Just in time for spring, the Missouri Botanical Garden identifies 13 new “Plants of Merit” for the Midwest in 2009. The Plants of Merit distinction aims to build home gardeners’ confidence in selecting annuals, perennials, shrubs and vines, trees and now edible ornamentals.
Selecting good plants for the landscape can be challenging, especially when faced with numerous possibilities and limited information. The task is made even more complex when many new plants are introduced each year with which gardeners have little experience. The Plants of Merit program aims to promote diversity in the home gardening landscape.
To be nominated as a Plant of Merit, selections must not be invasive, be easy to grow and maintain, grow consistently well in Missouri, central and southern Illinois, and the Kansas City Metro area, be resistant or tolerant to diseases and insects, have outstanding ornamental value, and be reasonably available to purchase.
Highlights of the 2009 Plants of Merit list include Serena series (Angelonia angustifolia), a great, tough annual for Missouri. Try using this brightly colored annual in beds and borders, but also in mixed combinations. Available in three colors, plus a mix, Serena series is a great height item for smaller combination pots, creating a center height element. It requires full sun exposure and is tolerant of Midwest heat and humidity
In the perennials category is Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium). This Missouri native has “yucca- like” leaves with flowers that resemble thistle heads 1-inch in diameter. It tolerates poor soils, and is best used in taller back borders, cottage gardens, meadows, and naturalized areas.
‘Citation’ yew (Taxus x media) is a columnar type shrub that does well even in shade. If wet conditions are avoided, this plant will thrive in average soil and tolerates urban conditions. Use as a screen hedge in lightly shaded to shade conditions.
In trees, Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) adapts well to urban conditions as a lawn, shade, or street tree. Another Missouri native, the Chinkapin oak has characteristics that do not resemble the typical oak leaf. These leaves are narrow, dark and glossy, with a serrated edge instead of a lobed, airy leaf. The Chinkapin oak is a rather large tree, but easily sets its branches among larger home landscapes, parks, and even cemeteries.
The Plants of Merit program has a new category in 2009: edible ornamentals. This year’s pick is Ruby Perfection (Brassica oleracea) cabbage. It produces 3- to 4-pound heads of edible red cabbage in 80 days, but also doubles as a colorful garden ornamental. It may be grown in the cool temperatures of spring or fall, but not in the heat of the summer.
The Plants of Merit program began in 1999. Partnering organizations include Powell Gardens, Mizzou Botanic Garden, the University of Missouri Extension, Missouri Landscape & Nursery Association, and the Illinois Green Industry Association.
For more information, visit www.plantsofmerit.org.
