2010 Plants of Merit

FALL FIESTA describes the excellent yellow, orange and red fall color of this vigorous, rapid-growing sugar maple that matures over time to 50-75 feet tall with an upright rounded form.   Distinctive, deeply-lobed, l...

Begonia grandis, commonly called hardy begonia, is the only species of Begonia that is winter hardy to the St. Louis area. It is a monoecious, tuberous-rooted, clump-forming perennial that typically forms a bushy mound of foliage t...

Bull's Blood' is an heirloom beet that is primarily grown today for its dark purplish-red leaves that make excellent additions to salads. Its tasty beetroots (hereinafter beets) can also be enjoyed. Regardless of culinary value, 'B...

Best grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers sun-dappled part shade and moist, sandy loams with a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH. Tolerant of pruning and shearing. Avoid cult...

Celosia argentea (Plumosa Group) plants (commonly called feather celosia, plumed celosia or feathered amaranth) are old garden favorites that feature narrow-pyramidal, plume-like flower heads (4-10” long) composed of tiny, de...

This Missouri native deciduous tree of the legume family grows to 30-50 feet tall.  It is particularly noted for its spectacular late spring bloom of fragrant, wisteria-like, white flowers in drooping panicles and its odd-pinn...

Foeniculum vulgare (common fennel) is an upright, branching perennial that is typically grown in vegetable and herb gardens for its anise-flavored foliage and seeds, both of which are commonly harvested for use in cooking. 'Purpure...

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Daylilies perform well in a wide range of well-drained soils, but prefer a deep, fertile loam. Deadhead spent flowers daily for neatness and remove scape...

Panicle hydrangea (see Hydrangea paniculata at C313 herein) is a vigorous, upright, rapidly growing, somewhat coarsely textured, deciduous shrub that is native to China and Japan. It typically grows to 8-15’ (less frequently ...

Tiny, tubular, 5-lobed flowers in dense hemispherical clusters bloom continuously throughout the season on this floriferous annual that grows in a mound 12-20 inches tall.  Landmark Series flowers come in a variety of bright c...

This Shasta daisy cultivar is larger than most other Shasta cultivars, growing 3-4' tall on rigid stems which do not require staking. Features 3-4" diameter flower heads with the classic white rays and yellow center disks and coars...

Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11 where it is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates part shade, but best flowering in full sun. Best in organically rich, fertile soils. In St. Louis, grow in the ...

This columnar to narrow-oval oak with fastigiate branching typically matures over time to 40-60 feet tall with a spread to 25 feet.   Leathery, obovate, glossy, dark green leaves turn yellow-brown in fall.  Excellent...

Native to Texas and Mexico, mealycup sage is a shrubby, clump-forming, tender perennial that typically grows 1.5-3’ tall on erect, branching, square stems. It features two-lipped, violet-blue flowers in 4-8” axillary an...

Sedum repestre (synonymous with S. reflexum) is a low-growing, mat-forming, evergreen stonecrop that grows to only 4” tall but quickly spreads to 24” wide on stems clad with spiky gray-green leaves. ‘Angelina&rsqu...

.   Pond cypress is a deciduous conifer that typically grows 30-70 feet tall with spreading branches, ascending branchlets and a cylindrical crown that flattens with age.  It is native to coastal are...

Notwithstanding its superior tasting blueberries that mature in mid-season, this upright deciduous shrub offers additional multi-season ornamental features such as waxy bell-shaped white flowers in spring, attractive dark green lea...

BLUE MUFFIN is a compact, rounded, deciduous, arrowwood viburnum shrub that typically matures to 3-5’ tall and as wide. White flowers in flat-topped cymes appear in mid to late spring. Flowers give way to pea-sized blue berri...