Perennial Plugs
Showing 1–12 of 15 results
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American Holly
Ilex opaca
Description: This quite popular prickly evergreen tree grows slowly and dignified with grace. As it is a holly, they are dioecious with male and female plants; only the females bare bright red fruit. While used as hedge or privacy screen, it can be used as a specimen planting on lawns. However, it should be shielded from our cold desiccating winds. American Holly’s fruit tends to be ignored by wildlife until winter, when little else is around. In the Spring, it makes great cover and nesting places for songbirds. Warning: somewhat toxic if ingested, children are most vulnerable.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Woodlands, woodland edges, old fields (FACU)
Light: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Moist, well-drained, acidic soils. Acid- based, sandy, sandy loam, medium loam. Dry to wet.Characteristics
Bloom Color: Fruit are red
Bloom Period: March, April, May, June
Mature Height: 40 to 60 feetWildlife: Food source to pollinators. Attracts birds and butterflies. Host plant to Henry’s Elfin butterfly. Special value to honey bees.
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Shade TolerantSold As
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Black Chokeberry
Photinia melanocarpa / Aronia melanocarpa
Description: Similar to Red Chokeberry, this shrub also bears clear red foliage in the fall but with deep purple to almost black berries instead of red. It is rounded and a suckering shrub that is useful in grouped or mass plantings. It is favored by songbirds and small mammals that use it both as cover and shelter through all seasons. Great alternative to glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus).
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Disturbed habitats, bogs, cliffs, balks, or ledges fens, swamps, woodlands (FAC).
Light: Part Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Moist, acidic soils. Moist.Characteristics
Bloom Color: White, Fruit are Red
Bloom Period: May
Mature Height: 10 feetWildlife: Intermediate food source for birds. Host plant for Hessel’s Hairstreak butterfly and the Precious Underwing Moth.
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Shade TolerantSold As: each
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Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Description: Long spikes of lavender to blue, tubular flowers makes this plant a showy perennial in the late summer. Blue Lobelia is a great partner to Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and is terrific for woodland gardens. Attracts pollinators including hummingbirds and native bees and is on Dr. Robert Gegear’s plant list. Note: this plant is not drought tolerant and must keep the soil moist. Water if necessary in average soil conditions. Endangered in Massachusetts. All parts of the plant are poisonous.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Wet meadows, river and stream corridors, floodplain forests (FACW)
Light: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Clay, loam, sand. Moist to wetCharacteristics
Bloom Color: Blue, Purple
Bloom Period: July, August, September, October
Mature Height: 4 feetWildlife: Attracts birds including hummingbirds. Special value to native bees. Nectar source for the Half-Black Bumblebee. Supports conservation biological control.
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Shade TolerantSold As: each
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Blue-flag Iris
Iris versicolor
Description: Popular with bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, this wet-footed lovely iris has graceful, sword shaped leaves and delicate looking violet flowers. This non-demanding iris can tolerate complete submergence but can easily be grown in most gardens. Warning: poisonous to livestock and people. Interesting note: The name “flag” comes from the middle English word, “flagge”, meaning reed or rush.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Wetlands, swamps, marshes, river and stream corridors (OBL)
Light: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Moist, rich soils. Moist to Wet.Characteristics
Bloom Color: White, Yellow, Blue, Purple, Violet
Bloom Period: May, June
Mature Height: 3 feetWildlife: Attracts birds including hummingbirds. Special value to native bees. Nectar source for the Dion Skipper.
Other Features: Anaerobic Tolerant, Deer Resistant.Sold As: each
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Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Description: Pretty white flowers growing in ball-like clusters attract numerous pollinators including the swallowtail butterfly. Seeds attract both waterfowl and shorebirds. Requires medium wet soil moisture. On Dr. Robert Gegear’s plant list. Warning: foliage poisonous to livestock and other animals.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Disturbed habitats, rivers, streams, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetland margins (OBL)
Light: Part Shade to Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Moist to wetCharacteristics
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: June, July, August, September
Mature Height: 10 to 20 feetWildlife: Food source to pollinators. Attracts birds and butterflies. Special value to native bees and honey bees. Food Source to adult Titan sphinx and Hydrangea sphinx.
Other Features: Anaerobic Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Shade TolerantSold As
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Hairy Beardtongue (Now Foxglove Beardtongue)
UPDATE: Nursery had crop failure of Hairy Beardtongue, this is being substituted with Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis.
Penstemon hirsutus
Description: Beloved by both gardeners and wildlife, this late spring bloomer makes a great addition to woodland gardens or low meadows. Watching bees climb inside the flower is quite a delight! It is endangered in Massachusetts, so please keep seeds from your plants in your personal garden. On Dr. Robert Gegear’s plant list.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Disturbed habitats, cliffs, balds or ledges, meadows, fields, ridges or ledges, woodlands (NI)
Light: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Thin, well-drained soils. Dry.Characteristics
Bloom Color: Purple, White
Bloom Period: May, June
Mature Height: 2 feetWildlife: Attracts Hummingbirds. Special value to native bees. Nectar source for Golden Northern Bumblebee, Yellow-banded bumblebee, and Half-black bumblebee.
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Shade TolerantSold As: each
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New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Description: Another late season bloomer with stunning bright purple flowers. Easily to identify pre-bloom by leaves that nearly encircle a hairy stem. Another attractor of numerous pollinators and a host plant for the Crescent butterfly. Serves as a nectar source for monarchs. Best planted in meadow gardens or as backdrop to shorter plants such as the purple coneflower due to leaves dropping as it grows. Prune this plant early in the season to promote bushy growth. Notice: does not do well in dry soils. Also a prolific self-seeder; prune seed heads before they are ripe to decrease unwanted seedlings.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Disturbed habitats, meadows, and fields (FACW).
Light: Sun, Part Shade.
Soil Type and Moisture: Moist soils. Moist.Characteristics
Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Period: August, September, October
Mature Height: 6 feetWildlife: Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Nectar source for Monarch butterflies. Host to the Pearl Crescent and Checkerspot butterflies. Special value to native bees and honey bees.
Other Features: Drought Tolerant, Salt TolerantSold As: each
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Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Description: This small, fine ground cover spreads through thin rhizomes and makes a great lawn alternative and versatile garden plant. It is perfect for mass plantings to fill spaces around perennials and shrubs. It attracts numerous species of butterflies and moths. In fall, the tips of the foliage turn brown and by winter, the entire plant turns a tawny hue with hints of deep green. Cut back one in the spring or leave alone to regenerate new foliage.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Open woodlands, dry ridge tops, rocky outcrops (NI)
Light: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Dry to moist soils.Characteristics
Bloom Color: White, Green, Brown
Bloom Period: May, June, July
Mature Height: 1 footWildlife: Attracts birds. Host Plant to the Mulberry Wing and Black Dash.
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Shade TolerantSold As
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Purple Joe-Pye Weed
Eupatorium purpureum / Eutrochium purpureum
Description: This vanilla scented joe-pye weed has a large, domed, flower head that contains several branches of small, pale pink to purple florets. It makes a great ornamental perennial and is a favorite of a variety of pollinators including hummingbirds and bumblebees. It can also serve as a backdrop for other perennials. It is also on Dr. Robert Gegear’s plant list.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Forests, meadows, fields, woodlands (FAC)
Light: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Moist soils.Characteristics
Bloom Color: Pink to Purple
Bloom Period: July, August, September
Mature Height: 8 feetWildlife: Attracts birds including hummingbirds. Special value to native bees. Nectar Source to Yellow Banded Bumblebee and Half Black Bumblebee.
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Salt TolerantSold As
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Red Chokeberry
Photinia pyrifolia / Aronia arbutifolia
Description: Beautiful red berries appear on this multi-stemmed shrub in the fall. The foliage turns a deep red; a great alternative to winged euonymus. The more sunlight, the more it produces small flowers and a deeper red colors. Fruit are edible but are astringent tasting when raw. They are delicious when they are cooked, baked, juiced, or pureed. Berries are a great source of antioxidants.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Disturbed habitats, bogs, fens, meadows and fields, swamps, woodlands (FACW)
Light: Sun
Soil Type and Moisture: Moist, rich soils. Moist.Characteristics
Bloom Color: White, Fruit are Red
Bloom Period: May
Mature Height: 10 feetWildlife: Intermediate food source for birds. Host plant for Hessel’s Hairstreak butterfly and the Precious Underwing Moth.
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Salt TolerantSold As: each
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Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
Description: This stunning red flowering plant can be used just about any garden, be it formal or natural. It is a pollinator attractor, a favorite for bees , hummingbirds, and butterflies. The scent of scarlet beebalm can be described as a minty-orange tea. Can be used in Earl Grey tea. Interesting fact: it is named beebalm because people would use the poulticed leaves for bee stings. On Dr. Robert Gegear’s plant list.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Moist open meadows, disturbed habitats, meadows, stream banks, mountains to 6,500 ft. (FACU)
Light: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Type and Moisture: Rich, moist, acid soils. Juglone tolerant. Medium to WetCharacteristics
Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Period: July, August, September
Mature Height: 3 feetWildlife: Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Special value to native bumblebees and other bees. Nectar source for Golden Northern Bumblebee, Yellow-banded Bumblebee, and Half-black Bumblebee.
Other Features: Deer ResistantSold As: each
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Silky Dogwood
Cornus amomum
Description: The beautiful bush is adorned with masses of white flowers in springtime; a popular plant to numerous pollinators. In the fall, these flowers give way to dark blue fruit, attractive as food by songbirds, game birds, and mammals. It can be planted as a mass planting at the edge of a wetland or pond, or as erosion control. Keeping a few inches of leaf mulch will keep moisture sequestered around the roots. Note: it is a suckering shrub so it will spread from its origin.
Habitat
Habitat and Wetland Indicator Status: Forested Wetlands, moist woods, wetlands, ponds, and lake shores (FACW)
Light: Full sun to part sun.
Soil Type and Moisture: Clay, Loam, Sand. Moist to wetCharacteristics
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: March, April
Mature Height: 8 to 10 feetWildlife: Attracts birds and supports conservation biological control. Fruit eaten by mammals, songbirds, and game birds
Other Features: Deer Resistant, Fire TolerantSold As
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