Top Plant Picks February 2023
It’s a new year of plant picks! Cheekwood’s Horticulturist, Sage McClain, shares her top plant picks for February.
Euphorbia myrsinites (Myrtle Spurge)
Bloom Time: March to April
Sun Requirement: Full Sun
Water Requirement: Low
Wildlife: N/A
Tolerates: Tolerates rabbits and deer, Drough, Dry Soils, and Air pollution
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 to 9
Other: This perennial has blue-green, succulent-like leaves that are arranged in close spirals around the stems. A perfect addition to rock gardns or sprawling over stone walls!
Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Helleborus orientalis (Lenten Rose)
Bloom Time: March to April
Sun Requirement: Part Shade to Full Shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Has nectar/pollen rich flowers that attract a lot of bees
Tolerates: Deer resistant, Heavy shade, Dry soil, Air pollution
Native to North America: No
Zones: 4 to 9
Other: This lovely shade perennial forms clumps and blooms in late winter with gorgeous rose-like flowers that continue blooming into the spring. It has large, leathery, glossy dark green leaves that are evergreen.
Location: Seasons Garden

Arum italicum (Italian Arum)
Bloom Time: April to May
Sun Requirement: Part to Full Shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: N/A
Tolerates: Heavy shade and wet soils
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 to 9
Other: Arum is perfect for woodland shade gardens! New leaves emerge in autumn and are evergreen throughout the winter. During the summer, it develeops attractive, bright orange berries. Before considering this plant for your home garden, it is best to determine if this species is considered invasive in your area.
Location: Herb Garden

Salix caprea (Pussy Willow)
Bloom Time: March to April
Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
Water Requirement: Medium to High
Wildlife: This willow is among the first flowering plants in the spring, the catkins providing a high quantity of pollen and nectar as a food source to bees, insects, and birds.
Tolerates: Wet Soil, Deer
Native to North America: No
Zones: 4 to 8
Other: This tree has lovely downy flower buds in late winter to early spring before the leaf buds burst. The younger branches also are reddish brown and attractive during the winter.
Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ (Smooth Hydrangea)
Bloom Time: June to September
Sun Requirement: Part Shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Attracts butterflies and other pollinators
Tolerates: Tolerates erosion and a wide range of soil types
Native to North America: No
Zones: 3 to 9
Other: This shrub produces beautiful white clusters of blooms in the summer and the dried flower heads also provide interest in the landscape during the winter.
Location: Dogwood Garden

Yucca faxoniana (Spanish Dagger)
Bloom Time: March to April
Sun Requirement: Full Sun
Water Requirement: Low
Wildlife: Its nectar attracts moths and other insects, its fruit and seeds attracts small mammals
Tolerates: Cold, heat and drought tolerant
Native to North America: Yes
Zones: 5 to 10
Other: This ornmental succulent is a perfect specimen plant in low maintainence landscape and has surprisingly excellent cold tolerance! It grows up to 15 feet tall with distinctive sword-shaped leaves.
Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Leucothoe axillaris ‘Squirt’ (Compact Leucothoe)
Bloom Time: April to May
Sun Requirement: Partial Shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Flowers attract bees, foliage attracts deer, birds take shelter in the dense branch structure
Tolerates: Heat
Native to North America: Yes
Zones: 5 to 9
Other: This evergreen shrub has a fountain-like arching habit and showy rich mahognay colored new growth. In the spring, it has small, creamy white, bell-shaped flowers.
Location: Dogwood Garden

Pinus bungeana (Lacebark Pine)
Bloom Time: N/A
Sun Requirement: Full Sun
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: N/A
Tolerates: Deer resistant
Native to North America: No
Zones: 4 to 8
Other: This beautiful slow-growing conifer’s most noteworthy characteristic is its exfoliating white, olive green, and silver patchwork bark. This tree grows about 30 to 50 feet tall.
Location: Japanese Garden
