Late April / Early May – These natives are the first to bloom. Of these, the Serviceberry was first to bloom and those blooms are already done by the time these others flower. The Golden Ragwort is now in full bloom with its yellow flowers. It is somewhat of an aggressive plant expanding its area.
I am a fan of the chokeberry plants. They provide height in the garden, but are not huge sun blocks. I do keep the cage around the base to prevent the rabbits from shredding them. The berries on the red chokeberry stayed on the plant throughout the winter, but were feed for the birds in the early spring.
Many of the other plants have popped out of the ground at this point. The problem with some of these shoots is the difficulty determining what plant it is and whether it is a weed.
By the end of April, I had cut back all of the dried stems from the previous year’s growth. As much as possible, I broke it up into small pieces as left it on the ground as a type of mulch. It also seems to provide cover for the small birds.
Bluestar – Amsonia tabernaemontana
Red Chokeberry – Aronia arbutifolia
Black Chokeberry, Iriquiois Aronia melanocarpa
Serviceberry, apple Amelanchier × grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance
Golden Ragwort – Packera aurea
This picture was taken on May 4, 2024.
Pennsylvania Native Garden Journey 