Top Plant Picks February 2023 - Cheekwood
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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