Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District, Inc.

Middletown office:
deKoven House Community Center
27 Washington Street
Middletown, CT 06457

Phone: 860-346-3282
Fax: 860-346-3284

You are here: Plant Sale

Plant Sale2010 SalePlant Info/Photos

Shrubs, Flowers and Tree Seedlings!

Butterfly THINK LOCAL―PLANT NATIVE & EDIBLE! CELEBRATE EARTH DAY AND ARBOR DAY AT OUR
ANNUAL SHRUB AND SEEDLING SALE

Spruce up your landscape and support your local conservation district! The Annual Shrub and Seedling Sale held in April is our main fundraising event for the year. All proceeds fund our natural resources technical and educational programs and services.

At this annual event we offer a wide variety of hard-to-find native plants, including potted shrubs, groundcovers, grasses, ferns, flowering perennials, and bare-root evergreen seedlings. Almost all plants are Connecticut natives.

Each tree, shrub and flower you plant enhances our environment by providing food and cover for wildlife, cleaning the air, curbing the greenhouse effect, cutting energy costs, reducing soil erosion, improving water quality and beautifying our community.

Planting information and other resources are available at the sale, and Master Gardeners are on hand to answer your gardening and planting questions.

Most plants are pre-ordered, though extras are also available the days of the sale. Some plants are in limited supply so it is best to order in advance to secure your choices. Contact us for more information, or if you would like to be placed on our mailing list to receive a copy of the brochure and order form, which will be available in January.

Check out these links for additional information:
UCONN Plant Database
Connecticut Botanical Society
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Edible Landscaping, National Gardening Association
Edible Flowers, What's Cooking America
Alternatives for Invasive Ornamental Species, CT Agricultural Experiment Station

Our 2010 plant sale took place April 16, 17 and 18 at the Old Saybrook Shopping Center (Stop & Shop plaza), Boston Post Road and Elm Street, Old Saybrook (same location as the past 2 years). To see the plants available at the 2010 sale, download the flyer here (open PDF brochure and order form).

Once again, a special focus of the sale was edible landscaping, with an expanded selection of fruit producing shrubs and other edible plants, for wildlife and for your family to enjoy!

Go to the "Plant Info/Photos" tab on this page for pictures and more detailed descriptions of all plant selections.

More information about the plants offered, including photographs, along with information about edible landscaping and other resources, can be found at the websites listed below.

Shrubs, Flowers and Tree Seedlings—Photographs and More!

CLICK HERE FOR BROCHURE & ORDER FORM (open PDF)

Codes: E=Edible; CT=CT native species; DR=Deer resistant; RG=Good for Rain Garden

SHRUBS AND GROUND COVERS

American Cranberrybush 'Bailey's Compactum' CT RG	Round-topped, dense, fast growing plant. Great for naturalizing, hardy and strong flowering. Showy white blooms in late May. Produces profuse red fruit that attracts birds and other wildlife. Attractive red fall foliage.
Bearberry CT DR	Excellent low growing evergreen ground cover suitable for difficult sites. White flowers bloom in spring. Bronze fall foliage and red berries in winter add interest. Does best in sandy well-drained soil; salt and wind tolerant. Low maintenance! See USDA fact sheet for more info.
Blackberries 'Chester Thornless' E	One of the most winter hardy and productive thornless varieties of blackberry available. Bears large, high quality fruit that ripens in early to mid-August, and continues until frost. Fruit has excellent flavor and does not soften or lose its shiny black color in hot weather. Chester is vigorous and shows resistance to cane blight. Good for fresh eating, jams, jellies, and pies!
Blackhaw CT E	This large, upright, multi-stemmed, densely twiggy deciduous shrub can be pruned to grow as a small tree. Showy, creamy white flowers in flat-topped clusters appear in spring, and provide nectar for butterflies, native bees and other pollinators. Flowers give way to blue-black, berry-like fruits, which are a good source of food for birds and wildlife in fall and early winter. Glossy dark green leaves change to shades of red and purple in fall. Provides excellent nesting sites and cover for birds. Drought tolerant! Edible berries can be eaten off the bush when ripe or used in jams and preserves.
Blueberry, Highbush CT RG E	Upright, spreading, multi-stemmed shrub with four season interest. Blooms spring through summer. Edible berries ripen July-August. Foliage yellow-red-burgundy in fall, bark is red or yellow-green in winter. See USDA fact sheet and USDA plant guide for more info.
Blueberry, Lowbush CT RG E	Showy flowers produce edible dark blue berries mid-summer. Glossy, deep green leaves turn scarlet burgundy in fall. Excellent selection for borders or naturalizing.
Bunchberry/ Creeping Dogwood CT E	Low growing ground cover with whorls of bright green leaves at the top of each stem, topped with showy white bracts surrounding tiny greenish flower clusters in spring. Clusters of vivid red berries in late summer provide fall interest. Birds eat the berries and help disperse seeds to new locations. Prefers cool acidic soils. Good for shady ground cover, rock gardens, mass plantings and naturalizing.
Cranberry, Creeping CT E	Excellent low growing evergreen ground cover, especially for damp sites and near salt water. Tiny leaves on many stems spread rapidly; green leaves in summer turn mahogany red in fall. Edible red berries in fall add to plant's beauty. Very hardy!
Creeping Juniper CT DR	Compact evergreen ground cover with flat, trailing branches. Intense silver-blue foliage is light purple in winter. Excellent for mass planting as turf substitute; rock gardens and overhanging rock ledges; and erosion control on light to moderate slopes. Heat and drought tolerant; resistant to salt damage. Grows well in almost any well-drained soil.
Dogwood, white CT	Deciduous, multi-branched shrub or small tree with a low branching habit. A striking display of white flowers graces the tree in mid-May. Four season appeal with flowers, bright red glossy fruits, attractive checkered bark, and showy fall color. Good for grouping or as a specimen plant. Valuable wildlife food. See USDA fact sheet and USDA plant guide for more info.
Grape, Concord E	Vigorous climbing vines produce clusters of big, sweet grapes. Panicles of fragrant, greenish flowers in spring are followed by clusters of blue-black, seeded grapes that ripen in late mid-season. Large leaves cover a wall, form a screen, or offer overhead shade. Can be grown on trellis or arbor. Good fresh, or for wine or jam. Leaves are edible too! Developed by a grower in Concord, MA in 1849, the Concord grape is the most well-known cultivar of the American grape, Vitis labrusca, also called fox grape. Click here and here for recipes and more!
Hydrangea, smooth CT	Easy to grow shrub with low, rounded habit. Thrives in part shade; good for grouping in dappled sun. Showy white flowers are source of nectar; plants provide cover for birds.
Inkberry 'Shamrock' CT DR RG	Excellent evergreen with compact habit and lustrous dark green foliage. Ideal for low hedge or grouping, or for a small foundation space. Very hardy! See USDA fact sheet for more info.
Mountain Laurel CT	The CT State Flower! One of the most beautiful, long-lived broad leaved evergreen shrubs. Slow growing and very hardy with striking clustered flowers. Good for massing and borders. Tolerates full sun, but grows best in partial shade.
Pinxterbloom Azalea CT RG	This beautiful native azalea is great for naturalizing or as a border plant. Lovely bright green leaves and fragrant, trumpet shaped pale pink flowers in spring. Very hardy.
Raspberries 'Caroline' CT E	This upright everbearing raspberry variety blooms twice, producing summer and fall crops. Berries are large with rich, full and intense flavor. Very productive and vigorous! More disease resistant and with larger, earlier fruits than most everbearers. Considered one of the best everbearing varieties! Click here for growing information and more.
Red Osier Dogwood CT DR RG	Best known for its showy bright red stems in winter, this Red Twig dogwood also produces white berries in summer, and has great red-purple fall color. Likes moisture, but very adaptable and tolerates poor soils. Great for massing. Very hardy! See USDA fact sheet for more info.
Strawberries 'Honeoye' E	Early-midseason variety recommended for beginners and home gardeners, and suited for organic growing. Produces large firm berries with superb quality and flavor, also excellent for freezing. High yields over long fruiting season. Hardy and vigorous. A great edible ground cover! Click here for growing information and more.
Summersweet (aka Sweet Pepperbush) 'Ruby Spice' CT DR RG	A compact, dense Clethra with lustrous glossy dark green foliage. In late summer, abundant long reddish-pink very fragrant bottlebrush-like flower spikes attract butterflies and bees. Leaves provide an excellent bright yellow show of fall color. Great in naturalized landscapes, and an excellent addition to a border or woodland edge. Salt tolerant. See USDA fact sheet for more info.
Witherod Viburnum 'Winterthur' CT RG E	Compact cultivar with dense rounded form. Features fragrant white flowers arranged in flat-topped clusters in spring, striking show of multi-colored fruit late summer, and crimson-purple fall foliage. Flowers are followed by clusters of rounded berries that change color as they ripen from light pink to deep pink to blue to purplish-black. Glossy dark green leaves turn maroon or dark red-purple in fall. Provides wildlife cover and nesting for birds; flowers are a source of nectar for butterflies, native bees and other pollinators; and birds love to eat the berries.
Winterberry, female 'Jolly Red' CT DR RG	Another great wildlife plant! Deciduous holly with deep green lustrous foliage spreads to form multi-stemmed thickets that provide good cover for birds. Clusters of bright red berries persist in winter, providing interest and important wildlife food. Good for naturalizing. See USDA fact sheet for more info.
Winterberry, male CT DR RG	Deciduous holly with deep green lustrous foliage spreads to form multi-stemmed thickets. Pollinates females (see above), which produce bright red, persistent berries in winter. Only one male is needed to pollinate many female bushes planted nearby. Good for naturalizing.
Wintergreen, Christmas CT DR E	Dense, compact hardy evergreen ground cover with glossy deep green foliage. Urn shaped nodding, solitary flowers, white with hints of pink, bloom May through summer. Excellent fall and winter show with red-tinged, dark green foliage and large red edible berries. Leaves and berries have strong scent of evergreen. Acid soil and shade loving. Good for naturalized areas and for a woodland ground cover.

FLOWERING PERENNIALS-FERNS-GRASSES

Butterfly Weed 'Gay Butterflies'

CT DR

A mixture of fragrant yellow, orange and red flowers bloom in whorls on red-tinged, leafy bracts. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Good naturalizer. Aromatic leaves can be used for tea, salads and potpourri. Flowers are edible too! Drought tolerant.

Columbine

CT DR

Showy red tubular flowers with yellow centers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Excellent for shade, woodland and rock gardens, and for naturalizing.

Coneflower

CT DR E

Vibrant showy daisly-like rose-purple blooms are long-lasting and make great cut flowers. The glory of any meadow of naturalized landscape! Drought tolerant once established. Leaves, flowers and roots can be used for tea. See USDA fact sheet and USDA plant guide for more info.

Creeping Phlox 'Fran's Purple'

CT DR

A stunning ground cover and border plant! Rapidly growing and compact, with highly fragrant, vibrant deep purple flowers, and small teardrop-shaped foliage that forms a spreading green carpet. Masses of starry flowers bloom in May to July. Attracts butterflies!

False Indigo

CT DR

The Perennial Plant Association's 2010 perennial plant of the year!! Compact and shrub-like plant with clover-like bluish green foliage, and long spikes of violet-blue pea-like flowers, similar to lupine. Attracts butterflies. Works well as an anchor for the back of a garden border, either as a specimen or in small groups. Excellent for cutting. Also known as blue false indigo or wild indigo.

Hibiscus
'Luna Red'

Compact, well-branched shrub-like perennial with showy flowers. Good source of nectar for birds and butterflies. Ideal for container planting. Drought tolerant when established. Also known as rose mallow or swamp mallow.

Joe Pye Weed
'Baby Joe'

CT DR

Large, long-blooming (July-Oct) clusters of fragrant mauve-pink flowers are a magnet for butterflies! Easy to grow.

Moss Phlox
'Snowflake'

CT DR

Pure white flowers cover this tough, evergreen ground cover in spring. Plant along sunny banks, borders, or drift around early spring bulbs. Good for naturalizing an area.

Lavender
'Munstead'

DR E

Low-growing shrub-like perennial. Features aromatic silvery-gray vegetation topped in summer with stems of showy, fragrant, white to purple-violet hued flowers. A favorite for herb gardens or in the perennial border. Attracts butterflies. Drought tolerant when established. Excellent in fresh or dried arrangements. Use in cooking, sachets, potpourri and baths.

Oregano

DR E

Aromatic and popular culinary herb, with oval, dark green leaves and spiky white to pink flower stalks. Easy to grow in the garden. Makes a nice edging plant and ground cover, requiring little maintenance. High in antioxidants, and useful for relieving headaches and coughs.

Rosemary

DR E

One of the most popular herbs for the garden! Shrub-like herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves used for cooking, aromatic oil. Long-lasting, fragrant blue flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Drought tolerant. Tender perennial—pot and bring inside for winter!

Sage 'Compacta'

DR E

This dwarf version of common sage is a natural for containers or small hedges. Many branched, shrubby evergreen perennial with velvety gray-green foliage; covered with showy bright blue flower spikes in summer. Very easy to grow, performing nicely in the garden and attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Use in cooking.

Thyme
'Orange Spice'

DR E

Highly aromatic orange-spice scent, with strong orange flavor. Easiest herb to grow! Features needle-shaoed green leaves, covered with pale-pink flowers in early summer. Foliage forms dense, ground-hugging mats. Perfect as a low spreading groundcover in rock gardens, rock walls, in between flagstones or simply planted in the garden. Tolerates moderate foot traffice. Drought tolerant once established. Attractive to butterflies. Use in cooking, and for teas, potpourri and baths.

Cinnamon Fern

CT DR RG

Regal upright fern with cinnamon-colored spore-bearing fronds in spring. Excellent along ponds and streams, and in shaded gardens. Good cover for ground frequenting birds.

Eastern Marsh Fern

CT DR RG

This thin, delicate and lacy fern produces light green fronds throughout summer. Prefers rich wet soils, not standing water. Good ground cover for sunny, wet areas. Spreads slowly by rhizomes. Attracts birds.

Switchgrass
'Heavy Metal'

CT DR RG

This switchgrass cultivar has wonderful stiff, upright metallic-blue foliage that turns yellow in fall with persistent dark burgundy seedheads. Pink-tinged panicles in summer. Great for accent, massing. Attracts birds.

Switchgrass
'Ruby Ribbons'

CT DR RG

Exciting new switchgrass cultivar developed by UConn. Soft blue-green foliage with red overtones emerges in spring, and turns dramatic deep wine-red in late summer/fall. Flowerheads appear late summer, and ornamental seedheads provide winter interest. Plant in groups for dramatic effect! See USDA fact sheet for more info.

BARE ROOT TREE SEEDLINGS

Douglas Fir DR	Large evergreen tree with conical form. Excellent Xmas tree, or shade or lawn tree. Moderate to rapid growth. Needles are short, soft, spirally-arranged, with blue-green to gray-green color. Bark is smooth on young trunks; reddish brown ridges with age. Not for dry or poorly drained sites. Dislikes high winds.
Eastern Red Cedar CT DR	Fast growing pyramid-shape evergreen with flat needles. Gnarled fluted trunk and gray to red-brown bark of ornamental interest. Prickly foliage is browse resistant. Good for specimen trees, masses, screens, windbreaks or hedges, and difficult sites. Attracts songbirds, butterflies, small mammals.
Eastern White Pine CT DR	Rapid grower with broad pyramid to dense column-like shape. Thin soft needles are light green with a bluish cast. Smooth gray to gray-green bark, becomes furrowed with age. Very versatile; use as an ornamental, Xmas tree or windbreak. Good specimen for parks or other large spaces. Easily transplanted and grown, but not tolerant of strong winds, salt, and vulnerable to ice/heavy snows.
White Spruce CT DR	Fast growing, very hardy compact tree with narrow, conical form. Needles are short, 4-sided stiff pointed blue-green needles. Good for Xmas trees or ornamentals; in windbreaks, screens, hedges, and mass plantings; and along the seashore, due to salt tolerance.

FERTILIZER TABLETS Slow release 2-year fertilizer tablets for root feeding evergreen and hardwood seedlings and trees, shrubs, and fruit, flower and shade trees. These long-lasting tablets are not water soluble, but depend on action of soil bacteria to convert nutrients into a plant usable form. Easy to use, completely non-burning and promotes vigorous growth. The tablet is simply dropped into the hole at the root zone of the plant at planting time (near, but not touching the roots). Tablets are 10 grams each, 20% Nitrogen, 10% Phosphoric Acid, 5% Potash.

THE ORGANIC LAWN CARE MANUAL by Paul Tukey GET YOUR LAWN OFF DRUGS!!! Full of practical tips to establish a lush, healthy green lawn that's safe for people, pets and our earth. "The most extensive guide to lawn care ever published." Easy to read with lots of great photos. Learn from a lawn care professional who made the transition from using lawn care chemicals to organic—all without sacfricing quality. Go to www.safelawns.org for more information.

Check out these links for additional information about plant choices and landscaping:

UCONN Plant Database
Connecticut Botanical Society
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Edible Landscaping, National Gardening Association
Edible Flowers, What's Cooking America
Plants for a Future, Edible Uses
Alternatives for Invasive Ornamental Species, CT Agricultural Experiment Station
Celebrating Wildflowers, U.S. Forest Service

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