This section is from the book "A Practical Handbook Of Trees Shrubs Vines And Herbaceous Perennials", by John Kirkegaard. Also available from Amazon: A practical handbook of trees, shrubs, vines and herbaceous perennials.
Botanical Name | English Name | 1 Deciduous 2 Evergreen 3 Vine 4 Herbaceous Perennial | Ultimate Height in feet | Color | Time of Bloom | Remarks |
Magnolia Soulangeana var. Alexandrina | Japanese Magnolia | 1 | 10-15 | Light pink | May | One of the earliest to bloom. |
Magnolia Soulangeana var. Lennei | Lenne's Magnolia | 1 | 10-15 | Deep crimson | May | Flowers large, late blooming. |
Magnolia Soulangeana var. speciosa | Japanese Magnolia | 1 | 10-15 | Purple-white | May | |
Magnolia stellata | Hall's Magnolia | 1 | 6-8 | White | April | S. A very beautiful dwarf tree or shrub. Flowers 3 to 4 inches across, numerous, star-shaped, sweet-scented. The earliest of the Magnolias to bloom; comparatively very hardy. C. E. F. |
Malva moschata | Musk-mallow | 4 | 2 | Pink | June to Sept. | A profuse bloomer. Flowers single, sweet-scented. Good in the border or among rocks. A. G. |
Malva moschata var. alba | White Musk-mallow | 4 | 2 | White | June to Sept. | Like the preceding, this variety is effective if planted in masses against taller plants. Its pure white flowers completely cover the plants. A. G. |
Marrubium vulgare | Horehound | 4 | 2 | White | July | A bitter aromatic herb with whitish, hairy leaves. Often used in medicines for coughs and colds. A.G. |
Melissa officinalis | Balm | 4 | 1 | Pale yellow | July | Well-known sweet herb with whorls of white or yellow-white flowers. A.G. |
Melissa officinalis var. variegata | Variegated Balm | 4 | 1 | Leaves having silvery white markings. | ||
Menispennum cana-dense | Moon-seed | 1.3 | 10-15 | Yellow | July | Good for covering tree trunks, stumps or walls. Flowers single. Fruit crescent-shaped. An interesting plant; one particularly good in moist soil. A. D. F. |
Mentha piperita | Peppermint | 4 | 1 | Purple | June | A common garden-herb with strong aromatic qualities. A.G. |
Mentha spicata | Spearmint | 4 | 1 | White-purple | June | Flower spikes 2 to 4 inches long; creeping in habit of growth. A.G. |
Mertensia pulmonarioi-des | Lungwort | 4 | 1-2 | Pale blue | April to May | Good for the rockery or hardy border. Flowers tubular and very showy, in terminal clusters. Good for moist places. A. G. |
Miscanthus sinensis or Eulalia japonica | Japanese Pampas Grass | 4 | 4 | Red-brown | October | Leaves narrower than those of the following. C. F. I. |
Miscanthus sinensis var. gracillimus or Eulalia japonica var. gracillimus | Ornamental Grass | 4 | 5 | Red-brown | October | Long, narrow leaves and plume-like spikes of flowers. Good in clumps with shrubbery, in the hardy border or near water. Very ornamental. C. F. I. |
Miscanthus sinensis var. variegatus | Variegated Pampas Grass | 4 | 4 | Red-brown | October | Leaves green and white, variegated. C. F. I. |
 
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