Today in the Garden
Tag Archives: Attracts Butterflies
Horticulture Report: Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift)
Plant Name
: Armeria maritima
Common name: Sea Thrift
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: .5’ – 1’
Plant Width: .5’ – 1’
Bloom Time: April – May
Flower Color: Pink to White
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Infertile, Well-Drained Soil.
Water Needs: Low
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 8 = Plant 30’+ from house.
Attributes: Showy Flowers; Drought Tolerant; Deer Tolerant; Attracts Bees; Butterflies.
Uses: Ground Cover; Edging/Border Fronts; Rock Gardens; Containers.
Note: Deadhead to Encourage More Blooms.
Native to: Northern Hemisphere
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Board Member
Photo by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member
Horticulture Report: Columbine
Plant Name: Aquilegia species
Common name: Columbine
Plant Type: Perennial
Plant Height: 10” – 36”
Plant Width: 10” – 12”
Bloom Time: May – July
Flower Color: Multicolor
Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Soil Requirements: Clay, Loam, Sand
Water Needs: Average
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 8 = Plant 30’+ from house.
Attributes: Good Cut Flower; Showy; Deer Resistant; Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds; Many Colorful Hybrid Varieties.
Uses: Borders; Containers; Rock Gardens; Cottage Gardens; Native Gardens.
Note: Remove spent flowers to prolong blooming; Self-seeds Prolifically; Prone to Powdery Mildew & Leaf Miners.
Native to: Northern Hemisphere
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 9
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Board Member
Photos by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member
Horticulture Report: Chives
Plant Name: Allium schoenoprasum
Common name: Chives
Plant Type: Perennial Bulb
Plant Height: 1’ – 1.5’
Plant Width: 1’ – 1.5’
Bloom Time: June – August
Flower Color: Pale Purple
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade.
Soil Requirements: Average, Medium, Well-Drained.
Water Needs: Medium
Fire Resistant: YES – Zone 1 – Plant 10’+ from house.
Attributes: Showy Flower with Fragrant Leaves; Deer/Drought Tolerant; Attracts Butterflies, Bees, Pollinators; Consistent performer
Uses: Herb; Herb/Vegetable Gardens; Rock Gardens; Containers.
Note: Self seeds unless spent flowers are deadheaded; Harvest Leaves by clipping at base of plant; Root Rot may occur in poorly drained soil.
Native to: Temperate Northern Hemisphere
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Board Member
Photo by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member
Horticulture Report: Sedges
Plant Name: Carex species: There are more than 1,500 species of these perennials.
Common name: Sedges
Plant Type: Deciduous or Evergreen Perennials
Plant Height: 12” – 4’
Plant Width: 10” – 12”
Bloom Time: Varies
Flower Color: Stems & Panicles of flower heads in short spikes. Provides Interesting Foliage and Movement.
Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade, some varieties will take Full Sun, (check specific plant’s preference)
Soil Requirements: Carex grow in soils ranging from 5.5 to 7.5 on the pH scale. Most average garden soils fall between a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0.
Water Needs: Some like Wetter Sites, Some Drier Conditions. Check variety for water needs.
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 1 – 8; Plant 30’+ from house
Attributes: Deer Resistant, Provides 3- seasons of Interest, Easy to grow, Low maintenance; Wide Range of Colorful Grass-like Foliage; Adds Drama to a Landscape, Adds Texture, Host plants for butterflies and skippers. Beneficial to pollinators by providing cover in the winter. Excellent seed source for birds. Provides Texture and Movement in a landscape.
Uses: Carex species to suit just about any situation. Mass plantings, Ground Cover, Container Plantings, Rockery gardens, Lining Sidewalks, Edging Flowerbeds, and more.
Note: May be Susceptible to Rust, Smut, Leaf Spot, Aphids.
Native to: Found Worldwide
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9, check variety for hardiness in your zone.
Carex buchananaii 
Carex glauca 
Carex morrowii (variegated)
Report by: Viki Ashford, and Carlotta Lucas, both AGC Board Members
Photos by Monrovia Nursery: https://www.monrovia.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=carex
Horticulture Report: Rock Cress
Plant Name: Aubrieta deltoidei
Common name: Rock Cress
Plant Type: Evergreen Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: .5’ – .75’
Plant Width: 1’ – 2’
Bloom Time: Late Spring – Early Summer
Flower Color: Purple-Red
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Well-Drained;
Water Need: Low
Fire Resistant: YES; 30’+ from house.
Attributes: Deer Resistant; Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds;
Uses: Rock Gardens; Front of Border; Containers.
Note: Cut Back After Flowering, Not in Fall; Short Lived; Divide Every 1 – 3 Years;
Native to: Eastern Europe
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 -8
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member
Photo Credit: Eli+, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons