Details About This Year's Kits

Native plants in our Sun Kit generally require at least six (6) hours of direct sunlight to thrive and promote flowering.

The orange, fragrant blooms of Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed) attract a wide array of pollinators in summer. These include native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and native, non-aggressive wasps. The foliage is a larval host for monarchs. 

Drought tolerant once established, Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) is a nectar and pollen source for long-tongued native bees, bumblebees, mason and miner bees. White and pink tubular blooms appear in June and July. For more information visit our Featured Native Plants page.

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (Slender-leaved Mountain Mint) offers clusters of small white flowers from June to September, acting as a pollinator magnet for native bees (miner, sweat, mason, leafcutter), and butterflies. The slender needle-like leaves emit a minty aroma when crushed. Rabbit and deer resistant, their system of rhizomes may spread out but can be managed easily.

Solidago odora (Sweet Goldenrod) offers yellow flowers in August and September to support butterflies and native bumblebees with their nectar and pollen. When crushed the leaves reward with a pleasant licorice or anise scent. This native species forms clumps and is not aggressive in its growth. Deer-resistant and offering a habitat for birds.

Native plants in our Shade Kit generally require less than 3 and up to 6 hours of sunlight each day, where the sunlight is dappled or partially screened through leaves and branches.

The blooms of Aquilegia canadensis (Wild Columbine) feature red and yellow in a distinctive shape, which some describe as an eagle’s claw. This spring flower supports bees, hummingbirds and butterflies with its nectar and pollen. Its foliage offers a food source and protection to specific caterpillars. Tiny black seeds can be collected by hand August through October. There is a high germination rate if seed saving protocols are followed.

The pink to lavender flowers of Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium) bloom April through July in clusters above deeply lobed leaves, creating a groundcover or a woodland effect. Partial shade is preferred but it can grow in sunnier areas with consistent moisture. Its seeds are packed in a pod attached to a structure like a crane’s bill. As this structure dries, the seeds are catapulted away from the parent plant. Each seed has a tail-like structure that helps it plant into the soil.

Penstemon hirsutus (Hairy Beardtongue), as its name suggests, features a stem with long white hairs. The pale pink or purple flowers have petals fused into a narrow, tube-like structure with five lobes. The late May to early July blooms provide a nutrient-rich nectar source for native bumblebees at risk (Bombus terricola, B. fervidus, B. vagans). The nectar also supports butterflies and other native bees. 

Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) features sturdy lacy fronds in a circular whorl which remain a deep green through all four seasons. Deer and rabbit resistant, it is an essential host plant for certain moth larvae, and its fronds offer moist resting spots for bees, butterflies, moths, and beetles. Its rhizomes help to stabilize soil on steeper shady slopes. See the longer description on our Featured Native Plants page.

For additional detail on any of the species in this year's sale, check out the Plant Care Sheets for each provided by our supplier, Bagley Pond Perennials of Warner, New Hampshire.