WELCOME TO THE SOUTH GARDEN
Our gardens showcase plants that are native to the Eastern Temperate Forest Ecoregion, offering multi-seasonal interest and a range of colors, textures, preferred conditions, and wildlife benefits. The South Garden combines cultivars, straight species, and hybrids in a formal display, including standouts from Mt. Cuba’s native plant trials and more.
Check out our Staff Picks, selected by Michael Strengari, Senior Horticulturist! These are Michael’s favorite plants in the South Garden.
Aquilegia canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’ Little Lanterns wild columbine 10" Hummingbird attractor; can establish in garden by self-sowing
Asclepias tuberosa butterfly weed 1–3' Tolerates poor soil and drought
Carex muskingumensis ‘Little Midge’ Little Midge Muskingum sedge
Geometric foliage; excellent choice for containers
Coreopsis palustris ‘Summer Sunshine’ Summer Sunshine Beadle’s tickseed 2.5' Tolerates clay soil; disease resistant
Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ Moonbeam whorled tickseed
Echinacea purpurea ‘Pica Bella’ Pica Bella purple coneflower
Sun Part Shade/Part Sun
Moist to Wet Soil
Average, Well-drained Soil
Dry Soil
Shrub
Herbaceous (Not Woody)
Grass or Grass-like
Pollinator Significance
Deer Resistant
Sterile cultivar; spreads via rhizomes
Compact cultivar; tolerates heat and humidity
Eryngium yuccifolium button snake-root 3–4' Thrives in sandy soils; leave undisturbed once established
Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta’ Venusta queen-of-the-prairie 6–8' Fragrant; intolerant of drought
Gillenia trifoliata ‘Pink Profusion’ Pink Profusion Bowman’s root
Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’ Kobold dense blazing-star
Monarda didyma ‘AChall’ Grand Marshall™ scarlet bee balm
Panicum virgatum ‘Apache Rose’ Apache Rose switchgrass
Parthenium integrifolium wild quinine
Penstemon digitalis ‘Midnight Masquerade’ Midnight Masquerade foxglove beardtongue
Phlox paniculata ‘Glamour Girl’ Glamour Girl garden phlox
Physocarpus opulifolius ‘SMPOTW’ Tiny Wine® Atlantic ninebark
Rosa setigera climbing prairie rose
Rudbeckia maxima giant coneflower
Ruellia humilis fringe leaf wild-petunia
Silene caroliniana subsp. wherryi ‘Short and Sweet’ Short and Sweet Wherry’s catchfly
Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ Golden Fleece autumn goldenrod
Symphyotrichum laeve var. laeve ‘Bluebird’ Bluebird smooth aster
Thalictrum dasycarpum purple meadowrue
RESEARCH
Dig in to past Trial Garden research reports at mtcubacenter.org/trial
EDUCATION
Classes and lectures on horticulture, native plants, conservation, art, and wellness are offered year round. Learn more at mtcubacenter.org/programs
2–3' Attractive seedheads; tough, long-lived
Tolerates heat and humity; slow to establish
24–28" Excellent resistance to powdery mildew
4' Warm season grass; upright habit
2–4' Clump forming; seed heads provide winter interest
36–39" Host plant for rare pollen specialist bee
3' Good resistance to powdery mildew
3–4' Suitable replacement for Japanese barberry
6–12' Ornamental red fruit and red/purple foliage in autumn
5–7' Showy flowers and foliage; can self-seed
1.5–2' Thrives in well-drained, rocky soils
Prefers sandy or gravelly soils with some shade
Keystone species; plants form mat-like groundcover
aster in Mt. Cuba Center trial
forming; intolerant
a list of businesses that sell native plants or seeds, visit mtcubacenter.org/directory