The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) selects plants each year that are easy to grow, have multiple seasons of interest, add value to wildlife, and hardy for our area
Plants are nominated from submissions by home gardeners, garden designers, horticulturists, landscape architects, nursery owners and propagators. Once nominated, plants are reviewed by a committee of horticulturists.
If you are thinking about adding a new plant to your yard this spring, you might want to consider adding a Gold Medal Plant award winner. PHS has done all the homework for you, and you can trust their selections for being great performers.
This year’s winners for 2022 are 2 trees, 2 shrubs, and 2 perennials.
Gold Medal Plant Winners
TREES
Autumn Blaze Freeman Maple. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Acer x freemanii Autumn Blaze ( Freeman Maple)
A great, fast-growing shade tree notable for brilliant red fall foliage, storm-resistant branches, resistance to bugs and disease, good drought-tolerance and no messy seed pods. This native tree will cool surrounding temperatures. It is hardy to zones 4-8.
Scarlet Fire Kousa Dogwood. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Cornum kousa Scarlet Fire (Kousa Dogwood)
This flowering dogwood cultivar is a real springtime standout. It is a medium-growing tree that blooms two years of being planted. The vibrant color has been drawing in homeowners and landscapers alike since it has the appeal of being low-maintenance and drought tolerant. Best color when planted in fertile soil and full sun. Mature size is 20-25’ and spreads 15-20’ at maturity. Hardiness zone 5-8.
SHRUBS
Little Richard Glossy Abelia. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Abelia x grandiflora ‘Little Richard’, glossy abelia
This ornamental shrub is tough but beautiful! It adds colorful blossoms when most other flowering shrubs have succumbed to summer heat, or to summer dry spells. It’s a compact plant growing to 3- 4’ tall and wide with abundant small white flowers. New foliage is bright red, turns a glossy vivid green in summer, and tangerine-pink in fall. Hardiness zone: 6-9.
Maryland Dwarf American Holly. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Llex opaca ‘Maryland Dwarf’, American holly
A wonderful native evergreen that slowly forms a wide mound, with dark green minimally spiny leaves and some red fruit production. It grows 2-3 feet tall and grows horizontally and if not pruned, up to 10’ wide. The size can be kept much smaller with regular pruning which makes it great for a small garden. PHA lists that it is hardy to zones 6-9 but many nurseries have it listed to include zone 5.
Perennials
Caramel Carmel Bells. Photo courtesy of PHS
Heuchera ‘Caramel’, coral bells
This exciting heuchera has caramel-colored leaves with purple undersides. Can be used as a ground cover, for massing in the perennial border and even looks good in a container. It provides three seasons of interest, spring, summer, and fall. It’s dear resistant and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. It can tolerate full sun, part shade or full shade. Hardy to zones 4-9.
Pycnanthemum muticum, mountain mint. Photo courtesy of PHS.
Pycnanthemum muticum, mountain mint
This is a dear resistant native plant that is friendly to pollinators, suppresses weeds and works well with other plants. It’s not invasive like other mints. It grows best in moist to medium moist soils. The bloom period begins in July, and extends at least through August. They have clusters of white flowers that bloom progressively. The leaves emit a strong spearmint fragrance when crushed. Mountain mint is hardy in zones 4-8.
There are some very exciting selections this year and we hope to incorporate some of them in our landscaping plans this year. You can never go wrong with their choices.
Are you thinking about some new landscaping this spring? Whitehouse Landscaping has the horticultural knowledge in landscaping to make sure the right plants are chosen for the right place insuring your landscape thrives and can be property maintained. Our design experience can create an outdoor space that is beautiful, distinctive, livable and truly sustainable.