The types of flowers that mark our days and seasons come in many forms and colors. Their power stems as much from their ability to relay an emotional thought as with their ability to promote healthy soils and beautiful landscapes.

For comprehensive coverage, the encyclopedic effort of the Flora of North America project provides a great starting place for understanding the subject of native North American plants. The project identifies approximately twenty thousand species, spanning thirty volumes.

While no way a match for the Flora of North America project, the presentation covers many popular garden flowers.

Spring Flowers

picture of a yellow daffodil flower, bulb planting tips

The number of flowering bulb choices available to consumers coupled with the fact that once planted the flowers grow from season to season means consumers ought to have some strong color and style preferences prior to making the commitment.

Daffodils, perhaps the most popular group of perennial bulbs, grow in temperate climates with minimal human effort. Early spring blooms explains part of their appeal.

Less known is the fact that daffodils also make decorative house plants. Readying the bulbs begins by refrigerating them in soil to replicate their winter resting and development cycle. Once removed from refrigeration and placed in the house, bloom time normally follows within the month.

For gardeners who like their flowers in bunches, there’s nothing like a bunch of hyacinth growing during the spring. The commercial bulbs come in many colors, with pink and blue common.

Siberian Squill, a native perennial of Europe, Asia and Africa, also blooms during cooler northern springs.

The large blue flowers provide contrast with the traditional spring yellow daffodils. Plants grow aggressively necessitating annual maintenance.

In most of the northern hemisphere, the bloom of the first crocus, even through the snow, represents a sure signal of beginning of spring in gardens around the world. Depending on geography, a garden of crocus can bloom in late January and early February.

Equally as early, the Snowdrop, another bulb favorite from Europe, blooms as early as the crocus in many areas. Like the crocus, it also can bloom with snow on the ground. That fact, plus the white petals on the plant, explain the name snowdrop.

The most popular of the spring bulb flowers come in a variety of colors. The tulip shown in the picture, orange petals against a black background was photographed in bright sunshine. Because the sun had only reached the petals at the time, the darkened background came through the lens naturally. During the editing process, the brightness of the picture was reduced by a factor of -15, producing the background color consistency.

Edible Flowers

Flowers can add a splash of color as a garnish for many meals, and the list of edible flowers available as either nutritious or decorative additions to any dinner table is endless.

One of the big drawbacks associated with edible flowers is similar to the drawbacks associated with edible mushrooms. Without having a botany background or expertise in the area, it’s often difficult for lay persons to identify edible flowers and differentiate between them and poisonous flowers.

Young plant leaves of many native flowers also have a history of use as a salad ingredient as well as cattle feed. Two Claytonia species, Candy Flower and Miner’s Lettuce also provide lettuce alternatives for salad connoisseurs. Candy Flower, pictured, goes by a variety of regionally preferred common names, known to some as Siberian Miner’s Lettuce or Siberian Spring Beauty. It’s a member of the Purslane family and an early bloomer in the Pacific Northwest, showing flowers starting in mid-March.

Miner’s Lettuce also means the start of a great salad. They are a good source of Vitamin C and fiber. Start looking for them at the first sign of spring as they begin blooming early. The picture shows a small white flower growing close to a comparatively larger single round leaf.

Plants are shade resistant. They often grow in clusters in and around forested areas, making them easy to find and identify.

Violets, bloom early in a variety of habitats, however they prefer meadows and around forest edges. Their popularity as garden flowers makes them one of the first out of the ground in many spring gardens. common early blooming flower are found in a variety of habitats, however they prefer meadows and around forest edges.

The purple color makes for a splashy garnish or salad additive.

Nasturtium, a group of introduced plants from Mexico, Central and South America, grow annually in many areas of the United States. Varieties are chosen based on petal color, their utility as ground cover or as trailing vines. The orange flower showing the picture is only one example the group’s bold colors.

In addition to being colorful, the flowers and leaves are also edible. The leaves can substitute for lettuce.

Fall Flowers

Ask any gardener their favorite season and some will say spring because its the first chance to get dirt under the fingernails and see some color after a long gray winter. Others will say fall because its the traditional harvest season and the last chance to see flower blooms prior to the winter dormancy period.

While asters like the coneflower and chrysanthemums or mums remain the mainstays of many fall flower gardens, many annuals can bloom in either spring or fall, depending on the planting schedule. For fall flower garden lovers here’s a look at five fabulous fall garden flowers. All are easy to grow, and in many instances they do double duty as either cut flowers or indoor flowering plants.

In many areas of the United States Gentian in bloom signals the waning of the summer season, making it a perfect fall garden flower. Gentian seeds and seedlings are readily available for gardens across North America. Native plants grow at all altitudes from sea side to mountain tops. Checking to insure potential garden choices match individual garden environments provides the greatest assurance of successful cultivation.

The top picture shows Newberry’s Alpine Gentian (Gentiana newberryi var. newberryi), the less common of the two varieties of Gentiana newberryi. It grows in a couple of high elevation locations in the Southern Cascades of Oregon and Northern California.

Red to purple spots on the petals compliment the cobalt blue flowers. Hikers finding find the right alpine meadow, can view hundreds in bloom.

Picture two shows the Seaside Gentian, another popular flower commonly found along coastal areas of Florida (not to mention other areas of the United States.)

Popular house plants as well as small, colorful additions to a fall garden, Cyclamen make their way to North American gardens via their native Eurasian, Mediterranean and North Africa home bases. Careful handling often results in months of blooms.

Growing tips depend on the particular variety. Some species, for example, thrive in partial shade, making them perfect companion plants for garden corners or next to trees or shrubs that might soak up most of the sun in the area.

Outdoors most species grow best in USDA Zones 5 to 9.

Literally dozens of flowers plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae), thrive in fall gardens. Gardeners looking for something new might want to think Dahlias, the national flower of Mexico.

Although characterizes as warm weather plants, recommended for gardens in USDA zone 7 and higher areas, with the exception of the heat and humidity of South Florida and South Texas Dahlias grow in most areas of the United States. In high frost areas, they are grown as annuals, otherwise, plant them and enjoy then perennially. Their summer and fall blooms brighten up many gardens until the first frost sets in.

Their popularity translates into hundreds of varieties, ranging from daisy to sunflower size, with colors ranging the full spectrum being available for consumers. Many of the varieties also make an indoor splash as a centerpiece of cut flowers.

General growing tips include planting them in high sun areas with slightly acidic soil.

Fuchsia: a genus of flowering plants in the Evening Primrose family, count over one hundred different species, most native to Central and South America.

Generally Fuchsia grow in temperate climates, not too hot, not too cold. Many perennial varieties bloom in the fall, producing beautiful shades of pink, red, white and/or purple. Pruning them back after the final flowering helps keep them flowers year after year. West Coast coastal areas provide optimal fuchsia growing conditions, making them a favorite fall garden flower. They attract hummingbirds.

Adding to their utility, a handful, other varieties also make great basket flowers, adding color to patios, porches and indoor settings. Soil conditions, water and fertilizer schedules for potted fuchsia depends on the variety, otherwise, most varieties grow well in partial shade. Removing or cutting back the flowers after the peak of their bloom encourages new flower development.

Gladiolus, native irises from the Mediterranean area and Southern Africa, also find a home in many North American gardens. In fact, hundreds of years of cultivation means multiple varieties of their colorful spikes of flowers now grace gardens around the world.

While Gladiolus are popular summer flower, in USDA zones 6-8, their colorful, statuesque presence compliments a fall garden filled with asters. Depending on the variety and climate conditions, it takes between two and one half to three months to compete their growth stage through flowering. July and August corm plantings should produce flowers from September to October, or the first frost.

They grow perennially in Mediterranean climates. Gardens in colder zones support annual growth. Long stems with multiple blooms make them a popular cut flower.

Poisonous Flowers

While the popularity of edible flowers continues to grow among the American public, it needs to be tempered with a cautionary tale. Life among the flowers would be infinitely easier if all toxic flowers, like the Poison Hemlock or the Death Camas, carried names with poison in them, or at the very least, carried signs noting their toxicity. Because the probability of flowers providing overt warnings about their toxicity is very low, publishing lists of poisonous flowers remains the responsible alternative.

For starters, the list of poisonous flowers stretches as long as the list of edible flowers, and the poisonous species can cause health problems for animals, including dogs, cats and horses, as well as human beings. Learning how to identify poisonous flowers represents the first step in preventing accidental poisonings around the home. One need go no further than the holiday flower season to begin identifying poisonous flowers. Mistletoe and Poinsettia, for example, two common Christmas season plants, always make the poisonous plants list.

The size and complexity of the lily family means it’s filled with both edible and poisonous species. Staying with the holiday flower theme, Easter Lilies sit atop the poisonous flower list. Veterinarians warm cat owners to keep their pets away from many popular house and garden species such as the Tiger lily, Easter lily, Rubrum, Day lily, Glory lily, Stargazer lily, Japanese show lily and Asian lilies. The picture shows the aptly named Death Camas, another species that ranks at the top of the toxic lily list.

From holiday flowers to garden flowers, homeowners need to be reminded that all members of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, are suspect, although caution is recommended for more species than others, including Larkspur, Monkshood and Buttercups. The bulbs and rhizomes of many species of popular garden flowers such as Daffodils and Irises also carry a toxic designation. The link to buttercups in the box on the right points to a page with pictures and information to help identify many buttercup species.

The Pacific Bleeding Heart, a Western plant, grows from Canada, south through California.

Three different Fumariaceae genera are known as bleeding hearts. Plants in the dicentra genus, including the Pacific Bleeding Heart, are native plants that can be found throughout the United States. Plants in the genus Lamprocapnos, found only in the Eastern United States, are introduced species.

The brilliant red flowers of the Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia Milii), a thorny shrub in the Euphorbiaceae family, make it a popular flowering shrub in Southern Climates (USDA Zones 8-11). It also grows well in a container. Caution is advised when caring for the plant because the sap is poisonous.

Approximately fifty different native Euphorbiaceae species, most with the name spurge, grow across the United States. The Poinsettia, another non-native species, is perhaps the most well known of the red flowering Euphorbia.

No discussion of poisonous flowers can be complete without mention of the major poisonous non-flowers plants. Keeping safe in the back yard as well as the greater outdoors also requires some basic knowledge regarding North America’s most common poisonous shrubs, specifically the five native shrubs in the Toxicodendron genus of the sumac family.

The genus goes by the name poison oak, however it covers five native shrubs that can cause mild to severe skin irritations:

Pacific poison oak (Toxicodendron pubescens)
Atlantic poison oak (Toxicodendron radicans)
Eastern poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)
Western poison ivy (Toxicodendron succedaneum)
Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix)

The picture provides a good start for identifying any poisonous oak. It highlights the plant’s three rounded, lobed and red (or green) leaves. A hardy grower in many geographical regions, most parts of the plant, including the roots, stems, leaves and fruit contain an oily sap that attaches to, and quickly irritates the skin.

Poison ivy grows in most environments, and as almost everyone who has come in contact with the plant knows, its oily sap, urushiol, causes rashes upon contact with skin. Less well known is the fact that the oil can remain on many objects including clothing, shoes and the family pet, causing secondary skin irritation upon contact.

Preventing the itches and pains doled out by poison ivy often begins by identifying the plant and avoiding it.

Technically, two species of poison ivy grow in the United States.

Eastern poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)
Western poison ivy (Toxicodendron succedaneum)

Identification starts with the plant’s three leaves, which are situated on a woody stem. Normally poison ivy grows low to the ground. However, it also grows as a vine or shrub, which can place it well above ground level.

The stem can be red or green. Leaf color can change from shades of red to green to red during the spring, summer and fall. Often the two outside leaves have notches, giving them the look of a mitten.

Hummingbird Flowers

hummingbird plants: picture of a rufous humming hovering by a sage plant

Many gardeners choose themes during the planning season as a foundation for choosing a group of plants suited to an entire yard or part of a yard. Garden theme trends extend as far as the imagination allows.

The excitement associated with a hummingbird garden theme starts with the visual thought of how the end result brings their cheerful and energetic nature into the home. Making a yard more hummingbird friendly means providing them with basic needs such as food, shelter and water

Keeping hummingbirds in the yard throughout the season means choosing hummingbird plants that bloom from spring through fall, the traditional hummingbird season in most areas. For example, native western hummingbird populations tend to time their spring and fall migrations to match the availability of food sources. Native western plants such as Bleeding Heart, Claret Cup Cactus, Indian Plum and Red-flowering Current, pictured, bloom from early to late spring and have been tested as tried and true hummingbird favorites.

Sage, a small, native flowering shrubs, produce brilliant red flowers inviting to many hummingbirds and butterflies. Suited for both arid and humid southern climates a variety of sage species thrives in sunny areas in USDA zones 5-10.

In areas within close proximity to zone 5, some sage plants can be adapted to growing in a large container on a sunny patio. Depending on the species, sage plants can grow up to three feet tall and wide, requiring a suitably large container.

Given the toxicity associated with most buttercup species, they tend not to rank as the most common or popular garden flowers. Columbine as garden flowers represents the general exception to the rule.

They are perennial wildflowers with a continental range, and part of their charm rests with the fact they often grow low to the ground and in bunches. In the wild, they grow in partially shaded areas, making them perfect wildflowers for out of the way rock gardens in the corner of a yard. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to many columbine varieties, adding to their popularity as garden flowers.

Cardinal Flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) are very common herbaceous perennials in areas east of the Rocky Mountains. These medium sized plants with vivid red flowers are as hard to miss in the wild as they are in the garden. They thrive in full sun to partial shade in wetlands areas. Look for them in the wild near streams and wooded areas. In the garden they are hummingbird magnets.

Experts often suggest red flowers as the go to hummingbird flowers. Other flowering plants also attract hummingbirds along with brightening up any landscape.

A stroll past any group of lilac bushes provides an easy answer to their popularity. The look and scent of lilac pleases just about everyone’s sense of style and scent.

Lilacs come in a variety of colors, however, none of them are native North American species. The Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), from Europe, is the most widespread introduced species, growing wild in most of the northern portions of the country.

The striking orange flowers of the Spotted Jewelweed tell half of the plant’s story.

It is a showy flowering plant, found near ponds and other wetlands across much of the United States, except for the Southwest.

Look, but do not touch, often explains the other half of the plant’s story, because it is also called a touch-me-not flower. The plant’s seed pods pop whenever they are approached by humans, animals or birds.

Daisies

With approximately twenty thousand documented species, gardeners have plenty of choices regarding the types of daisies (Asteraceae family) suited to their garden space.

The Flora of North America Project currently documents approximately 2500 species in North America.

To non-specialists, a variation of the flower with white, yellow or reddish petals, typifies members of the family. In fact, many, but not all, Asteraceae species share the physical trait of having multiple, thin petals surrounding a central disk or eye. The twenty two species of the genus Rudbeckia (Asteraceae family), better known as coneflowers, depart from the typical daisy appearance, as shown in the top picture of the Western Coneflower.

State preferences can also influence daisy choices for the garden. Tennessee joined the ranks of the states celebrating daisies by recognizing Tennessee echinacea as the state’s official state wild flower in April, 2012. Along with Tennessee, many states officially celebrate North American Asteraceae. Maryland calls the brown daisy its state flower. Kentucky and Nebraska call the goldenrod the state flower, with South Carolina calling it the official state wildflower.

Oklahoma calls the Firewheel its official state wildflower.

The flower’s red petals, tipped with bright yellow borders, grow naturally in bunches along roadsides. They grow easily as as easy in cultivated gardens, adding color during the fall.

Daisy Fleabane, the generic name given to daisies in the genus Erigeron. The flowers are known for their very thin petals. With close to two hundred different species documented in the United States, identifying any one particular species can be problematic.

The Blazing Star refers to the Liatris genus, with approximately forty documented North American species.

As picture shows the tall, thin plants with spikes of purple flowers, an atypical daisy look.

North America also hosts ten native skeltonplant species, with the nickname referring to the plant’s thin, almost leafless stems.

Rose Rush (Lygodesmia aphylla) grows in the sandy soils of Florida and Southern Georgia.

Native Americans used a variety of Lygodesmia for medicinal and food purposes, however there is no data showing Rose Rush used for these purposes.

Literally dozens of flowers plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae), thrive in fall gardens. Gardeners looking for something new might want to think Dahlias, the national flower of Mexico.

General growing tips include planting them in high sun areas with slightly acidic soil.

Kansas, the sunflower state, designated the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) as its official state flower in 1903.

North Dakota and South Dakota lead the nation in commercial growing, producing seeds for oils and foods.

Gardeners think of sunflowers as bird magnets. Cardinals, sparrows, finch and other seed eating birds always favor seeds from mature summer plants.

They are annuals, fairly easy to grow. Plant seeds after the last frost, in an area that gets good sun.

Like their counterparts around the world, African daisies (Asteraceae), come in a variety of colors and shapes, with many garden cultivated species. The African daisy pictured also goes by the name Cape Daisy, or whirlygig.

Many species are popular garden flowers in southern climates.

Iris

Almost nothing says a sunny day in March, April and May like a blooming Iris. Many botanical fans rank the iris family second only to the orchid family in terms of its diversity of showy, flowering plants. Close to two thousand types of iris species grow world wide, and most of those species grow in temperate areas. Gardeners in the United States enjoy planting many of these non-native species.

When gardeners think iris, they think spring and fall flowering plants such as the colorful Bearded Iris, Crocus and Gladiolus. They’re not only popular garden flowers but also popular cut flowers and important economic ornamentals.

Considering the fact that along with the native species, many non-native species such as the Montbretia and Spraxis grow in the wild without any care, the characterization of irises as easy to go seems to fit. Depending on genera, they grow from bulbs, rhizomes or corms. Once established in a garden, they reliably grow and flower from season to season.

A quick look at the status of iris growing wild in North America also confirms the plant’s popularity. Over one half of the 16 genera with 92 species that grow it the wild are naturalized non-native plants. Gardeners have been planting irises so long that they actually changed the landscape of a continent.

Native irises (genus iris) are probably the most easily recognized of the group because they resemble the commercially produced plants. The Blue Flag Iris pictured, grows throughout most of the Eastern United States.

In addition to the standard iris look that gardeners can get by planting the genus iris flowers, native species such as Blue-eyed grass and even rare plants such as Bartram’s Ixia.

Approximately ten different species are Pacific Northwest natives, including the Yellow leaf Iris pictured above.

Mostly known for their beauty, irises are also very hardy plants, requiring little more than an area with partial sun. Otherwise, different species can be found growing in a variety of habitats from meadows to forests.

Despite their beauty, Irises also carry a caution label. Many, if not all species, are reported as having toxic roots that can cause problems when ingested by grazing livestock and pets.

The Tough leaf or Oregon iris (Iris tenax), native to the Cascade region of Washington State and Oregon blooms with purple petals characteristic of many true irises. Medium in size, they nicely compliment the larger introduced bearded irises common in many gardens.

Native irises also fit the bill for many gardeners with a preference for simple looking, grass-like flowering plants. Blue-eyed grass, for example, is the common name given to a genus (Sisyrinchium) of small flowering plants in the iris family. Species in the genus grow among grasses in wetland areas of meadows and fields throughout much of the United States. Their colorful petals stand out against their green background.

The Grass Widow, pictured, represents the entire North American Olsynium genus. Pink to purple petals rest on a slim stem with surrounding thin leaves. It grows in vernal areas, in open grassy areas of the Pacific Northwest.

They can be propagated by seed and make a nice addition to a rock garden. The picture shows the flower enlarged by a factor of two.

A few South African native irises grow well in other Mediterranean climates. Crocosmia are popular in some garden circles.

A South African Dietes species, Dietes grandiflora, also remains a popular Iris choice in many areas.

While most irises are also bred for height and color, the Short stemmed Iris satisfies gardeners looking for a lower to the ground growing iris suited to a front row garden position.

Lilies

Wondering what types of lilies to plant in the garden? No need to look further. Here’s some common and less common lily genera that grow almost anywhere.

Fawn lilies rank among the most popular species of spring blooming lilies. Most of the two dozen or so native species grow in the West, however a couple of species grow elsewhere in the United States.

They can grow in full sun or partial shade areas of the yard and garden. Equally important, consumers can choose bulbs that produce a variety of petal colors ranging in shades of pink, white and yellow. The picture at the top of the page shows a white fawn lily.

As a bonus, planting fawn lilies means worry free, safe flowers. The edible bulbs were favored by Native Americans. The name fawn lily refers to the plant’s appeal as food to local wildlife.

Tiger lilies continue to rank at the top of the list of favorite types of garden lilies. Bulbs are available at many retail outlets, with species adapted to most garden zones in the 3-9 range.

The Columbia Lily pictured, is a very nice orange late spring bloomer. It’s one of approximately two dozen native species documented. Often they go by the common name Tiger Lily, due largely to the presence of spotted, colorful, reflexed flowers that nod in the breeze..

Nurseries also sell varieties of what is formally called Llium tigrinum. Those are the native lilies from eastern Asian that have been hybridized and now introduced into gardens around the world.

The Washington Lily or Cascade Lily is a favorite Lilium species in Western gardens. The plant grows up to four feet in height and produces nice looking white petals with purple spots.

It was named in honor of the first First Lady of the United States, Martha Washington. And it grows naturally in the Cascade Range of Washington and Oregon. A few plants have also been discovered in the northern ranges of California.

Home owners with small wood lots often consider trillium as both a perfect lily for shaded gardens as well as nice ground cover.

They are best known as spring bloomers, although at higher altitudes they can bloom in early summer.

Many lily genera limit their range to certain areas of the United States. Close to five dozen different Mariposa Lilies grow bountifully throughout the Western United States. Perhaps two dozen of those grow endemically in California.

Such a large number of species means that the Mariposa Lily enthusiast could spend years organizing travel plans to include a day to search for, and photograph local species.

Their abundance also translated into their being popular types of lilies for any garden. The Sego Lily represents the people of Utah as the official state flower.

A quick look a a few species explains their popularity. The small, purple to pink petal, Monterey Mariposa Lily, blooms in the lowlands and wetlands of the coastal areas from Central Oregon to Central California. The leaves slightly resemble blades of grass and the flower grows so close to the ground that it could remain hidden in meadows with overgrown grass. It’s known as an easy growing species, and its natural habitat of lowland, grassy meadows, makes it a good garden choice for areas with mild winters and wet spring seasons.

The Green-banded Mariposa Lily, also known as the Sagebrush lily, suggests the flower’s preferred habitat, dry, sunny, higher elevation areas. Flower color ranges from a lighter lavender to the darker shade of purple shown in the picture. A green band, or stripe, is visible on the back side of the petals.

Big-pod Mariposa Lilies or White Mariposa Lily, grow in subalpine meadows throughout the west (Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming). Petal color shifts from white to purple as the flower ages. All the flowers show the characteristic purple spotted petals with yellow at the petal base. Their affinity for alpine living makes them a less than ideal candidate for the average domestic garden.

Swamp Lilies grow naturally in Southeast wetland areas. Homeowners with similar yards can also purchase them commercially. They come in a few shared of pink and white color petals.

“Two liliaceous plants in particular, Erythronium grandiflorum and Fritillaria pudica, are marvelously beautiful and abundant. Never before, in all my walks, have I met so glorious a throng of these fine showy liliaceous plants. The whole mountain-side was aglow with them, from a height of fifty-five hundred feet to the very edge of the snow. John Muir Steep Trails 1918.

Yellow Bells (Fritillaria pudica) or the Yellow Fritillary, could not possibly get a better botanical review. Their emergence each spring elicits a similar joy in all who spot them.

Along with the Spotted Fritillary, Yellow Bells range throughout most of the West. They are fairly adaptable, growing on mountain sides, sagebrush settings and grasslands. Their adaptability makes them a good garden choice for most areas.

Another regional specialty, one-half dozen snakelilies also grow in the Western United States. Known by common names such as ookow, they begin blooming early in spring and have become adapted to garden life.

The picture shows the purple flowers of the most common variety. They need full sun.

Gardeners interested in a little more garden pizzazz might want to consider the firecracker plant. It’s a northwest native that produces clusters of red and white tubular flowers. They attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Roses

When people think roses, they rightfully think of the thorny flowering shrubs. Blooming rose bushes line the edges of homes and parks across the Northern hemisphere.

Centuries of cultivation have led to the creation of varieties suited for many climates and many color tastes. Rose clubs pop up in communities providing growing advice suited to local environmental factors that influence plant growth. Their easy to grow nature and long term reliable blooms explain their enduring popularity. In short, roses still sell themselves.

General rose buying and planting tips starts with thinking of all the different types of roses available on the market. For example, there are climbing roses that look fabulous as they grow and bloom along a fence.

Everyone’s favorite, traditional shrub roses provide additional landscaping flexibility for gardeners. They can be grown in containers to brighten up any patio. If chosen for the yard, think water and sun. Roses need about between one and one-half to two inches of water a week. Most varieties flourish in full sun, but in areas that receive approximately six hours of sun per day, they should also thrive.

Roses may still sell themselves, however, improvements in plant genetic research over the past decade have insured that the latest varieties to hit the market have disease resistant qualities bred into them. The diversity of climates across North America means that certain common fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and black spot can be caused by different fungi. Checking with the local extension service or asking a local plant nursery about the varieties most suited to the area usually insures that the roses planted today will stand the disease resistance test of time.

With that introduction, probably the biggest difficulty presenting rose bush choices for the yard is deciding on how many different pictures of the domestic rose varieties to show as a means for visually displaying their diversity. If a disease resistant rose is chosen, tthen choosing a favorite color and fragrance are the best tips anyone can offer to rose enthusiasts.

Wild roses (genus Rosa) flourish around North America, with some one hundred different native and introduced species documented to date. Late spring remains prime viewing time for Rosa blooms, which typically show shades of red, pink or purple. Like their ornamental counterparts, most grow on bushes with prickly stems. Many wild rose varieties have also been cultivated to meet consumer demand for more friendly yard shrubs.

Rosa also produce fruits, known as rose hips, long a food staple for native Americans, they continue to find a place in specialty markets.

Beautiful scent and beautiful blooms were sufficient to convince the citizens of four states to designate it as their official state flower, albeit with a few caveats per state.

The state of Georgia, straight up, identifies the Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata) as its state flower.

The Iowa Legislature reports, “Although no particular species of the flower was designated by the Legislature, the Wild Prairie Rose (Rosa Pratincola) is most often cited as the official flower”.

North Dakota lists the Wild Prairie Rose as the official state flower and then adds, “Rosa Blanda or Arkansana has been identified as Rosa Pratincula in species.” It basically means that either Rosa Blanda or Rosa Arkansana are considered Wild Prairie Roses.

The people of the state of New York may be even more relaxed in their rose identification. The legislation says, “State flower. The rose shall be the official flower of the state in any color or combination of colors common to it.” Technically that could be interpreted as meaning any flower in the Rosaceae family, including those from strawberries, cherries or apples. Typically it refers to flowers in the Rosa genus.

Except for the Southwest, Spirea species grow hardily across all of North America. Around the home, spirea’s popularity as a stand alone and boundary marking shrub continues, almost uninterrupted, from colonial days to the present. Hybrid species open the genera to a broad range of landscapes.

Thirty species grow wild in North America, split almost evenly between native and introduced species. Bloom color varies according to species, however the typical bloom usually takes on shades of yellow, pink and white.

Many spirea species attract butterflies. Flowers bloom throughout the summer, with bloom time dependent on the altitude in which the plant is growing.

First off, Rockroses belong to a separate family (Cistaceae) than the traditional roses. However, their status as woody shrubs that produce beautiful blooms, along with having a rose name in the title provides the rational for placing them here. But wait, there’s more.

Consumers in warmer climates who might be interested in expanding their potential shrub choices can add them to the list. The name rockrose pretty much explains the plant. They are Mediterranean and North African native plants that can thrive in poor, dry soils. Additionally, they are easy grow and easy maintenance plants.

Finally, celebrating roses can take a tasty turn. For all the people who do not immediately think strawberry when the topic of roses arises, good news. Rose popularity hits another high with homeowners because the family also includes popular fruits such as apples, blackberries, pears, plums, peaches, strawberries, and raspberries.

General Wildflowers

picture of a pink evening primrose flower, types of wildflowers

The types of wildflowers available for the garden area is only limited by the imagination. As an added benefit, a wildflower garden provides hours of pleasure at minimal cost simply because these plants grow as advertised, easily in the wild.

Adaptability, along with the good sense to produce flashy, four petal flowers, explains much of the success of plants in the Evening Primrose family Most at home in the temperate areas of North America, evening primrose species mark their presence along coastal areas, desert floors and mountain tops. Capturing the imagination of poets and botanists alike, many of the flowering plants are night bloomers, adapted to the pollination patterns of night insects such as moths.

Many Evening Primrose species adapt easily to garden life. Pink Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa), for example, is one tough flower, easily grown in many poor soils. It’s a showy spring blooming plant found in the wild and in gardens throughout much of the southern tier of the United States.

These perennials grow up to a foot in height and easily spread their range in any yard or garden by sending out rhizomes. With a modicum of care, they make excellent native garden flowers for USDA Zones 5 – 9.

Mertensia, another genera in the forget-me-not family, go by the common name bluebells. Mertensias are a very adaptable genus of bluebells. Most of the twenty or so different identified North American species are associated with forest or riparian habitat. However a couple of species can be found in fields and wetlands, as well as lower and higher elevations. Their diversity translates into at least one species suited to gardens across the country.

Size, habitat and leaves constitute the major differences among the plants. Small Bluebells (Mertensia longiflora) grow close to the ground in sagebrush and mountain areas of the Western United States and Western Canada. Tall Bluebells (Mertensia paniculata), can grow up to six feet, making them giants compared to many of the smaller ground growing bluebell species.

Thirteen different Calicoflower species (Downingia) grow with blue, purple and white shaded petals. Often found low to the ground in wetlands areas, they can provide a nice splash of blue to any garden.

Seeds for the Elegant Calicoflower (top picture) (Downingia elegans), a fairly common plant in Western North America can be purchased at specialty seed shops. Bach’s Downingia or Bach’s calicoflower (Downingia bacigalupii) grows close to the ground, often in large mats, in wetlands areas in northern areas of the Western United States.

The fifteen native Dodecatheon species, better known as shooting stars, grow in a variety of habitats, including woodlands and meadows. Establishing them in the garden can be difficult. While the internet provides ready access to seeds, the seed germination can be complex, including a six week cold storage of the seeds to simulate the seed’s natural, winter dormant season. Select nurseries also provide seedlings.

Once established in a garden, shooting stars tend to grow consistently year to year. Slight differences in petal color often serve as visual aides for field identification.

Figworts or snapdragons quietly makes it way up the ranks of many favorite flowers lists. World wide, the family of annual and biennial herbaceous plants edged close to the three hundred genera and five thousand species ranges.

The family’s large size provides a broad base for choosing favorites. Some choose the root parasites such as the Louseworts and Castilleja. Others prefer the small and colorful Veronica and Mimulus species for both ground cover and garden purposes.

Modest in terms of total population size, Spiderworts still attract the gardener’s attention. Family diversity reaches its peak in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Perhaps nine genera have been documented in North America.

Southeastern states show the greatest diversity. A state such as Texas, for example, might have a couple dozen species divided among five genera. Regardless of the location, most people recognize spiderworts based on two genera, dayflowers (Commelina) and spiderworts (Tradescantia).

Species from each of the genera grow hardily in the wild across the United States. Spiderworts also raise a fair it of enthusiasm among gardeners.

Depending on the source, waterleafs are either a family or a subfamily of flowering plants. Sixteen different waterleaf genera grow in North America, most of which share the physical characteristics of low growing, small blooming, seed producing annuals.

Baby Blue Eyes (genus Nemophila), rank among the most recognizable of all waterleaf species. Nine or ten native species grow in most areas of the U.S, excluding New England, the Northeast and the Midwest.

Many Americans rightly associate the genus Linum with the Flax family. A portion of the early American agriculture sector relied on commercial flax production to supply multiple markets including the linen market, paper market and oil seed market.

Flax’s popularity remains equally high today, despite the fact the traditional flax industries, all sought flax alternatives. Small, in terms of its contribution to the total amount of oil seeds planted, flaxseed production finds life in niche markets such as wood products.

Their commercial utility in multiple sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing and soil restoration, provides an opening for mustard plants in many daily conversations.

Flora of North America lists 634 North American species. The United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database records one hundred and seven genera highlights the expansive boundaries framing mustard conversations.

Plants in the mustard family, for example, greet people daily in the form of dinner table condiments such as mustard, horse radish and wassabi, along with dinner table vegetables such as the always popular cole crops. Others might recognize mustard plants as the weeds permeating their property

Nuttall’s Toothwort is an early blooming western native, it produces purple flowers, streaked with an additional dark purple color. Nuttall’s can be found in a variety of habitats, although it is commonly associated with riparian areas and forests.

Both native and introduced wallflowers, genus Erysimum, are common spring blooming North American plants. The picture shows the orange petals of a sanddune wallflower (Erysimum capitatum), one of the most common native species.

Over one hundred Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja) grow in North America. While they do flower, their colorful bracts, or specialized leaves, show shades of red, yellow, orange and magenta. In large fields, Indian Paintbrush attract a variety of butterfly and hummingbird species. Unfortunately, their roots are parasitic on other plants, making them a poor choice for a cultivated garden.

Wyoming calls the Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja linariaefolia) its official state flower.

Carnivorous Plants

We expect our flowers to do little more than sit pretty in the soil, and for the most part, they oblige us. Then there are the flowers that break the traditional mold, adding an element of fancy to their beauty.

In their effort to stake a claim in nutrient deficient areas, carnivorous plants succeeded in blending their meat eating habit with their flair for fashion. And, since the days when Darwin called them the “most wonderful plants”, interest in carnivorous plants has continued unabated.

Their appeal spreads throughout much of the world. According to the Botanical Society of American, over six hundred species in nine different families have been documented, with new species continuing to be documented. The United States hosts a variety of carnivorous plants, falling within three different families:

Droseraceae: The sundew family consists of two genera. About a dozen native sundew species (genus Drosera) have been identified. Look for them during the summer in sunny wetlands with acidic soils, their habitat of choice. The famous Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), the country’s only snap trap plant, grows in the Southeast.
Lentibulariaceae: With a global distribution of over three hundred and twenty species, the bladderworts rank as the world’s largest carnivorous plant family. Two of the three genera, the butterworts (Pinguicula) and bladderworts (Utricularia) are common in the United States.
Sarraceniaceae: Two of the three genera of new world pitcher plants, Darlingtonia and Sarracenia grow in the United States. The top picture shows the flower of the Cobra Lily or California Pitcher Plant (Darlingtonia californica) the sole West Coast species. The bottom picture shows the plant’s cobra looking leaves. Approximately two dozen different Sarracenia species and hybrids, also called pitcher plants and trumpets grow mostly in the Southeast.

With over thirty different species, covering all three families, the Southeast holds the title of carnivorous capital of the United States.

Gardeners with a green thumb for bog plants easily grow most, if not all, of the species on windowsills and in backyard gardens.