Plants in Bloom

November highlights

• New England Aster

  This popular garden plant has flower heads that are darker and larger than those of other native asters. They also have more ray flowers. New England aster grows tall, up to five feet.

  Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster) in the Water Garden. Photo: Alvina Lai.

• Oakleaf Hydrangea

  Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’ (oakleaf hydrangea) on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Maidenhair Tree

  The ginkgo tree's fan-shaped leaves turn from green to gold gradually, sometimes creating bands of color. Then they fall almost in unison, leaving a carpet of yellow leaves beneath the tree.

  Ginkgo biloba (madenhair tree) in the Cherry Walk & Cultivar Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Japanese Maple Cultivar

  Acer palmatum ‘Scolopendrifolium’ (Japanese maple cultivar) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Solandra Longiflora

  Solandra longiflora (solandra longiflora) in the Aquatic House. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Orchid ‘Somsri Pretty’

  Orchidaceae ‘Somsri Pretty’ (orchid) in the Aquatic House. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Purple Beautyberry

  Callicarpa dichotoma (purple beautyberry) in the Washington Avenue Border. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Dwarf Pomegranate

  Punica granatum var. nana (dwarf pomegranate) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Downy Jasmine

  Jasminum multiflorum (downy jasmine) in the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Crown of Thorns

  Euphorbia milii (crown of thorns) in the Desert Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Satsuma Mandarin Orange

  Citrus reticulata (Satsuma Mandarin orange) in the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Japanese Maple Bonsai

  Acer palmatum (Japanese maple) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

• Jessamine

  Cestrum ‘Orange Peel’ (jessamine) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Golden Gardenia

  Gardenia carinata (golden gardenia) in the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Abelia ‘Rose Creek’

  Abelia ‘Rose Creek’ (Abelia ‘Rose Creek’) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Japanese Maple

  Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Malaysian-Orchid

  Medinilla myriantha (malaysian-orchid) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Winterberry

  Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’ (winterberry ) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• White Hoop Petticoat Daffodil

  Narcissus cantabricus (white hoop petticoat daffodil) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Paintbrush

  Haemanthus albiflos (paintbrush) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Golden Larch

  Not all conifers are evergreen. This tree, native to China, is deciduous so the needles drop off in the winter, but first they turn a striking golden color in the fall.

  Pseudolarix amabilis (golden larch) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Ajania

  Ajania pacifica (ajania) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Staghorn Sumac

  Sumacs are among the first trees to change colors in fall. Staghorn sumac is a native species, and its vivid foliage can be seen lighting up roadsides and forest edges this time of year.

  Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Alvina Lai.

• Bird of Paradise

  Strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Red Maple

  This native North American tree has fall foliage that actually may vary from yellow, to orange, to red, sometimes on the same tree or even the same leaf.

  Acer rubrum (red maple) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Virgin’s Bower

  Clematis virginiana (virgin's bower) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.

• Showy Goldenrod

  Solidago speciosa (showy goldenrod) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Heavenly-Bamboo

  Actually an evergreen shrub, not a bamboo, Nandina domestica produces bright red berries in autumn that persist through winter.

  Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Green Hawthorn

  Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ (green hawthorn) near the Visitor Center. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Pawpaw

  This native tree is known for its custard-y fruit and unusual brownish flowers. Its large, tropical-looking leaves turn a lovely yellow in fall.

  Asimina triloba (pawpaw) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Japanese Maple Cultivar

  One of the several maple cultivars in the Japanese Garden, Acer palmatum ‘Lutescens’ displays gorgeous yellow color in fall. In Japan, such leaf colors inspire the tradition of momijigari, or autumn maple leaf viewing, in which foliage fans travel to gardens, parks, and into the mountains to admire the show.

  Acer palmatum “Lutescens” (Japanese maple cultivar) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Chinese Juniper

  Juniperus chinensis ‘Robust Green’ (Chinese juniper) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Japanese Maple Cultivar

  Acer palmatum cultivar (Japanese maple cultivar) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Dogwood Baton Rouge ‘Minbat’

  The bare, bright crimson stems of many dogwood cultivars provide lovely winter interest.

  Cornus alba Baton Rouge = ‘Minbat’ (PBR) (Dogwood Baton Rouge (‘Minbat’)) in the Water Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Post Oak

  Quercus stellata (post oak) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• White Enkianthus

  Enkianthus perulatus ‘J.I. Pennock’ (white enkianthus) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.

• Japanese Maple

  One of the several maple cultivars in the Japanese Garden, Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’ displays gorgeous fall color. In Japan, such leaf colors inspire the tradition of momijigari, or autumn maple leaf viewing in which foliage fans travel to gardens, parks, and into the mountains to admire the shades of orange, red, yellow, and purple.

  Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’ (Japanese maple) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Brian Funk.

• Japanese Maple

  Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ (Japanese maple) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.

• Papyrus

  This moisture-loving plant is native to Africa and can grow up to 8 feet tall. The stems were used in ancient Egypt to make a material similar to paper called papyrus.

  Cyperus papyrus (papyrus) in the Aquatic House. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Cape Leadwort

  Plumbago auriculata (cape leadwort) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Ammobium alatum

  Ammobium alatum (ammobium alatum) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Flame Willow

  This shrub’s golden autumn leaves fall to reveal striking red, orange-red, and yellow-orange stems, lending credence to its cultivar name.

  Salix alba ‘Flame’ (flame willow) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Hardy Blue-Flowered Leadwort

  Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (hardy blue-flowered leadwort) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Snakebark Maple

  Acer tegmentosum (snakebark maple) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

• Chinese Abelia

  Abelia chinensis (Chinese abelia) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Pale Spicebush

  The host plant of swallowtail butterflies, pale spicebush has lovely, fragrant leaves. They fade from bright crimson in fall to a more subtle, smooth beige and persist through winter.

  Lindera glauca var. salicifolia (pale spicebush) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Winterberry

  The lovely red berries of this native holly relative persist through winter, sometimes spring. These fruits are a welcome food for hungry birds as the weather cools and other options get scarce.

  Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’ (winterberry) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Chandelier Tree

  Medinilla cummingii (chandelier tree ) in the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.

• Amazon Lily

  Eucharis × grandiflora (Amazon lily), blooming within the dense foliage of the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Japanese Forest Grass

  Hakonechloa macra (Japanese forest grass) on Lily Pool Terrace. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Black Tupelo

  A native tree found in wooded wetland areas, the black tupelo can tolerate a wide range of conditions, from standing water to dry, droughty soils. It has beautiful, brilliant red autumn foliage, and there are specimens in the Water Garden and Plant Family Collection, and at the Visitor Center.

  Nyssa sylvatica (black tupelo) in the Water Garden. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

• Kentucky Yellowwood

  Planted in 1916, this tree is one of the Garden’s more remarkable specimens. It has multiple trunks and sprawls to 75 feet in diameter. To preserve this century-old tree as long as possible, cables have been installed to support some of the sprawling limbs. It still flowers every few years and displays wonderful fall color.

  Cladrastis kentukea (Kentucky yellowwood) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

• Crape-Myrtle

  Lagerstroemia ‘Muskogee’ (crape-myrtle ‘Muskogee’) on Lily Pool Terrace Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Holly

  Ilex × attenuata ‘Longwood Gold’ (holly). Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Nigella

  Nigella damascena (nigella) in the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Chrysanthemum Cultivar

  Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (chrysanthemum) in the Rose Arc Pool. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Christmas-Rose

  The first of the hellebores to bloom is the Christmas-rose, so-called because it blooms around Christmastime and has a flower arrangement that looks similar to that of a rose.

  Helleborus niger ‘HGC Josef Lemper’ (Christmas-rose). Photo: Lee Patrick.

• Clustered Mountain-Mint

  Pycnanthemum muticum (clustered mountain-mint) on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.

• Virginia Sweetspire

  Itea virginica ‘Sprich’ LITTLE HENRY (Virginia sweetspire) in the Perennial Border. Photo: Lee Patrick.

See photos from other times of year.

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September October November December
Image, top of page: Mike Ratliff