CAMDEN FARMS Native Plant Nursery Availability
Achillea Fireland
Common yarrow is a carefree garden plant that spreads easily to fill available space. 'Fireland' is a vigorous grower with brick red flowers that fade to deep orange throughout the summer. Named for Tierra del Fuego, the land of fire. Introduced by Ernst Pagels. An excellent cut flower!
Common yarrow is a carefree garden plant that spreads easily to fill available space. 'Fireland' is a vigorous grower with brick red flowers that fade to deep orange throughout the summer. Named for Tierra del Fuego, the land of fire. Introduced by Ernst Pagels. An excellent cut flower!
Height2-3 Feet | Spread2-4 Feet |
This species was cultivated in Europe before 1440, used as a remedy for toothache, and mixed in ale in place of hops to increase the inebriating quality of the drink. It was thought to have a magical quality similar to our "apple a day keeps the doctor away," and was said to grow in churchyards as a reproach to the dead, "who need never have come there if they had taken their yarrow broth faithfully every day while living." The main use, however, was that of an herb to heal wounds. The genus was named after Achilles, who is said to have used A. millefollium to staunch the wounds of his soldiers. Soldier's Woundweed and Carpenter's Weed are other old English names. Allan Armitage
Growing and Maintenance Tips
Full sun to light shade in sandy dry or average soils. Very easy to grow and drought tolerant once established.Go easy on the fertilizer - too much leads to lanky, floppy plants.
Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia
Eastern bluestar
This long-lived, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial features three to four weeks of light blue, star-shaped flowers in spring. Terminal flower clusters are succeeded by ornamental seed pods. Narrow, willow-shaped foliage transitions from green into attractive shades of yellow in fall. An easy to grow, no fuss native perfectly suited for the perennial border. Beautiful when used en masse along the perennial border or in a fresh cut arrangement.
Height
2-3 FeetAsclepias tuberosa
A tough, drought-tolerant native with intense orange flowers in mid to late summer. Attracts many varieties of butterfly and is especially attractive to Monarchs. A beautiful solution for a dry sunny slope! Occurs in dry fields and roadsides in most of the US.
Height18-24 Inches | Spread24 Inches |
Butterfly weed is a 2' tall herbaceous perennial that dies back in winter and re-sprouts from its underground tuber each spring. The brilliant orange or red flower clusters appear in midsummer. These are followed by attractive green pods that open to release silky "parachutes" to drift away on autumn winds. Butterfly weed is unique among milkweeds in that the sap is not milky and the leaves are not opposite. Many flowers have an inner whorl of petals, called the corolla, and an outer whorl of sepals, called the calyx. These are the showy, colorful parts of a typical flower. The milkweeds are special: they have a third whorl above the corolla called the corona. Butterfly weed is a trouble-free perennial that will come up year after year in the same place without crowding its neighbors. Plant butterfly weed in mixed borders, meadows and natural areas. Butterfly weed is slow to emerge in spring, so you may want to mark where they are. Floridata tuberosa = tuberous, having fleshy underground stems bearing minute scale leaves, each of which bears a bud in its axil and is potentially able to produce a new plant Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
Aster lat. Lady in Black
Who can resist plants with great names? Aster 'Lady in Black' is an elegant 3-4' mound of purplish- black strappy leaves smothered in red-centered tiny white daisies in late summer and early fall. A stronger, more statuesque sister of Aster 'Prince' that will thrive in average soil in sun or part shade, but shows best foliage coloration in full sun. Thousands of flowers per plant - a butterfly's dream!
Aster lateriflorus grows best in full sun in average moist or dry soil. 'Lady in Black' is drought tolerant and adaptable to many soil types. Pinching is not necessary to control habit, but a June cut back to 4-6" results in a shorter plant and more flowers in Fall.
Aster lat. Lady in Black
Who can resist plants with great names? Aster 'Lady in Black' is an elegant 3-4' mound of purplish- black strappy leaves smothered in red-centered tiny white daisies in late summer and early fall. A stronger, more statuesque sister of Aster 'Prince' that will thrive in average soil in sun or part shade, but shows best foliage coloration in full sun. Thousands of flowers per plant - a butterfly's dream!
Height2-3 Feet | Spread3 Feet |
Aster lateriflorus grows best in full sun in average moist or dry soil. 'Lady in Black' is drought tolerant and adaptable to many soil types. Pinching is not necessary to control habit, but a June cut back to 4-6" results in a shorter plant and more flowers in Fall.
Aster nova 'vibrant dome'
Vibrant, hot-pink, star-shaped flowers with yellow center accents adorn lance-shaped green foliage through autumn. The compact, mounding habit of this sport of Aster 'Purple Dome' has proven mildew resistance. Reaching between 15 and 20 inches, A. 'Vibrant Dome' performs best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. A beautiful performer for late season color.
Vibrant, hot-pink, star-shaped flowers with yellow center accents adorn lance-shaped green foliage through autumn. The compact, mounding habit of this sport of Aster 'Purple Dome' has proven mildew resistance. Reaching between 15 and 20 inches, A. 'Vibrant Dome' performs best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. A beautiful performer for late season color.
Height15-20 Inches | Spread30 Inches |
Sienna Sunset' parades its attention-grabbing flower color while still sharing all the same terrific qualities as its parent, Coreopsis 'Crème Brulee'. It is outstanding when planted in masses, displaying a long bloom time and large burnt sienna colored flowers. The flowers lighten as they age to a deep orange. This cultivar is well utilized in the front or middle of a perennial border or in mixed containers.
Gaillardia Burgandy
blanketflower
Deep burgundy blooms are 3" across with a button-like center which emerges bright yellow and then slowly changes to velvety red. Flowers bloom coming continuously from early summer into the fall, gracing gardens and containers alike with fresh vibrant blanket flowers. Once established Burgundy is very easy, proving its heat tolerance and best garden performance when grown in poorer soils.
Helenium 'mardi gras'
Helenium 'Mardi Gras' produces a festival of multicolored blooms jazzes up the garden for six to eight weeks in mid to late summer. Yellow petals are lavishly edged with bright orange red, aging to clear red edged in gold, all surrounding deep chestnut cones. Gorgeous in a pot! Great as a cut flower, its long stems are sturdy and vase life is long. Heleniums are naturally resistant, even toxic, to deer and rabbits. An early pinch back helps promote branching. Blooms of Bressingham variety.
Height36-40 Inches | Spread24-36 Inches |
Helenium 'Mardi Gras' is easily grown in rich moist soils in the full sun. Soil needs to be kept watered. Propagate by seed or division every 2-3 years. Fertilize sparingly to reduce risk of weak stems. Plants may benefit from being cut back in early spring to encourage more branching and floriferous growth. Foliage should be cut back after flowering
Heuchera 'miracle'
It introduces the colors of Coleus to the perennial market! Foliage emerges chartreuse in spring and develops deep red color as it ages, but retains a bright edge throughout the season. Like Caramel, Miracle has H. villosa genes and is tolerant of heat and humidity and overwinters reliably. It is a strong grower and fills a gallon quickly. It's a Miracle!
Heuchera 'miracle'
It introduces the colors of Coleus to the perennial market! Foliage emerges chartreuse in spring and develops deep red color as it ages, but retains a bright edge throughout the season. Like Caramel, Miracle has H. villosa genes and is tolerant of heat and humidity and overwinters reliably. It is a strong grower and fills a gallon quickly. It's a Miracle!
Height12-18 Inches | Spread18-24 Inches |
Lobelia cardinalis
Cardinal Flower
Clump forming brilliant red spikes set against green and purple bronze colored foliage. Each individual spike of scarlet flowers open from bottom to top and stays in bloom for several weeks. A favorite of hummingbirds. Makes an excellent cut flower. A real show stopper!
Cardinal Flower
Clump forming brilliant red spikes set against green and purple bronze colored foliage. Each individual spike of scarlet flowers open from bottom to top and stays in bloom for several weeks. A favorite of hummingbirds. Makes an excellent cut flower. A real show stopper!
Height2-4 Feet | Spread2 Feet |
Needs constant moisture so mulching would be quite beneficial. Propagate by seed or cuttings. May self seed. Best used as a border, wild, hummingbird, butterfly and water gardens. Also to add color to woodland gardens.
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Penstemon 'Huskers Red'
Phlox paniculata
Sedum ternatum 'Larinem Park'
Solidago rugosa 'fireworks'
Stokesia 'Peachie's Pink'
Wisteria 'Blue Moon'
baptisia twillite prairieblues: deep violet (May June)
Features an elegant, vase-shaped habit and a profusion of deep violet-blue flowers on 24-inch-long racemes. Secondary stems extend the bloom season to 3-4 weeks! Fine textured foliage remains an attractive green all season. Vase-shaped habit primary stems are strongly erect; flowers are held well above the foliage.Height48 Inches Spread48-54 Inches
echinacea rubystar purpurea (July and August)
Introduced by the Jelitto, who gave us 'Magnus', Echinacea 'Rubinstern' is a slightly shorter plant with large flat topped flowers that are a deeper purple pink, almost ruby red, than most others. An easy to grow native plant with large, dark green leaves and a large, 3-4" flower with broad deep pink, ruby to purple petals that surround a brown/bronze cone. Plants are tough and heat and drought tolerant once established. Their roots have famous medicinal qualities, they make great, long lasting, cut flowers and attract numerous butterflies and small birds. Height2-3 Feet Spread18-24 InchesBloom ColorPurple Hardiness Zone 4-8
rudbeckia goldstrum July-September Bold texture and upright habit. Bright gold petals with a deep brown cone highlight the garden in late summer. Each flower may last up to two weeks! Disease and pest resistant perennial awarded 1999 PPA plant of the year. Wonderful and long lasting cut flower. Provides seeds in the winter for birds and nectar for butterflies. Beautiful and versatile, outstanding in mass plantings as a border perennial, meadow and prairie gardens as well as a noninvasive groundcover. Height
2-3 FeetSpread18-24 InchesBloom ColorGolden Yellow
USDA Hardiness Zone 5-7
solidago sempervierens late summer into fall
Delightful, golden-yellow flowers are borne in axillary clusters along reflexing stems from late summer into fall. Reliable, deep green, glossy foliage remains clean throughout the growing seasons. Not an aggressive runner, 'Solar Cascade' is a clump forming perennial reaching knee height, maxing out somewhere between the taller 'Fireworks' and more compact 'Golden Fleece'. Performs best in moist to average garden soil under full sun or partial shade; extremely drought tolerant once established. This great garden plant is easy to propagate and proved to be a standout in The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden perennial trails. Plant en masse for a dramatic effect or incorporate into seasonal arrangements.Height24-30 InchesSpread12-24 InchesBloom ColorYellow Hardiness Zone 3-8
asclepias verticillata white flowers in mid-summer, gold coloring into fall.
"A widely adaptable and tough native is a deer-resistant food for larval butterflies. The fine-textured foliage provides a dark green backdrop for the clusters of white flowers that appear in June and July. Many are the oohs and ahhs when my drifts are in full bloom. This petite enchanter has 1-2' stems densely hung with long needle-like leaves so they look something like a cartoon cat's tail after an electric shock. The sweet-scented white flowers open in midsummer, and side branches keep them coming for several weeks. In autumn the leaves turn yellow to orange, and the pencil thin seed capsules are very decorative once they split open. Clumps increase rapidly by runners, but it's easy to keep unwanted stems pulled or dug up. Prairies, meadows, and open woods of the eastern and central United States are it's wild haunts. ~ Cole Burell, American Horticulturist - July/August 1998Height1-3 FeetSpread1-2 FeetBloom Color The milkweed family name (Asclepiadaceae) is dedicated to the Greek god of medicine, Asklepios. Most of the 2400 species in this family are tropical. The specific epithet verticillata means "whorled" in botanical Latin. Whorled milkweed was first described for science by the great Swedish naturalist and father of modern plant taxonomy Carl von Linne (Linnaeus) in 1753."
foxglove beardtonue
Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) matures to 4' in height and has white to pink flowers. Foxglove Beardtongue prefers medium to dry medium soils but can adapt to all light conditions: full sun to full shade. It blooms approximately June to July. It is very easy to grow from seed.
The tubular flowers of this plant attract long-tongued bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, Miner bees, Mason bees, and hummingbirds. Penstemons are called 'Beard Tongues' because the sterile stamen has a tuft of small hairs.
rudbeckia triloba
The preference is full to partial sun, moist to mesic conditions, and fertile loamy soil, although soil with some gravel or clay is tolerated. This plant has moderate drought-tolerance; it may drop some of its lower leaves or wilt should this occur. After the blooming season is over, Brown-Eyed Susan can appear rather untidy.
aster novae-angliae
A naturally compact form with deep purple flowers in August and September. Eye-popping with Solidago 'Golden Fleece'. One of the most garden-worthy native selections out there. A fine introduction from the Mt. Cuba Center.Height1-2 FeetSpread1-2 FeetBloom Color Purple
blue lobelia siphilitica
The spikes of brilliant true blue flowers on this wetland native attract butterflies, hummingbirds and neighbors to your garden! Lobelia siphilitica provides outstanding color for the border, wet meadow or pond edge. Naturalizes easily in moist soils, but tolerates periods of drought.Height2-3 FeetSpread12-18 InchesBloom ColorBlueHardiness Zone 4-8Great Lobelia, the blue counterpart of the Cardinal Flower, can be found in open, moist places and blooms at the same time as Cardinal Flower. The Latin species name indicates that it was once thought that Great Lobelia was a cure for syphilis. The Native Americans of this region used Lobelia as an analgesic and as a treatment for many other common ailments.Lobelia prefers moist, organically rich soil in shady to sunny areas. Tolerates drier locations than L. cardinalis, but insists on some afternoon shade in warmer zones. May self seed if happy.
lobelia cardinalis
Description: This native perennial plant is usually unbranched and 2–3½' tall. The central stem is ridged and rather hairy. The alternate leaves are up 6" long and 1½" across; they have a rough texture, a lanceolate shape, coarsely serrated margins, and a tendency to curl upward from their central veins. The lower leaves have short petioles, while the upper ones are smaller and sessile. The undersides of the leaves usually have fine hairs. The central stem terminates in a spike-like raceme of showy red flowers. This raceme is about ½–1½' long. Each flower has a narrow tubular structure that is upright and terminates in greyish white reproductive organs; these organs nod downward. Beneath this are 2 narrow side lobes and a lower lip that is 3-lobed. The green calyx is divided into 5 linear lobes that spread outward. The flowers are held at an upward angle in relation to the stem; they are about 1–1½" long and ¾–1" across. The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall, and lasts about 1–1½ months. There is no floral scent. The small seeds can be carried aloft by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to full sun, and wet to moist.
Cultivation: The preference is light shade to full sun, and wet to moist.
blue flag iris This native perennial plant is 2-3' tall. It produces clumps of vertical leaves that are sword-shaped and up to 2½' tall. These leaves are pale bluish green to green and hairless. An individual leaf is up to 1" across near the base, with smooth margins and parallel veins, and tapering to a point.
Cultivation: The preference is wet to moist conditions, partial to full sun, and a rich organic soil. In light shade, this plant often fails to flower, and it tends to decline in abundance if conditions become too dry. The foliage is rarely bothered by disease or insects. To maintain the viability of the seeds, they should not be allowed to dry out – store them with some moist sand.
monarda fistulosa has lovely lavender flowers atop aromatic foliage. Easy to grow in a perennial border, wildflower garden or meadow. Wild bergamot is a great naturalizing wildflower and a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. Monarda fistulosa is more tolerant of drought and resistant to powdery mildew than M. didyma.Height2-5 FeetSpread3 FeetBloom ColorPurple and red. sun or part sun.
Heliopsis helianthoides
Smooth oxeye or false sunflower
This local native sunflower happily naturalizes in moist or dry conditions. Upright and clump forming with bright, 2", single, medium gold flowers for eight weeks, peaking in July. Imagine, a self sowing butterfly magnet, that also doubles as a birdfeeder in the fall. Excellent cut flower!Height4-6 FeetSpread3-5 FeetBloom ColorGolden YellowZone 4-9Oxeye is somewhere in between Helianthus and Rudbeckia in effect. It has a shrubby habit and yellow discs and rays of some sunflowers, but the blooms are produced in great quantities on this stems above the foliage, much like Rudbeckia. It is one of the finest large summer bloomers for the garden, growing in a range of soils and forming thick, nonspreading clumps of braching stems, with toothed, opposite leaves that are clean, medium green.
(W. Cullina, Growing and Propagating Wildflowers)
(W. Cullina, Growing and Propagating Wildflowers)