What’s In Bloom?

27, Aug, 2010 Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy

by Matthew Lobdell

Pamina Anemone (Anemone ‘Pamina’)

Flowering very late in the Summer, Japanese Anemones tend to be seen as a harbinger of fall, remaining as one of the last bright flowers as winter begins to approach. The cultivar ‘Pamina’, a bright pink form, can be seen in the Fort Point Channel Parks.

Anemone 'Pamina'

Thinleaf Sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus)

Native to most of the Eastern United States, Thinleaf Sunflower is a widespread aggressive grower providing a nice splash of yellow color throughout the summer. It grows to about five feet in height, and is planted throughout the Wharf District along with the closely related Paleleaf Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus strumosus), which can achieve a height of eight feet.

Helianthus decapetalus

Hameln Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’)

Native to Japan, Fountain Grass has found its place in American Gardens as well due to its attractive inflorescences which often remain showy until early winter. ‘Hameln’ is a more compact form of the species growing only two to three feet tall. Also present on the Greenway is ‘Little Bunny’, an even more compact form maxing out at about a foot and a half in height. Both of these are planted in the Fort Point Channel Parks.

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’

Also in Bloom:

  • North End Parks: Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Robust Grape-leaf Anemone (Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’)
  • Wharf District Parks: Pink Tickseed (Coreopsis rosea), White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata), Heavy Metal Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’)
  • Urban Arboretum: Pink Velour, Red Rocket, and Burgundy Cotton Crapemyrtles (Lagerstroemia indica ‘Whit III’, ‘Whit IV’, and Whit ‘VI’), Zuni Crepemyrtlye (Lagerstroemia ‘Zuni)
  • Fort Point Channel Parks: Neon Showy Stonecrop (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Neon’), Tri-color Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii ‘Tri-color’), Overdam Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Overdam’)
  • Dewey Square Park: Goldsturm Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’), Purple Hollow-stemmed Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum ‘Atropurpureum’), Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
  • Chinatown Park: Adagio Chinese Silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’)