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Each year the Perennial Plant Association announces its Perennial Plant of the year. The members cast their votes using the following criteria:
They can be contacted at:
PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION
3383 Schirtzinger Road
Hilliard, Ohio 43026
614-771-8431
614-876-5238 Fax
ppa@perennialplant.org             www.perennialplant.org
2005
Description Lenten Rose grows 18 inches tall. This early spring flowering and evergreen perennial is an excellent shade plant that tolerates dry conditions. Mature plants can form clumps that are 18” to 24” tall and 24” to 30” wide. It is hardy to zone 4. Mature plants often have 50 or more flowers per plant.
Care Heleborus performs best in well-drained humus-rich, fertile soil with added organic compost or peat moss. Slopes are ideal. Divide established clumps by single crowns. Recovery time is slow with division. Germination is slow, full maturity takes several years.
          Helleborus xhybridus




2004
Description ‘Pictum’ grows 18 inches tall and as it multiplies can make a clump that is more than two feet wide. ‘Pictum’ produces 12- to 18-inch fronds that are a soft shade of metallic silver-gray with hints of red and blue. This low-maintenance painted fern produces its best frond color in light shade.
Care Japanese painted fern performs best in well-drained but moist soil with added organic compost or peat moss. It flourishes where moisture and humidity abound. Propagation can be done by spring or fall divisions. Propagations from spores does not produce reliable results. It is popular due to its hardiness in zones 3 - 8.
          Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’




2003
Description 'Becky' has sturdy, upright stems that grow 40 inches tall, with a similar spread. Three-inch wide, single white flowers with contrasting yellow centers appear at the end of June or early July when other Shastas are finishing. Flowering continues throughout August and often into September. 'Becky' is valued for its long bloom season and excellence as a cut flower.
Care 'Becky Shasta daisy grows well in hardiness zones 4 to 9. While growing well in full sun, 'Becky' tolerates partial shade showing optimum growth in moist, but well-drained soil.
Leucanthemum ‘Becky’




2002
Description 'David' is an erect perennial 36-40 inches tall with opposite leaves. The glossy leaves are thin with bristly hairs on the margins. The fragrant white flower panicles are 6 to 9 inches long and 6 to 8 inches wide with 1-inch diameter florets. Phlox 'David' has a long bloom period during the summer.
Care It takes full sun to partial shade growing best in moist but well-drained soil. Organic matter and extra water will help the effects of heat and drought. Otherwise spider mites may cause a problem. Deadheading will keep blooms into early fall. Thinning to four to six stems and watering at the base of the plant and not the foliage will help with mildew prevention.
Phlox 'David' Paniculata




2001
Description The deep green, shiny foliage of this cool season grass appears in early spring and lasts until early winter. Feathery flower inflorescences appearing in June are initially light pink maturing to golden tan lasting through the fall season. The foliage is 2-3 feet tall and flower stems to 5 feet in height creating a 18-inch wide clump.
Care It is a long-blooming, long-lived perennial grass for full sun to partial shade. Growing best in well-drained fertile soil with sufficient moisture, it will tolerate heavier clay soils and drier sites.
Calamagrostis xacutiflora 'Karl Foerster'




2000
Description A member of the Dipsacaceae family, the nearly flat gray-green basal foliage of the pincushion flower hugs the ground. Lacy lavender-blue, two-inch flowers bloom on slender 12- to 15-inch stems from late spring through early fall. Flowering begins in mid-spring with repeated flowering throughout the growing season when consistently deadheaded.
Care This perennial for full sun to light shade grows best in well-drained soil amended with organic matter and a neutral to slightly alkaline pH, requiring moist soil during the growing season. Very well-drained soil is a requirement for winter survival. Very tolerant of summer heat it will bloom till frost when regularly deadheaded. No insect or disease problems have been reported healthy plants.
Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'




1999
Description The variety is related to the wild black-eyed Susan and was first discovered in a Czech nursery in 1937. Rudbeckia is a handsome, dependable plant blooming from mid-July right until frost. It is notable for its compact growth habit, reaching 18-30" in height, with sturdy stems that rarely need staking.
Care Once established, Goldsturm is a long-lived perennial. It needs full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Goldsturm is easily propagated by seed, division of mature plants or by stem cuttings. It looks best when watered during dry spells.
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'




1998
Description Good choice for meadow or prairie gardens. Blooms mid-summer with carmine, non-drooping flowers. Two to four foot sturdy stems are excellent for cutting.
Care Prefers full sun with well-drained garden soil. Drought-tolerant.
Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'




1997
Description A wonderful late-spring blooming perennial, 2-2 1/2 feet tall. Rigid spikes of dark blue-black flowers appear over aromatic blue-gray leaves in May and June.
Care Preferring full sun this plant will do well in average to dry garden soil, withstanding drought once established. Dislikes wet feet in the winter.
Salvia 'May Night'




1996

Description Rich bronze-red foliage accents the 30-inch tall plants providing a rich contrast to the striking masses of white, airy flower stalks. It is also a good cut flower. The seed heads are lovely in dried arrangements.
Care Preferring full sun this plant tolerates light shade. Slightly acidic soil which is well-drained is best. Husker Red perfoms well in dry soil. Propagate either by division or vegetative cuttings as Seedlings vary in height, flower number and leaf color from green to the typical bronze-red.
Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'




1995
Description This 4 foot plant is categorized as a sub-shrub with a woody base. It begins flowering in July with 12-inch blue flowers spikes often lasting throughout September. Planting with white flowers really makes a striking picture. Its silver-gray, foliage and stiff stems are wonderful for winter interest.
Care This plant is quite happy in any well-drained garden soil and is tolerant of dry soil. Full sun is best.
Perovskia atriplicifolia




1994
Description Tiny, pink flowers on graceful, arching plumes appear in mid-summer. Deep rich green foliage is finely dissected, and crinkley-edged.
Care Plant in full sun to partial shade in the North and partial to full shade in the South. Astilbe will tolerate a wide range of soil types, but prefer soils that are fertile, moist, well-drained, and have an acidic pH. Being heavy feeders, fertilize in the spring before growth starts, and again, lightly, in the fall after the first frost using a 10-6-4 or a 10-10-10 applied at the rate of 2-3 lbs/100 square feet. Divide every 3 or 4 years to maintain vigorous plants.
Astilbe 'Sprite'




1993
Description The violet-blue flower spikes are borne atop luxurious deep green foliage on 18 to 24 inch stems having a long bloom season when regularly deadheaded.
Care Veronica like full sun to very light shade. Well-drained soil is key to successful culture.
Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'




1992
Description Finely textured foliage among delicate yellow flowers make this 8 to 10 inch plant a lovely attraction. Blooming from mid-summer on makes this a delightful attraction.
Care Well-drained soils are key to successful culture. Plant in full sun to very light shade.
Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'




1991
Description Very showy reddish-bronze foliage 12 inch carries off-white small flowers borne on spikes in summer.
Care Full sun in northern gardens to partial shade in southern gardens. Tolerates a wide range of soil types as long as there is good drainage. The addition of adding generous amounts of organic matter to the soil will grow high quality specimens. Best when watered during dry spells.
Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple'