Plants

Helleborus orientalis

[Lenten rose]

Helleborus × hybridus 'Pine Knot Best Strain' [sold as Pine Knot Best Strain Hellebore]

[Pine Knot Best Strain Hellebore]

Hibiscus syriacus

[Rose-of-Sharon]

Flowers single or double, in wide range of colors (depending on cultivar), are born on new growth, so heavy pruning in the spring enhances blooming later that summer. Pruning to functional size of 4-5' produces excellent habit and flowering. Becomes leggy with age if not pruned. Prune hard when young to promote more branching. Occasionally, stems are killed back in winter; nevertheless, flowering on new growth is not reduced. Generally not the best for solid…

Hibiscus syriacus 'Diana'

[Diana Rose-of-Sharon]

The white flowers of 'Diana' are born on new growth, so heavy pruning in the spring enhances blooming later that summer. Pruning to functional size of 4-5' produces excellent habit and flowering. Becomes leggy with age if not pruned. Prune hard when young to promote more branching. Occasionally, stems are killed back in winter; nevertheless, flowering on new growth is not reduced. Generally not the best for solid screening. Late to leaf out in spring.…

Hibiscus syriacus 'Minerva'

[Minerva Rose of Sharon]

Minerva Rose of Sharon blooms in early summer featuring showy flowers that appear lavender with a pink hue and red eye.

Hibiscus syriacus 'Morning Star'

[Morning Star Rose-of-Sharon]

'Morning Star' has showy white flowers with a red eye and anemone center. Flowers are born on new growth, so heavy pruning in the spring enhances blooming later that summer. Pruning to functional size of 4-5' produces excellent habit and flowering. Becomes leggy with age if not pruned. Prune hard when young to promote more branching. Occasionally, stems are killed back in winter; nevertheless, flowering on new growth is not reduced. Generally not the best…

Hydrangea arborescens

[Smooth Hydrangea]

The Smooth Hydrangea is an Indiana native found along woodlands and waterways with rocky soils. The flowers of Hydrangea arborescens can be large and heavy, bending stems to the ground. Best used in a shady area or along foundations of buildings for some support. This plant often gets cut back hard to the ground in late winter to maintain a neat look and to promote vigorous flowering the following summer. Hydrangea arborescens is a fast…

Hydrangea arborescens 'Abetwo' [sold as Incrediball®]

[Incrediball® Smooth Hydrangea]

Improved version of the 'Annabelle' cultivar

Hydrangea arborescens 'NCHA1' [sold as Invincibelle® Spirit]

[Invincibelle Spirit Smooth Hydrangea]

The Invincibelle Spirit Smooth Hydrangea produces large (larger than the straight species), upright globular heads of sterile, pink flowers in June. Tops usually die back in extreme Northern regions of its hardiness zone (including Zones 4 and 5). However, flowers are on new wood, and they still appear when tops are winter killed, or plants are pruned to ground. Winter killed branches need removal. Not drought tolerant. Poor, coarse form in the winter landscape. Many…

Hydrangea macrophylla

[Bigleaf Hydrangea]

Beautiful flowers that are borne as either mopheads (hortensias), which are globular masses of mostly showy sterile flowers, or lacecaps, which are flat-topped clusters that have an outer ring of showy flowers surrounding small, less-showy fertile flowers in the center. In general, an acidic soil will produce a very blue colored flower in most cultilvar, and alkaline pink. High quality foliage. Lower flower production in cold climates, and performs poorly on hot dry sites. A…