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What’s in Bloom

May 21, 2020 to May 28, 2020

Even though Longwood is temporarily closed, our plants are still growing. See what’s in bloom … and enjoy the beauty of our Gardens from your home.

Featured in the Gardens

American Wisteria

Wisteria frutescens is native vine that can be found as far west as Texas and as far north as New England. The origin of the plant at Longwood is not known, but after many years of cultivation it proved to be a stellar performer reliably producing outstanding flowers of darker and richer hue than typical forms, which led to its designation as a cultivar with a name ‘Longwood Purple’. More restrained and easier to maintain than other varieties of wisteria, ‘Longwood Purple’ is also extremely cold hardy and can adjust to a wide climatic range. It can handle sandy to loamy soils and part to full sun. As a modestly fast growing vine, ‘Longwood Purple’ can be easily trained onto a trellis, against a wall or porch.  



Filter Highlights

Orchid

Phragmipedium China Dragon

Phragmipedium China Dragon is a newer slipper orchid hybrid that was registered in 1996. One of its parents (P. besseae) was only just discovered in 1981. It is a terrestrial orchid native to the forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains.  The flower is reddish orange in color, with a pouch-shaped labellum and 4-5 inch long spiraling lateral petals. The bright color of this hybrid comes from this parent, while the long petals are from its other parent, P. caudatum, whose petals can reach 2.5 feet.   

Norfolk Island-hibiscus

Lagunaria patersonii

Although not a true hibiscus, this tree native to the Norfolk and Lord Howe Island groups located in the South Pacific to the east of Australia and north of New Zealand is in the same plant family, the mallow family. It can grow to 30 feet tall and is hardy to USDA zone 9b. Small, 2 inch pale pink flowers cover the plant in spring and summer  Being an island native, Norfolk Island-hibiscus, also known as primrose tree is wind and salt tolerant.

Tulip-tree

Liriodendron tulipifera

The tulip-tree grows tall like a spire and produces yellow-green, tulip-like flowers in spring. It is an abundant hardwood that does not absorb water easily, and it has a fairly straight wood that is easy to cut. The wood is used in piano case parts, such as the top, legs, and music desk. It is also a popular wood for the keyboard as well as the core wood used in panels and surfaces to be veneered. Also called yellow-poplar, it grows in moist areas throughout the midwestern and eastern United States.  

Princess-tree Paulownia tomentosa

This deciduous tree native to China, produces large, fragrant, panicles of lavender flowers in the spring.  The wood of this fast growing tree is highly prized and used to make furniture and musical instruments. Japanese craftsmen prize princess-tree wood for making the koto, a six-foot long, stringed instrument that is the national instrument of Japan. Kotos create music when the strings that bridge across the hollow body of the instrument, are plucked. The unique sound is distinctively energetic and reflective because of the resonance of the princess-tree wood.

Fringe-tree

Chionanthus virginicus

Fringe-tree is native plant to the eastern and central United States. It has lacy, white, fragrant flowers in May and early June.  Growing only to 20 feet tall, fringe-tree is a great tree for small gardens or used as a woodland understory plant.  This fairly adaptable tree does well in full sun to partial shade, and has reliable yellow fall foliage.   

Hybrid Tree Peony

Paeonia ′Golden Mandarin′

Like magnolias and flowering cherries, tree peonies have a lot of symbolism in Chinese culture and are often featured in Chinese art. It is likely that no flower in China has ever surpassed the tree peony in public esteem. It is regarded as the "king of flowers" and is a symbol of honor, riches, and aristocracy as well as an emblem of love, affection, and feminine beauty.

American Wisteria

Wisteria frutescens ′Longwood Purple′

Wisteria frutescens is native vine that can be found as far west as Texas and as far north as New England. The origin of the plant at Longwood is not known, but after many years of cultivation it proved to be a stellar performer reliably producing outstanding flowers of darker and richer hue than typical forms, which led to its designation as a cultivar with a name ‘Longwood Purple’. More restrained and easier to maintain than other varieties of wisteria, ‘Longwood Purple’ is also extremely cold hardy and can adjust to a wide climatic range.