by Dan Jaffe

If the 90° days didn’t give it away the fact that Actaea racemosa flowers have opened confirms that summer has indeed reached us. As hot days pass by and we look foreword to the cool of fall (and forget about the fact we looked foreword to the heat of the summer during the cooler spring), we can reflect on a few of our favorite species. 

Botanical name: Actaea racemosa

Common name: black bugbane, black cohosh

Bloom color: white

Bloom time: late summer into early fall

Sun requirements: part sun to shade

Height: 3-5 feet

Soil moisture: average to moist

Zones: 3-9

Ecoregions: 58, 59, 83, 84

This very well may be our favorite species of Actaea at the Garden, at the least it is the one we have the most of. What’s so wonderful about this species is it blooms during the later part of the summer when few other plants flower. Large white floral spikes reach for the sky supported by large divided leaves. Much loved by pollinators, this species will seed itself around nicely when growing in an environment it favors.

Botanical name: Asclepias tuberosa

Common name: butterfly milkweed, butterfly weed

Bloom color: orange

Bloom time: late fall

Sun requirements: sun to part sun

Height: 1-2.5 feet

Soil moisture: dry to average

Zones: 3-9

Ecoregions: 58, 59, 83, 84

It’s hard to find a flower that tops A. tuberosa for color. The orange flowers have a power within them that draws your eye to any part of the garden they are planted in and monarch butterflies seem to enjoy them as much as humans. Keep in sunny dry sites for best growth.

Botanical name:  

Common name: New Jersey redroot, New Jersey tea

Bloom color: white

Bloom time: late summer

Sun requirements: sun to part sun

Height: 2-3 feet

Soil moisture: dry to average

Zones: 4-9

Ecoregions: 58, 59, 83

In the wild Ceanothus is restricted to sandy or rocky sites where few other plants thrive; in a garden plants should be restricted to well-drained soils for best growth. Some late season pruning will help plants bloom year after year. Small bunches of creamy white flowers form mid summer when few other plants are in bloom. Combine with brightly blooming summer plants like Monarda for good contrast. Young leaves make a wonderful tea, fresh or dried.

Botanical name: Vaccinium angustifolium

Common name: common lowbush blueberry

Bloom color: white to pink followed by a (summer) blue berry

Bloom time: late spring

Sun requirements: sun to shade

Height: 8-24 inches

Soil moisture: dry to average

Zones: 3-8

Ecoregions: 58, 59, 82, 83, 84

This is a plant we recommend to people all the time. While we all know of the very tasty berries, what many people overlook are the attractive flowers and vibrant fall foliage that make this plant ornamental as well as edible. The real reason we find ourselves recommending this plant so often is that it is capable of growing in places where many other plants will not grow. Lowbush blueberry is capable of growing in some of the most inhospitably rock dry soils, from the full sun of rock slopes to the shade of a pine forest. For those who doubt this statement, come take a walk on the Ridge Trail at Garden in the Woods, where we have a large stand of pines and oaks with a natural understory comprised almost entirely of Vaccinium angustifolium and Gaylussacia baccata.

Botanical name: Veronicastrum virginicum

Common name: Culver’s-root

Bloom color: white to pink

Bloom time: late summer

Sun requirements: sun to part sun

Height: 3-6 feet

Soil moisture: dry to moist

Zones: 3-9

Ecoregions: 58, 59, 83, 84

One of the more unique meadow plants out there, Veronicastrum is topped with long narrow floral spikes which reach to the sky when given good sunlight or wander into long curves when stretching for the sun. The flowers are usually such a light pink as to appear white, however some color variation can occur. This species requires a bit of moisture to get established but once growing is very drought tolerant.

Ecoregion Key:

58 Northeastern Highlands
59 Northeastern Coastal Zone
82 Acadian Plains and Hills
83 Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands
84 Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens