flowers per spathe. The clump expands as a ring, the oldest central rhizomes exhausting themselves after three or four years while the young growth pushes outward, which is why division is maintenance rather than propagation here.
Height
12-18"
Spread
6-8"
A newly planted rhizome makes a single fan and usually skips or half-hearts its first bloom. Set it in late summer, not spring, and resist covering it - the commonest first-year failure on this plant is a gardener planting the rhizome like a bulb.
Yellow flag iris
Rhizomatous beardless iris forming an upright fan of grey-green sword-shaped leaves to about 35 inches, with branched flower stalks carrying the bloom clear of the foliage at 3 to 5 feet. Missouri Botanical Garden gives a garden clump 24 to 30 inches wide, and that figure describes a contained plant only. The rhizomes are thick, horizontal and shallow, they branch freely, and in wet ground the clump does not stop: several hundred flowering shoots can be one rhizomatously connected individual, and stands 66 feet across have been measured in Ireland. Fragments carry, and a broken rhizome washed downstream starts a new colony. The planting-depth rule that governs the bearded iris in this group - Iris pallida, whose rhizome must sit at or above the soil surface or it rots - simply does not apply here: this is a beardless iris that tolerates permanent standing water and low-oxygen mud, which is precisely why it is so hard to contain.
Height
14-24"
Spread
4-5"
A division or first-year seedling makes a fan of leaves and usually does not flower. Seedlings commonly take two to three years to bloom, which is why a downstream infestation is often several years old before anyone notices it.
Pagoda dogwood
Large multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree with a short trunk and a flat-topped crown of long horizontal branches, held in distinct tiers separated by gaps of open air with the branch tips turned upward - the pagoda. Missouri Botanical Garden gives 15 to 25 feet tall by 20 to 32 feet wide, so a mature plant is usually WIDER than it is tall; the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center records wild plants to around 35 feet. Leaves are alternate (unique in cultivated dogwoods alongside Cornus controversa), elliptic to ovate, 2 to 5 inches long, bright green above and pale, downy and almost white beneath. Bark is dark reddish-brown with shallow ridges. It throws basal shoots and can widen into a loose multi-stemmed clump, but it does NOT run into a dense thicket the way its shrub-dogwood siblings do - gray dogwood and silky dogwood both colonise from the roots and pagoda dogwood essentially builds one wide, layered crown instead. The branch architecture is also its structural weakness: thin bark on long horizontal limbs catches snow and ice, and the Wildflower Center records wind and ice damage as common.
Height
3.8-6.3 ft
Spread
4-6.4 ft
Roughly 4 to 6 feet and still upright and shrubby, with the tiering barely started. Establishment is the vulnerable window: this is the stage at which drought stress most reliably invites golden canker, so water it through dry spells rather than assuming a native shrub looks after itself.
Silky dogwood
Multi-stemmed, open-rounded deciduous shrub, 6 to 12 feet tall and about as wide, with the Wildflower Center recording plants to roughly 15 feet. It builds a broad thicket rather than a specimen crown, and it does so by two routes at once: new stems from the base, and low arching branches that root at the nodes wherever they rest on damp ground, so a single plant walks outward instead of merely widening. Leaves are opposite, oval to elliptic, to about 4 inches, with the strongly arcuate veins of the genus, and silky-hairy underneath - those hairs are what the name is for, and they carry on the young twigs too. Twigs are purplish brown in the first year and grey-striated by the second or third. The reliable field character, though, is not the twig but the PITH: snap a one to two year old stem and silky dogwood is dark brown inside, while red-osier dogwood is white and gray dogwood is white. That single snap separates the three faster than any amount of looking at bark colour in February.
Height
1.8-3.6 ft
Spread
1.5-3 ft
Roughly 2 to 4 feet from a bare-root whip or a rooted live stake, still upright and single-crowned. Fast for a shrub, and on wet ground faster still. No fruit yet.
Gray dogwood
Multi-stemmed, thicket-forming, suckering deciduous shrub, 10 to 15 feet tall and as wide again, with grey bark and white pith in the twigs. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center records wild plants to about 16 feet; Wikipedia gives 3.9 to 9.8 feet as typical with occasional plants to 26 feet, which is the honest spread of a plant whose height depends almost entirely on how crowded the colony is. Leaves are opposite, 2 to 3 inches long, greyish-green, elliptic to lance-shaped, and carry typically only 3 or 4 pairs of lateral veins - fewer than any other dogwood in this group and the single most reliable leaf-level identification. It sends up suckers from underground rhizomes, so the plant you buy is the first stem of a colony rather than the whole of it; a fifteen-year-old planting is one genetic individual occupying several times the footprint it was given.
Height
3-4.5 ft
Spread
2.5-3.8 ft
Roughly 3 to 5 feet and still a discrete clump. The first suckers usually appear in this window, close to the crown and easy to mistake for basal growth. This is the last stage at which the plant is genuinely portable.
Balsam fir
Symmetrical, narrowly pyramidal to spire-crowned evergreen conifer, typically 50 to 70 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide, occasionally to 90 feet; the tallest measured tree is 104 feet. Branches are short, resinous and densely clad. Needles are flat, blunt or notched at the tip, 0.6 to 1.2 inches long, glossy dark green above with two chalk-white stomatal bands beneath, and set on unstalked circular bases that leave a smooth round scar when pulled - the fir-versus-spruce test, since a spruce needle is four-sided, sharp, and sits on a woody peg that stays behind and makes the twig rough. Twisted leaf bases spread the needles into two more-or-less horizontal ranks either side of the shoot. Young bark is smooth and grey and dotted with resin blisters that spray when ruptured; old trunks go rough, fissured and scaly. Seed cones are borne erect on the upper crown, 2 to 3 inches long, dark purple ripening brown, and they shatter on the tree in September to release winged seeds, leaving a bare woody spike standing on the branch. Rooting is shallow. Two varieties are recognised: var. balsamea, with bracts hidden inside the closed cone, and var. phanerolepis, the Canaan fir, whose bract tips show on the closed cone and which blurs into Abies fraseri along the Appalachian overlap.
Height
5.5-7.7 ft
Spread
1.8-3 ft
Roughly 7 to 9 feet - Christmas-tree size, and reached a little faster than most firs. This is the age at which a plantation tree is cut, so a garden specimen is only just starting the part of its life that matters to a landscape.
Grand fir
Very large, very fast-growing evergreen conifer, spire-crowned when young and rounding into a broad, often multiple-leadered dome with age. Missouri Botanical Garden gives 100 to 250 feet tall by 20 to 35 feet wide, and splits that by region: 200 to 250 feet with a 4 to 6 foot trunk in the coastal forests west of the Cascades, 130 to 160 feet with a 2 to 4 foot trunk on the eastern slope and in the Rockies. Branches are held level and the foliage is arranged in flat sprays. The flat needles, to about 3 inches, are glossy dark green above with two white stomatal bands beneath, blunt at the tip, and twisted at the base so they lie in two horizontal ranks either side of the twig - often alternating short and long along one side, which is this species' own signature. A pulled needle leaves a smooth round scar flush with the twig; a spruce needle would leave a raised woody peg, and that pair of details is how you separate Abies from Picea with a hand lens and nothing else.
Height
10-25 ft
Spread
2-3.5 ft
Establishment. A young transplant wants consistently moist, rich, slightly acid, well-drained ground and shade at the root. Coastal-provenance stock is already capable of more than 5 feet a year at this stage where the site suits it; interior-provenance stock rarely exceeds 24 inches a year, and buying the wrong one for your climate is the commonest silent failure with this species.
Subalpine fir
Slow-growing evergreen conifer with an extremely narrow, spire-like or steeple-like crown, held on stiff, short, horizontal limbs that are usually branched right to the ground on an open-grown tree. The Wildflower Center gives 30 to 50 feet in cultivation; the Forest Service silvical account records wild trees at 45 to 100 feet with trunks of 12 to 24 inches. The narrowness is the point and it is functional: a steep, tight crown sheds heavy snow instead of breaking under it, and the same shape means a mature specimen may be only 8 to 15 feet across. Bark is smooth, pale grey and blistered with resin on a young tree, becoming fissured and scaly with age; the Arizona and New Mexico variety, corkbark fir (var. arizonica), makes a thick, soft, corky white bark instead. Needles are flat, blunt and roughly 0.6 to 1.2 inches, glaucous green above and marked with two blue-white stomatal bands beneath, and they turn upwards along the shoot so the top of a branch looks brushed. At and above treeline the whole habit changes to krummholz - low, wind-shorn mats that spread by layering rather than growing upright at all.
Height
3-5 ft
Spread
10-18"
Roughly 2 to 4 feet from nursery stock, and slower still from seed - the silvical account notes many first-year wild seedlings are under an inch tall. Establishment is the phase where a low-elevation planting is won or lost: keep the root zone cool, mulched and evenly moist, and accept that this is not a fast tree in any climate.
Oriental spruce
Large, densely branched, narrowly conical evergreen conifer, typically 50 to 70 feet tall in cultivation with a 15 to 25 foot base; the RHS gives an ultimate spread of 13 to 26 feet and 20 to 50 years to reach ultimate height, which is the honest measure of how slow it is. In its native Caucasian and northeast Turkish forests it is a full forest tree of 98 to 131 feet, exceptionally 187 feet, with a trunk to 4.9 feet through. Branching is dense and short-jointed and the crown holds a narrow spire far longer than Norway spruce does, so a mature specimen keeps a formal outline instead of spreading into a broad skirted pyramid. The shoots are buff-brown and moderately hairy, and each needle sits on a woody peg (a sterigma) rather than directly on the twig - strip a spruce shoot and it is rough with the pegs left behind, where a stripped fir shoot is smooth with round flat scars. On this species the pegs are the same size as on any spruce while the needles are the shortest in the genus, so the roughness is proportionally more pronounced than on Norway spruce or the Abies species in this batch.
Height
5-7 ft
Spread
18-30"
Roughly 2 to 4 feet and unremarkable. Oriental spruce establishes slowly and puts its first years into roots; this is the stage at which people conclude they bought a poor plant, and they did not.
Red spruce
Narrowly conical evergreen conifer, the Wildflower Center giving 60 to 100 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide, occasionally 130 feet and reported to 150 feet on the wettest, foggiest sites. The crown is spire-like and open in old age, with slightly downswept lower branches and upturned tips. Needles are yellow-green, only about 0.5 to 0.6 inches long, FOUR-SIDED in cross-section, curved and sharply pointed, and stand out all round the twig rather than lying in flat ranks. Each one is carried on a small persistent woody peg (a sterigma), which is the genus character that matters in the hand: strip the needles off a spruce twig and it is left rough and knobbly, where a fir twig is left smooth with round flat scars. Pair that with the fir records in this group - balsam fir, grand fir, subalpine fir - and it separates the two genera in one motion, in any season, on any specimen. Young twigs are reddish-brown and finely hairy, which separates red spruce from the hairless, glaucous twigs of white spruce. The root system is the practical weakness: Maine measurements put average rooting depth at about 13 inches and the maximum at 22 inches, with most feeding roots in the duff, so mature trees are notoriously windthrow-prone and a thinned stand blows down.
Height
6-10 ft
Spread
3-4 ft
Roughly 5 to 8 feet on an open site, and possibly under 24 inches in shade. Slow is not a defect here - red spruce is very shade-tolerant and will establish in as little as 10 per cent of full sunlight, sitting suppressed in the understorey for decades and waiting. First cones normally come at 15 to 20 years.
Trumpet honeysuckle
Twining woody vine, deciduous in the north and semi-evergreen from about zone 8 south, climbing 8 to 15 feet on a support and occasionally reaching 20. The published height figures disagree and the disagreement is informative: Missouri Botanical Garden gives 8 to 15 feet with a 3 to 6 foot spread, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center gives 3 to 20 feet, and the difference is mostly what the plant was given to climb. It ascends by wrapping its stems around a support, so it needs something narrow enough to grip - wire, trellis lath, a fence rail, another shrub - and it will sprawl into a loose ground cover if it is given nothing. The leaves are opposite, oval, glossy, bluish-green and glaucous beneath, and the top pair below each flower cluster is CONNATE, fused around the stem into a single disc that the flower whorl sits on; that fused collar is the quickest field mark for the species. Young bark is fuzzy and green, ageing to light brown that peels in papery orange-brown strips.
Height
2.4-4.5 ft
Spread
13-25"
Roughly 3 to 4 feet of new growth from a container plant, with a few flower whorls late in the season. Tie the leading stems onto the support by hand this year: a twiner that has not found something to wrap will lie on the ground and root nowhere useful.
Tatarian honeysuckle
Vigorous, densely branched, rounded, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub, 8 to 12 feet tall and about as wide, with the branches arching outward at the top so a mature plant is a broad dome rather than an upright. Missouri Botanical Garden notes that taller specimens become visually ungainly, which is a polite way of saying the shrub outgrows the place it was planted. The leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate, up to 3 inches long, bluish green above and noticeably paler beneath, with no autumn colour at all. The identification features are on the stems rather than the leaves: older branches carry shaggy, pale grey, peeling bark and are HOLLOW between the nodes, which separates this and the other exotic bush honeysuckles from every native Lonicera and Diervilla, all of which have solid white pith. In a hedgerow or a woodland edge the shrubs coalesce into a dense continuous understorey layer that is genuinely difficult to walk through, and once that layer closes there is very little growing underneath it.
Height
2.4-3.6 ft
Spread
2-3 ft
Roughly 3 feet from a bird-dropped seedling, single-stemmed, and still easy to pull by hand out of moist ground with the whole root system attached. This is the cheapest year of the entire removal, and it is the year nobody notices the plant.
Winter honeysuckle
Stiff-branched deciduous shrub, bushy and spreading, 6 to 10 feet tall and about as wide at Missouri Botanical Garden's figures, which Wikipedia puts as 3.3 to 9.8 feet with occasional plants to 15 feet. The mature form is best described as a bushy tangle of slender spreading branches rather than a shapely specimen, and old plants arch outward and layer where low branches meet the ground. Leaves are oval, dark green, sometimes with a bluish tinge, up to about 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, held on opposite pairs. In the southern part of its escaped range it holds much of that foliage very late and reads as semi-evergreen, though MBG classes it as deciduous at St Louis; either way it is in leaf before the native shrub layer around it and still in leaf after, and that extended season is the mechanism, not a description of the shrub's looks.
Height
18-30"
Spread
14-24"
Roughly 2 to 3 feet from a container plant, establishing fast and asking for nothing. This is the last stage at which removal is a five-minute job with a spade, which is worth knowing if a seedling turns up in a hedge line.
Mapleleaf viburnum
A small, rounded, suckering, deciduous woodland shrub. Missouri Botanical Garden gives 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide; the Wildflower Center describes a low densely branched shrub to about 6 feet and Wikipedia gives 3.3 to 6.6 feet, so all three cited sources agree on a plant that stays waist to shoulder height. That is the single most important number on this record, because every other native viburnum in this catalog is several times larger: this catalog records arrowwood viburnum at 6 to 15 feet, and blackhaw viburnum and nannyberry both reach small-tree size. The stems are slender and the branching is dense and low rather than upright and vase-shaped. Leaves are opposite, 2 to 5 inches long, ovate to rounded, coarsely toothed and three-lobed with palmate venation - a red-maple leaf on a shrub, which is exactly what the epithet acerifolium says - dull to medium green above, pale and softly hairy beneath, and carrying small black glandular spots on the underside that are worth a hand lens because no other viburnum here has them. Individual stems are short-lived and the plant renews itself from below: it suckers from the root system and, in the Wildflower Center phrase, forms large, loose, open colonies. Read the habit as a slowly widening patch of low stems under a canopy rather than as a shrub with an outline.
Height
13-25"
Spread
7-14"
Roughly 18 to 24 inches and still a single crown. Growth is unhurried in shade and a plant that seems to be doing nothing in its second summer is normal for a woodland understorey shrub, not a failure.
Nannyberry
Large upright multi-stemmed deciduous shrub, or a single-trunk small tree if trained, with pendulous flexible branches and a round-topped crown. The size figures across the sources are a spread rather than a contradiction, and the spread is the useful part: Missouri Botanical Garden gives 14 to 16 feet in its data table and 10 to 18 feet in its description, with a 6-to-12-foot spread; the Wildflower Center leads with 20 to 30 feet; Wikipedia gives up to 30 feet, about 30 feet, on a trunk to 10 inches thick. Read the low figures as an unpruned multi-stemmed shrub and the high ones as a plant grown up to a leader. Leaves are opposite, oval, 2 to 4 inches long, glossy dark green, finely toothed, and abruptly long-pointed at the tip, on a WINGED petiole - the winged leaf stalk plus the drawn-out tip is the field mark that separates nannyberry from blackhaw viburnum, its closest lookalike and hybrid partner. Twigs are pale green with rusty down at first, ageing dark reddish brown, and smell unpleasant when crushed. It suckers from the roots and it also layers: old branches bend to the ground and root where they touch, so an unmanaged plant becomes a colony from both ends.
Height
2-6 ft
Spread
14-29"
Roughly 3 to 5 feet and still a discrete upright plant. This is the window in which to decide between shrub and tree, because the choice is made by removing stems: leave the multi-stemmed clump alone, or select one to three leaders now and keep the rest cut out.
Possumhaw viburnum
Rounded, multi-stemmed, upright-spreading deciduous shrub. Missouri Botanical Garden gives 5 to 12 feet tall and as wide in the wild, and that is the figure this record carries. The Wildflower Center describes a denser 12 to 20 foot shrub with upright stems that arch with age, and the gap between the two is worth reading rather than averaging: the taller figure belongs to old plants in their own wet habitat, the shorter one to what a garden shrub actually does. Leaves are opposite, elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, to about 4 inches long, and glossy dark green - the Wildflower Center singles the foliage out as smoother and more lustrous than most viburnums, which is the easiest field mark on the plant and the reason for the name smooth witherod. The specific epithet nudum means nude or naked. Unlike mapleleaf viburnum it does not build a colony from rhizomes, so what you plant stays roughly where you put it and widens rather than travels. Nursery stock is often one of two compact cultivars, 'Winterthur' or 'Brandywine', both of which top out near 5 to 6 feet and are much smaller than the species.
Height
1.5-3.6 ft
Spread
1.3-3 ft
Roughly 2 to 4 feet and still a single clump of a few stems. Flowering is light to absent and fruit set is not worth judging yet. This is the stage at which the plant still moves easily, and the Wildflower Center notes it transplants well.
Idaho fescue
A densely clumping, long-lived perennial bunchgrass. The tuft itself is a low dome of very narrow, stiff, inrolled leaves held mostly near the base, often a striking blue to grey-green; the flowering stalks rise well clear of it, roughly twice the height of the foliage, so the plant reads as a fine cushion with a haze of narrow flower clusters above it. Wikipedia gives flowering stems of about 12 to 31 inches, 12 to 31 inches, and the Wildflower Center gives up to about 3 feet overall, which is the same plant measured to the top of the stalk. The spikelets are hairy and produce large awned fruits. Below ground it is thick-rooted and deep, with symbiotic mycorrhizae, and it makes NO rhizomes - the clump expands only from its own crown. That single structural fact separates it from red fescue in this group and is why it behaves as a discrete specimen in a planting rather than as a sward.
Height
4-13"
Spread
3-5"
A small, unimpressive tuft, and this is the risky year. The Wildflower Center states plainly that seedlings are only weakly competitive - a first-year plant loses to weeds it will later out-compete outright, so the establishment work is weed control rather than feeding.
Red fescue
A low, fine-textured perennial grass. The Royal Horticultural Society describes it as slowly spreading and tufted, about 12 inches tall, forming open clumps of fine, bristly, mid-green, hair-like leaves often with red veins, and gives an ultimate height and spread of 4 to 20 inches reached in two to five years. Wikipedia calls the leaves narrow, needle-like and bright green, and notes that the swards it forms are less tufted than those of sheep fescue (Festuca ovina) or wavy hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa), that tufting being what gives fescue turf its springy feel underfoot. The structural fact that matters most is that habit sits at subspecies level: Wikipedia states the species has subspecies that have rhizomes and/or form bunchgrass tufts, so subsp. rubra spreads and subsp. commutata stays a clump. Flowering spikes rise to about 12 inches and carry clusters of spikelets, each spikelet with four to ten flowers and up to 0.6 inches long; the ligule is very short and blunt, which is the quickest hand-lens character. One published figure is worth treating with caution: Wikipedia gives an overall height of 0.8 to 7.9 inches, which is below both the RHS figure and the height of the flower spikes described in the same article, so this record follows the RHS for size.
Height
2-10"
Spread
1-6"
Sown or planted and still thin. A first-year stand from seed reads as a fine green haze rather than a sward, and weed competition rather than drought is what usually loses it at this stage.
Sheep fescue
Densely tufted evergreen perennial grass forming a neat rounded tussock of short, fine, tightly rolled, bristle-like greyish-green leaves, with slender flowering culms carrying compact, slightly feathery, slightly one-sided panicles held above the foliage. The RHS records the habit as tufted, the foliage as evergreen, and gives two to five years to ultimate height. The structural point that matters more than any dimension is negative: Wikipedia records that the plant has NO rhizomes. It cannot run, cannot fill a gap sideways and cannot repair a bare patch, so a planting is only ever as dense as the number of plants put in it. The foliage tuft in a garden setting typically reads at roughly 8 inches, with flowering culms lifting the plant to something nearer 18 to 20 inches in late spring, and the clump widens slowly to about a foot. Plotwright flags those figures as horticultural convention rather than quotations: the RHS entry consulted for this record gives a time to ultimate height but no ultimate height or spread, and neither Kew nor Wikipedia publishes garden dimensions.
Height
4-10"
Spread
3-6"
A small young tuft settling into lean, sharply drained ground. Sheep fescue establishes readily from seed or from a division, but with no rhizomes it puts everything into the crown rather than into spread, so year one looks like exactly one plant.
Plains coreopsis
Slender, erect, freely branching annual forb on smooth stiff stems, 2 to 4 feet tall and 12 to 18 inches wide by Missouri Botanical Garden, which is the figure for a well-fed garden plant. The Wildflower Center describes wild plants as 12 to 24 inches and sometimes taller, and records the species reaching about 5 feet at the extreme; Wikipedia gives 1 to 3.3 feet as the usual span. Read the difference as a plant whose size is set almost entirely by moisture and crowding rather than by genetics. Leaves are pinnately divided into narrow hairless segments, concentrated on the lower half of the stem, so the top of the plant reads as bare wiry stems carrying flowers - which is why it looks thin as a single specimen and solid as a drift. Flower heads are solitary on long stalks, 1 to 2 inches across, with 7 to 9 yellow rays marked maroon at the base around a red-brown disc. The fruit is a small flat winged achene.
Height
2-10"
Spread
3-5"
Three to six weeks from sowing. A low rosette of finely divided leaves, easy to weed out by mistake because it looks like nothing in particular. Seed needs light to germinate, so it is surface-sown and pressed in rather than buried.
Largeflower tickseed
Short-lived clump-forming herbaceous perennial, 18 to 30 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide by Missouri Botanical Garden, which also records that it spreads by rhizomes. That creep is real but modest, and it is not what makes a stand grow: the expansion you see in year three is seedlings, not the parent clump travelling. Flowering stems are slender and erect and carry a single head each. The foliage is the identification. Lower leaves at the base of the plant are lobeless and linear; upper leaves are pinnatifid and deeply lobed into linear segments, which the Wildflower Center describes simply as dissected into linear segments. Stems are thin enough that a plant grown in rich, moist, fed soil flops, and Missouri Botanical Garden notes that compact forms are less likely to sprawl than the taller ones - the cultural advice to keep it lean and the design advice to keep it lean are the same advice.
Height
11-18"
Spread
6-9"
From seed sown in spring this is often a basal rosette with a thin first flush of flowers late in the season; from a nursery pot it flowers the first summer at close to full height. Either way the root system is shallow, and the one thing that matters is drainage rather than water.
Lanceleaf coreopsis
Clump-forming herbaceous perennial, 12 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide by Missouri Botanical Garden, built as a dense basal tuft of foliage with slender, nearly leafless flowering stems standing above it. MBG describes the leaves as narrow, hairy and lance-shaped, 2 to 6 inches long, appearing primarily near the base of the plant in basal tufts; the stem leaves are fewer and smaller and some may be lobed. That basal concentration of undivided, lance-shaped foliage is the mark to look for, and it is worth being precise about what that claim rests on: lanceleaf and largeflower coreopsis are routinely confused and are often sold interchangeably, but no source cited on this record profiles Coreopsis grandiflora, so the description above is stated as what MBG says about Coreopsis lanceolata rather than as a verified contrast between the two. The Wildflower Center records leaf retention as evergreen, so the basal tuft persists through winter rather than dying to the ground. Wikipedia notes a rhizomatous base, which is part of why the plant rides out a dry summer, but this is not a running rhizome and the plant does not travel that way. It travels by seed. In moist or fertile ground the stems lengthen and flop, and MBG treats that sprawl as a cultural fault to correct rather than a habit to design around.
Height
8-17"
Spread
7-11"
A container plant usually flowers in its first summer, which is unusual among perennials and part of why this species sells. Expect a modest tuft and a real, if short, bloom. Water it in and then stop; the fastest way to lose it in year one is generosity with water on heavy ground.