I need two plants that will get at least 5ft tall, no more than 1-2 feet wide. Soil is very rich, or I will at least make it so. Soil is well drained, but stays very moist. Filtered sunlight for the first 4-5 hours of every day, then the sun is blocked by my house. I am in south Alabama. Any suggestions???
Perrienial Suggestion??
What zone are you in? There are some delphiniums that get very tall. I have this one http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/56800/index.html and in 2005 it got over 6 foot tall when we had lots of rain.
Sounds like Foxglove would be happy in the spot you describe. Too hot in summer for delphiniums here, probably the same for your area. Bummer too, they are sooooo gorgeous! Since the soil stays moist, Ligularia 'The Rocket' may work well. Tall phlox may do the trick too.
Cimicifuga, Echinacea(not quite 5 feet), Hemerocallis minuet, Thalictrum, Filipendula, Native cone flower, Lobelia cardinalis, Aconitum, Allium giganteum, Anemone japonica, Lythrum, Solidago, giant Solomans Seal. Although you have afternoon sun it sounds as if you have enough morning sun to have some more sun loving things.
Maybe a hibiscus? Late summer bloom, and mine are in part-shade - Dax
How about Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty'--(Snakeroot) gets to 5 ft, only 24-36 spread and requires rich moist soil and half day of sun. I have Cimicifuga 'James Compton' available for sale but not 'Hillside BB'
Never heard of James Compton...what does that look like?
James Compton Cimicifuga does not get as tall as Hillside Black Beauty, but is much the same with dark foliage and tall white flower spikes.
www.deesgardens.com/6CiCr.html
Having problems getting it to link to above
Wayside gardens also has it, just type in Cimicifuga in their search
You might also want to consider some grasses. Best source I have found is Santa Rosa gardens and once you are on the site you can sort by height.
and the fall flowering cimicifuga if wonderfully fragrant
seastrike if you need a grass, try a switchgrass (panicum virgatum), it has a cloud-like inflorescence, but is otherwise very full.
My choice would be the echinacea ....the cone flower.....some of them grow tall!!! they are my favorite flower....just germinated 40 of the Magnus cultivar...
monkshood?
I would plant an Alocasia Macrorrhiza (upright elephant ear). It will go dormant in the winter but is listed as hardy to Zone 7b.
There are other elephant ears that should do well in Zone 8 with partial shade, like Xanthosomas and Colocasias but they tend to grow wider than 1-2 feet.
ROX
This message was edited Feb 18, 2007 1:41 PM