Information on this page is for plant species with scientific names starting with A to B.

For information on species with names starting with other letters, click on the buttons below. 

Achillea millefolium, common yarrow

This plant has lovely, delicate, fern-like leaves that remain green through the winter.  It does well in sun to part-shade in well-drained soil.  It is drought-tolerant.  Many different pollinators are attracted to the large clusters of small flowers that begin to open in mid-to-late spring and continue into the summer months, sometimes blooming again in the fall. There is variability among individuals of this species, with some being very erect (as tall as 3') while others are floppier and no higher than a foot off the ground. I have ones I call "tall" and ones I call "low-growing", respectively.  This plant is eaten by caterpillars that will become painted lady butterflies. 

Amorpha fruticosa, leadplant

This loose shrub blooms in late spring, providing spikes of fragrant purple flowers enjoyed by bumblebees and other pollinators.  It may get to be about 8-10’ tall and has a wide, spreading branching habit. 

Amsonia tabernamontana, blue star

(coming soon) 

Anemone virginiana, thimbleweed

This upright perennial reaches 2-3' tall, producing a white flower on the top of each stem in June-July.  In the fall, after the flower has been pollinated, the center of it develops into a thimble-like structure that produces thick puffy stuff, holding the seeds.  It does well in dry soil in part-shade and is drought-tolerant. This plant is food for the caterpillars of the veiled ear-moth.

Aquilegia canadensis, eastern columbine

This spring-blooming plant is known to be a favorite of hummingbirds as they migrate north. 

 

Asarum canadense, wild ginger

This is a deciduous, low-growing plant that can spread to create a groundcover in shady areas.  It produces reddish-brown flowers in the spring that are tucked demurelyunderneath its leaves. 

Asclepias tuberosa, orange butterflyweed

Orange butterflyweed is the easiest of the milkweed (Asclepias) species to grow in a typical garden landscape. Its leaves are food for the caterpillars of monarch butterflies, and also provides food for many aphids and milkweed bugs which don't do too much damage to the plant, but in turn provide food for birds and other wildlife. This plant provides nectar for many pollinator species via orange flowers in the summer. It tolerates a wide range of soil types, likes sun to part shade, grows to be 2-3' tall and may become a couple of feet wide. 

Baptisia alba, white wild indigo

This 4-ft-tall plant dies back each year, then sprouts up vigorously in the spring to produce spikes of white flowers. It does well in average soil, part-shade, and tolerates drought impressively.  Its leaves feed the caterpillars of the wild indigo duskywing. 

Bidens aristosa, tickseed sunflower

This is an annual plant that puts on a wonderful show of abundant yellow flowers in the fall.  It can get to be 5' tall. I typically hack off the top half of mine when it gets to be 2-3' tall-- that makes it branch more, thus producing even more flowers.   It will self-seed for future years if allowed.