Clark's Plants

Scarlet Rose Mallow

Texas star/Brilliant Hibiscus/Scarlet hibiscus

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Malvales Family: Malvaceae Genus: Hibiscus Species: H. coccineus

Native Range: Alabama, Georgia, and Florida

Height: 1-2m

Spread: 60cm-1m

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Full-sun to partial shade

Water: Moist soils

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental

Flower: Magenta colored mallow flower

Fruit: Capsule

Tolerates: Swampy soils, summer heat, humidity

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Voodoo Lily

Voodoo Bulb/Monarch of the East/Red Calla

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Monocots Class: Equisetopsida Subclass: Magnoliidae Superorder: Lilianae Order: Alismatales Family: Araceae Genus: Sauromatum Species: T. venosum

Native Range: Africa and Asia

Height: 1-2m

Spread: 30-45cm

Bloom Description: Flowers in the spring before foliage appears

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Shade

Water: Moist/damp areas

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental

Flower: Large pitcher-shaped dark purple/maroon and yellow flower at the base of the plant 

Fruit: Red to purple berries

Tolerates: Shade 

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems: Flower has a putrid smell that attracts flies and other insects

Cardinal Flower

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Campanulaceae Subfamily: Lobelioideae Genus: Lobelia Species: L. cardinalis

Native Range: North and Central America

Height: 90cm

Spread: 30cm

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Partial shade

Water: Very moist soils

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental

Flower: Tubular scarlet red flowers

Fruit: Capsule

Tolerates: Standing water/very wet soils

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Mexican Sunflower

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Tithonia Species:T. rotundifolia

Native Range:  Florida, Louisiana, Mexico, Central America and the West Indies

Height: up to 2m

Spread: 30-70cm

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Annual

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Well-drained/dry soils

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Cut flower

Flower: Dark orange flowers with yellow centers

Fruit: Achene

Tolerates: Drought

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Zinnias

Common Zinnia/ Youth and Old Age/ Elegant Zinnia

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Zinnia Species: Z. elegans (various varieties)

Native Range: Mexico

Height: 60-75cm

Spread: 30cm

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Annual

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Well-drained soils

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Cut flowers

Flower: Various varieties/series have a wide range of colors

Fruit: Achene

Tolerates:

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Bells of Ireland

Shellflower/Molucca Balmis

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Moluccella Species: M. laevis

Native Range: Turkey, Syria and the Caucasus

Height: 60-90cm

Spread: 23cm

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Annual

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Moist, well-drained soil

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Dried flowers

Flower: Purple/pink flowers in pale green calyxes 

Fruit: Nutlets

Tolerates:

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Costmary 

Alecost/Balsam Herb/Bible Leaf/Mint Geranium

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Tanacetum Species: T. balsamita

Native Range: Mediterranean

Height: 1m

Spread: 45cm

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Well-drained

Maintenance: 

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Edible/ Culinary

Flower: Small yellow flowers

Fruit: Achene

Tolerates:

Noteworthy Characterisics: Edible leaves used for flavoring pastas locally (N. Italy)

Problems:

Painter’s Palette

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Core eudicots Order: Caryophyllales Family: Polygonaceae Genus: Persicaria Species: Persicaria virginiana var. filiformis

Native Range: Himalayas, Japan, and Eastern North America

Height: 40cm-1m

Spread: 60-140cm

Bloom Description: Summer to early autumn blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Full-sun to partial shade

Water: Well-drained soils

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Foliage/ Autumn interest

Flower: Terminal spikes of cup-shaped green flowers

Fruit: Achenes

Tolerates: Some dryness

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Malabar Spinach

New Zealand Spinach/ Pui/ Vine Spinach/ Red Vine Spinach/ Climbing Spinach/ Creeping Spinach/ Buffalo Spinach/ Ceylon Spinach 

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Core eudicots Order: Caryophyllales Family: Basellaceae Genus: Basella Species: B. alba

Native Range: India, Southeast Asia and New Guinea

Height: Stems can be up to 10m

Spread: Vines spread to their trellis (~60-90cm)

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Annual

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Humid/Moist

Maintenance: Trellising 

Suggested Use: Culinary/ Edible/ Vertical Garden

Flower: Small purple/white flowers

Fruit: Small purple berries

Tolerates:

Noteworthy Characterisics: Edible leaves

Problems: Does not tolerate the cold

Malevolence 

Purple Devil/ Five-Minute Plant

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Solanum Species: S. atropurpureum

Native Range: Brazil

Height:1.2-1.8m

Spread: 90-120cm

Bloom Description: Late spring-summer blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial (lives 3-5 years)

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Well-drained soils

Maintenance:

Suggested Use: Ornamental

Flower: Yellow centered flower with white petals

Fruit: Small green then orange berries with many seeds

Tolerates:

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems: Toxic/dangerous plant

Prairie Sun

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Rudbeckia Species: R. hirta

Native Range: North America

Height: 30-90cm

Spread: 30-45cm

Bloom Description: Summer to early autumn blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Well-drained soil

Maintenance: Cut back in late autumn

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Cut flowers/ Potted plant

Flower: Light green/yellow center with orange to yellow petals

Fruit: Cypsela

Tolerates: Seaside/Salt

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Missouri Coneflower

Black Eyed Susan

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Subfamily: Asteroideae Tribe: Heliantheae Genus: Rudbeckia

Species: R. missouriensis

Native Range: Central North America

Height: 70cm-1m

Spread: 30-70cm

Bloom Description: Summer to early autumn blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial 

Sun: Full sun

Water: Well-drained

Maintenance: Cut back in late autumn

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Cut flowers

Flower: Daisy-like flower with yellow petals on a black center.

Fruit: Cypsela

Tolerates: Hot/humid summers and some drought.

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Cherry Brandy

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Rudbeckia Species: R. hirta

Native Range: N. America

Height: 30-90cm

Spread: 30-45cm

Bloom Description: Summer and early autumn blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial, often grown as annual

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Well-drained

Maintenance: Cut back in late autumn

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Cut flowers

Flower: Daisy-like flowers with dark red centers that fade lighter toward petal tips 

Fruit: Cypsela

Tolerates: Seaside/Salt

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Japanese Burnet

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Rosoideae Tribe: Sanguisorbeae Subtribe: Sanguisorbinae Genus: Sanguisorba

Species: Sanguisorba tenuifolia var. purpurea

Native Range: Japan

Height:1.8-2.1m

Spread: 30cm-70cm

Bloom Description: Summer blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Moist, well-drained soil

Maintenance: Cut back flower heads in late autumn

Suggested Use: Ornamental

Flower: Spike inflorescences of dark red flowers

Fruit: Achenes

Tolerates:

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Yellow Pond Lily

Brandy Bottle

(unranked): Angiosperms Order: Nymphaeales Family: Nymphaeaceae Genus: Nuphar Species: N. lutea

Native Range: S. Europe, Northwestern Africa, and Asia

Height: 30cm-1m, but can grow in waters up to 1.5m

Spread: 1-2m on the water surface

Bloom Description: Summer Blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Full-sun to partial shade

Water: Standing water/ Aquatic plant

Maintenance: Rhizomes can be divided during dormancy

Suggested Use: Pond garden/ Aquatic plant/ Ornamental

Flower: Yellow flowers

Fruit: Berry

Tolerates: Poor/sandy soils

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems:

Sensitive Plant

Sleepy Plant/ Shy Plant/ Touch-Me-Not Plant/ Humble Plant

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Class: Equisetopsida Subclass: Magnoliidae Superorder: Rosanae Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Mimosoideae Genus: Mimosa Species: M. pudica

Native Range: South and Central America

Height: 50-70cm

Spread: 20-50cm

Bloom Description: Early Summer Blooming

Life-cycle: Perennial

Sun: Partial to full shade

Water: Moist soil

Maintenance: 

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Pink flowers/ Medicinal

Flower: Pink flower

Fruit: Prickly pods

Tolerates:

Noteworthy Characterisics: This plant’s compound leaves will fold into themselves when touched. Leaves have been used as medicine. 

Problems:

Sweet Mediterranean Lupine

White Lupine/ Field Lupine

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Lupinus Species: L. albus

Native Range: Mediterranean

Height: 30-120cm

Spread: 30cm

Bloom Description: Early summer blooming

Life-cycle: Annual

Sun: Full-sun

Water: Well-drained soils (Requires more water during blooming period)

Maintenance: 

Suggested Use: Ornamental/ Wildflower/ White flowers

Flower: Terminal racemes of white to pink pea flowers

Fruit: Pod

Tolerates: Disturbed/acidic soils

Noteworthy Characterisics:

Problems: