what's blooming in may

APRIL  |  JUNE

Botanical Name:
Viola Corsica

Common Name:
Corsican Violet

Family:
Violaceae

Native Region:
Corsica and Sardinia

Description:
The Corsican Violet is a vigorous and profuse blooming violet forming tidy mounds 6-10 inches tall and wide. Bunches of good sized violet-blue blooms marked with deep purple and white, blossom over a long period, often from spring through fall. Corsican Violets prefer to be planted in partial sun to full shade. They like well drained soil with some organic matter however, they will adapt to gravelly or clay soils quite well. Corsican Violets are drought-resistant ounce they are established. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-10.

Garden Locations:
Gatehouse

Botanical Name:
Petrea volubilis

Common Name:
Sandpaper Vine

Family:
Verbenaceae

Native Region:
Central America and West Indies

Description:
The Sandpaper Vine is an aggressive woody vine native to tropical areas of the Americas. Its common name comes from the rough texture of the leaves which some believe helps discourage damaging plant pests. Clusters of pendulous purple flowers appear periodically throughout the year but especially in the spring. When in full bloom, this spectacular bloomer reminds many of Wisteria.

Garden Location:
Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory

Botanical Name:
Aquilegia chrysantha

Common Name:
Golden Columbine

Family:
Ranunculaceae

Native Region:
Western and Southern North America

Description:
This Aquilegia is our most adaptable native columbine. In nature it clings to well-watered sandstone cliff faces where seeps emerge in our southwestern canyons. In the garden, it thrives under a surprising range of conditions, and is one of few plants that will bloom and reseed itself in bright dry shade. The blooms usually begin in May, and with a bit of deadheading, will continue well into the summer. They will attract hummingbirds and many beneficial insects to your garden, and the soft shades of gold and lemon-yellow combine well with nearly all garden favorites. They can reseed and naturalize easily, especially in beds with fine gravel mulch and add a casual but elegant air to the landscape.

Garden Locations:
Ponderosa Border, Dryland Mesa

Botanical Name:
Eremurus spp.

Common Name:
Foxtail Lily

Family:
Asphodelaceae

Native Region:
Western and Central Asia

Description:
The Eremurus or Foxtail Lily is a genus of 50 or so species, all native to the cold, high plains of central and western Asia. Among the most dramatic of early summer perennials, they are mainly clump forming with a rosette of strap-shaped leaves. Their flower spikes, each of which can contain hundreds of flowers in pale shades of white, yellow or pink, rise to well over head height. The foliage is luxuriant but low so the flower stems rise almost naked, which makes them all the more dramatic.

Garden Locations:
PlantAsia, Perennial Walk