Moss Phlox or Thrift Provides a Blanket of Spring Color

“Common” names often cause confusion about plant identity. The spring-flowering groundcover at my childhood home was always called Thrift. It wasn’t until I started working at a garden nursery that I learned that its true identity was Phlox subulata, pronounced FLOCKS sub-yoo-LAH-tah. Then a customer asked for Thrift but meant Armeria, also known as Thrift. The two Thrifts are completely unrelated. Armeria juniperifolia (juniper-leaved thrift) and Armeria maritima (sea thrift) grow up to one foot tall. One has sharp foliage like a juniper while the other has grassy-like foliage. Both are perennial in zones 4-9, and are salt-tolerant. Their flowers remind me of Scabiosa. The focus of today’s blog is Phlox subulata, an old-fashioned southern standby.

Phlox subulata is also known as Creeping Phlox, Moss Phlox, Rock Phlox, and Thrift. This evergreen perennial reaches only six inches tall, at most. It forms a tight mat of needle-like foliage that works well as a groundcover and is frequently used in combination with large rocks. The flowers are small (3/4 inch across, with five petals) but so numerous that they conceal the leaves, appearing like a blanket of color. Thrift is blooming right now in my area, with showy mats of pink, rose, white, light blue, or lavender flowers. It is often used on steep banks or slopes, where it will self-seed and spread to cover uneven terrain and prevent erosion. Give Thrift full sun or part sun in acidic soil. It requires little maintenance beyond a little thinning if it becomes so congested that it starts choking itself.

Phlox subulata is native to the US and will grow in zones 3-9. It is rarely bothered by insects or diseases. Deer do not normally browse Thrift; the flowers are favored by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

I planted a couple of these Phlox subulata under a new redbud (Cercis chinensis ‘Don Egolf’) last year. The color of the flowers is a near-match to the color of the tree’s blooms. They flower at the same time, and are neighbors to a yellow Forsythia, which provides a nice color contrast.

This thick mat of Thrift (Phlox subulata) has spread to replace grasses or weeds that might have grown under this fence, eliminating hand-weeding or string-trimming.

Calling All Columbines

One of the stars among spring perennials is Aquilegia (pronounced a-kwil-EE-jee-a), also called Columbine. In the southeastern US, there are two common species, the hybrid Aquilegia x hybrida and Aquilegia canadensis, the Wild Columbine or Red Columbine. Less common but more impressive is Aquilegia vulgaris.

All prefer moist woodland soils and partial shade in the South. They will tolerate more sun in cooler zones. They are deciduous perennials in zones 3-8. They may go dormant before winter if soil stays dry. Provide supplemental irrigation in extended dry weather but do not allow soil to be boggy. Columbine foliage is finely cut, almost lacy in appearance, and may have a slight blue tint. The hybrids bloom in pastel shades of rose, blue, pink, yellow, white and bi-colors. Most flowers have long spurs. Aquilegia vulgaris has a two-layer double form without spurs that looks like a tiny Dahlia. Some of these have an ombre color pattern. A somewhat strange common name for these doubles is “Granny’s Bonnet.”

Columbines reach heights of one to three feet. They bloom in early spring, then fade into obscurity. They can be raised from seed, but will not bloom until the second season. They will reseed, but hybrid seedlings will not mimic the mother plant. Removing spent blooms encourages more flowers.

Deer and rabbits leave Columbines alone. Unfortunately, the plants are a frequent target for leaf miners. On a garden tour several years ago, the host proudly displayed her “variegated” Columbines. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her plants were not variegated at all but had a serious leaf miner infestation. If plants show signs of miner damage, remove the damaged leaves but cutting off the entire stem. The plant will regenerate new leaves.

The native Wild Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, departs from the pastel colors of their cousins and instead sports colorful red and yellow flowers. It will reseed and, unlike the hybrids, its offspring will have the same flowers. It is not prone to leaf miner damage. Different from the other species, Wild Columbine can be used in rain gardens, where they may be subject to wet conditions for days at a time.

All the Columbines make wonderful additions to shady woodland beds and pollinator gardens, where they are popular with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. They look best planted in groups rather than singles.

Enjoy Evergreen Clematis Armandii

Clematis armandii is a star among vines. Not only is it evergreen while most Clematis are deciduous, it boasts a marvelous fragrance. Flowers are white with touches of pale pink. Clematis are separated into different classes, with specific pruning times for each (see below). Armand Clematis blooms on old wood, meaning stems that are at least a year old. Pruning keeps the vines from developing into a congested thicket, and should be done immediately after bloom petals drop.

Armand blooms in early spring, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Glossy, narrow leaves are leathery with a thick texture. Plants are hardy in zones 7 through 9. They are rarely damaged by deer, but can cause a rash on gardeners with sensitive skin. Gloves are recommended, especially when pruning. Plants are toxic to people and pets.

This Clematis is thin stemmed with a delicate appearance but is a vigorous grower, and will reach 15 feet or more. Stems climb by twining around trellises or other supports. Vines drape gracefully and will sway in the breeze. Use on fences to provide privacy with a narrow footprint. Like other members of the Clematis clan, Armand prefers a cool home for its roots and a sunny (or mostly sunny) spot for its top growth. A mulched root zone will shade the roots against overheating and help to keep soil damp. Soil should be neutral to slightly alkaline, with plenty of organic matter. Plants will not tolerate wet soil.

There are two possible pronunciations for Clematis: kle-MA-tis or KLEM-a-tis.

Here is a cursory overview on Clematis pruning:

For purposes of maintenance, Clematis are grouped into three classes. Group 1 blooms on new wood only. Trimming should be restricted to the removal of dead wood and just enough shaping to keep them neat. These are the earliest Clematis to flower. Group 2 blooms on both new and old wood. Prune immediately after flowering ends. Trim only 6-8 inches. The goal is to force new growth, not to reduce size. Vines in this class bloom later than the first group. Group 3 is the easiest of all. Clematis in this class go dormant in winter. Cut off the dead vines just above ground level in winter. I usually handle this chore in late February, just after pruning hybrid tea roses. Since this class regenerates entirely each season, it is the last to bloom.

Of all Clematis, ‘Roguchi’ is my favorite cultivar. It is a lovely, long-blooming plant that will get a blog posts all its own, soon.

Blue Eyed Grass - Petite Wildflower

Today’s blog features Sisyrinchium (pronounced sis-ee-RING-kee-um), commonly known as Blue Eyed Grass. Despite its name, it is not a grass but a member of the Iris family. Blue Eyed Grass is not a showstopper that will catch your eye from a distance. Rather, its subtle beauty is enjoyed as a little surprise in your lawn or flower beds. The blooms are tiny, so it is best appreciated when planted near to eye level, either from raised planters or containers. Blue Eyed Grass will grow in sun or partial shade. They spread fastest in damp soil but will do well in any well-drained soil, zones 4-9.

Seeds are available, but if you convince a friend to donate a clump, the plants will spread into colonies via rhizomes. Appearing in early spring and sporadically thereafter, the blue blooms have yellow throats that serve as runway lights to pollinators, directing them to the pollen and nectar-rich blossoms. Honeybees love this plant.

The grassy foliage of Sisyrinchium will blend into the lawn and can be sheared (translation: trimmed via lawnmower) without damaging the plant. Leaves may reach 10 inches or more in length, but their growth habit is more horizontal than upright, so the plant height is usually 6 inches or so.

Blue Eyed Grass isn’t a “wowzer” plant, but a sweet, delicate treat.

The yellow centers and darker veins are directional markers for honeybees.

Sweet little blooms, one-fourth the size of a thumbnail

Baptisia? Yes, please.

Baptisia is a beautiful, long-lived perennial. It is in the Fabaceae family (legumes) and has a similar bloom to other plants in that family (peanuts, soybeans, peas).

A common name is Wild Indigo or False Blue Indigo, but modern cultivars extend beyond blue shades to yellows, white, and reddish purple. The plants reach three feet in height and about the same width. The growth form is strongly upright, not yielding to punishment from thunderstorms and hard rains. Grow in full sun.

Starting in 1745, Baptisia was grown and exported to Great Britain for the extraction of blue dye. It served as a substitute for the higher quality, more expensive dye extracted from Indigofera. As an export, it was second only to rice. Charleston, SC was the growth and shipping center, where it became known as “the blue gold of the South.”

This rugged plant is native to American prairie but can be grown in most of the US. Once established, it needs little care beyond cutting down frost-killed stems in winter. In upper South Carolina, the first shoots emerge around mid-March and bloom for four weeks, beginning in early April.  The plant grows a deep tap root that helps it survive droughts but also means that it resents relocation. The blooms are followed by seed pods that look like inflated peas. They dry to a true black, making an unusual addition to cut flower arrangements. If you wish to propagate from seed, harvest the pods as soon as they are completely black and dry. Ripe pods are prone to bursting open, so take care to harvest them before they split. Each pod holds multiple seeds. These germinate easily. Plants can also be propagated from tender stem cutting along with a rooting hormone.

Baptisia was named 2010 plant of the year by the Perennial Plant Association. The name is pronounced bap-TEE-zsah.

Blue Baptisia contrasts with the adjacent blue and yellow bearded Iris.

Emerging Baptisia stems look like asparagus.