Uses: Ornamental

Banana

Musa coccinea

Since bananas must reach a certain size to set fruit, today they are mostly used in the garden for their dramatic foliage.

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Blue Sky Vine

Thunbergia grandiflora

Blue sky vine is a large, twining vine that boasts beautiful pale blue flowers. It is a rapid grower and becomes quite large over the course of a season.

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Boston Marrows are large, bright orange squashes that can weigh anywhere between 10 and 50 lbs., although 25 lbs. is more common. They are an excellent eating squash and can be turned into soups or pies.

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Boxwood

Buxus spp.

Boxwood are the quintessential southern garden hedge plant. They are popular for use in knot gardens, parterres, edging, and as topiaries. While the historic English boxwood (Buxus suffruiticosa) are especially susceptible to a devastating and widespread blight caused by the fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola…

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Butterfly Pea

Clitoria ternatea

Butterfly peas are short lived tropical perennials with striking blue flowers. They have a twining habit and prefer rich, moist, well-drained soils. They make attractive container plants in Virginia.

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Carolina Allspice

Calycanthus floridus

Give this shrub ample room to sprawl, as it tends to sucker when it's happy. The unusual chocolatey maroon flowers give off a spicy sweet fragrance which is echoed in cut twigs and leaves.

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Carolina Jessamine

Gelsemium sempervirens

This rambling evergreen vine sports masses of fragrant tubular yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. It is well-suited for use on arbors and fences.

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Chinaberry

Melia azedarach

Chinaberry is a fast-growing deciduous tree often made of several smaller trunks, as it is able to readily sprout from the roots. The widely spreading crown, pale purple tube-like fragrant blooms, and attractive yellow drupes that persist all winter made it a popular ornamental shade tree in southern…

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Coffee

Coffea arabica

Coffee forms a large shrub with glossy green leaves. It has small white flowers. This plant produces the coffee beans so many of us rely on every day, but in this part of the world is primarily used as an ornamental.

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Globe Artichoke

Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus

Artichokes have large silvery green leaves that make them a striking addition to the garden. Their flower buds are traditionally used for culinary purposes, but if allowed to open offer large, brilliant purple flowers.

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Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

A woody, twining vine, honeysuckle needs some structure to support itself. It blooms nearly all summer and is attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. It is well-suited for arbors, pergolas, and fences.

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Key Lime

Citrus x aurantiifolia

Key limes are small citrus trees with highly fragrant white blossoms. They produce many delightful fruits which are excellent for cooking. In this region, they are best grown in pots so that they can be moved in and out as the temperatures dictate.

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Lemon

Citrus limon

As with the other tropicals grown at Mount Vernon, the lemons are grown in pots so that they can be moved into a greenhouse for the winter.

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Lilac

Syringa vulgaris

Large fragrant bouquets of purple flowers make this shrub the queen of spring in the northern garden.

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Oleander

Nerium oleander

This large subtropical plant has brilliant pink flowers which bloom through summer in the Mount Vernon gardens.

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Orange

Citrus x aurantium

Seville oranges are a small to medium citrus tree which produce bitter, unpleasant tasting oranges.

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Palmetto

Sabal palmetto

Palmettos are the most northern palm to grow in the United States. They were a common food source for southern Native American tribes.

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Persian Lilac

Syringa x persica

The Persian lilac is much more delicate and heat resistant than the common lilac, with a lighter fragrance and smaller flowers.

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Pomegranate

Punica granatum

This large shrub boasts vibrant orange flowers in the summer which ripen into large orange-red fruits.

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Pummelo

Citrus maxima

This citrus tree produces fragrant flowers followed by large fruits which are larger and sweeter than a grapefruit.

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Sago Palm

Cycas revoluta

This is one of the most ancient plants still alive today.

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Swiss Chard

Beta vulgaris var. cicla

Swiss chard is a leafy green that can be harvested continually to be used in salads or cooked. Its leaves may be plain green or have red midribs.

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Banana

Musa coccinea

Blue Sky Vine

Thunbergia grandiflora

Boston Marrow Squash

Cucurbita maxima 'Boston Marrow

Boxwood

Buxus spp.

Butterfly Pea

Clitoria ternatea

Carolina Allspice

Calycanthus floridus

Carolina Jessamine

Gelsemium sempervirens

Chinaberry

Melia azedarach

Coffee

Coffea arabica

Globe Artichoke

Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus

Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

Key Lime

Citrus x aurantiifolia

Lemon

Citrus limon

Lilac

Syringa vulgaris

Oleander

Nerium oleander

Orange

Citrus x aurantium

Palmetto

Sabal palmetto

Persian Lilac

Syringa x persica

Pomegranate

Punica granatum

Pummelo

Citrus maxima

Sago Palm

Cycas revoluta

Swiss Chard

Beta vulgaris var. cicla