Featured Plant: Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Author: Lisa Trapp

Appearing as though it should be more at home in the mountains, Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), also sometimes referred to as “Swamp Magnolia”, is actually historically native to the Capital Region, and can be found extending all the way East toward the coast. Often overshadowed by the larger and more showy introduced species of Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) the Sweetbay is definitely one you don’t want to miss. 

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Featured Plant – Spicebush Lindera benzoin

Winter fades into spring, the sunshine hits a little warmer, pollinators begin to appear bouncing among the earliest blooms and the mid-story of Virginia’s forests glow with flashes of yellow as Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), affectionately known as “Forsythia of the woods” bursts into bloom. This Capital Region native, is an exciting spring bloomer, but it also has tremendous value for gardeners, wildlife, history, and even foragers of today.

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March Plant of the Month: Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata

With nondescript leaves that fade into the background during the vibrant garden show of summer and fall, our March Plant of the Month showboats in the spring, and you won’t want to miss its blooms! Woodland Phlox Phlox divarcata ‘Blue Moon’ is native to Virginia, it’s even found historically in the Capital Region, and can be seen growing along the forest floor from the mountains to the piedmont. This very adaptable plant can grow to form a dense ground cover,

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