Unfortunately, this is my last “plants of the week” blog post since my internship at the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College has come to an end. However, this week’s theme is “the grand finale” because many of these plants’ flowers remind me of fireworks. Much like a firework grand finale, I saved the best for last! Before I leave here, I want to share five of my favorite plants that now finally look their best!

This multi-stemmed crape myrtle features magenta-pink terminal flowers up to one foot long. Lagerstroemia indica Pink Velour^® blooms from mid-summer to frost on upright branches that reaching as high as 10 feet. Its foliage emerges burgundy-red in spring, matures to purplish-green by summer, and turns orange-brown in autumn. When the branches arch downwards from the weight of the blossoms, it reminds me of a lit firework about to explode in a summer’s night sky.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: west side of Parrish Hall

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Amethyst’ is yet another phenomenal selection of hydrangea introduced by the Michael Dirr. This plant offers a magic show of color-changing flowers. Initially amethyst these six-inch-long flowers start with creamy white sepals which wine-red as they mature. This color lasts for an extended period, even after cut or dried for floral arrangements. In autumn, the uniquely textured foliage turns deep burgundy-red.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: west side of Parrish Hall

Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’ is commonly known as sweet coneflower, but it does not look like most Rudbeckia. What gives this its unique appearance is its very separated, rolled yellow rays attached to a central, dome-shaped, brown disk. These yellow flower petal “quills” slowly unravel at the ends and flatten out during an extensive bloom period. Its stems are covered in soft hairs and its foliage has a pleasant aroma of vanilla/anise. These distinct blooms remind me of yellow fireworks bursting in the air.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: John W. Nason Garden

Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’ is also called mountain fleece or bistort. This is a vigorous, slow-spreading, noninvasive, clump-forming perennial. Persicaria flowers from early summer into fall with narrow, crimson, bottle-brush-like flower spikes of varying heights. Reaching up to four feet tall supported on long, green stalks, they create a pleasant layered appearance. These red flower spikes bring back fond memories of lit fire sparklers.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Scott Arboretum Entrance Garden

Asclepias tuberosa ‘Hello Yellow’ is commonly known as butterfly weed, since it is a butterfly magnet, especially for Monarchs. This drought-tolerant perennial can grow up to three feet tall and displays showy, flattened, dense clusters of sunny, bright yellow flowers of upright stems with narrow, lance-shaped foliage. These small, yellow, star-shaped flowers remind me of sparks from those “bang snaps” that I used to throw on the sidewalk as a child.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: John W. Nason Garden

I enjoyed interning at the beautiful Scott Arboretum this summer under horticulturist, Josh Coceano, and curator, Andrew Bunting! I would like to thank them for teaching me a tremendous amount this summer, the entire Scott staff, and active volunteer Carol Mattheiss for housing me all summer as well! I will miss you all and I will never forget this incredible experience!

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After being introduced to variegated plants, why would anyone want to go back to the old, boring, typical, green foliage plants when you could just as easily have leaves accented with varying shades of yellow and white instead?! I love variegated plants with a passion because they add variety, interest, and different colors into any garden. It is a lifetime goal of mine to breed a variegated cultivar of a plant that is presently not variegated yet.

Callicarpa mollis ‘Variegata’ translates to “with beautiful fruit,” and come winter, you will clearly see why. This plant produces light purple flowers that develop into dark purple berries. During the winter months, once this plant has dropped its leaves it will showcase its beautiful, large, dark purple berries on its stems, which is why it’s commonly known as beautyberry. These berries ripen in the autumn and are a favorite food of many birds. The variegation of the foliage is unstable, meaning that some leaves will be variegated while others will not. Most variegated plants just have margins of yellow, while Callicarpa mollis ‘Variegata’ displays several white variegation patterns. Some leaves appear splashed with white paint while others look spray-painted.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Whittier House

Stachyurus chinensis ‘Magpie’ is commonly called spike tails. It features a fountain-like form with arching branches that get covered in spring with white hanging racemes that resemble strings of pearls on bare branches. Stachyurus chinensis ‘Magpie’ boasts having the longest racemes of all Stachyurus. This cultivar displays green foliage with white variegated leaf margins with irregular border. My favorite part of this cultivar is that it also often produces select branches of entirely white leaves that dramatically contrast with the green background foliage. Spike tails produce flowers on old wood so prune immediately after flowering.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Off-Campus Study Office

Cornus kousa ‘Gold Star’ is commonly known as kousa dogwood, a small tree offering a rainbow of colors throughout the year. Usually variegation occurs on leaf margins, however, on this plant it’s in the center. Each oval-shaped, glossy leaf is irregularly painted a golden buttery-yellow along the center of its green leaves. In autumn, this yellow center turns red and the green margins turn purple, creating a completely different show of colors. In addition to the leaf variegation, this plant offers reddish stems. In spring, Cornus kousa ‘Gold Star’ features large, showy, white bracts that surround its flowers that slowly fade to pink during its six-week bloom period. These flowers then develop into large, bumpy fruits that start green and ripen to raspberry-red that numerous birds thoroughly enjoy.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Papazian Hall

Cornus sericea ‘Silver and Gold’ is a shrub commonly known as yellow-twig dogwood. This plant hosts green leaves variegated with irregular silvery margins which transform to yellow in the fall. In spring, small, white flower clusters appear on terminal ends of branches, often continuing to sparsely bloom into the summer as well. These flowers later develop into clusters of whitish drupes in late summer that birds love as much as gardeners do. Cornus sericea ‘Silver and Gold’ also showcases stems which transform from green to gold during the winter months, hence its cultivar name of ‘Silver and Gold.’ This plant dramatically stands out in winter, especially when surrounded by a layer of fresh snow. The best golden-yellow color occurs on young stems, so annual pruning of old stems in early spring is recommended.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Parrish Hall & McCabe Library

Zelkova serrata ‘Goshiki’ is a fairly rare Japanese zelkova cultivar. This is a medium-sized tree with serrated, oval-shaped dark green leaves variegated with creamy white just at the rim of the toothed leaf margins. This plant offers a variety of different fall foliage colors including a mix of yellow, bronze, dark red, and purple. Zelkova serrata ‘Goshiki’ belongs to the elm family, but is highly resistant to Dutch elm disease as well as the elm leaf beetle. Take one look at this plant’s beautifully variegated leaves and it will instantly make you wonder why it is so seldom cultivated.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: McCabe Library

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Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Biostream

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Minerva’ is a deciduous summer flowering shrub known for its extended blooming season, showy flowers, minimal seed production, and bountiful continuous flowering. Also known as rose of Sharon, this plant displays showy, lavender flower petals with ruffled margins. These blooms have dark red eyes with the distinguished hibiscus staminal column protruding out from the center. Each individual flower blooms for a single day; however, it develops seemingly endless new flower buds for continuous blooming from early summer to autumn.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Between Old Tarble & Worth Health Center

Campsis grandiflora ‘Morning Calm’ is a deciduous woody vine which can climb to thirty feet high. Commonly known as Chinese trumpetcreeper, it is not as aggressive as our native American trumpetcreeper. This cultivar features open clusters of hanging, trumpet-shaped, peach-apricot flowers with yellow throats. Campsis grandiflora ‘Morning Calm’ blooms in early summer and continuously flowers into autumn, and is a hummingbird magnet.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Isabelle Cosby Courtyard

Do you like surprises? If so, then you will love Lycoris squamigera. This plant has many fun nicknames including: surprise lily, resurrection lily, magic lily, and naked lady. Don’t be disappointed when its leaves emerge in spring and then soon die and wither away in the summer. Just when you think that this plant is dead, in late summer it surprises you by being “resurrected” like magic with a naked flower stalk that quickly emerges from the ground. These leafless, sturdy stalks support a cluster of numerous, fragrant, pink streaked with lavender, trumpet-shaped flowers that create a jaw-dropping magic show. Resurrection lily is not truly a lily, as it is in the Amaryllis family. Lycoris squamigera pairs perfectly with hostas or hellebores which provide foliage to create a pleasant background for its flower clusters, unless you enjoy its unique “naked lady” appearance.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Magill Walk

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Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

While Aechmea ‘Del Mar’ is a tropical plant, after seeing this plant’s breath-taking bloom, you will gladly find some room for it indoors during the winter months. Aechmea translates to “spear tip” due to its spiny-edged foliage. At first, this plant resembles all other bromeliads with its long, thick, sharp, green leaves. However, when it blooms, the blooms of Aechmea ‘Del Mar’ are much more beautiful than any other bromeliad! Its flowers are a work of art that last all summer long. A one-foot fuchsia flower spike rises from the center of the foliage containing flower clusters of varying shades of blue and purple that will instantly spark up any light shade garden. Like all other bromeliads, it likes to collect water in its central cup at all times and the mother plant dies after flowering, but is replaced by its “pups” that form at its base.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

Poliothyrsis sinensis, or Chinese pearlbloom, is a medium-sized flowering tree that I do not come across very frequently. It is often mistaken for tree-lilac, however this plant blooms much later.  Chinese pearlbloom showcases fragrant, airy, terminal, pinnacle inflorescences that start off pearl and transform to pale yellow on reddish stems. Poliothyrsis sinensis likes full sun and displays burgundy fall foliage.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Wister Center, Entrance Garden

This plant is on fire! Woodwardia unigemmata, commonly known as chain fern, features large fern frond foliage. This plant displays new foliage with flame-shaped leaflets which start off copper then slowly fades to green from the inside outwards resembling a leaf that is covered in flames. Unigemmata translates to “one bud” referring to how this plant reproduces by forming a single, small, fuzzy gemma or ball, which will eventually become a new chain fern plant. Woodwardia unigemmata is evergreen but borderline-hardy to this area and does best in light shade and moist soil.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

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Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Wister Center, Sharples Dining Hall

In its’ native Mediterranean habitat, Punica granatum produces the pomegranates we find in our grocery stores. Here at the Scott Arboretum, this plant does not usually produce pomegranates, or if it does they are very small. For us, it still creates beautiful, red-orange, showy flowers that resemble bunched up tissue paper. Pomegranate is a deciduous shrub or small tree that showcases new flowers that start off bright orange and then darken to cherry red over time.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Worth Hall, Old Tarble

It is easy to determine why this Rudbeckia is named Rudbeckia maxima, giant coneflower, and giant black-eyed Susan, because of its tall, maximum height of 8 feet! This clump-forming plant features huge, paddle-shaped, bluish-green basal foliage, which is why it is also called dumbo’s ears and cabbage leaf coneflower. Rudbeckia maxima produces flowers with yellow rays of downward-pointing petals with a raised cone on top which changes from light green to black as it matures. The resulting seedheads are a goldfinch favorite.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Biostream, Pollinator Garden

Helianthus x multiflorus ‘Sunshine Daydream’ is a type of double-flowering false sunflower that closely resembles a dahlia flower. ‘Sunshine Daydream’ is a new introduction from North Creek Nurseries presenting show-stopping, golden-yellow, fully double flowers on sturdy stems with dark green foliage. The leaves do not get powdery mildew or brown out even during the hottest and driest summer days. Helianthus x multiflorus ‘Sunshine Daydream’ is a butterfly magnet as well as an excellent cut flower. It is a great way to bring some of the sunshine indoors.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Biostream

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Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Worth Hall, Parrish Hall

Echinacea purpurea translates to “purple hedgehog” due to the shape of its spiny purple flower heads. Also called purple coneflower, this plant has cone-shaped, daisy-like flower heads and is often made into a supplement to increase the immune system. Its flower heads start off flat and rise into a cone shape as these long-lasting flowers mature. Purple coneflower is very drought-tolerant and its flowers are magnets for butterflies and bees. Many people do not remove its spent flowers as the seed heads attract goldfinches. It is also great for cut flower arrangements.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: McCabe Library, Entrance Garden, Pollinator Garden

Liatris spicata ‘Rosea’ is an upright clump-forming perennial native to moist, fertile soils of meadows and stream beds. Also known as blazing star, gayfeather, or button snakeroot, it features multiple, purple, terminal flower spikes emerging from green, grass-like foliage. These fluffy flower spikes resemble feathers and open from the top downwards, the opposite bloom sequence of most other flower stalks. This plant makes a great cut flower, attracts butterflies and bees, and will add a vertical dimension to any garden.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Biostream

Monarda didyma ‘Raspberry Wine’ is a magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, hence its common name of bee balm. Also called bergamot, its flower buds are raspberry-colored followed by tubular wine-red flower petals. Monarda’s square stems support dark green foliage with an aroma of mint which is frequently used to flavor teas. You can eat its fragrant, long-lasting flower petals for a sweet taste of summer. This plant is great in floral arrangements, forms dense clumps, and exhibits excellent resistance to powdery mildew. Bee balm prefers moist, fertile soil and should be divided every 3-4 years.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Biostream

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Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Scoot Outdoor Amphitheater & Rhododendron Collection

Lonicera sempervirens ‘Superba,’ or trumpet honeysuckle, is a semi-evergreen climber that can reach up to 20 feet tall. It features tubular flowers that are reddish-orange on the outside contrasting with yellow throats inside. These trumpet-shaped flowers are one of hummingbirds’ favorites and the deep-red berries in September feed songbirds as well. It is fascinating to observe how the leaf pairs directly below the flowers are perfoliate, connected at the base in a complete ring around the stem, while the other leaf pairs are not. Trumpet honeysuckle is a drought-tolerant, fast-growing vine and flowers best in full sun.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: along the front-left corner of Wharton Hall

Kniphofia ‘Mango Popsicle’ is one of my new favorite plants! Also commonly known as red hot poker or torch lily, this cultivar presents bright orange flower spikes that resemble mango popsicles on long sticks, just what we all crave during these scorching summer days. The flowers bloom continuously all summer into autumn and attract hummingbirds. Red hot poker has evergreen, grass-like foliage and is drought resistant.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Sproul Alumni House

Koelreuteria bipinnata, also often called Bougainvillea golden rain tree or Chinese flame tree, is a small to medium-sized, deciduous, summer-blooming tree native to China. This tree displays fragrant golden-colored panicle flowers, followed by unique looking fruit. Bougainvillea golden rain tree produces attractive seed pods resembling a Chinese lantern. They are three-lobed, inflated, papery capsules housing several seeds and starting off green, slowly transforming into rosy pink, fading to brown as they dry. There is one located on both sides of Chester Road, making it difficult for anyone to focus on driving when catching a glimpse of this eye-catching tree.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Summer Bloom Border

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Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lynn’ is sure to be an eye-catcher in any garden. Let’s Dance^TM Starlight big-leaf hydrangea is part of the new Let’s Dance^TM series which are the first ever reblooming lacecap hydrangeas. They flower on both old wood and new growth. Their colorful blooms are not the typical mophead variety, they are the unusual lacecap type which used to be rare to our region. This hydrangea’s flower heads consist of small closed flowers in the center surrounded by an outside ring of big showy florets circling them that change color based on soil acidity levels. Acidic soils cause blue flowers while basic soils result in pink flowers with a range of colors in between this spectrum, even on the same plant. The “hydra” part of its name signifies that it loves water, however good soil drainage is very important.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

While Schizophragma hydrangeoides ‘Moonlight’ is not truly a hydrangea, it is still in the hydrangea family: Hydrangeaceae. ‘Moonlight’ Japanese hydrangea vine is a deciduous, woody-stemmed, self-clinging vine that will easily climb walls and accent beautiful architecture such as the stone arches of Clothier Hall. It is known for its large, fragrant, cream-colored, lace cap flower clusters which closely resemble those of lace cap hydrangeas and can bloom for up to 2 months. Their foliage is heart-shaped, blue-green with green veins, and a silver cast until turning a pleasant yellow in autumn.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Clothier Hall

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’ is native to the southeastern U. S., making it one of the few hydrangeas native to the United States. ‘Snow Queen’ oakleaf hydrangea is noted for its unique, deeply lobed foliage closely mimicking that of oak leaves, hence its specific epithet. Another well-known characteristic of this plant, besides its leaf texture, is its large, dense, 6 to 8 inch long conical clusters of creamy white upright flowers which later transform into a pinkish-purple color with burgundy fall foliage. It flowers on the previous year’s growth. This plant also features cinnamon colored exfoliating bark, thus adding attractive winter interest.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden & Hydrangea Collection

Hydrangea arborescens Incrediball^TM produces massive flowers that can be the size of a basketball! Incrediball^TM smooth hydrangea is a new selection from its native parent ‘Annabelle’ with four times as many flowers, and is undoubtedly the largest-flowered mophead hydrangea in the world! These huge blooms are on very sturdy stems, flower all summer long, and open lime-green at first, maturing into pure white, then returning back to lime-green again. This plant is very hardy and perfect for bouquets and fresh or dried floral arrangements. Cut back in spring to promote flowering on new summer wood.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

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This plant starts out grayish-green then gradually transforms to electric blue from the top and spreads downward. Native to European mountains, it is related to thistle. Sea holly has a long bloom time and is excellent for both fresh and dried cut flower arrangements as it holds its famed blue hue. This plant has an intriguing form similar to that of a candelabra, having the biggest and tallest flower in the center surrounded by lower levels of smaller flowers. Eryngium ‘Big Blue’ is an easy-to-care-for perennial that is drought-tolerant once established. Deer will not even think about eating this prickly plant but bees love it. It prefers full sun and well-drained/sandy soil.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

What do you get when you cross Carolina allspice with Chinese allspice? If you are really lucky, you get Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine:’ a new interspecific hybrid that possesses the best features of both plants. Also known as Raulston allspice or sweetshrub, it is a fast-growing deciduous shrub that can reach up to 10 feet tall. This plant displays large and showy magnolia-like red wine-colored flowers over an extended bloom period with dark green, disease and deer-resistant foliage that turns yellow in autumn. Hartlage wine allspice was just released in 2000 by the J. C. Raulston Arboretum of North Carolina State University where it was developed by undergraduate student Richard Hartlage, thus explaining both the species and cultivar names. Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ can be cut back yearly to manipulate its size if desired. It prefers well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

Searching for a low-maintenance plant that looks its best all season long? Then look no further because Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ is the perfect plant for you! Golden variegated Japanese forest grass is an ornamental grass unlike no other featuring narrow chartreuse leaf blades variegated with thin bright-green stripes running the length of each blade. It has an arching form that gracefully undulates with the slightest breeze, cascades over adjacent paths when used as an edging plant, or flows over containers or slopes. Golden variegated Hakone grass forms dense clumps that spread by stolons, but are slow-growers and not considered to be too aggressive, so they are often used in mass plantings.

Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ is named after Mt. Hakone, a mountainous region of Japan where it is native; chloa, the Greek word for grass, and aureola, meaning golden. Placement of this plant in accordance to sun exposure is a tricky situation. The more sun exposure it receives the brighter golden color the leaves will turn; however, too much sun may bleach the leaves or transform them into mostly gold, thus losing the variegation.

On the opposite side, too much shade can result in the golden parts fading to lime green. So the best environment to grow this cultivar in is partial shade, thus creating a sharp contrast between the yellow and green leaf variegation. The Perennial Plant Association selected it as its 2009 Perennial Plant of the Year. Golden variegated Japanese forest grass pairs superbly with hostas that contrast it in both texture and color. This plant’s bright gold color will light up any partial shade garden. It grows best in moist, humus-rich, but well-drained soil and is resistant to deer, insects, and disease. Golden variegated Hakone grass should be watered regularly until established, cut down to the ground in late winter, and have its clumps divided every few years.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: Terry Shane Teaching Garden

Yucca filamentosa, also known as Adam’s Needle, is an evergreen shrub in the agave family native to the beaches of the southeast United States. It features flower stems that emerge from the center of the rigid, sword-shaped, spine-tipped, blue-green leaves and can reach up to 12 feet tall presenting showy, cream colored, bell-shaped, pendulous flowers.

Yucca filamentosa is readily distinguished from other yucca species by its white threads (filaments) on the leaf margins which are parallel veins that peel back as the leaf grows, eventually dropping off the older leaves. Adam’s Needle dies after flowering and fruiting, but produces offshoots at the base of the plant that develop into new plants. It attracts the yucca moth at night, its only pollinator. This plant prefers full sun, well-drained soil, and is tolerant of drought, rocky/sandy soil, and deer.

Photo Credit: Aaron D’Addio

Garden Location: John W. Nason Garden

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