Location: Upper Garden

Absalon Tulip

Tulipa 'Absalon'

Absalon is one of the rarest tulips grown at Mount Vernon. It features yellow flames on maroon petals and is one of the few remaining truly broken tulips.

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Adam's Needle

Yucca filamentosa

This unique plant looks more suited to a desert climate, but it is found wild up and down the east coast. Its strappy leaves are crowned by huge spikes of creamy white flowers every other year.

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African Marigold

Tagetes erecta

This upright yellow-flowering plant, with its distinctive odor, is a classic of the summer border.

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Alpine Squill

Scilla bifolia

These tiny blue flowers are some of the most shade tolerant of the spring flower bulbs.

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Apple

Malus pumila

Apples are ideally planted in multiples of different varieties for optimal fruit production, and many also benefit from pollinators to increase the effectiveness of cross-pollination. Most apple trees are grown from scionwood grafted to rootstock, and the kind of rootstock will determine the ultimate height and disease resistance of the tree. Dwarf and some semi-dwarf trees, with their smaller root systems, must be staked or trained to a wall or fence, much like the espaliered trees at Mount Vernon. The health and fruit yields of most trees depends on proper pruning and treatment of pests and disease.

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Apricot

Prunus armeniaca

This underappreciated stone fruit has lovely blossoms early in the spring. Because of their early bloom time, the flowers are susceptible to freezing.

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Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis

Asparagus is an unusual plant that is primarily cultivated for its edible tender young shoots in the spring. When mature, it has large ferny foliage that is pale green.

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