Regional Picks: Large-Leaved Perennials – Northeast

1. Sycamore-Leaved False Nettle

Name:Boehmeria platanifolia

USDA hardiness zones:5 to 8

Size:3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide

condition : Full sun to fond nicety ; moist , well - drain grease

Its common name might be a mouthful , but mulberry fig - leaved false nettle is a plant worth say a friend about . Though it resemble a sycamore ( Platanusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) , this perennial has 5 - inch - wide-eyed leaves that look more like serrated green clamshells arranged symmetrically up its theme , each link up by a red leafstalk . Subtle but beautiful , this loose - upkeep plant promises to add drama to any wraith garden . fragile sprays of white flowers — a textural contrast — appear in late summertime through fall . Though it favor even moisture , this nettle can also take moderately dry shade .

2. Rhubarb

Name:Rheum rhabarbarumand cvs.

Zones:3 to 8

Size:2 to 3 feet tall ( 3 to 5 feet in bloom ) and 3 to 4 feet all-encompassing

consideration : Full sunlight to fond shade ; average soil

It ’s well-heeled in pies and well-situated on the eyes . For bluff grain , comestible rhubarb excels . Unlike most plants with leave that look tropical , rhubarb eschew the passion of southwards climes in favor of the chilly Northeast . This plant wakes up early and mature quickly in the cool at the start of the farm time of year , and tend to go down as heat bent in . Plant it in fond shade to keep it going as a foliar accent mark through summertime . Removing pass leave of absence in midsummer can prompt a fresh heyday of foliage for fall . And recollect , if you ’re eating rhubarb , its leaves are toxic , so be certain to remove them first from its edible stalks .

3. Giant Coneflower

Name:Rudbeckia maxima

Zones:4 to 8

Size:5 to 7 ft tall and 3 feet broad

Conditions : Full sun ; intermediate to dry out , well - drained dirt

You ’re believably familiar with plain ol’ black-market - eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia fulgidaand cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) , but what about a Susan with cool flowers and pretty leaves , too ? unfeigned to its name , giant coneflower beam up skyrocket of golden blossom up to 7 fundament tall in previous summer , but this leisurely - guardianship sun lover proves showy long before that , with paddles of steely blue foliage throughout the produce season . It ’s a prairie denizen , and it needs full sun or it gets floppy ; given that and well - drain dirt , it ’s happy .

4. ‘Sea Heart’ Brunnera

Name:Brunnera macrophylla‘Sea Heart’

Size:6 to 12 inch tall and 1 to 2 feet wide

Conditions : fond to full shade ; moist to dry , well - drained stain

‘ Sea center ’ is a billow brunnera for shade , with gold ash grey leave of absence shaped like stylized warmness . It ’s interchangeable to its cousin ‘ Jack Frost ’ , but it has sturdier leafage , is more resistant of humidness and heat , and makes a glittering gain to the teetotal - shade garden . Like others of its clan , ‘ Sea centre ’ is a spring bloomer — a show - off with sprays of delicate blue — but this cultivar commence blooming one to two weeks before , which translate to a long period of interestingness overall .

Andrew Keys is a lifelong gardener and the author ofGrowing the Northeast Garden . He live on northward of Boston , Massachusetts .

photo : # 1 , Joshua McCullough ; # 2 , Nancy J. Ondra ; # 3 , Michelle Gervais ; # 4 , good manners of Plants Nouveau

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Regional Picks: Large-Leaved Perennials - Southeast

Regional Picks: Large-Leaved Perennials - Southern California

Regional Picks: Large-Leaved Perennials - Northwest

Regional Picks: Large-Leaved Perennials - Midwest

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