Take the guesswork out of choosing plants for your Georgia landscape.
These proven performers win awards for their beauty and success in Peach State gardens.
The all-volunteer committee is committed to promoting the use of plants that are proven performers in Georgia.
This invaluable tool for home gardeners takes the guesswork out of buying plants.
So which plants earn their stamp of approval?
Arkansas bluestar, however, is an absolute must-have for a vibrant autumn garden.
The whole plant turns a deep golden color that seems to glow in the fall sun.
Light blue, star-shape flowers bloom in spring and last for many weeks.
Once established, this is a drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, low-maintenance addition to your Georgia garden.
In 2011, the Perennial Plant Association choseAmsonia hubrectiias the Perennial Plant of the Year, another outstanding endorsement.
Butterfly weed(Asclepias tuberosa)- Zones 3-9
This orange butterfly magnet is anything but a weed.
The bright orange blossoms shine in a colorful summer bouquet.
Perennial plumbago(Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)- Zones 5-9
This hardworking groundcover deserves more admiration than it receives.
Plumbago is just 8 to 12 inches tall and will spread to be 1 to 2 feet wide.
Plumbago begins to flower in late spring and continues to bloom on and off until fall.
It looks beautiful in front of shrubs as part of a border or spilling over walls.
‘Rozanne’ geranium - Zones 5-8
No Georgia garden should ever be without the hardy ‘Rozanne’ geranium.
‘Rozanne’ will form a rounded mound about 18 to 20 inches tall and wide.
Each blossom emerges in shades of blue touched with violet and a white center.
Use ‘Rozanne’ as part of a perennial border to weave colors togetherits hue blends remarkably well with others.
The foliage turns an attractive burnt red come autumn.
As a native of the southeastern United States, the swamp hibiscus is well-suited to Georgia gardens.
Cutting back the branches in late winter will keep your shrub young and vigorous.
It’s adaptable but prefers slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter.
Pruning is seldom required.
Plant in full sun or light shade in moist, well-drained soil.
It will grace your garden with beautiful blooms in the middle of winter and gives off a divine fragrance.
The white blossoms with golden yellow centers hang down like little bells, insisting you stop to smell them.
Paperbush prefers filtered shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Note: It’s also sometimes calledEdgeworthia papyrifera.
For one, the flowers are larger, ranging from 10 to 14 inches long.
Clip the flowers for a stunning addition to your floral arrangements.
‘Alice’ can grow to be 12 feet tall and wide, so give this shrub some room.
Morning sun and afternoon shade along with moist, well-drained soil are best.
Several cultivars are available with yellow and apricot-color flowers.
Today, American hornbeam is recommended as a midsize oval to round tree for urban gardens.
Flowers appear in spring as decorative catkins hanging down along the branches.
The dark green foliage turns yellow, orange, and red in the fall.
White, wisteria-like, fragrant flowers hang from 10- to 14-inch stems enveloping the entire tree.
This is a medium-size tree, 30-50 feet tall with a rounded crown, ideal for urban gardens.
Foliage groupings of seven or eight leaflets turn golden yellow in the fall.
Plant in full sun for the most abundant floral display.
This small, slow-growing tree will eventually reach up to 15 feet.
Cascading branches form an umbrella of branches, some even touching the ground.
Soon after, the heart-shape foliage appears.
Full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil suits this tree best.
The foliage is prized for floral arrangements and holiday decorating.
Fragrant white, cup-shape flowers bloom on and off all season long.
This is a fast grower, ideal for hedges.
In the summer, the needles are a glistening blue-green, changing to plum purple in winter.
While ‘Yoshino’ was selected for its superior winter hardiness, some protection from winter winds is still desirable.
It will grow in either sun or shade.
This tree will grow 30 to 40 feet tall and eventually up to 50 feet wide.
The foliage is shiny dark green, almost black, and the leaves turn bronze before falling.
Best of all, Athena is proven to be resistant to Dutch elm disease.
