Plant Descriptions: A to Z

Plant Descriptions: Beginning with Letter T

BOTANICAL NAME HEIGHT SPACING COLOR SEASON LIGHT HABIT

Teucrium chamaedrys WILD GERMANDER Often used for edging and in rock gardens, thriving in sun and drained soil. An easier alternative to boxwood or lavender for knot gardens. A first class example can be seen at the Central Park Conservatory Garden in New Yory City.

Teucrium chamaedrys
9 in. 1 ft. soft pink summer Su clump

Thalictrum delavayi MEADOW RUE Likes ordinary moist fertile soil with organic matter added to retain moisture. Over fertilizing weakens it. Popular as graceful and decorative plants with delicate fern-like foliage for the border or wildflower garden. T. rochebrunianum bears airy, purplish flowers similar to T. delavayi but has glaucous foliage and is an overall larger plant, self-supporting with thicker stems. Both are indispensable to break heavy foliage and flower patterns. Thalictrum flavum glaucum begins blooming earlier than other species , has blue foliage, sturdy but delicate in appearance

Thalictrum aquilegifolium 'Thunder Cloud'
24 - 36 in. 24 in. dbl red july-aug. Su-pSh clump
Thalictrum delavayi
4 - 5 ft. 18 - 24 in. lilac summer Su-pSh clump
Thalictrum flavum glaucum
6 ft. 2 ft. pale yellow l.spr.-e.sum. Su-pSh clump
Thalictrum kiusianum
3 - 4 in. 6 - 12 in. lilac summer Su-pSh spreader
Thalictrum rochebrunianum 'Lavender Mist'
6 - 8 ft. 18 - 24 in. lavender summer Su-pSh clump

Thermopsis FALSE LUPINE The foliage and flowers of Thermopsis are similar to Baptisias and Lupines. Plants form 1-2ft. wide clumps and will succeed grown in any moderately fertile well drained soil.

Thermopsis caroliniana
3 - 4 ft. 3 - 4 ft. yellow june Su clump
Thermopsis lanceolata
30 in. 18 - 24 in. yellow summer Su-pSh clump

Thymus THYME Prefers light, well drained soil with sunny, average to dry conditions. Enjoyable aromatic herb often used for walkway edges and rock gardens. Shear or trim according to taste, and cut off dead winter wood. T. praecox 'Coccineus' (T. serphyllum 'Coccineus') MOTHER OF THYME is impressive with dark dense foliage shining and glistening, especially covered with blooms. As a general ground cover T. praecox 'Pseudolanuginosus' (T. pseudolanuginosus) WOOLY THYME forms a flat gray mat, and can be used most successfully in walkway or rock cracks. All have aromatic foliage.

Thymus citriodorus 'Aureus'
3 - 4 in. 18 -24 in. lavender l. spring Su carpet root
Thymus praecox 'Coccineus'
1 in. 12 - 18 in. crimson summer Su carpet root
Thymus praecox 'Doretta Klaber'
2 - 3 in. 12 in. dark pink summer Su carpet root
Thymus praecox 'Pink Chintz'
1/4 in. 6 - 12 in. pink summer Su carpet root
Thymus praecox 'Pseudolanuginosus'
1 in. 18 in. lilac pink summer Su carpet root

Tiarella cordifolia FOAMFLOWER Beautiful foliage forms a low and neatly mounded background that makes the blooms glow. These long lasting spring flowers rise above the foliage, opening from pink tinted buds to pure white or pinkish flowers creating a soft impression to brighten the shade. Numerous tiny flowers stem from the stalk all along a 3 to 4 in. flowerhead in an airy yet upright fashion. During spring and fall the leaves noticeably have more pronounced burgundy variegation in the veins, and usually become bronzed during winter. Needs moist, fertile soil to perform. Flowers have a sweet but gentle fragrance.

Tiarella cordifolia
8 - 12 in. 12 - 18 in. white -pale pink spring pSh-Sh spreader
Tiarella 'Brandy Wine'
8 - 10 in. 12 - 18 in. light pink spring pSh-Sh clump
Tiarella 'Dark Star'
13 in. 18 in. pale pink spring pSh-Sh spreader
Tiarella 'Dunvegan'
10 in. 12 - 18 in. light pink spring pSh-Sh clump
Tiarella 'Elizabeth Oliver'
8 - 10 in. 12 - 18 in. light pink spring pSh-Sh spreader
Tiarella 'Iron Butterfly'
16 in. 18 in. white spring pSh-Sh clump
Tiarella 'Lace Carpet'
8 - 10 in. 12 - 18 in. white spring pSh-Sh spreader
Tiarella 'Martha Oliver'
12 in. 18 in. white spring pSh-Sh clump
Tiarella 'Mint Chocolate'
15 in. 12 - 18 in. pink tinted spring pSh-Sh clump
Tiarella 'Oakleaf'
10 in. 18 in. pink spring pSh-Sh clump
Tiarella 'Running Tapestry'
12 in. 12 - 18 in. white spring pSh-Sh carpet root.
Tiarella 'Slickrock'
6 in. 18 - 24 in. white spring pSh-Sh carpet root
Tiarella 'Spring Symphony'
10 in. 18 - 24 in. pink spring pSh-Sh clump

Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' SPIDERWORT Compact spiderwort hybrid with clear bright yellow foliage and beautifully contrasting blue purple flowers. Plants will grow well in part shade but flower more, and have better foliage color in more light. Light greeny yellow in shade, screaming yellow in more sun. For any well drained garden soil. Tradescantia hybrids-  Most hybrids owe their origin to a few native species and most often with T. virginiana.  All can tolerate full sun but get stressed with hot summer temperatures; ideally full sun with protection from the hot afternoon temps is preferred.  Plants flower continuously throughout the bloom season and individual flowers last only the day.  By the end of summer plants can start to look tattered, but should have new foliage forming at the base, you can cut plants back then.

Tradescantia 'Billberry Ice'
15 in   white w/lavender center l.spr.-summer Su-pSh clump
Tradescantia 'Concord Grape'
15 - 18 in. 3 ft. deep purple l.spr.-fall Su-pSh clump
Tradescantia 'Purple Profusion'
12 - 18 in.   purple e.summer Su-pSh clump
Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate'
15 in. 18 in. blue purple e.summr - fall Su-pSh clump

Tricyrtis hirta TOAD LILY An exciting surprise for your shade garden. Toad lilies are on the short list of good late bloomers for the shade. This plant loves deep, slightly acidic, humusy, moist and fertile soil. Get a close look at these whitish to pale purple blooms splashed with darker purple spots and blotches, which portray an orchid-like appearance. Long oval to lance shaped leaves attach directly to the stem, both of which are covered with fine soft hairs. Blooms profusely and upright along arching leaf stems. T. hirta ' Miyazaki' is an improved form of this species. T. formosana, long blooming, is stoloniferous but not invasive. T. 'Sinonome' forms an upright vase shaped clump with noteworthy clean foliage and drought tolerance. Shorter than the above, the flower coloring of T. 'Hatataogisa' gives the impression of watercolors. T. formosana 'Samurai' is stoloniferous, has a compact form and green leaves with cream to gold leaf edges.

Tricyrtis formosana
36 in. 18 in. white / purple autumn pSh spreader
Tricyrtis formosana 'Samurai'
18 in. 18 - 24 in. purple autumn pSh spreader
Tricyrtis hirta
3 ft. 2 ft. white / purple autumn pSh clump
Tricyrtis hirta 'Miyazaki'
2 - 3 ft. 2 ft. white / purple autumn pSh clump
Tricyrtis hirta 'Variegata'
2 - 3 ft. 2 ft. white / purple autumn pSh clump
Tricyrtis 'Hatataogisa'
24 in. 18 in. blue,purple,white autumn pSh clump
Tricyrtis 'Sinonome'
2.5 ft. 2 ft. white / ruby autumn pSh clump

Trillium grandiflorum  WAKE ROBIN  Why do some plants have that ability to charm us so?  Perhaps it’s part nostalgia, taking us back to an elder’s garden or exploring the woods as a child.  Or maybe it’s the ephemeral nature of certain plants, flowers we feel blessed to have witnessed or happened upon during their brief show.  Or is it the difficulty of cultivation that humbles us by defying our skill and all encompassing knowledge…probably all three.  Trilliums offer gardeners a diverse range of flower colors from whites and yellows to reds.  Their foliage is not to be understated; the species Trillium luteum have large silver mottled leaves.  Most prefer humus rich soil in part shade.

Trillium erectum
1 - 2 ft. 1 ft. purple spring pSh-Sh clump
Trillium grandiflorum
1 - 1 1/2 ft. 1 ft. white spring pSh-Sh clump
Trillium luteum
6 in. 1 ft. lt. lemon yel. april - may Sh clump

Trollius chinensis 'Golden Queen' GLOBEFLOWER Use by water or in bog gardens, but also does very well in gardens with consistently moist fertile soil. Handsome dark green foliage. Eye catching yellow to orange flowers serve great as cut flowers. Leaves have 3 to 5 divisions with toothed edges and fan out in a palm-like manner. T. 'Lemon Queen' has cool lemon yellow flowers.

Trollius chinensis 'Golden Queen'
24 - 32 in. 1.5 - 2 ft. gold yellow l. spr. - e. sum. Su-pSh clump
Trollius 'Lemon Queen'
18 - 24 in. 18 in. lemon yellow l..spring - sum. Su-pSh clump

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Alphabetical Plant Descriptions


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