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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Season: Summer
African Marigold
Tagetes erecta
This upright yellow-flowering plant, with its distinctive odor, is a classic of the summer border.
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American Plum
Prunus americana
This native plum has a sprawling habit, which showcases the beautiful white flowers in spring and the unique pink plums in midsummer. The plants become scaly with age and are somewhat disease prone.
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Balsam
Impatiens balsamina
This plant is ideally used in the front of the flower border and is prone to reseeding. It was a common garden plant in the 18th century.
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Banana
Musa coccinea
Since bananas must reach a certain size to set fruit, today they are mostly used in the garden for their dramatic foliage.
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Bee Balm
Monarda didyma
Bee Balm is a tall summer-blooming perennial with brilliant red flowers subtended by a whorl of showy, red-tinged, leafy bracts. The aromatic leaves can be used for tea, but are susceptible to mildew, so this plant needs good air circulation. A member of the mint family, bee balm spreads readily by rhizomes and self-seeding to form large colonies, so be prepared to divide it every few years.
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Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida
A cottage garden favorite, black-eyed susan features masses of ferociously yellow flowers that attract butterflies. They are incredibly hardy and tolerate a wide variety of conditions, making them ideal for naturalizing.
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Blackberry Lily
Iris domestica
Blackberry lilies are named for their glossy black seeds which look nearly identical to an actual blackberry. They have beautiful orange flowers with darker spots on long graceful stems above strappy green foliage.
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Blue False Indigo
Baptisia australis
This unique plant features bright blue-purple flowers on tall green stalks followed by interesting black seedpods. It forms a deep taproot and does not transplant well, so be certain of its location before planting.
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Blue Sky Vine
Thunbergia grandiflora
Blue sky vine is a large, twining vine that boasts beautiful pale blue flowers. It is a rapid grower and becomes quite large over the course of a season.
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