Plants in Bloom

Featured Bloom

Meadow Rue

Thalictrum rochebruneanum

This tall, herbaceous perennial blooms from mid-summer through early fall, and can grow up to six feet in height. Airy sprays of lavender-purple flowers and lacy blue-green foliage adorn this meadow rue, which is native to Korea and Japan.

August highlights

• Snow-on-the-Mountain

  Euphorbia marginata (snow-on-the-mountain) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Dave Allen.

• Hardy Hibiscus

  This hybrid cultivar of our native hibiscus—also known as swamp mallow or rose-mallow—has large flowers up to ten inches across that only last one day. See it in the Water Garden.

  Hibiscus 'Lord Baltimore' (hardy hibiscus) in the Water Garden. Photo: Alvina Lai.

• Crape-Myrtle

  Crape-myrtles have long been favorite garden plants in the South, but many cultivars are hardy in New York City too, even more so as the climate warms. Their extravagant panicles of crinkly flowers appear in late summer.

  Lagerstroemia indica (crape-myrtle) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Alvina Lai.

• River Oats ‘River Mist’

  This perennial grass is native to the river banks and moist woodland borders of the eastern and midwestern United States. It boasts gently nodding, flat flower spikelets that dangle above the leaves.

  Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’ (river oats ) in the Fragrance Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Sedum

  Sedums, or stonecrops, are a genus of succulents with an exceptionally varied array of flowers, foliage, and habits. ‘Autumn Joy’ is an upright, fall-blooming cultivar in bloom now in the Rock Garden, Perennial Border and elsewhere.

  Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' (sedum) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Black Stem Bigleaf Hydrangea

  The large, showy summer flowers of hydrangeas make them a popular garden plant. The bloom color of some species is influenced by soil pH. More acidic soil will produce bluer flowers, while more alkaline soil will produce pinker ones.

  Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nigra’ (black stem bigleaf hydrangea) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Blackberry-Lily

  The flowers of this short-lived perennial mature to clusters of round seeds, resembling blackberries. The petals of spent flowers twist together, forming a corkscrew shape.

  Iris domestica (blackberry-lily) in the Perennial Border and Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Wild Bergamot

  A member of the Lamiaceae, or mint family, this herbaceous perennial is native to North America. You can find wild bergamot—often covered in bees—blooming in the meadow of the Native Flora Garden.

  Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Brown-Eyed Susan

  Native to the eastern and midwestern prairies of the United States, this short-lived perennial attracts bees, butterflies, and birds. Brown-eyed Susan grows taller than black-eyed Susan, and has distinct three-lobed leaves.

  Rudbeckia triloba (brown-eyed Susan) in the Native Flora Garden and Perennial Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Forest Sunflower

  Native to Eastern and Central United States and Canada, these woodland wildflowers bloom from mid-summer through fall. Forest sunflowers attract bees and butterflies, and can grow up to five feet tall.

  Helianthus decapetalus (forest sunflower) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Moon Carrot

  This biennial boasts umbels of white flowers and silvery-blue, fern-like foliage. Moon carrot blooms mid-summer through early fall and readily self-seeds.

  Seseli gummiferum (moon carrot) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Cardinal Flower

  This native perennial can often be found in swamps and along streams. Its scarlet flowers attract bees and hummingbirds, but not cardinals. Like the bird, the cardinal flower gets its common name from the red robes worn by Catholic cardinals.

  Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) in the Rock Garden, Native Flora Garden, Discovery Garden, and Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Cardoon

  Native to the Mediterranean, this herbaceous perennial has spiny leaves and thistle-like, bright purple flowers. Cardoon, also known as artichoke thistle, has edible stalks.

  Cynara cardunculus (cardoon) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Harlequin Glory-Bower

  Native to Eastern China and Japan, this deciduous shrub boasts fragrant star-shaped flowers in mid-summer and dark blue berries in fall. It is sometimes called the “peanut butter tree,” in reference to the scent emitted from crushed leaves.

  Clerodendrum trichotomum (Harlequin Glory-Bower) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Mexican Sunflower

  You’ll often find an insect pollinator visiting these cheerful herbaceous annuals, which are members of the Asteraceae, or daisy family. Its flower head consists of yellow disk flowers surrounded by bright red-orange ray flowers.

  Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican sunflower) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Cornflower

  Purple-blue, button-shaped flowers adorn this annual, which is a member of the Asteraceae, or daisy family. Native to Europe, cornflowers are often used in cut or dried flower arrangements.

  Centaurea cyanus (cornflower) in the Rose Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Blanket Flower

  Red ray florets with yellow tips adorn this herbaceous annual, which attracts birds, bees, and butterflies. Its blooms are followed by fuzzy, spherical seed heads.

  Gaillardia pulchella ‘Sundance Bicolor’ (blanket flower) in the Annual Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Black-Eyed Susan

  This native wildflower blooms in summer and into early fall and attracts butterflies and bees of all kinds.

  Rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed Susan) in the Overlook. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Coneflower ‘Rocky Top’

  Echinacea tennesseensis ‘Rocky Top’ (coneflower) in the Overlook and Perennial Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Gray Goldenrod

  Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod) in the Water Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• ‘Natchez’ Crape-Myrtle

  Lagerstroemia 'Natchez' (crape-myrtle) in the Perennial Border. Photo: Alvina Lai.

• Wild Strawberries

  Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry) in the Herb Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Dyers’ Tickseed

  This annual boasts bright yellow and maroon flowers that bloom alongside wispy, lace-like foliage. A member of the Asteraceae, or daisy family, dyers' tickseed attracts insect pollinators as well as granivorous birds.

  Coreopsis tinctoria (dyers' tickseed) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Purple Coneflower

  The flowers of this native prairie species attract bumblebees and butterflies in summer. In winter, the seed cones provide food for goldfinches.

  Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower) in the Herb Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Crape-Myrtle

  Crape-myrtles have long been favorite garden plants in the South, but many cultivars are hardy in New York City too, even more so as the climate warms. Their extravagant panicles of crinkly flowers appear in late summer.

  Lagerstroemia species (crape-myrtle). Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Floribunda Rose

  Large, lush cup-shaped flowers adorn this floribunda shrub rose. This double-petaled rose blooms repeatedly from early summer through fall.

  Rosa Poseidon = ‘Korfriedhar’ (floribunda rose) in the Rose Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Hardy Water-Lily ‘Paul Hariot’

  Unlike the sacred lotus, water-lilies have leaves that float on the surface of the water. They also tend to bloom a little later and should remain in flower through late summer.

  Nymphaea ‘Paul Hariot’ (hardy water-lily) on Lily Pool Terrace Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Cosmos

  Cosmos species (cosmos) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Pond Cypress

  This deciduous conifer is found at pond edges. Related to the bald cypress, it is narrower with shorter, overlapping needles. This cultivar, ‘Nutans’, has slightly weeping branches.

  Taxodium distichum var. imbricarium ‘Nutans’ (pond cypress) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Japanese Anemone

  Lovely anemones first bloom in late summer and continue through fall, attracting pollinators when many sources of pollen and nectar have gone to seed.

  Anemone hupehensis (Japanese anemone) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• English Lavender

  Fragrant English lavender is actually native to the Mediterranean. It's a drought tolerant plant that thrives in the sun.

  Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ (English lavender) in the Rock Garden, Herb Garden, and Fragrance Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Jewelweed

  Jewelweed’s name comes from the fact that it expels excess water overnight, so that in the morning, its leaves are often covered with beads of water that look like diamond “jewels.”

  Impatiens capensis (jewelweed) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• Recent Photo

  Meadow Rue

  This tall, herbaceous perennial blooms from mid-summer through early fall, and can grow up to six feet in height. Airy sprays of lavender-purple flowers and lacy blue-green foliage adorn this meadow rue, which is native to Korea and Japan.

  Thalictrum rochebruneanum (meadow rue) in the Woodland Shade Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

• Sunflower

  Helianthus annuus (sunflower) in the Children's Garden. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.

• Great Blue Lobelia

  Like cardinal flower, a close relative, this native plant ins found in moist areas of the eastern United States and is a great addition to rain gardens.

  Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia) in the Water Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

• ‘Red Flyer’ Hibiscus

  Hibiscus 'Red Flyer' (hibiscus) in the Perennial Border. Photo: Alvina Lai.

• Catmint

  Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' (catmint) in the Fragrance Garden and Perennial Border. Photo: Alvina Lai.

• Passionflower

  Passiflora caerulea (passionflower) in the Lily Pool Terrace. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.

• Osa Pulchra

  Osa pulchra is endangered in its native Costa Rica and Panama—there are only 30 plants left in the wild. In North America, it is found only in a few botanic gardens as it is difficult to propagate.

  Osa pulchra (osa pulchra) in the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Lee Patrick.

• ‘Delight’ Orchid

  Vanda pachara 'Delight' (orchid) in the Aquatic House. Photo: Alvina Lai.

See photos from other times of year.

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Image, top of page: Mike Ratliff