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Indigenous American grasses aren’t just for native plant enthusiasts. Tough and carefree, clump-forming, warm-season “switch grass” is perfectly at home in any sunny landscape. Its surprisingly formal-looking upright habit works in masses, or as specimens punctuating the perennial border.Panicum virgatum Ruby Ribbons™ (‘RR1’) PP17944Bred at the University of Connecticut, Ruby Ribbons™ comes by its good looks honestly. One of its parents is the best-selling ‘Heavy Metal’. Ruby Ribbons™ was select

April showers bring May flowers.Mayflowers bring Pilgrims.Winter production brings April liners.April liners bring spring and summer profits. Our prolific production teams kept the beat going all winter. Now, with spring in the process of springing, you can reap the rewards of their efforts with ready-to-rock perennials and grasses!Grasses du JourPanicum (Switch grass)This indigenous American genus isn’t just for native plant enthusiasts. Tough and carefree, it’s perfectly at home in any su

A rhinoceros with an elephant?A Heuchera with a Tiarella?Let’s answer the second question first: Those two North American native genera pulled off a trick that’s pretty rare in the plant kingdom.Heuchera (Coral bells) and Tiarella (Foamflower) crossed to form the intergeneric hybrid xHeucherella. The first known example was the work of matchmaking French breeder Emile Lemoine in 1912.There’s nothing unusual about species within the same genus getting together to form new hybrids. With or without

Huge potential exists from Perennial Plant Association (PPA) Perennial Plant of the Year™ winners that also happen to be natives, says John Friel, marketing manager for Emerald Coast Growers and a past PPA President. “Natives have been rediscovered. They’re very fashionable,” says John. “And when you add the assurance of the Plant of the Year recognition, you’ve got built-in sales appeal.” Some top picks: The 2011 Perennial Plant of the Year Amsonia hubrichti