There are 67-70 species of evergreen or herbaceous, low growing or cushion forming to erect perennial, as well as a few annuals and shrubs that range from a couple inches tall to 5′ feet tall.  They occur mostly in North America (one from Siberia).  They are grown for their showy, fragrant flowers, borne mainly in terminal corymbs or panicle like cymes, sometimes singly.  The flowers are salverform, occasionally funnel shaped, each with a narrow, tubular base opening to 5 flat, ovate petal lobes, sometimes in a star shaped arrangement.  It produces simple, smooth edged, linear to ovate, light to dark green, leaves, often held in opposite pairs, the upper leaves sometimes alternate.  Mat and cushion forming species, from dry, rocky habitats, flower in spring or early summer, grow in a rock garden, in a dry wall, or as edging.  Woodland species are mainly trailing, and usually flower in spring, grow in shady sites.  The taller phlox are mostly from moist riverside habitats, and produce large corymbs of flowers, usually in mid summer into fall, which are good for cutting.  Annuals, from dry rocky slopes and coastal sands, flowers from late spring to autumn, and useful for bedding.

Grow in any moist, fertile, well drained soil, in full sun or light shade.

Prone to powdery mildew, stem canker, rust, southern blight, stem nematodes, Cercospora leaf spots, Septoria leaf spots, leaf miners, caterpillars, red spider mites, eelworm, and dot moth.

P. subulata ‘Candy Striper’ – Moss Phlox –

Zones 3-8

There are 67-70 species of evergreen or herbaceous, low growing or cushion forming to erect perennial, as well as a few annuals and shrubs that range from a couple inches tall to 5′ feet tall.  They occur mostly in North America (one from Siberia).  They are grown for their showy, fragrant flowers, borne mainly in terminal corymbs or panicle like cymes, sometimes singly.  The flowers are salverform, occasionally funnel shaped, each with a narrow, tubular base opening to 5 flat, ovate petal lobes, sometimes in a star shaped arrangement.  It produces simple, smooth edged, linear to ovate, light to dark green, leaves, often held in opposite pairs, the upper leaves sometimes alternate.  Mat and cushion forming species, from dry, rocky habitats, flower in spring or early summer, grow in a rock garden, in a dry wall, or as edging.  Woodland species are mainly trailing, and usually flower in spring, grow in shady sites.  The taller phlox are mostly from moist riverside habitats, and produce large corymbs of flowers, usually in mid summer into fall, which are good for cutting.  Annuals, from dry rocky slopes and coastal sands, flowers from late spring to autumn, and useful for bedding.

Grow in any moist, fertile, well drained soil, in full sun or light shade.

Prone to powdery mildew, stem canker, rust, southern blight, stem nematodes, Cercospora leaf spots, Septoria leaf spots, leaf miners, caterpillars, red spider mites, eelworm, and dot moth.

P. subulata ‘Crimson Beauty’ – Moss Phlox –

Zones 3-8

perennial – Outdoors, grows in humus rich, moist but well drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. Hibiscus need long, hot summers to flower well. Trim after flowering to maintain shape.

zone 4-9

There are 15-20 popular annuals, biennials, and perennial, in the Asteraceae family, in this genus. They are occur from moist meadows and light woodland in North America. They have branched or unbranched stems, and most have alternate, simple to pinnatifid, occasionally pinnate, prominently veined leaves, toothed toward the tips. Species range in height from 2′ to 10′ feet tall. It produces usually solitary, single or semi double daisy like flowers, often with petals that point down and out, and a prominent conical centers that can be black, brown, or green, held for long periods from summer to autumn. Most are good for cut flowers. Grow in a border, or naturalize in meadow or woodland garden. Most cultivars of R. hirta are grown as annual, and are good for bedding or border.

Grow in moderately fertile, preferably heavy but well drained soil that does not dry out, in full sun or partial shade. Divide in spring or fall.

zones 3-7

Cardininal Bush – There are about 12, mostly arching to upright, deciduous shrubs within the Caprifoliaceae family, found naturally occurring in Japan, Korea, and Northeastern China, in this genus.  Most grow 6-10’ feet tall and wide and produce opposite, pointed elliptical, toothed leaves, usually to 4” long.  The foliage often develops orange, red, and purple tone in fall.  Weigelas are grown for their showy, bell to funnel shaped, pink to red, sometimes white or yellow flowers borne in late spring and early summer, these are usually 1 ½” long, and are borne singly or in corymbs or cymes of 3 or 4 on previous years growth, many are sparingly remontant.  Suitable for a mixed or shrub border, or for open woodland garden.  The flowers attract hummingbirds.

Grow in any fertile, well-drained moist soil in full sun or partial shade.

Prone to  root knot nematode, Japanese beetles, scale insects, Verticillium wilt, twig dieback, and lepidoptera.

W. florida ‘Tango’  – Old-fashioned Weigela –

Zones 5-8

zones 3-10

deciduous shrub

comes in 3 or 5 gallon pots

P. fruticosa – Shrubby cinquefoil – Bush cinquefoil – This compact, bushy, deciduous shrub from Europe, Northern Asia and North America grows 3′ feet tall and 4-5′ feet wide. It produces pinnate leaves, to 1 ½” long, composed of usually 5 or 7 narrowly elliptical, mid green leaflets. From early summer to mid autumn it bears saucer shaped yellow to orange flowers, to 1 ½” across, often fading to salmon pink in the bright sun, are carried singly or in cymes pf 3.

Grow in poor to moderately fertile, well drained soil in full sun. Rock garden species prefer poor, gritty, sharply drained soil. Divide perennial in autumn and spring.

zones 3-7

Zones 4-8

Zones 4-8

Zones 4-8