Connoisseur Plants
Connoisseur Plants are rare, new plants, or hard-to-find old favorites. These wonderful plants are being offered to our upper level members, Collector (formerly Sponsor) level and higher.
Please note that several plants are available in very limited quantities. For some plants, we don't know the full range of hardiness, only how it has behaved at the JC Raulston Arboretum. Sometimes, we cannot find any information in our references on a particular taxon. This does not mean that the plant doesn't exist, perhaps just that we are staying one step ahead of published information. One of the purposes of the Arboretum is to test new plants for suitability to the southeastern United States. By growing some of these "new-to-us" plants in your own garden, you can be a part of this evaluation process. Feedback from you is invaluable!
Happy choosing, and thank you for your continued and invaluable support of the JC Raulston Arboretum.
To submit your selections, please use the form link in the e-mail you received on February 21, 2024 from Kathryn Wall. If you need assistance, please e-mail Kathryn at kbwall@ncsu.edu or call (919) 513-7004 Selections should be placed no later than end of day March 3, 2024.
Note: The distribution year listed below is the year the plants were awarded. Members request them early the following year. And they're picked up or delivered shortly thereafter.
2001 Plant Selection
Small deciduous tree. Foliage and form like Japanese maple with gray-green bark. Red-orange fall color. Plants grown from seed collected from our original tree dating back to the 1985 Korean expedition.
- small tree to 20' in 10 years
- plant in part shade
- hardy to zone 4
- green flowers in spring
- great fall color
Semi-evergreen twining vine. Flowers are rich orange with yellow throat inside. Best flowering in full sun. This plant was originally found by Dr. Michael Dirr from a plant growing on Jekyll Island off the coast of Georgia. 1 gallon, 10" tall
- to 18'–30'
- plant in sun
- hardy
Browallia americana
bush violet
Annual with small blue flowers with white centers. Prolific bloomer in full sun. A tender plant. Most seed sold in United States is from dwarf selections. These are from wild-type seed, and the resulting plants are robust and in constant bloom. (1 quart)
A JC Raulston Arboretum 2001 release. This is a hybrid between Sincalycanthus chinensis and the native Calycanthus floridus. It is a medium-sized shrub with large glossy leaves and 3" wide wine-colored flowers that are blushed white, blooming from spring through early summer. Grows best in partial shade. The first offering of this plant! 1 gallon, 6" tall.
- deciduous shrub to 8'–10'
- plant in sun to part shade
- hardy
- burgundy flowers in spring
Medium-sized, broadleaf, 30', evergreen tree, related to evergreen oaks. Rich, dark green foliage, iridescent bronze on the undersides. Formerly known as Lithocarpus chinensis. Zone 7. Native to China. Sun to light shade. (Cutting-grown plants)
- semi-hardy
Large shrub or small deciduous tree. Bright yellow flowers in spring. Dark glossy leaves and gray-brown exfoliating bark. A plant selected at the JC Raulston Arboretum for its outstanding heat tolerance, compared to other cultivars. 1 quart.
- to 15'–25'
- plant in sun to partial shade
- hardy
Small broadleaf evergreen tree with large glossy three-lobed leaves on juvenile plants. Yellowish-green flowers followed by black fruit. Not well known, but hardy through Zone 7. Appears almost tropical. 1 gallon, 1' tall.
- evergreen shrub to 15'–25'
- plant in sun to shade
- hardy to zone 7
- yellowish green flowers in fall
- black fruit in winter
Digitalis viridiflora
green foxglove
A herbaceous perennial foxglove with clean, dark green, smooth leaves and spikes of greenish-yellow flowers. Native to the Balkans. Seed from German seed exchange. 2 gallon with nice, large rosettes.
Diospyros japonica
Japanese date-plum
Deciduous tree closely allied to Diospyros lotus of Eurasia. Medium-sized shade tree with nice fall color, and our specimens showed no signs whatsoever of the leaf spot that plagues our native persimmon (Diospyros virginiana). These plants were grown from seed wild-collected in Taiwan. 1 quart. Very nice specimens.
- deciduous tree to 30'
- plant in sun to part shade
- hardy to zone 7b
Small deciduous shrub with nodding terminal clusters of very fragrant yellow flowers clothed with silky hairs. Blooms in winter. Plant in shade to part shade. (1 quart)
- deciduous shrub to 4'–6' tall
- plant in sun to shade
- hardy zone 7
- fragrant yellow/white flowers in winter–early spring
- winter flowers
Deciduous shrub with blue-green foliage. Creamy-white flowers in late winter have silvery-silky flower buds. Plant in shaded protected site. 'Eco Yaku' is a superior form of this species, collected by Don Jacobs (of Eco Gardens) on an expedition to Yakushima Island, off the southern coast of Japan. (1 quart, 10"–12" tall)
- hardy
Forsythia ×intermedia 'Tremonia'
forsythia
Deciduous shrub with yellow spring flowers. Sun. Attractive, deeply cut leaves, unusual for forsythia cultivars, with a vigorous upright habit.
Deciduous shrub or small tree. Showy white flowers in summer to fall, often coinciding with rich scarlet fall color. Locate in partial shade. Once native to southern Georgia on the banks of the Altamaha River, but now considered extinct and only known from cultivation.
- deciduous tree to 30'
- plant in sun to part shade
- hardy
- white flowers in late summer
Helianthus giganteus (pale yellow)
giant sunflower
Herbaceous perennial sunflower reaching heights of 5'–6' tall. Attractive foliage, topped by large clusters of pale yellow flowers in late summer to early autumn. A show-stopper when in flower.
Helianthus 'J.C.'s Buttercream'
sunflower
Herbaceous perennial sunflower, a tall-growing plant reaching up to 5'. In autumn, plants produce a profusion of soft yellow blooms. Originated as a chance hybrid in the Perennial Border at the Arboretum.
Herbaceous perennial sunflower with yellow flowers produced in September to October. Tolerant of heavy or wet soils. An uncommon native sunflower found in several southeastern U.S. states.
- herbaceous perennial to 3'–8' tall
- plant in sun
- hardy
- yellow flowers in October
- showy seed heads fruit in fall and winter
- butterfly pollinator friendly, attracts birds
- glorious floral display in October
"A newly introduced hydrangea found in the Tunica Hills region of Louisiana, a place renowned for its rich flora. This cultivar, supplied to us by David Creech, Ph.D., of Stephen F. Austin University's Mast Arboretum, has been the most vigorous of all the oakleaf hydrangeas that we have grown to date. It was originally listed under the name 'Angola Prison'."
- hardy
Hylotelephium telephium
common orpine
Evergreen herbaceous perennial with 1'–2' spread. Flowers are red-purple in late summer. Blue-gray, succulent foliage.
Hypericum aviculariifolium subsp. uniflorum
Low-growing, sub-shrubby to spreading plant with small (1/4") blue-green leaves, offset by bright yellow flowers in summer. Plants were grown from seed supplied to us from a botanical garden in Hungary. (1 quart)
Hypericum erectum
Herbaceous perennial St. John's-wort from Japan. Green leaves with small yellow flowers on erect stems in mid- to late summer. Grown from seed from Japan. (1 quart, 1' tall)
A more compact and improved form of the broadleaf evergreen shrub, yellow anise-tree, with darker green leaves. Does well in wet soils and sun or shade—more sun tolerant than any other Illicium. A recent introduction by Michael Dirr, Ph.D., of the University of Georgia.
- broadleaf evergreen shrub to 10'–15' tall
- plant in part sun
- hardy
- yellow-green flowers in late spring
- brown fruit in fall
- lovely green foliage, darker than wild type
A stunning new hybrid of the red-flowered Illicium mexicanum and white-flowered Illicium floridanum f. album introduced by Woodlanders Nursery. Ruby-pink starfish-like flowers are larger than those on either parent. Extended blooming period from the Mexican parent. Destined to be a future winner.
- evergreen shrub to 8' or more
- plant in sun to part shade
- hardy to zone 7
- ruby-pink flowers in early summer–fall
- deer resistant
- a flowering machine
A species which we received from a seed exchange company in China several years ago. Pubescent leaves with yellow flowers and black seed. Cold hardy in Raleigh. Medium-sized deciduous shrub. Cuttings from our original plant.
- deciduous shrub to 3'–5' tall
- plant in sun to light shade
- hardy
- yellow flowers in spring
Juniperus virginiana 'Woodlander's Weeping'
weeping eastern redcedar
Large evergreen tree with pendulous branches. Originated from cuttings collected by Woodlanders Nursery from a specimen growing in Hancock County, Georgia. (1 gallon, 8" tall)
- hardy
Kadsura japonica 'Shiromi'
Japanese kadsura vine
Evergreen vine of modest growth rate with yellowish white flowers followed by white to pink-tinged fruit. Sun to shade. Zone 7. Native to Japan to Korea. (12" plants)
Lagerstroemia indica 'Low Flame'
crepe myrtle
One of several dwarf crepe myrtles from Greenleaf Nursery, listed as growing only to 3'–6' or 6'–12', depending on the source. 'Low Flame' produces reddish-pink flowers in summer.
Lathyrus chloranthus 'Lemonade'
yellow sweet pea
A relative of sweet-pea with yellow flowers. (1 quart, good sized)
Lonicera periclymenum 'Graham Thomas'
European woodbine
Deciduous twining vine with abundant, large white to yellow flowers. Cultivar named for the famed British plantsman, Graham Stuart Thomas. One of the most striking of the honeysuckles when it is in flower.
- hardy
Twining, deciduous vine with bright, 2" orange-red tubular flowers, yellow inside in summer. Red berries set in fall. Great for hummingbirds. Prolific bloomer, even into a mild winter. Zone 4. Cuttings taken from a plant saved from the West Arboretum construction site.
- hardy
Penstemon 'Purple Tiger'
beard-tongue
Hardy herbaceous perennial with showy purple flowers held on erect stalks, similar in appearance to foxglove (Digitalis). (1 gallon)
Small, compact and dense shrub with rounded habit. Soft yellow flowers persist from June to frost. Full sun for best flowering. Performs well in dry locations. Despite the fact that the shrubby Potentillas are not known to grow in the southern United States, this cultivar has performed well beyond our expectations, forming a nice plant with spring interest.
- hardy
Red-flowered evergreen azalea with superior resistance to root rot. An NC State University introduction. Hybridized by and named in honor of Fred Cochran, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of the NC State University's Department of Horticultural Science.
- evergreen shrub to 3'
- plant in sun to shade
- hardy
- red flowers in spring
Salix alba 'Dart's Snake'
contorted white willow
Large, deciduous tree with contorted branches, long leaves, and yellow bark. Great for wet areas and good winter interest. Fast growth rate.
- Narrowly upright deciduous small tree to 15'
- plant in sun
- hardy
Salix purpurea 'Pendula'
weeping purple willow
Weeping pussy-willow with purple twigs. Medium-sized deciduous shrub good in wet locations.
- deciduous tree/shrub to 8'–15'
- plant in sun
- hardy
- white-green catkins flowers in spring
Spiraea japonica 'Gumball'
Japanese spirea
Compact, deciduous shrub producing pink flowers in flat-topped clusters in late spring. Fall color a muted purple.
An exciting new cultivar of the commonly known Thunberg spirea. Unlike the typical white-flowered form, this cultivar produces flowers, pink in bud, opening to an apple-blossom white. Fall color can be intense red to orange to purple. (1 gallon, 1' tall)
- deciduous shrub to 3'–5'
- plant in sun to part shade
- hardy
- apple-blossom pink flowers in early spring
Thermopsis chinensis
Chinese false lupine
This herbaceous perennial is closely related to both the lupines and the false-indigos (Baptisia). Plants produce abundant spikes of clear-yellow flowers in spring—best display occurs in full sun. From seeds collected at a garden in Germany.
- herbaceous perennial to 15"
- plant in sun
- hardy
- yellow flowers in spring
This superb dwarf form of American arborvitae hails from University of Connecticut. Mature plants form a tight, dense globe, only 3' tall after five to ten years. Plants are derived from cuttings salvaged from the original specimen that formerly grew in the West Arboretum (now the construction area). (2 gallon, 8" tall)
Thuja plicata 'Grovpli'
Spring Grove western redcedar
This beautiful new cultivar was received from Michael Dirr, Ph.D. Good as a specimen planting or as a quick-growing screen. It is similar in many regards to the widely planted 'Green Giant'. (2 gallon, 8" tall)
- hardy
This northern form of the false arborvitae from Japan displays densely-set, dark green foliage. For us, the plant forms a dense shrub, although in cooler climates it forms an upright (cone-shaped), evergreen tree.
- evergreen shrub to 8'
- plant in sun to part shade
- hardy
This form of the false arborvitae displays branch tips speckled creamy white, which on well-grown specimens, gives the entire plant a white cast. Our plant grows as a shrub, but in cooler climates, may be tree-statured.
- evergreen shrub to 15'
- plant in sun to light shade
- hardy