Richie Steffen

Great Plant Pick: Rhododendron ‘PJM Elite,’ hybrid rhododendron

Great Plant Pick: Rhododendron ‘PJM Elite,’ hybrid rhododendron

This rhodie is a harbinger of spring — the upright shrub will be covered in red-purple flowers.

Great Plant Pick: Rhododendron ‘PJM Elite,’ hybrid rhododendron
Great Plant Pick: Stachyurus praecox aka stachyurus

Great Plant Pick: Stachyurus praecox aka stachyurus

This elegant shrub has arching stems that display pendulums of creamy-yellow bell-shaped blossoms.

Great Plant Pick: Stachyurus praecox aka stachyurus
Great Plant Pick: Pulmonaria ‘Benediction,’ aka lungwort

Great Plant Pick: Pulmonaria ‘Benediction,’ aka lungwort

Plant this mounding perennial — featuring navy-blue flowers — with foilage plants like ferns and hostas.

Great Plant Pick: Pulmonaria ‘Benediction,’ aka lungwort
Great Plant Pick: Pink dawn viburnum

Great Plant Pick: Pink dawn viburnum

What: Viburnum x bodnantense “Dawn,” commonly known as pink dawn viburnum, is most noted for its floral displays during winter and early spring. Pink buds… Continue reading

Great Plant Pick: Pink dawn viburnum
Great Plant Pick: Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, dwarf sweetbox

Great Plant Pick: Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, dwarf sweetbox

This variation of sweetbox has white flowers in early spring and blue-black berries in summer.

Great Plant Pick: Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, dwarf sweetbox
Great Plant Pick: Sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Pendulum’

Great Plant Pick: Sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Pendulum’

No matter where you plant it, weeping giant sequoia is a tree that won’t go unnoticed.

Great Plant Pick: Sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Pendulum’
Great Plant Pick: Erica carnea ‘Vivellii,’ winter heath

Great Plant Pick: Erica carnea ‘Vivellii,’ winter heath

This evergreen spreading shrub will provide you with a profusion of pink flowers in the winter.

Great Plant Pick: Erica carnea ‘Vivellii,’ winter heath
Great Plant Pick: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida,’ witch hazel

Great Plant Pick: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida,’ witch hazel

The pale-yellow flowers of “Padilla” witch hazel are bright additions to the winter landscape.

Great Plant Pick: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida,’ witch hazel
Great Plant Pick: Sedum spurium ‘Tricolor,’ variegated two-row stonecrop

Great Plant Pick: Sedum spurium ‘Tricolor,’ variegated two-row stonecrop

The sedum is a fine selection as a weed-smothering groundcover or for spotting into rock walls.

Great Plant Pick: Sedum spurium ‘Tricolor,’ variegated two-row stonecrop
Great Plant Pick: Cupressus nootkatensis ‘Pendula,’ weeping Alaskan yellow cedar

Great Plant Pick: Cupressus nootkatensis ‘Pendula,’ weeping Alaskan yellow cedar

What: One of the most eye-catching and beautiful of the weeping conifers, weeping Alaskan yellow cedar makes a stately and graceful accent in the landscape.… Continue reading

Great Plant Pick: Cupressus nootkatensis ‘Pendula,’ weeping Alaskan yellow cedar
Great Plant Pick: Cotoneaster dammeri, bearberry cotoneaster

Great Plant Pick: Cotoneaster dammeri, bearberry cotoneaster

This mounding shurb grows masses of tiny spring flowers, followed by red berries in autumn.

Great Plant Pick: Cotoneaster dammeri, bearberry cotoneaster
Great Plant Pick: Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’

Great Plant Pick: Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’

This variegated false holly boasts five colors on its leaves — cream, pink, orange, yellow and white.

Great Plant Pick: Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’
Great Plant Pick: Viburnum davidii aka David’s viburnum

Great Plant Pick: Viburnum davidii aka David’s viburnum

This spreading shurb is a year-round evergreen with white flowers in spring and berries in autumn.

Great Plant Pick: Viburnum davidii aka David’s viburnum
Great Plant Pick: Blechnum penna-marina, alpine water fern

Great Plant Pick: Blechnum penna-marina, alpine water fern

The evergreen fern’s new fronds emerge in the spring copper red and gradually fade to rich green.

Great Plant Pick: Blechnum penna-marina, alpine water fern
Great Plant Pick: x Fatshedera lizei, fatshedera

Great Plant Pick: x Fatshedera lizei, fatshedera

This “botanical wonder” is a rare hybrid between Fatsia japonica and Hedera helix (English ivy).

Great Plant Pick: x Fatshedera lizei, fatshedera
Great Plant Pick: Pinus parviflora, blue-needled Japanese white pine

Great Plant Pick: Pinus parviflora, blue-needled Japanese white pine

Glauca Group represents blue-needled selections of the Japanese white pine. Each blue needle has a white stripe.

Great Plant Pick: Pinus parviflora, blue-needled Japanese white pine
Great Plant Pick: Stipa gigantea, giant feather or needle grass

Great Plant Pick: Stipa gigantea, giant feather or needle grass

Plant the grass next to the lawn so that a viewer may appreciate its dangling seeds on close inspection.

Great Plant Pick: Stipa gigantea, giant feather or needle grass
Great Plant Pick: Rhodiola pachyclados, Afghani sedum

Great Plant Pick: Rhodiola pachyclados, Afghani sedum

particularly for hot, dry sites with poor soil. This variety forms… Continue reading

Great Plant Pick: Rhodiola pachyclados, Afghani sedum
Great Plant Pick: Sciadopitys verticillata, Japanese umbrella pine

Great Plant Pick: Sciadopitys verticillata, Japanese umbrella pine

Despite its common name, this pyramidal conifer is not a true pine. Meaning, it’s not of genus Pinus.

Great Plant Pick: Sciadopitys verticillata, Japanese umbrella pine
Great Plant Pick: Quercus rubra, red oak or Northern red oak

Great Plant Pick: Quercus rubra, red oak or Northern red oak

This tree has a beautiful structure that is impressive year-round. In fall, the leaves turn a rich red.

Great Plant Pick: Quercus rubra, red oak or Northern red oak