Jenkins Arboretum, one of the region’s oldest remnants of the once continuous eastern forest, quietly resides in Devon, Pennsylvania for all to enjoy and admire. It nurtures a large collection of native deciduous azaleas, hybrid rhododendrons, perennial wildflowers and ferns.
In the Arboretum’s goal to educate the public on the advantages of using native plants in the landscape that thrive in southeastern Pennsylvania, Jenkins Arboretum has created its Green Ribbon Native Plant ® Selections. Every spring, the Arboretum Horticulture Committee and staff select three native plants (a tree, shrub, and fern or wildflower) that are grown in the Arboretum which should work well in residential and commercial landscapes.
A native plant is defined as a species existing in eastern North America prior to European settlement. Native plants tend to be more hardy and resilient to environmental conditions since they have evolved and adapted to grow in the region. They are also aesthetically pleasing and offer great ecological value for a diversity of insects, birds, and animals in all landscapes.
Carolina Silverbell, Halesia carolina
The Silverbell is a member of the Styrax family (Styracaceae) and is also known as the Snowdrop tree. It was first introduced to the nursery trade before 1748. It occurs naturally in lowlands of New York, Pennsylvania and west to Minnesota, Nebraska, and south to Oklahoma and Tennessee and from Florida to eastern Texas.
It is considered one of the best native American trees for shady sites. In spring, clusters of tubular or bell-shaped white flowers bloom in April to early May on the previous year's growth before the leaves emerge. It will grow in sunny areas to partial shaded areas in moist, well-drained soil.
The Carolina Silverbell will reach 30-40 feet in height with a spread of 20-35 feet. It is a low-branched tree with a comparatively narrow head and ascending branches or often several spreading branches. The bark is a gray to brown/black, ridged and furrowed with flat, lustrous ridges that develop into scaly plates. It resents ball and burlap transplanting and does much better when purchased as a container-grown plant. As to pests or disease it is relatively carefree. It tolerates a wide range of soil moisture but prefers rich humus type soil with good drainage. The culture is similar to the native dogwood.
It is a tree best used in shade or woodland gardens as an under story tree. It is set off best with an evergreen background or as an accent tree in a rhododendron bed. The fall coloration is often an outstanding golden yellow persisting for two to three weeks.
Dwarf Fothergilla, Fothergilla gardenii
Fothergilla is a favorite hardy plant named after a British physician, John Fothergill (1712-80) who grew American plants in England. The dwarf variety was named for Dr. Garden. Its native habitat is from Virginia to Georgia and was introduced in the United States in 1765. The fothergilla belongs to the Witch Hazel family (Hamamelidaceae).
It is a coastal plains species and is often found around bogs or ponds. It has a three seasonal interest with the first being the fragrant white bottlebrush-like flowers that bloom in April and early May. The second is their foliage, which usually appears after the blooms have occurred. The foliage can be dark green or blue-green and shows brilliant colors such as red, orange or yellow in the fall. A woody capsule ¼ inch long occurs in clusters and ripens with two black seeds also appears in the fall. Fothergillas do not have a bad season.
It is a multi-stemmed, suckering, thicket-forming shrub that grows 3 to 5 feet tall. It is best mulched with 2-3 inches of organic material to preserve the moisture as it gets established and then requires water only during periods of drought. The plant serves best when grouped for a landscape accent, as they are too small to act as a specimen planting.
Fothergillas are best planted in the spring, although they will tolerate being planted any time during the growing season. For good flowering and fall color, they are best planted where they will receive full sun but respond nicely in a shadier venue for the summer and fall. They prefer a moist, well-drained soil, which is slightly acidic.
Fothergillas are slow growing and require little pruning but if they become lanky, one can cut the entire shrub down to the ground to renew it. They are known to have few pests or disease problems.
Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis
A native of North America, Lobelia cardinalis is recognized by it striking spires of cardinal red flowers, contrasted with the dark green, serrated spear-shaped leaves. The plants are not long-lived perennials, but happily re-seed themselves. This Lobelia is best grown in moist, fertile, humus-rich soil, in sun or partial shade. It can tolerate flooding but not drought. It is most suitable for waterside plantings or damp borders. If used in a colorful perennial flowerbed, it must be watered regularly. Lobelia works well planted with irises, monkshood, cannas, ferns and horsetails. Protect in a cold frame in winter as it dislikes the cold, wet conditions of that season.
Lobelia flowers from July to September from Southern Ontario and Quebec to Florida and west to eastern Texas. It belongs to the Bluebell family (Campanulaceae) and is one of our most handsome deep red wildflowers which are pollinated chiefly by ruby-throated hummingbirds. Its common name alludes to the bright red robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. In spite of its spirited color, the plant contains poisonous alkaloids and ingestion has caused deaths in humans.
