A cheerful colleague who is an extremely knowledgeable gardener and pruner recently pondered native perennials with color that might be evergreen. In the depths of winter, if you are like the two of us, you look for any signs of spring …an early rising bulb, a bud emerging on a branch, anything at all!
Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). Christmas fern fronds certainly stay green, though they mostly lie flat on the ground.
Another is the perennial I aways describe as a workhorse because it is just so easy — ‘Autumn Bride’ heuchera (Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’) For mid-February, not bad!
Speaking of heucheras, a number do quite well in winter. Here are several holding their color through snow, cold and wind.
Another perennial that is really great through winter is Silver sedge (Carex platyphylla).
These are planted in the 6″ between a sidewalk and fence … pretty tough spot yet they retain their blue color.
Native pachysandra (Pachysandra procumbens) is semi-evergreen in our area. The photo above was taken in late fall.
Do you want to increase winter color in your garden, and use more natives? You might want to try a couple of these!
For more information:
About Christmas Fern, check out this information from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
About “Autumn Bride” Heuchera, check out this info from North Creek Nursery.
A comprehensive list of native sedges; check out the sedges included in the North Creek Nursery Plant List.
About our native Pachysandra, check out this recent post.
