Late Summer Flowering Shrubs and an Aster

These are in bloom at the perennial plant nursery. All are available as of 7/29/13

(Text below is from the Missouri Botanical Garden's website)

Clethra alnifolia 'Caleb' VANILLA SPICE                          Common Name: sweet pepperbush

Type: Deciduous shrub

Family: Clethraceae

Zone: 4 to 8

Garden Location: The Fragrance Garden, Bank of America Family Vegetable Garden

Height: 3 to 6 feet

Spread: 3 to 6 feet

Bloom Time: July to August

Bloom Color: White

Bloom Description: White

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium to wet

Maintenance: Low

Flowers: Showy Flowers, Fragrant Flowers

Leaves: Good Fall Color

Tolerates: Clay Soil, Wet Soil, Dense Shade

Uses: Erosion Control, Rain Garden

Culture

Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers part shade and consistently moist, acidic, sandy soils. Soils should not be allowed to dry out. Tolerates clay soils. Tolerates full shade. Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized look is desired. Propagate by cuttings. Prune if needed in late winter.

Noteworthy Characteristics

‘Caleb’ is a summersweet cultivar that is commonly sold in commerce under the trade name of VANILLA SPICE. It is a densely-branched, rounded, suckering, deciduous shrub that typically grows to 3-6’ tall and is noted for its compact size, large flower panicles and large individual flowers. Sweetly-fragrant, white flowers bloom in large cylindrical, bottlebrush-like, terminal panicles (each to 10-12" long) for approximately 4-6 weeks in summer. Each individual flower is about double the size of the flowers on other summersweet varieties. Serrate, obovate, dark green leaves (to 4” long) turn a variable but generally attractive yellow/golden brown in fall. Flowers give way to dark brown seed capsules that may persist well into winter. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees. Summersweets are somewhat unique among late summer-flowering shrubs because of their ability to bloom in shady locations. U. S. Plant Patent Applied For (PPAF).

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems.

Garden Uses

Mass or group in lawns, foundations or shrub borders. Good flowering shrub for shade or woodland gardens. Effective as a hedge. Also appropriate for moist soils along stream banks or pond/water garden peripheries. Also may be naturalized in cottage gardens, wild gardens or naturalized areas. Plant near a patio to enjoy the fragrant late summer bloom. Compact size makes this an ideal flowering shrub for smaller gardens.

Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird'

Common Name: sweet pepperbush

Type: Deciduous shrub

Family: Clethraceae

Zone: 3 to 9

Height: 2 to 4 feet

Spread: 3 to 5 feet

Bloom Time: July to August

Bloom Color: White

Bloom Description: Creamy white

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium to wet

Maintenance: Low

Flowers: Showy Flowers, Fragrant Flowers

Leaves: Good Fall Color

Fruit: Showy Fruit

Wildlife: Attracts Butterflies

Tolerates: Clay Soil, Wet Soil, Dense Shade

Uses: Erosion Control, Hedge, Rain Garden, Will Naturalize

Culture

Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Adaptive to a wide range of soil, moisture and light conditions. Prefers part shade and consistently moist to wet, acidic soils. Tolerates full shade, however. Spreads slowly by rhizomes.

Noteworthy Characteristics

This summersweet cultivar is a compact, slowly spreading, deciduous shrub which typically grows only 3-4' tall and features fluffy, bottle brush-like, terminal, 3-6" spikes (racemes) of extremely fragrant white flowers which bloom on current season's growth for 4-6 weeks in mid to late summer and serrated, glossy, dark green leaves which turn a striking yellow in autumn. Flower spikes give way to spikes of dark brown seed capsules which persist into winter and provide continuing interest. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees. Somewhat unique among the summer-flowering shrubs because of its ability to produce good bloom in shady locations. This cultivar retains a more compact, mounding shape and is more floriferous than the species (Clethra alnifolia).

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems.

Garden Uses

This compact summersweet cultivar is an excellent, trouble-free shrub which masses well in conspicuous areas in lawns or shrub borders where its attractive foliage, fragrant summer bloom, good fall color and tidy winter appearance can be showcased. Compact, rounded habit makes it ideal for small gardens or around foundations. Also a good shrub for wet areas, such as low spots, stream banks or pond/water garden edges.

Viburnum dentatum 'Christom' BLUE MUFFIN

Common Name: arrowwood viburnum

Type: Deciduous shrub

Family: Adoxaceae

Zone: 3 to 8

Garden Location: Lang Family Bird Garden, George Washington Carver Garden, Lois Whiteside Franklin Flower Trial Garden, Lucy and Stanley Lopata Prairie Garden

Height: 3 to 5 feet

Spread: 3 to 4 feet

Bloom Time: May to June

Bloom Color: White

Bloom Description: White

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Flowers: Showy Flowers

Leaves: Good Fall Color

Fruit: Showy Fruit

Wildlife: Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies

Tolerates: Clay Soil, Black Walnuts

Uses: Hedge

Culture

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers moist loams, but tolerates wide range of soils. Established plants have some drought tolerance. Prune as needed immediately after flowering.

Noteworthy Characteristics

BLUE MUFFIN is a compact, rounded, deciduous, arrowwood viburnum shrub that typically matures to 3-5’ tall and as wide. White flowers in flat-topped cymes appear in mid to late spring. Flowers give way to pea-sized blue berries that mature in late summer. Berries are attractive to birds. Ovate dark green leaves (to 3.5” long) turn attractive shades of orange to burgundy-purple in fall. Original cultivar name of this plant is ‘Christom’, but it is being marketed under the name of BLUE MUFFIN.

Plant of Merit

This compact arrowwood viburnum typically grows to 3-5 feet tall. It is noted for its flat-topped cymes of white flowers in spring, pea-sized blue berries that mature in late summer, ovate dark green leaves and orange to burgundy-purple fall color. It is an easy-to-grow selection for use as a landscape specimen, hedge, or grouped in shrub borders or foundations. Tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers moist loams in full sun to part shade.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Susan's note: These are heavily eaten by birds.

Garden Uses

A compact version of the species that is native to Eastern North America. Specimen or groups. Shrub borders, foundations or hedges.

Aster 'Alert'

 (text from Perennial Resource .com)

Common Name: Aster-New York Common Name (Alternative): Michaelmas Daisy

Densely packed clusters of deep purplish-red flowers provide outstanding color in the garden from late summer into fall. They make a terrific accent to fall blooming grasses and the changing colors of the trees. 'Alert' has an especially compact habit and the flowers are great for cutting.

The novi-belgii species is valued for its compact growth habit, rich flower color, and floriferous tendancies. It is native to North America.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Susan's note: these really do bloom Late JUly to Frost. I have honey bees all over these. They are hotter pink than these photos.

Height:
  12-15 Inches

Spread:
  15-18 Inches

Flower Color:
  Purple-red shades

Foliage Color:
  Green shades

Hardiness Zone:
3,4,5,6,7,8

Sun or Shade?:
  Full sun (> 6 hrs. direct sun)

Wet or dry?:
  Average water needs

Want to see wings?:
  Attracts butterflies

How fast should it grow?:
  Medium

When should it bloom?:

  Late summer
  Early fall
  Mid-fall

ATTRIBUTES:

This species performs best in rich, evenly moist soil and full sun. Give them lots of room to grow; good air circulation will help to prevent powdery mildew. To maintain their health and vigor, divide plants every couple of years in the spring.

Border plants
Container
Cut flower or foliage
Mass Planting

HOMEOWNER GROWING & MAINTENANCE TIPS:

This species performs best in rich, evenly moist soil and full sun. Give them lots of room to grow; good air circulation will help to prevent powdery mildew. To maintain their health and vigor, divide plants every couple