Easy Starters For Beginners
Here are some suggestions for easy starters. Some of them have large seeds that provide a lot of food for the seedling; others are just full of get-up-and-go. This doesn't mean that species not mentioned are difficult; they just require a little more care and experience.
Some seeds can be planted in situ, that is, where they will be growing as adult plants. There are advantages and disadvantages to this approach. On the good side, the plants don't experience transplant shock, this is a consideration for plants that resent transplanting or have tap-roots or brittle roots. On the bad side, the seeds may not be able to push through the duff and debris, and they have to compete with the other plants in the area.
Quantity of seed is another consideration. Seeds scratched in have a lower rate of return than seeds that receive more care in a pot or seed bed. So, if you have 100 seeds, scratch in, if you only have 10 seeds, baby those babies.
It is useful for the gardener to think of seedlings and fully mature plants as two different things. A mature plant can push through a thick layer of fallen leaves, seedlings seldom can. That's why it's best to plant seeds either in pots or in a seed-bed where you will remember to pull off the winter mulch, and weed and water the little ones.
* Few insects or animals bother this one.
Actaea pachypoda doll's eyes
18-24" Light shade, average moisture, will tolerate most soil, but likes it slightly on the acid side. *
Allium cernuum nodding onion
8-12" Sun or part shade, good drainage; looks good on a bank. *
Aqueligia canadensis columbine
10-12" Morning sun or light shade. Looks good on a bank, likes a bit of limestone. It has a brittle taproot and does not transplant well when large. This is
a good candidate for direct sowing into rock crevices.
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-pulpit
12-18" Rich moist soil in shade or morning sun. *
Asarum canadense wild ginger
6" Average soil, light shade. *
Caulophyllum thalictroides blue cohosh
24" Average soil, light shade, likes a bit of limestone. *
Chasmantium latifolium river oats
3' Full sun, part sun. Showy, flat seed heads. *
Coreopsis tripteris tall coreopsis
5-7' Three inch yellow flowers in July and August, leaves have an anise smell. *.
Cyperus lancastriensis umbrella sedge
12-15" Greenish yellow bottle brush seed heads, dry, sunny site. *
Geranium maculatum wild geranium
18-20" Morning sun or light shade. *
Hedeoma pulegioides American pennyroyal
8-12" Sun, poor soil. This is an annual and does well scratched into a poor soil where there is little competition. Flowers are small, but the crushed leaves have a wonderful minty scent. Most mints can be used for tea, but not this one. The leaves are sometimes scattered on the dog's bed to discourage fleas. *
Helianthus strumosus pale leaved sunflower
4' A nice sunflower that doesn't get too tall or too pushy.
Hibiscus laevis halberd-leaved rose mallow
4-5' 4" pink flowers. Does all right in average soil, in moist soil it might get pushy. *
Hybanthus concolor green violet
2-3' Light shade, rich woods, likes a bit of limestone. Bears small green violet flowers, pea sized seed-pods. More of a curiosity than pretty. *
Impatiens pallida pale jewelweed
4' Yellow flowers. Sun, part sun, edge of woods; can take average soil, can get pushy in moist soil. Annual *
Ipomoea pandurata wild potato vine
Vine to 8' A morning glory flower, white with a pink throat. Sun, average soil.
The root is reputed to get as large as a man, thus the name, manroot. *
Matelea obliqua climbing milkweed
Vine to 10' An open 3/4" mahogany flower, the seed-pod is more interesting, with soft spines decorating the milkweed shaped pod. Sun, average soil. Needs light to germinate. *
Jeffersonia diphylla twinleaf
12" Light shade, rich woods. White flowers that lasts only a day or two, then a flat-topped seed-pod useful for dried arrangements. *
Mertensia virginica Virginia bluebells
18-24" Light shade or morning sun, rich soil, average moisture. A long lasting plant when well established. *
Penstemon hirsutus northeastern beard-tongue
15-18" Lavender tubular flowers. Sun, looks good on a bank, likes a bit of limestone. This is a good candidate to scatter on a rocky bank. *
Phacelia bipinnitifida fern leaved phacelia
12-15" Lavender flowers for 2-3 weeks in April-May. This biennial produces a tuft of divided leaves the first year, blooms in the next spring, by the end of May is gone to seed and is completely gone by June. Can get pushy, but is easy to pull up. *
Polygonatum biflorum Solomon's seal, giant form
4-5' Yes, feet not inches. White flowers in April. Morning sun, light shade, looks good on a bank. *
Rudbeckia hirta black-eyed Susan
2' Sun, poor soil. Good candidate for scratching in if there is not too much competition. *
Rudbeckia laciniata green-headed coneflower
5-6' Sun, part sun, average to moist soil. 8
Rudbeckia triloba brown-eyed Susan
3' Sun, poor to average soil. Similar to black-eyed Susan, but the flowers a little smaller and it starts blooming after the other has ended. Good candidate for scratching in. *
Sanguinaria canadensis bloodroot
5" Light shade, morning sun. Good candidate for scratching in; looks good on a bank. *
Scutellaiea incana downy skullcap
3' Lavender mint-type flowers, blooms for two months. Likes the edge of woods, average soil, very care free. *
Senna hebecarpa northern wild senna
4' yellow flowers, sun, average soil. A coarse plant good for the edge of road, powercut, behind the mailbox, etc. Larval food plant for cloudless sulpher, silver-spotted skipper. *
Solidago nemoralis gray goldenrod
12" A dense yellow wand good for a sunny, dry bank. Somewhat biennial in nature but can put up side rosettes that keep the patch going. *
Solidago odora sweet goldenrod
3' A tidy, well behaved goldenrod that doesn't get pushy. Sun or part sun, leaves have an anise smell. *
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum calico aster
3' Small white flowers late in the year, small leaves, delicate over-all appearance. Leans towards the light and produces a mound of white, long bloom time. *
Symphyotrichum laeve smooth aster
3' Rich lavender flowers. Sun, average to poor soil, doesn't get pushy. *
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae New England aster
4' Rich purple flowers. Sun, average soil, can be a little coarse, good for an area where you can let it go. *
Symphyotrichum patens late purple aster
3' Lavender flowers. Sun, average to dry soil, doesn't get pushy. *
Trichostema dichotomum blue curls
12-15" Blue flowers, curling stamens give the name. Sun, poor dry soil. Annual, good candidate for scratching in. *
Tripsacum dactyloides gama-grass
4-6' A large grass with smooth seeds. It needs lots of room and can get pushy; good for the back 40 acres. *
Vernonia glauca upland ironweed
4' Rich lavender flowers. Sun, average soil, moisture, good for butterflies. *
