Garden Flowers

Discover the vibrant world of Astilbes, perennial flowering plants that thrive in the shade. Learn about their unique characteristics, Astilbe varieties, care tips, and how they can add a touch of elegance and color to your garden.

Phlox drummondii is a showy annual flowering plant under the order Ericales. The Drummond’s Phlox can grow to 6-12 inches. Drummonds Phlox is considered one of Texas’ most beautiful wildflowers. In addition, it has been valued as an “exotic” cultivated garden flower in Europe for nearly 150 years.

Euryale ferox is a species of water lily found in Asia. The Prickly Water Lily is a perennial plant in the order of Nymhaeales. The seeds of the Prickly Water Lily are used in Chinese traditional medicine. A study showed that extracts from Euryale ferox manifest antioxidant activity.

Gladiolus palustris is a perennial herb of the Iridaceae family and is native to Central and NW Europe. This species can grow to a height of 12-24 inches. The genus Gladiolus is a Latin word that means "a sword". The specific name palustris is a Latin word that means "growing in marshes" the plant's environment.

Gloriosa superba is a climbing herb that belongs to the order Liliales. It can grow to a height of 1 meter. The plant is considered a danger to livestock because it has poisonous properties. All parts of G. superba are toxic, especially the tubers. This may cause fatality when eaten.

Paeonia officinalis is a perennial herb native to the mountainous regions of Southern Europe. The Common Peony plants belong to the order Saxifragales and the family Paeoniaceae. The genus Paeonia comes from the Greek name Paeon meaning a god’s physician.

Erythronium americanum is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Liliaceae. This species is a native range of Eastern North America. The common name of Adder's Tongue is given because of the shape of the flowering shoot.

Ptilotus exaltatus is an annual herb endemic to Australia. This plant is a member of the order Caryophyllales. Ptilotus has about 100 species. All of the species, except 1, are endemic to Australia. For example, the beautiful colored flowered P. exaltatus is native to Australia.

White Trillium is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Melanthiaceae. This species is native to Eastern North America and can grow to 1 to 1.5 feet. Trillium grandiflorum is used in a study to determine the negative impact of deer on the herb population.

Narcissus poeticus is a flowering plant of the order Asparagales. This species is native to Central and Southern Europe. The Wild Narcissus plant is toxic. The most poisonous parts are the bulbs.

Paeonia lactiflora is a flowering plant that can grow 20-28 inches tall. The Chinese Peony is a perennial herb of the family Paeoniaceae. Peony is named after Paeon, the Greek god of medicine and healing.

Rhodanthe chlorocephala is a species of daisy native to Australia and belongs to the Asteraceae family. The Everlasting Daisies can be dried and will last for a long time. This is done by hanging the flowers upside down after the cutting. This is best done when the flowers first open.

Cantua buxifolia is an evergreen shrub of the order Ericales. This plant can grow to a height of 13 feet and is a native of the high valleys of the Yungas and Andes mountains in western South America.

Symphyotricum oblongifolium is a perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. The Aromatic Aster can grow to a height of 1-2 feet. Aromatic Asters are low-growing. Their stems are stiff, compact, and compact. When the plant's stems are crushed, it gives off a balsam-like fragrance.

Delphinium bicolor is a perennial plant of the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. The stems of the Little Larkspur have a height of 4-24 inches. The Little Larkspur plants can absorb toxic substances, like herbicides, pesticides, and pollutants.

Hymenoxys lemmonii is a perennial herb of the Asterceae family. The plant can grow to a height of 15-20 inches. The plants of the genus Hymenoxys contain sesquiterpene lactone hymenoxon, which is toxic to sheep.

Grevillea treueriana is a small shrub from order Proteales. The Mount Finke Grevillea plants are endemic to Mount Finke of Australia and can grow to a height of 2 meters. The flowers of the Grevillea treueriana are shaped like a toothbrush.

The Desert Sand Verbena is a native species of the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico, growing in the sandy areas of the desert. The flowers are trumpet-shaped. The flowers are fragrant with 5 lobes.

Brittlebush is a common desert shrub under the family Asteraceae. The plant can grow up to 1-5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Research showed that the Encelia farinosa intrinsic water-use efficiency manifested strong responses to climate change.

Cyperus is a large genus of around 700 sedge species distributed across continents in temperate and tropical regions. The greenish flowers are wind-pollinated, generally produced in racemes between the apical leaves.

Croton (Codiaeum variegatum) is a common houseplant cultivated for its eye-catching foliage. This evergreen plant varies widely in leaf pattern and color, and wide varieties have been developed. The whitish male flowers with 5 small petals and 20-30 star-shaped stamens appear in separate inflorescences as the yellowish female flowers without petals.

The Cyclamen genus includes about 23 species of perennial plants in the Primulaceae family. Cyclamen species are endemic to the Mediterranean region and Europe. The flowers of the species are white, lavender-white, or rose pink. Flowering Cyclamen are frost-sensitive hybrids from C. persicum.

Sophora chrysophylla, also known as mamane, is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae (bean and pea) family native to Hawaii. There are around 50 species in the Sophora genus, with mamane being the only representative on the Islands of Hawai. The yellow flowers are produced in spring and winter.

Geranium sanguineum, commonly known as bloody geranium or Red Cranesbill, is a hardy flowering perennial herb from the Geraniaceae family. Red Cranesbill is native to Asia and Europe. There are around 300 species of flowering plants in the Geranium genus.

Callistephus chinensis, commonly known as the China aster and annual aster, is a popular annual plant that produces conspicuous, 3 to 5 inches diameter flowers from early summer through fall. The colors of the cultivars include shades ranging from white to pink, yellow, purple, red, and blue.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) is a great statement plant in the shade garden. In spring, the plants are covered with white flowers, and the foliage gives off a sweet smell of hay. Sweet woodruff is a carpet-forming perennial most commonly cultivated as a groundcover in shady areas. There are over 600 species of flowering plants in the Galium genus.

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae native to parts of Asia and southern Europe. The flowers come in vibrant reds, pinks, whites, and two-tone hues, often with contrasting eyes and bearded petals lined on the inside.

Banksia menziesii, also known as Strawberry Banksia or firewood Banksia, is a flowering plant of the genus Banksia. This Western Australia native contains over 75 species, all but one occurring naturally in Australia.

Polygonatum biflorum, commonly known as Solomon's seal, is a classic garden shade plant that gives garden beds an architectural component thanks to its arched stems. There are around 60 species in this group of perennial grasses in the Asparagaceae (asparagus) family.

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) offers a solid option for adding botanical beauty to retaining wall crevices and stones in a rock garden. Additional flowering usually occurs in smaller quantities all through the summer.

Potentilla anserine, also known as silverweed, goosegrass, or silverweed cinquefoil, is a prostrate perennial herb in the Rosaceae (rose) family. Silverweed is the only plant in the Potentilla genus with pinnate compound leaves and individual flowers on separate stems.

The cheery Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum) is a perennial classic. It resembles the well-known roadside daisies but has larger, sturdier flowers. These daisies return like clockwork every spring or early summer and bloom until early fall.

Japanese Primrose is called sakurasou in Japan because it resembles Sakura, the flowering cherry tree. The leaves of the Japanese Primrose possess a rosette arrangement. The hairy petiole measures 1.4-4.7 inches in length. It signifies first Love, youthful Love, and longing in Japan.

Japanese Orange Osmanthus is an evergreen shrub or tree that produces clusters of flowers with a powerful apricot fragrance. The flowers of the Japanese Osmanthus are tiny in axillary clusters and signify truth and a noble person in Japan.

Iris sanguinea is a rhizomatous angiosperm that can grow to a height of 0.5 to 1 meter and a spread of 0.1-0.5 meters. The Iris flower signifies wisdom, hope, trust, and courage. The Iris flower is considered the flower for the 25th wedding anniversary.

Japanese morning glory is a climber plant with 5 meters. It has been a widely cultivated ornamental garden plant. In addition, growing Ipomoea nil is part of the curriculum of Japanese elementary students.

The creeping lettuce is a flowering plant of the Asteraceae family. It is a widespread species in Japan. Being perennial, this plant grows to 0.2 meters by 0.5 meters. Ixeris stolonifera prefers moist soil and grows well in semi-shade or no shade.

The Japanese Snowbell is a deciduous tree that can grow to 15-25 feet. The leaves of Styrax japonica are alternate and simple. They are broad-elliptic to elliptic-oblong. These leaves are medium to dark green with a measurement of 2.5-9 cm. long and 1.3 -4 cm wide.

Japanese Andromeda is a plant native to Japan that can grow up to 1.5 to 4 m. It is a slow-growing shrub or tree under Ericaceae. The flowers are showy, and flower buds are bead-like in white. Some cultivars include a pink and deep rose.

Bigleaf Hydrangea is a deciduous shrub native to Japan that can grow to 7 ft tall. The flowers of the lacecup Hydrangea are attractive large mophead, making it a popular landscape Japanese plant.

Adonis ramose is an herbaceous Japanese plant with a height of 15-40 cm. It is a native flower in Japan. They are commonly used for groundcover, understory, or border. Amur Adonis is planted for good luck.

Camellia sasanqua is a shrub that can grow to 60 cm-3.6 m. It is a beautiful Japanese plant with a pleasing fragrance. The flowers of the sasanqua are primarily single or semi-double. Therefore, their bloom is not as large as those of Camellia japonica.

Iris japonica is a rhizomatous plant with a height of 0.75 to 1 foot and a spread of 1 to 1.5 feet that can grow in forest margins and wet grasslands. The Japanese Iris is named after the Greek goddess "Iris" because of its beauty. The name Iris also means rainbow.

The Japanese Wisteria is a beautiful, deciduous climber with a height of 10 to 30 feet and a spread of 10-20 feet. It is native to temperate Asia, Japan. This perennial plant has a life span of 50 to 100 years or even longer.

Armeria maritima, the sea thrift, sea pink, or common thrift, is a plant species in the family Plumbaginaceae. The genus has more than 100 species, mainly native to the Mediterranean region. It's a popular garden flower and is sold worldwide as a cut and garden flower.

The saffron flower is single and terminal, purple, and comprises 6 petals, 3 stamens, and a style that ends with 3 orange-red stigmas. Unlike other blossoms of the same genus, saffron blossoms do not close overnight. Saffron is a spice extracted from the flower of Crocus sativus, also known as saffron crocus.

Commonly known as the rattlesnake or Calathea insignis, Calathea lancifolia is a tropical rhizomatous evergreen perennial native to Brazilian rainforests. Consequently, the flowers rarely appear on indoor plants. Currently, Calathea is a genus that includes about 60 species of flowering plants in the family Marantaceae.

Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) is a name for many smaller species in the Salix genus (sallows and willows) when their hairy catkins are young at the beginning of spring. Salix discolor, the American willow or glaucous willow, is one of the two species commonly known as pussy willow.

Cosmos are annual flowering plants with brightly colored, daisy-like blooms that are borne on long, slender stems. Cosmos is a species of flowering in the Asteraceae (sunflower) family native to the meadowland and scrubland of Mexico, where most species are found.

Thunbergie has been called "the most gorgeous vine in the world" by some. This blooming, twisted vine looks like morning glory from a distance, and the flowers are similar up close. Thunbergia grandiflora is a vine in the Acanthaceae family. There are 100 to 150 species of flowering plants in the Thunbergia genus.