Plant of the Month from the UT Gardens

2019

June: Nuttall Oak
An Underused Oak Perfect for Home Landscapes
May 2019: Bigleaf Hydrangea
A Quintessential Southern Landscape Favorite
April: Iris
Tennessee's Official Cultivated Flower, Iris Brings a Rainbow of Colors to Spring Landscapes
March: Blackberries
Beautiful Spring Blooms Predict Delicious Summer Fruit
February: Hellebore
A Winter Beauty for Shady Landscapes
January: Camellia
The Traditional Darlings of the South Have A Wider Range

2018

December: Giant Leopard
Its Blooms Stand Out in the Winter
November: Smoketree
A Standout Shrub for Multiseason Interest
October: Mizuna
For Salads, Soups, and More
September: Pink Muhly Grass and Close Relatives
Add an ‘Electric Charge’ to Your Landscape
August: Rose-of-Sharon
A Full Bloom Show Stopper
July: The Castor Bean
A Star for the Summer Garden
June: Elephant Ears
With Giant Leaves and a Tropical Feel, These Plants Are Addicting
May: 'Cheyenne Spirit'
This Coneflower Reigns Supreme
April: Koreanspice viburnum
A Fragrant Spring Shrub Not To Be Missed
March: Cherry Tomatoes 'Valentine' and 'Midnight Snack'
Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep in These Cherry Tomatoes
February: Alleghany Viburnum
A Beautiful Shrub with Four-Season Interest
January: Parney cotoneaster
This Graceful Evergreen Adds Winter Interest to Your Landscape

2017

December: Little Bluestem
A Drought-tolerant, Native Warm-season Grass for Almost Any Landscape
November: Chinese pistache
An Eye-catching Addition to Your Fall Landscape
October: Redbor kale
This Colorful Winter Staple Is No Weakling
September: Stevia rebaudiana
A Sweet Addition to Any Garden
August: Rice Paper Plant
A Giant, Exotic-looking Plant That Adds Texture and Wow
July: Tennessee Dancing Gourd
A Native and Heirloom that Will Dance Its Way into Your Heart
June: Foamy Bells
From the Tennessee Woodlands to Our Own Backyards
May: Japanese Snowbell
The Bell-shaped Blooms Seem To Fall from the Branches
April: Baptisia
A Delightful Early Bloomer for Tennessee Gardens
March: Flowering Dogwood
Spring Blooms Are Soon to Come
February: ‘Whoa Nellie’ Holly
This Holly's Glow Brightens the Season
January: Japanese maple
Add Certain Cultivars to Your Landscape for Winter Interest

2016

December: Edgeworthia
A Four-Season Plant
November - Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’
A Southern Belle that Blooms and Blooms
October - Black gum
Looking for Incredible Fall Color?
September - Grafted Tomatoes
How To Combine Two Desirable Traits
August: Sweet Potato Vine
Add Interest to Your Landscape with This Vine's Variety of Foliage Colors, Textures
July: Tennessee Purple Coneflower
This True Native Shines in Gardens Across the State
June: Phlox Hybrid 'Wanda'
A Blooming Machine
May: Golden Japanese Spikenard
This Plant Can Add 'Sunshine' to Your Shade Garden
April: Malabar spinach
This Red-Stemmed Vine Is Both Attractive and Edible
March: Barrenwort
The Perfect Plant for a Shade Garden
February: Crocus
A Pretty Harbinger of Spring
January: ‘Flame’ Willow
This Willow Is a Standout in Winter Gardens

2015

December 2015: American Beech
Beautiful Fall Foliage Is But One of This Tree's Attributes
November 2015: Lacebark Elm
A medium-to-large tree ideal for urban and suburban landscapes
October 2015: Candy Corn Plant
A Beautiful Addition to Your Fall Landscape
September 2015: Edamame
Home Gardeners Can Enjoy Success with Vegetable Soybeans
August 2015: Chinese sedum
A Cheerful Companion in Containers or in the Landscape
July 2015: Dahlia
Now Showing: Spectacular Displays of Blooms
June 2015: Phlox 'Minnie Pearl'
Bountiful Blooms Make This Perennial a Top Performer
May 2015: Hostas
Perhaps the Best Shade-Loving Perennial for the Garden
April 2015: Creeping Phlox
A Striking "Carpet" in the Spring Landscape
March 2015: Hardy Kiwi Berry
Real Kiwis in Tennessee? Yes!
February 2015: Supermarket Orchid
These Once Excotics Are Now Mass Marketed
January 2015: ‘Angelina’ stonecrop
UT Gardens Plant of the Month Has Beautiful Winter Foliage

2014

December: Paperbark Maple
One of the most photographed trees during winter at the UT Gardens is the paperbark maple
November: Ginkgo
One of the Most Outstanding Fall Color Trees is the Ginkgo
October: Cyclamen
This little gem blooms in early fall
September: Sunflower
Sunflowers are one of the few flowers that almost everyone can recognize
August: Cardinal Flower
Cardinal flower can be overlooked for the landscape, but don’t rule out this great native
July: Pennisetum
Ornamental grasses explode in the landscape
June: Golden Monkey Grass
Monkey grass as plant of the month? Seriously?
May: Emily Bruner Holly
Patented by a Tennessee nursery owner, this holly is a homegrown favorite
April: Variegated Solomon's seal
A shade lover, this plant features small, white flowers that dangle in pairs beneath the plant's curving stems
March: Toadshade trillium
Along with other spring ephemerals, trillium provides hope after a long winter
February: Leatherleaf Mahonia
Leatherleaf mahonias offer a golden glow in one of the darkest, most barren months
January: Japanese Cornel Dogwood
Trees or shrubs with cheery winter blooms can be a welcome addition to yards or gardens