Plants in Bloom

This late-blooming perennial and its tiny dusty-pink flowers are a magnet for pollinators. Native to eastern North America, it's a favorite pick for butterfly gardens. 

Eupatorium purpureum (Joe-pye weed) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This native perennial can often be found in swamps and along streams. Its scarlet flowers attract bees and hummingbirds (but not cardinals!).

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) in the Rock Garden, Native Flora Garden, Discovery Garden, and Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This charismatic plant is pollinated by hummingbirds in its native range in western South America. Its relatively inconspicuous yellow flowers are hidden inside of brightly hued clawlike bracts. 

Heliconia rostrata (lobster claw) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This hybrid cultivar of our native hibiscus—also known as swamp mallow or rose-mallow—has large flowers up to ten inches across that only last one day.

Hibiscus ‘Lord Baltimore’ (hardy hibiscus ‘Lord Baltimore’) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Lotuses can resemble water-lilies, but lotus flowers and leaves tend to stretch above the surface instead of floating. All parts of this plant are edible! Lotus seed paste is a traditional filling for mooncakes eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

Nelumbo nucifera species (sacred lotus) on Lily Pool Terrace. Photo: Michael Stewart.

The striking blooms of water-lilies (Nymphaea spp.) famously inspired hundreds of paintings by Claude Monet. This hardy cultivar boasts peach-hued flowers and a long bloom time.

Nymphaea ‘Colorado’ (hardy water-lily) on Lily Pool Terrace. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Native to Eastern China and Japan, this deciduous shrub has fragrant star-shaped flowers in midsummer and dark blue berries in fall. It is sometimes called the “peanut butter tree” in reference to the scent emitted from crushed leaves.

Clerodendrum trichotomum (harlequin glory-bower) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Native to the eastern United States, Nymphaea odorata produces glowing white blooms and are often fragrant (hence the name). This floating wetland plant offers food and habitat to a wide variety of insects, reptiles, and mammals. 

Nymphaea odorata (fragrant water-lily) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

The flowers of this short-lived perennial mature to clusters of round seeds, resembling blackberries. The petals of spent flowers twist together, forming a corkscrew shape.

Iris domestica (blackberry-lily) in the Perennial Border and Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Native to the eastern and central United States and Canada, these woodland wildflowers bloom from midsummer through fall. Forest sunflowers attract bees and butterflies, and can grow up to five feet tall.

Helianthus decapetalus (forest sunflower) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

Native to the Mediterranean, this herbaceous perennial has spiny leaves and thistle-like, bright purple flowers. Also known as artichoke thistle, cardoon has edible stalks.

Cynara cardunculus (cardoon) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The distinctive color pattern and recurved flowers of the tiger lily make it one of the best-known and popular of the true lilies.

Lilium lancifolium (tiger lily) in the Herb Garden. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.

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This imposing perennial, which belongs to the daisy family, can grow up to around seven feet tall. After its flowers are spent, goldfinches and other birds snack on its seeds.

Rudbeckia maxima (great coneflower) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The spectacular fuzzy pink flowers of this native prairie plant rise above surrounding plants. They have a light, lilac-like fragrance.

Filipendula rubra (queen-of-the-prairie) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Crape-myrtles have long been favorite garden plants in the South, but many cultivars can grow in New York City, too. Their extravagant panicles of crinkly flowers appear in late summer.

Lagerstroemia spp. (crape-myrtle) on the Overlook. Photo: Michael Stewart.

This annual boasts bright yellow and maroon flowers that bloom alongside wispy, lacelike foliage. A member of the Asteraceae, or daisy family, dyers’ tickseed attracts insect pollinators as well as granivorous birds.

Coreopsis tinctoria (dyers’ tickseed) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

Butterfly weed attracts monarchs and other butterflies. Adults feed on nectar from the blossoms, while caterpillars munch on the leaves.

Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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This native wildflower blooms from summer into early fall and attracts butterflies and bees of all kinds.

Rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed Susan) on the Overlook. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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A member of the Lamiaceae, or mint family, this herbaceous perennial is native to North America. You can find wild bergamot—often covered in bees—blooming in the meadow of the Native Flora Garden.

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The lowbush blueberry, native to Eastern North America, is the state fruit of Maine. It’s often grown commercially, and in the wild its tasty fruits are enjoyed by bears, birds, and porcupines.

Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This native shrub and its strange spherical blossoms attracts over 24 species of birds, as well as butterflies and other insects.

Cephalanthus occidentalis (buttonbush) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This perennial grass is native to the river banks and moist woodland borders of the eastern and midwestern United States. It boasts gently nodding, flat flower spikelets that dangle above the leaves.

Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’ (river oats) in the Fragrance Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

This popular water-lily cultivar opens in a lovely apricot-yellow and matures over the next few days to a deeper pink hue.

Nymphaea ‘Paul Hariot’ (hardy water-lily) on Lily Pool Terrace. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Clematis species are excellent climbers, and popular perennial garden vines. This hybrid cultivar, developed in Japan by plant breeder Kazushige Ozawa, has bell-shaped purple flowers that bloom throughout the summer.

Clematis ‘Rooguchi’ (integrifolia clematis) in the Rose Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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One of the late-blooming magnolias at the Garden, this cultivar has lovely, outsize white flowers that persist through summer. The tree is located at the top of the stairs leading to Magnolia Plaza.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Edith Bogue’ (southern magnolia) blooming on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Romi Ige.

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Like the cardinal flower, a close relative, this native plant is found in wet areas of the eastern United States. It’s a great addition to rain gardens and woodland gardens.

Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia) in the Water Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Native to the eastern and midwestern prairies of the United States, this short-lived perennial attracts bees, butterflies, and birds. Brown-eyed Susan grows taller than black-eyed Susan, and has distinct three-lobed leaves.

Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’ (brown-eyed Susan) in the Perennial Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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A member of the Asteraceae, or aster family, this native herbaceous perennial attracts butterflies and bees. Its genus name comes from “echinos,” the Greek word for hedgehog, in reference to its prickly seed head.

Echinacea pallida (pale purple coneflower) in the Water Garden, Visitor Center, and Discovery Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The prickly-pear is known for its defensive spines and eye-catching flowers—as well as its tasty fruit and pads, or nopales, which have a long legacy of culinary use in Mexico and the Southwest.

Optuntia species (prickly-pear) in the Rock Garden, Overlook, and Native Flora Garden. Photo: Steven N. Severinghaus.

Native to western Asia, this summer-blooming herbaceous perennial produces soft clusters of bell-shaped flowers. The specific epithet lactiflora is Latin for “milk-white flowers.”

Campanula lactiflora (milky bellflower) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

This spiny biennial, native to Europe and western Asia, can grow above six feet tall.

Onopordum acanthium (Scotch thistle) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

Large, lush cup-shaped flowers adorn this floribunda shrub rose, which blooms repeatedly from early summer through fall.

Rosa POSEIDON = ‘Korfriedhar’ (floribunda rose) in the Rose Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

This gorgeous and fragrant lily hybrid has memorable yellow and white flowers.

Lilium ‘Conca d’Or’ (PBR) (hybrid lily) in the Fragrance Garden. Photo: Alvina Lai.

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This climbing vine has heart-shaped leaves and white flowers that bloom in early summer.

Hydrangea hydrangeoides f. concolor ‘Moonlight’ (Japanese hydrangea vine) in the Woodland Shade Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The large, showy summer flowers of hydrangeas make them a popular garden plant. The bloom color of some species is influenced by soil pH. More acidic soil will produce bluer flowers, while more alkaline soil will produce pinker ones.

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nigra’ (black stem bigleaf hydrangea) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Maculata’ (lacecap hydrangea ) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This fragrant lavender cultivar, native to the Mediterranean, is a drought-tolerant plant that thrives in the sun.

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ (English lavender) in the Rock Garden, Herb Garden, and Fragrance Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Iris ‘Kuragawa Noh’ (pseudata iris) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Steven N. Severinghaus.

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Hypericum androsaemum IGNITE RED = ‘Siefire’ (St. John’s wort IGNITE RED) in the Perennial Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Species in the Nepeta genus are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Though not as compelling to cats as true catnip, this aromatic perennial species is still a feline magnet.

Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ (catmint) in the Fragrance Garden and Perennial Border. Photo: Alvina Lai.

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