What’s in Bloom

Cornus kousa, commonly known as Japanese flowering dogwood, is native to eastern Asia. This tree delights in all four seasons. In late spring, after the foliage has emerged, it has an abundance of creamy white bracts which are long lasting.  Flowers are followed by bright, red fruit that is a compound berry about one inch in diameter and resembles a raspberry.  These fruits are edible and a sweet and delicious addition to the tree's ornamental value.  The deep red fall foliage and the stunning exfoliated bark give fall and winter interest.  Cornus kousa is slower growing and later blooming than other dogwood trees. With age it reaches 30 feet high and can look quite stately.

Within the Japanese bonsai world, Satsuki Azaleas inhabit a unique niche, with growers and enthusiasts that specialize in their development, display and appreciation. Their natural growth habit is normally a shrubby clump but with care and the correct technique they can be developed into thick trunk specimens such as this specimen.  There are over 3000 different varieties of satsuki. The Kinsai variety is one of the oldest and has a distinctive red flower with tassels that looks like an exploding firework.  Part of the acclaimed Kennett Collection, 'Kinsai' is a superb example of informal-upright style of bonsai. Training began in 1980.  

This globally rare native, terrestrial orchid species has the largest flower in the genus Cypripedium.  These orchids were grown from seed and took five years to bloom.  In the wild, mycorrhizae are critical to the survival of orchids.  The plants parasitize the fungi and use them as a food source both while the seedlings are developing and as adult plants.     

A native deciduous tree with dark green foliage, the red buckeye blooms in May with three to six inch long red or coral butterfly and hummingbird-attracting panicles. Growing to 20 feet in height with a 30 foot spread it is a great tree for residential gardens. Unlike other buckeyes, the red buckeye has no pest problems and is very resistant to leaf scorch. The tree prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is hardy in zones 4 to 8.

This native wisteria is an exceptional alternative to its aggressive Asian counterparts. Profusely blooming in May and June, flowering reoccurs through the end of August. The flowers are subtly fragrant, a light bluish purple and approximately five inches in length. This cultivar is a superior selection that is tough and adaptable, even in urban settings. It can grow 10 to 20 feet as a container plant, trellised or naturalized.  ‘Amethyst Falls’ is also pest resistant. It prefers full or part sun with moderate soil moisture requirements. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9.

Mayapple is a native herbaceous plant that produces a single, 3 inch, white flower that is tucked under its wide, palmate, umbrella-like leaf. Commonly found in woodlands and hillsides, mayapples spread to form colonies and grow best in shade. They produce a small green apple-like fruit, giving the plant its common name. Mayapples are self-incompatible, needing cross pollination to fruit. They are native to all counties in Pennsylvania.

Amsonia hubrichtii was named  “Perennial Plant of the Year” by the Perennial Plant Association in 2011. This species is truly distinctive and extraordinary, with clusters of powder-blue flowers in April and May. It grows to a height and width of 2 to 3 feet. In the fall, its golden-orange color rivals the best trees and shrubs. This clump-forming herbaceous perennial prefers full sun to partial shade and is native to the central and northeastern United States. Additionally, it is deer and disease resistant.

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.

Paeonia 'Coral Sunset' is known for its splendid color transformation. The blooms open in a vibrant coral-peach tone and gradually fade to softer shades of apricot and cream as they age.  This variety is among the earlier herbaceous peonies to bloom in late spring to early summer, making it a great choice for extending the peony flowering season in your garden. 'Coral Sunset' has received the American Peony Society Gold Medal, a testament to its exceptional beauty, and garden performance.