Garden Flowers
A guide to some of the plants that can be found in the formal gardens of the Arboretum.
- Family
- Period of blooming
- Gardens where planted
- Annual Gardens (in front and on sides of Interpretive Center)
- Bird and Butterfly Garden
- Evelyn Young Gardens
- Greater Gustavus Hosta Garden
- Thomberg Garden
- Thompson Herb Garden
- Other information
Perennials
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium ‘Moonshine’) L.
- Blooms June – October
- Gardens: THG
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) L.
- Blooms June – October
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum x rugosa ‘Blue Fortune’)
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: EYG, THG
Hollyhock (Alcea rosea ‘Peaches ‘N Dreams’) L.
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: BBG
- Biennial
Hollyhock (Alcea rosea ‘Maroon’) L.
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: BBG
- Biennial
Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)
- Blooms August – September
- Gardens: THG
Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Clementine’) L.
- Blooms May – July
- Gardens: BBG
Rock Cress (Arabis caucasica ‘Variegata’)
- Blooms April – May
- Gardens: EYG
Silver Brocade Artemisia (Artemisia stelleriana)
- Blooms August – October
- Gardens: EYG
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) L.
- Blooms April – May
- Gardens: THG
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: BBG, THG
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: BBG, EYG
New York Aster or Michaelmas Daisy (Aster dumosus ‘Wood’s Pink’) L.
- Blooms August – September
- Gardens: BBG
New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) L.
- Blooms September – October
- Gardens: BBG, TG, THG
New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae ‘Alma Potschke’) L.
- Blooms September – October
- Gardens: BBG
False Indigo (Baptisia x variicolor ‘Twilite Prairieblues’)
- Blooms May – July
- Gardens: EYG
Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Atropurpurea Nana’)
- Blooms May – June
- Gardens: EYG
Heartleaf Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia ‘Perfect’)
- Blooms May – June
- Gardens: EYG, GGHG
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii ‘Black Knight’)
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: BBG
Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea ‘Karl Foerster’)
- Blooms May – October
- Gardens: EYG
Bellflower (Campanula) L.
- Blooms June -- August
- Gardens: TG
Pink Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii)
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: EYG
Mammoth Lavender Daisy Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum hybrid) L.
- Blooms June -- September
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Mammoth Orange Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum hybrid) L.
- Blooms June -- September
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Stiff Tickseed (Coreopsis palmata)
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: EYG
Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata ‘Early Sunrise’) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: EYG
Delphinium (Delphinium ‘Belladonna’) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: TG
Delphinium (Delphinium elatum ‘Pure White Magic Fountains’) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: BBG
Delphinium (Delphinium grandiflorum ‘Blue Butterfly’) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: TG
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea ‘Alba’) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: TG
Foxglove (Digitalis ‘Camelot Rose’) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: THG
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: EYG
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Bright Star’)
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: TG
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’)
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: BBG
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Sunrise’)
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: TG
Globe Thistle (Echinops ‘Taplow Blue’) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: EYG
Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum ‘Gateway’) L.
- Blooms August – September
- Gardens: BBG, EYG
Queen of the Prairie or Meadowsweet (Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta Magniticum’)
- Blooms June – July
- Gardens: EYG
Blanketflower (Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Goblin’)
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: THG
Oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Summer Sun’)
- Blooms May – July
- Gardens: EYG
Daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Stella d’Oro’) L.
- Blooms June – October
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Daylily (Hemerocallis hybrids) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Coralbells (Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’)
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Kyushu Hydrangea Tree (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: EYG
Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: TG
Orris Root (Iris pallida ‘Variegata’)
- Blooms May – June
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica ‘Silver Illusion’) L.
- Blooms May – June
- Gardens: EYG
Gayfeather (Liatris spicata ‘Floristan Violet’)
- Blooms July – August
- Gardens: TG
Oriental Lily (Lilium hybrids) L.
- Blooms May – July
- Gardens: EYG
Sea Lavender (Limonium latifolium)
- Blooms August – September
- Gardens: TG
Maltese Cross (Lychnis chalcedonica) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: EYG
Creeping Jenny or Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia) L.
- Blooms July – August
- Gardens: EYG
Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata) L.
- Blooms June -- August
- Gardens: EYG
Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica)
- Blooms April – May
- Gardens: GGHG
Heavy Metal Miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis 'Heavy Metal')
- Blooms September – October
- Gardens: EYG
Silver Feather Miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberfeder’)
- Blooms July – October
- Gardens: TG
Variegated Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’)
- Blooms July – October
- Gardens: EYG
Scarlet Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) L.
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: BBG
Catnip (Nepeta cataria ‘Walker’s Low’) L.
- Blooms July – October
- Gardens: THG
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Longin’)
- Blooms July – October
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Fort Hill’) L.
- Blooms April – June
- Gardens: BBG
Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla)
- Blooms April -- May
- Gardens: EYG
P.J.M. Rhododendron (Rhododendron carolinianum x dauricum)
- Blooms April – May
- Gardens: GGHG
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) L.
- Blooms June – July
- Gardens: THG
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’)
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: BBG
Meadow Sage (Salvia sylvestris ‘Mainacht’) L.
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Variegated Stonecrop (Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’)
- Blooms July – August
- Gardens: EYG
Matrona Stonecrop (Sedum spectabile ‘Matrona’)
- Blooms August – October
- Gardens: BBG
Red Carpet Stonecrop (Sedum spurium ‘Red Carpet’)
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: EYG
Autumn Joy Sedum (Sedum telephium)
- Blooms August – October
- Gardens: EYG
Autumn Stonecrop (Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’)
- Blooms August – October
- Gardens: TG
Goldflame Spirea (Spirea bumalda ‘Goldflame’)
- Blooms May – August
- Gardens: EYG
Speedwell (Veronica spicata ‘Giles Van Hees’) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Gardens: BBG, EYG
Red Prince Weigela (Weigela florida 'Red Prince')
- Blooms July -- September
- Gardens: BBG
Adam’s Needle (Yucca filamentosa) L.
- Blooms May – July
- Gardens: EYG
Annuals (species not always planted in a given year)
Floss Flower (Ageratum houstonianum)
- Blooms May -- October
- Gardens: AnG
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) L.
- Blooms May -- October
- Gardens: AnG
Variegated Canna (Canna pretoria)
- Blooms July – September
- Gardens: EYG
Dahlia (Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’)
- Blooms July – October
- Gardens: EYG, TG
Impatiens (Impatiens)
- Blooms May -- October
- Gardens: AnG
Common Lantana (Lantana camara) L.
- Blooms May – October
- Gardens: EYG, THG
Egyptian Star Cluster (Pentas lanceolata)
- Blooms June – September
- Gardens: THG
Petunia (Petunia)
- Blooms May -- October
- Gardens: AnG
Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea)
- Blooms August – September
- Gardens: TG
Mealy Sage (Salvia farinacea)
- Blooms May -- October
- Gardens: AnG
Blue Sage (Salvia guaranitica)
- Blooms August – September
- Gardens: THG
Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria)
- Bloom time n/a
- Gardens: AnG
- Grown for foliage, cultivated varieties don't bloom
Marigold (Tagetes) L.
- Blooms May -- October
- Gardens: AnG
*All photos taken at Gustavus by Bob Dunlap, Arboretum Naturalist unless otherwise noted.