14 Planting Favorites

by Eric Larusson

My favorite plants? Like a song or a color, who (besides children) can choose a favorite? I have hundreds of favorite plants in their respective locations, and memories of times and places associated with them. Nevertheless, here are my favorite plants at the moment:

1. Siberian Squill Scilla siberica
   Bulb
   Easy to plant, relatively cheap, extremely hardy, perennial and naturalizing (it spreads), it's one of the earliest bulbs to bloom with deep gentian-blue fl owers, and the squirrels don't seem to like them. They are about six inches tall with three to fi ve bell-shaped fl owers. Last fall, I planted dozens throughout my lawn, and the effect this spring was delightful.
2. Mountain Strawberry Fragaria virginiana
   Perennial
   I love cold, dewy spring mornings when water droplets collect on the serrated leaf margins of the mountain strawberry. The blue-green leaves are contrasted by sprawling, bright red runners that quickly take root and produce new plants.
3. Common Peony Paeonia offi cinallis
   Perennial
   Common peony is an old, "simple" species of the perennial peony. This early bloomer tolerates the snow and frost amazingly well and pops up right about the time I'm sick and tired of the late snows. One of the showiest plants in my garden, the huge fl owers are magenta-pink with bright yellow centers.
4. European Monkshood Aconitum napellus
   Perennial
   European monkshood has large, deep purple fl owers on sturdy stalks and can be divided easily in fall. Dig up the roots, and the cluster of "little turnips" falls apart. Each "bulb" can be planted separately.
5. Italian Clematis Clematis viticella
   Vine
   While clematis have a reputation for being diffi cult to grow, this one is easy. It blooms for a month or so in early summer. I usually plant it alongside alpine clematis (a spring bloomer) and golden clematis (a late summer/fall bloomer) to enjoy three seasons of color.
6. Ostrich Fern Matteuccia struthiopteris
    Fern
   The only edible North American fern (tight fiddleheads, well-cooked only), the ostrich fern's individual fronds can grow to over four feet tall. In a moist, shady spot, ostrich fern is the epitome of lush (it will sunburn if it receives too much sun). Our native lady fern is also easy to grow but fails to cover the same acreage as ostrich fern.
7. Common Juniper Juniperus communis
   Shrub
   You might be wondering, juniper, really? Trust me; I have the same reaction. As a kid, I had to retrieve many balls out of those dreaded prickly bushes. But think of the "broccoli tree," the ancient and beautiful Sierra juniper. Common juniper is found covering the granite boulders at its feet. I have a collection of this species from the Rocky Mountains, the Cascades and the Sierra, yet I like ours best because it is so ground hugging.
8. Pink Flowering Thimbleberry (or Purple Flowering Raspberry) Rubus odoratus
   Shrub
   I have both our native thimbleberry and pink flowering thimbleberry in my garden. Our native plant has large, maple-shaped leaves and white flowers, while the latter grows taller and produces clusters of deep pink blooms from July through September.
9. Cranberry Viburnum (or Highbush Cranberry) Viburnum trilubum
   Shrub
   Eyes roll in the nursery when staff hears me talk about how much I adore this dense shrub. In winter, I love the sight of it dusted in pure white with clusters of translucent, freeze-dried berries. I look forward to its huge clusters of white flowers in the spring, then its explosively rich red fall colors and beautiful fruit that show off all winter long.
10. Poor Man's Orchid Impatiens balfourii
    Annual
    I love the poor man's orchid with white flowers and pink wings that hang delicately from its branches. Considered weeds in some milder climates, their tendencies to seed are welcome in our harsh environment. If you ask my kids why we plant poor man's, they'll tell you it's for the cool exploding seedpods.
11. Mountain Ash Sorbus aucuparia
    Tree/large shrub
    While I love the native species, we at the nursery often use the European mountain ash in landscapes; these are my favorite screening plants in shade. Sapsuckers and woodpeckers are especially fond of this tree, which will often survive by sprouting from the base and growing into a large shrub. I typically grow it this way to begin with, saving myself years of heartache.
12. Bleeding Heart Dicentra spectabilis
    Perennial
    This plant blooms in spring with long racemes of pink and white heart-shaped flowers. I use them like shrubs in areas of shade and heavy snow because they're gone in the winter. Mine are on the north side of the house where I pile snow throughout the snowy season, and they still continue to thrive.
13. Hardy Azalea Rhododendron occidentale
    Shrub
    The University of Minnesota developed a line of hardy, colorful azaleas known as the Northern Lights hybrid series. "White Lights" is my favorite, partially because it blooms so prolifically, and also because it reminds me of the beautiful native western azalea. After years of searching, I have found a fragrant western azalea that actually thrives here: Rhododendron occidentale, known as Irene Koster.
14. Apples Malus spp
    Tree
    Apples are tremendously adaptable and tenacious. In autumn, I love pointing out all the "feral" apple trees sprouting along every roadway. Lodi and Spitzenburg are a couple of excellent fruiting apples in our climate. My newest favorite crabapple is Royal Raindrops with purple, lacy foliage, pink fl owers and persistent red fruit.