Thursday, March 6, 2008

"New to Skillin's", Perennial Varieties, "A through C"

Hello again,

Here are a few exciting “new to Skillin’s” perennial varieties we will be introducing in 2008. I will list a few new varieties this week and follow up with more introductions in the next few days! I have highlighted on some varieties what I feel are some very attractive attributes to some of the plants.

If you would like the entire list emailed to you, just let me know at info@skillins.com and I will send you a “Word” attachment:

PEARLY EVERLASTING – Anaphalis
12”-24” tall. Flowers are small, button-like and silvery over silvery foliage. Zones 3-9. Blooms early summer. Sun.

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ARKANSAS BLUE STAR

Amsonia tabernaemontana 30”-36” tall. Flowers are pale blue and star-shaped. Foliage is narrow-leaved and turns a beautiful golden color in fall. Forms a ‘dense, billowy’ mass. Zones 3-9. Blooms late spring to early summer. Sun to part shade.

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ALKANET – Brunnera
‘Looking Glass’ 12”-15” tall. Leaves are heart-shaped, silver with prominent green veins when young turning almost completely silver as they mature. Small, blue flowers resemble for-get-me-nots. Zones 3-8. Blooms mid-spring to late spring. Part shade to shade.

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ASTER - Aster
‘Alma Potschke’ 36” tall. Taller aster with hot pink flowers. Attracts butterflies. Excellent cut flower. zones 3-8. Blooms late summer mid fall. Sun.-

‘Red Alert’ 12”-15” tall. Deep red, daisy-like flowers on short, bushy plants.
Zones 4-8. Blooms late summer to fall. Sun.

‘October Skies’ 18”-24” tall. Daisy-like sky blue flowers with yellow centers. Busy habit. Drought tolerant. Attracts butterflies. Good cut flower. Zones 5-8. Blooms late summer to mid fall. Sun.

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BACHELOR’S BUTTON - Centaurea montana

‘Amethyst in Snow’ 12’24” tall. Flowers consist of white ‘trumpets’ and purple centers.
Silver green foliage. Attracts butterflies. Zones 3-9. Early summer bloomer. Full sun.

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BALLOON FLOWER – Platycodon

‘Sentimental Blue’ 6”-8” tall. Purple flowers. Prolific bloomer. Zones 3-8. Blooms mid-summer. Sun to part shade.

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BARRENWORT - Epimedium

‘Lilafee’ 8” tall. Clump forming. Flowers are lilac-pink. Zones 4-8. Blooms in spring. Part shade to shade.

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BEARDED TONGUE - Penstemon
‘Mystica’ 30” tall. Foliage is burgundy red in spring turning more green in summer and then deep red in fall. Flowers are white with a tinge of lilac. Good cut flower. Zones 3-8. Blooms early to mid summer. Sun.

‘Prairie Dusk’ 24”-30” tall. Flowers rose-purple color. Trumpet shaped. Best planted in groups.
Drought tolerant. Attracts hummingbirds. Zones 3-8. Bloom early summer. Sun.

‘Rubycunda’ 20” tall. Large tubular red flowers with white throats.
Zones 2-8. Blooms mid-late summer. Sun.

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BEE BALM - Monarda

‘Marshall’s Delight’ 2’-3’ tall. Pink flowers. Strong resistance to mildew. Zones 4-9. Blooms mid-summer to late summer.

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BELLFLOWER -Campanula

‘Chettle Charm’ 18”-36” tall. A peach leaved bellflower with white flowers edged in light violet.
Cutting back spent flowers will promote re-bloom. Excellent cut flower.
Zones 4-8. Blooms summer. Sun to part shade.

‘Pearl White’ 6”-10” tall. Mounded foliage covered in white cup shaped flowers. Blooms 1-2 weeks earlier than White Clips. Zones 3-8. Blooms early summer to fall. Sun to part shade.

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BLACK-EYED SUSAN - Rudbeckia
‘Herbstonne’ 6’-7’ tall. Yellow daisy-like flowers with bright green cones.
Long flowering. Finely cut foliage. Native to the US. Nice cut flower. Zones 3-10. Blooms mid-summer to early fall.

‘Hirta Maya’ 24”-36” tall. Large double yellow flowers 4”-5”. Excellent cut flower.
Zones 4-9. Blooms mid-summer to early fall. Sun.

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BLEEDING HEART - Dicentra
‘King of Hearts’ 8”-10” tall. A fern-leaved bleeding heart with bright rose, heart-shaped flowers and finely cut blue-green foliage. Prolific bloomer. Will not go dormant if given enough moisture.
Attracts hummingbirds. Zones 5-9. Blooms late spring through early fall. Sun, part shade, shade.

‘Snowdrift’ 12”-15” tall. A fringed bleeding heart with pure white, heart-shaped flowers. Foliage is gray-green and finely cut. Will bloom late spring until early fall. Will not go dormant if given enough moisture. Attracts hummingbirds. Zones 3-9. Blooms late spring to early fall. Part-shade to shade.


Bugloss – Anchusa
‘Blue Anglel’ 12”-24” tall. Small blue flowers resemble For-get-me-nots. Lance shaped leaves. Zones 3-8. Blooms in early summer. Sun to part shade.

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BUTTERFLYWEED – Asclepias

‘Gay Butterflies’ 24” tall Flowers are various shades of orange and long-lasting. Performs best if left undivided. Attracts butterflies.. Zones 4-9. Blooms mid-late summer.

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CLEMATIS – Clematis
Zones 4-8. Sun to part shade.
Grow in sun to part shade making sure roots are shaded to keep them cool.

Early bloomers – Bloom on previous seasons growth. Do not generally need to be pruned.
However, prune back within a month after blooming if you feel they need to be kept in check..
Old plants can be pruned back to 1-2 feet but it may take them a couple of years for them to re-bloom.

Early to mid-season bloomers and re-bloomers – The first blooms appear on previous years growth. Later blooms are on current years growth and may be smaller in size. These types should be pruned in late winter or early summer. Prune out dead shoots and ‘the remaining shoots cut back to 6-9” above a couple of well-developed buds.’

Late flowering – These type bloom on new growth in mid-summer and in early fall. The second bloom may be smaller than the first. Prune back in late winter or early spring. Prune back to previous years wood or prune a 1/3 of the stems back 6-9” above ‘well developed buds’ over the course of 3 years.


‘Belle of Woking’- Double rosette shaped flowers, light blue in color and 4”-6” wide.
Blooms May, June and September.

‘Comtesse De Bouchard’ - . 6’-10’ tall. Single light rose-pink flowers. Prolific bloomerFlowers 4”-6” wide. Blooms June-Oct.

‘Duchess of Edinburgh’ - 8’-12’ tall. Double rosette shaped white flowers 4”-6” wide. Blooms May-June and August-Sept.

‘Ernest Markham’ . 8’-16’ tall. Single magenta-red flowers. Heaviest bloom in late summer and fallFlowers 4”-6” wide. Blooms June-July and August- Oct.

‘General Sikorsky’ – 8’-10’ tall Single dark lavender flowers.. Flowers 6”-8” wide. Blooms May-June and Sept.

‘Hagley Hybrid’ – 6’-8’ tall. ingle, shell pink flowers. Prominent purple anthers. Flowers 5”-6” wide. Blooms June-Sept.

‘Henryi’ – 8’-10’ tall. Single pure white flowers with purple-violet anthers. Flowers 6”-8” wide.
Blooms May-June and July-Sept.

‘Jackmanni Superba’ – 8’-12’ tall. Deep purple flowers with creamy-yellow stamens. Vigorous grower. Flowers 5”-6” wide. Blooms June-Oct.

‘Montana Rubens’
Single pink, 4-petaled flowers, 2”-4” wide.

‘Multi-Blue’ – . 5’-10’ tall. Deep purple-blue flowers with silver mid-ribs. Flowers start out single ‘then develop multiple rows of petals as the ageFlowers 4”-5” wide. Blooms May-June and August-Oct.

‘Nelly Moser’ – . 6’-10’ tall. Single pale pink flowers with a dark pink middle. Flowers 7”-9” wide. Blooms May- June and Sept.

‘Niobe’ – 6’-8’ tall Single deep red flowers. One of the best reds.. Flowers 5”-7” wide. Blooms May-Sept.

‘The President’ – 8’-12’ tall. Single violet-blue flowers with dark red-purple anthers. Flowers 6”-8” wide. Bloom May-June and Sept- Oct.

‘Will Goodwin’ – 8’-12’ tall. Single lavender-blue flowers with creamy yellow stamens. Flowers 6”-8” wide. Blooms May-June and July-Sept.

Clematis paniculata (Sweet Autumn Clematis) – Small singe white flowers.Blooms heavily in fall, almost completely covering the foliage. Fragrant. 10’-30’ tall. Flowers ½ - 1inch wide. Blooms Sept-Oct.

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COLUMBINE
‘Songbird Bunting’ 24” tall. Sky blue outer petals with white center petals. Zones 3-8. Blooms late spring. Sun to part shade.

‘Spring Magic Rose and Ivory’ 14” tall. Shorter variety long spurred, pink outer petals with creamy inner petals. Attracts hummingbirds. Zones 2-9. Blooms early summer. Sun to part shade.

‘Swan Violet and White’ 24” tall. Long spurred purple-blue outer petals with white center petals. Blooms late spring. Sun to part shade.

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CONEFLOWER - Echinacea

‘After Midnight’ 12” tall. Dwarf variety with slightly fragrant dark magenta-purple flowers with a black red cone on black stems. Compact habit and nicely branched. Nice cut flower. Attracts butterflies. Zones 4-8. Blooms mid-summer to late summer. Sun to part shade.

‘Pink Double Delight’ 18”-24” tall. Shorter variety with a well-branched, compact habit. Flowers are pink with pompon like centers. Nice cut flower. Attracts butterflies. Zones 3-8. Blooms mid-summer to late summer. Sun to part shade.

‘Sunrise’ 30”-36” tall. Light yellow, daisy-like flowers. Cone starts green and turns gold. Good branching. Attracts butterflies. Nice cut flower.Zones 4-8. Blooms mid to late summer. Sun to part shade.
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CORALBELLS - Heuchera

‘Harvest Burgundy’ 12”-18” tall. Silvery purple foliage with purplish undersides and prominent green veins.
Pink buds, light pink to white flowers. Attracts butterflies. Zones 4-9. Blooms early summer. Sun, part-shade. Shade.

‘Harvest Silver’ 12”-18” tall. Silvery-green foliage with prominent green veins. Attracts butterflies.
Pink buds, pink flowers. Zones 4-9. Blooms early summer. Sun, part-shade. Shade.

‘Marmalade’ 10”-16” tall. Shiny, peach and honey colored leaves with bright purple undersides.
Red buds, white flowers. Attracts butterflies.
Zones 4-9. Blooms late spring to early summer. Sun, part-shade to shade.

‘Melting Fire’ 10”-16” tall. Curled leaves bright red when young, turning a purple-red when mature.
Flowers stems are red. Buds pink. Flowers white. Attracts butterflies.
Zones 4-9. Blooms late spring to early summer. Sun, part-shade to shade.

‘Obsidian’ 10”-24” tall. Deep purple-black leaves with shiny deep purples undersides. Compact growth habit.Smoky purple buds, white flowers. Attracts butterflies. Zones 4-9. Blooms
late spring to mid-summer. Sun, part-shade, shade.

‘Ruby Bells’ 12”-18” tall. Dark green foliage with bright red flowers. Attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Zones 3-8. Blooms late spring to mid summer. Part shade to shade.

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CRANESBILL – Geranium
‘Sweet Heidi’ 12” tall. Very long flowering. Flowers are purple-blue with a white eye surround by a pink ring. Sprawling habit which makes it useful as a groundcover. Zones 5-8. Blooms late spring to early fall. Sun to part shade.

‘White Ness’ 12” tall. Pure white flowers. Light green foliage. Flowers are very aromatic. Good cover in shaded areas. Zones 4-8. Blooms early summer. Sun to part shade.

‘Splish-Splash’ 24”-26” tall. White flowers with irregular purple markings. Dark green leaves on low-growing mounds. May re-bloom if cut back. Zones 4-9. Blooms summer. Sun to part shade.

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CUSHION SPURGE - Euphorbia
‘Chameleon’ 18” tall. Bronze-purple leaves with bright yellow flower\bracts in spring. Zones 4-8. Blooms early spring. Sun.

‘Donkeytail Spurge’ 6” tall. Leaves grow in a spiral along stems. Gray-green foliage. Yellow flowers in spring. Zones 4-9. Blooms early spring. Sun.

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
March 6, 2008

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Mike,
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy the website. The new perennial introductions page is very useful as many times I forget to ask about such things when I visit the store. Doing just a few at a time allows me to take it all in and not be distracted with some enormous list. A very good idea to include on the site.

Mike Skillin, Skillin's Greenhouses said...

Thanks anonymous for your kind words and for being a fan and user of the Skillin's Garden Log.

I think too the list in small chunks works well.

Many of these plants really get my juices flowing!

Thanks again,

Mike Skillin