skip to main content

Perennials Native Plants

Am I going to regret planting these?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I ended up buying a lot of new-to-me perennials this year due to my quest for taller plants and desire to incorporate more natives. I've been really pleased with their performance so far, but this being their first season, I'm not sure what to expect in terms of rampant re-seeding or aggressive spread. I need to be on the lookout because they're planted in foundation borders (which are pretty wide) so I can't let them get out of hand. What input do you have on these:

* Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

* Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) -- these are right smack under a maple tree, so hoping the dryness will put the brakes on any invasive tendencies - ?

* Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) -- this one is way out by the road because of it's eventual size; I bought it for no other reason than I just wanted it :0p

* Monarda "Jacob Cline" -- this one is spreading already (but I love that fiery red!)

* Rudbeckia "Herbstsonne"

* Silphium integrifolim (Rosinweed)

* Vernonia noveboracensis (New York Ironweed)

* Vernonia "Southern Cross"

* Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppy mallow --- that is fun to say really fast!)

Thanks!

ETA: Also, willow-leaf sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius) "Autumn Gold".

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

dbarron
3 years ago
I dunno, do you usually regret purchases? None of them are going to eat your dog, if that's your concern. They will reseed to some degree if they have open land to do it in..but typically they take several years to reach flowering size.

P. muticum is quite impressive IMO, though it will NOT be happy in shade at all. In fact none of these will.

Cup plant is ok, I prefer Silphium laciniatum though.
kitasei2
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Even if all of these take over, you’ll just have a lush native plant garden so what’s to lose?
Related Discussions
oooh, am I going to regret this?
Q
Comments (5)
Oh yeah! You all have made me very happy today! I really do like this stuff, and I would like it to spread some. I just don't want it bullying out the other plants. So good to know it takes to discipline! As for the nurseries, I know, I do know that they just want me to spend money. But what annoys me is that this nursery knows me VERY well. They KNOW I will be spending more money - lots more -there. Couldn't they maybe just drop a hint now and then that "this plant is fairly aggressive" or "Jack Frost really isn't that hardy here"? Or maybe they just don't know. Thanks again. Ann
...See More
Am I going to regret mixing countertop materials in my kitchen?
Q
Comments (17)
I think the decision should be more fundamental than two countertops or not. Move higher-level in your thinking and decide whether you want the island to be the same or different: A) - Island to match the rest of your cabinets and be an integrated and harmonious part of the whole kitchen; or B) - Island to be a separate, free-standing design element - like a table - something different from the rest. If you go with option A, then keep the island cabinetry and countertops the same colors and styles as the others and know that you're making the right decision for that design. If you go with option B, then I'd suggest changing the color of the island as well as the countertop, possibly even a different door style and/or different hardware. Make it visibly and distinctively different from the rest of the kitchen. Give it its own identity. Add legs, base molding (versus standard toe kick) - other details that separate the island from the rest of the kitchen and make it look like furniture instead of kitchen cabinets. IMO, the one thing you DON'T want to do is 'split the difference' design-wise, because then your kitchen design becomes muddled, and those are the kind of designs that don't wear well. Is the island the same? Or is it different? Choose one!
...See More
Am I going to regret purchasing Miele Master Chef Double Ovens???
Q
Comments (11)
I know the trepidation you are feeling in finalizing such a big and expensive decision. The feeling of once I pull the trigger that's it I'm stuck with it good or bad. Hang in there you are doing your do diligence and Miele stands behind it's product. So if your temps are off they will adjust it no questions asked. That is my experience with them. You should also get there extended five year warranty also. They did offer the warranty free if it was over a certain price but they run that promo from time to time so check with your vendor. It does seem slow to preheat when in baking mode but convection heats faster so I will switch after it reaches temp. I don't know if somebody has done a test to see the preheat time of each brand of oven, but that would be an interesting thread to read if everybody posted the time it takes to reach 350 in different baking modes. I really enjoy using the master chef as well as my Miele steam oven, the probe roasting is great and rotisserie works fantastic.
...See More
Am I going to regret putting the kids upstairs?
Q
Comments (31)
We currently have a main floor master and the kids are upstairs on the opposite side of the house (none directly above us). We LOVE It. And for what its worth, we built the house before we had kids so yes...the newborns went upstairs (they are 20 months apart so we had 2 babies upstairs - and this was before video monitors! lol. I never worried about the stairs being a danger, we had night lights, and honestly our kids didn't really come down. I love the independence they gained in the fact that they didn't come into our room nightly, they just went to bed when we put them down and stayed there all night. now that they are 12 and 14 we REALLY love it. It seems as if they have their own space for friends. I would HIGHLY recommend this layout. we just closed on a new lot and we really want a similar layout
...See More
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
3 years ago
Yea, it's the eating the dog I'm worried about LOL! The mountain mint (P. muticum) is not in full shade, it's right at the southern edge of the bed under the maple, it gets a fair amount of mid-day and early evening sun. From what I understand it does fine in part-shade. Guess I'll find out.
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
3 years ago
"Even if all of these take over, you’ll just have a lush native plant garden so what’s to lose?"

Eating of the house along with the dog.
Anna (6B/7A in MD)
3 years ago
I had mountain mint (muticum) in part shade and it did ok, it didn't thrive and would get these brown spots on the leaves. I moved it to the sunniest bed I have and the difference is shocking--so upright, no issues with the beautiful leaves. It continued to look good as the seed-heads developed and even up to a couple of weeks ago. So it may tolerate part-shade but won't look like a happy plant. YMMV

As for Boneset, I had Joe Pye Weed (maculatum) and its roots are one...solid...mass. It was a slow creeper for me, did not reseed into the grass (it was in an island bed) but rather spread from the roots. I tried to dig some up to share with someone and I could swear it was laughing at me.
pennlake
3 years ago
I have or had most on that list and have not found them to overly aggressive spreaders or seeders.

For me, my issue with Jacob Cline is that it didn't maintain a patch where I planted it. After a few years, the original spot had died out but just thin patches if it had spread outward from the original spot. I have very sandy soil so things can run with abandon in my yard, but I've found other monardas to be better at staying put.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES No-Regret Plants: 5 Questions Smart Shoppers Ask

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Quit wasting money and time at the garden center. This checklist will ensure that the plants you're eyeing will stick around in your yard

FLOWERS Rudbeckia Mania: Go Beyond Black-Eyed Susan in the Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Branch out from typical nursery fare, with lesser-known Rudbeckia species that have delightfully unexpected features

FUN HOUZZ Everything I Need to Know About Decorating I Learned from Downton Abbey

Mind your manors with these 10 decorating tips from the PBS series, returning on January 5

GARDENING GUIDES Invite Mining Bees to Your Garden by Planting Their Favorite Plants

By Pollination Press LLC

Look for mining bees (Andrena) pollinating woodland wildflowers in U.S. gardens this spring

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES 3 Ways Native Plants Make Gardening So Much Better

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

You probably know about the lower maintenance. But native plants' other benefits go far beyond a little less watering and weeding

GARDENING GUIDES How to Find the Right Native Plants for Your Yard

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Find plant maps, sale sites and guides that make going native in the garden easier than ever

DECORATING GUIDES Edit Keepsakes With Confidence — What to Let Go and What to Keep

By Laura Gaskill

If mementos are weighing you down more than bringing you joy, here's how to lighten your load with no regrets

SAVING WATER Houzz Call: Are You Letting Go of Your Lawn?

By Annie Thornton

Many facing a drought are swapping turf for less thirsty plantings. If you’re one of them, we’d like to hear about it

ARBOR DAY 8 Reasons to Plant a Great Tree

By June Scott Design

Beauty is its own reward, but the benefits of planting the right tree in the right place go way beyond looks

GARDENING GUIDES How I Learned to Be an Imperfect Gardener

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Letting go can lead to a deeper level of gardening and a richer relationship with the landscape. Here's how one nature lover did it

Sponsored

More Discussions

A Year of Bulbs

83

Anyone have mature plants of Big Blue Salvia?

7

This may seem like a stupid question.

3

What to do with this very old hydrangea?

4

Weed, or coneflower appendage?

6