Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Over 40 Years of Growing Gardens and Gardeners
You can help the native pollinator population by growing native plants in your gardens. However, home improvement stores and many nurseries tend to stock more cultivars, nativars, and hybrids than native species. Click on the link to go directly to the Illustrated Glossary page to learn how cultivars and nativars differ from native plants and the potential ecological impact you should consider before purchasing them.
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
The tallest and showiest of the native lilies, Turk’s-cap frequents wet meadows and moist woods primarily in the Mid-Atlantic Region. A single plant can bear up to 40 individual flowers, which are noted for their stunning color, reflexed tepals, and prominent stamens.
The Glencarlyn Library Community Garden coordinators are creating a new series of short videos about locally invasive plants and native alternatives. This series looks at individual invasive plants, discussing how to remove them and suggesting native plants to consider as replacements. This month's post is on Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii).
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
Wild Hydrangea is a fast-growing, deciduous shrub with large handsome leaves and large flower heads comprising dozens of florets. It is common throughout much of the Mid-Atlantic Region except for the Coastal Plain where it occurs infrequently. (In Delaware its status is historical.)
HAPPY POLLINATOR WEEK! Take our Pollinator Week challenge and test your knowledge of plants and insects. There are ten questions and four picture answers each to choose from. Click on the letter above the picture to find out if your answers are correct or to learn more about each species. Good luck!
#PollinatorWeek
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
Sometimes referred to as False Sunflower, this hardy native of open woodlands, prairies, and fields is notable for its eight-week period of peak bloom. Its 2- to 3-inch, showy yellow flowers attract a wide variety of pollinators and make it a wonderful addition to a cutting garden.
