Botanical Garden Plants for Missouri

Missouri is home to the nation's oldest botanical garden.

Missouri's Plants of Merit Program works with three botanical gardens in the state to identify plants that thrive in much of the lower Midwest. Its advisers include the oldest botanical garden in the United States, the 1859 Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. All the plants described here were recommended by Plants of Merit.

Ornamental Vegetable: Bull's Blood Beet

Although it's a root vegetable, Plants of Merit identifies "Bull's Blood" beet (Beta vulgaris) primarily as an "edible ornamental" that grows well in full sun. This heirloom annual has such beautiful burgundy leaves that it is an ideal border plant. The website Seeds of Change says the leaves "add pizzazz to any salad mix."

Flower: Happy Returns Daylily

Daylilies thrive in Missouri. Beautiful vibrant daylily variety

The cheerful, bright yellow "Happy Returns" daylily (Hemerocallis) is easy to grow in full sun or part shade if soil is well drained. Plants of Merit says Happy Returns grows 12 to 18 inches tall and prefers a "deep, fertile loam." It tolerates heat and humidity, but needs deep watering during dry times. Daylilies have multiple blossoms that open in succession, each usually lasting for a day before making way for the next.

Flower: Landmark Lantana

Lantana come in many colors. tagpfauenauge auf lantana 2 image by Heike Loechel from Fotolia.com

The globular spikes of "Landmark" lantana (Landmark camara) comprise clusters of tiny tubular flowers. Lantanas grow best in full sun. Landmark grows 12 to 24 inches tall and blooms in a variety of bright colors including white, pink, red, orange, purple and multi-colored combinations.

Groundcover: Angelina Stonecrop Sedum

Sedums are blossoming groundcovers. yellow flowers of Sedum acre form pattern image by Lars Lachmann from Fotolia.com

As members of the succulent family, stonecrop sedum (Sedum rupestre) has pulpy, waxy leaves. "Angelina" forms a mat-like carpet that is 4 inches tall and covered with tiny, yellow, star-shaped flowers in summer. Although the plant is classified as an evergreen, the leaves turn reddish-brown in autumn.

Shrub: Pink Diamond Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are showy. hydrangea image by Vania from Fotolia.com

Pyramidal panicles of blossoms emerge white and then turn rosy on the rigid stems of "Pink Diamond" (Hydrangea paniculata). This makes them perfect for flower arrangements, since they don't droop. Plants of Merit notes that the globe-shaped, deciduous bush continues blooming into September, grows 8 to 15 feet tall and spreads the same distance.

Shrub: Bluecrop Blueberry

Blueberries can be a backyard treat. blueberry image by Lucy Cherniak from Fotolia.com

Plants of Merit notes that Blue Crop (Vaccinium corymbosum) is a good addition to a backyard garden not only due to its "superior tasting blueberries" but also because of its white, bell-shaped blossoms in the spring and reddish fall foliage. Bluecrop grows up to 8 feet tall and can spread that wide as well, according to Missouri Botanical Garden. It adds that this "highbush" blueberry needs constant moisture.

Tree: Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple

Sugar maples are popular in Missouri. maple leaf image by Calin Tatu from Fotolia.com

"Fall Fiesta," also known as "Bailsta" sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a blaze of orange, red and yellow in autumn. It tolerates summer heat and drought as well as winter temperatures as cold as -30 degrees Fahrenheit. Missouri Botanical Garden says this maple can grow to 75 feet tall, so give it plenty of space.

References

• Artcom: Missouri Botanical Garden
• Plants of Merit: 2010 Plants of Merit
• Seeds of Change: Bull's Blood Beet
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Kemper Center for Home Gardening: Blue Crop