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 16, 2026 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 1, 2026.

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.

2017 Plant Selection

Items 1–25 of 33

Buxus sinica var. insularis (spreading dwarf)
Korean boxwood

• evergreen shrub to 18" × 48"
• plant in sun to shade
• hardy
• deer resistant

Callicarpa americana 'Berries and Cream'
beautyberry

• deciduous shrub to 5'–8'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy
• in August–September

Callicarpa oshimensis
beautyberry

• deciduous shrub to 8'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy
• lavender flowers in spring
• purple fruit in summer to fall
• attracts birds

Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Barton'
Atlantic white-cedar

• woody conifer to 30'–50' tall
• plant in sun to part shade

Cryptomeria japonica 'Magic Dragon'
Japanese cedar

• evergreen conifer to 6'x12'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy

Dactylicapnos macrocapnos
yellow bleeding heart vine

• deciduous vine to 6'
• plant in shade
• hardy
• yellow flowers in all summer long
• butterfly/pollinator friendly

Dactylicapnos macrocapnos
yellow bleeding heart vine

• deciduous vine to 6'
• plant in shade
• hardy
• yellow flowers in all summer long
• butterfly/pollinator friendly

Dahlia imperialis (double white)
tree dahlia

• herbaceous perennial to 12'
• plant in sun
• hardy
• white flowers in fall

Gardenia jasminoides 'Shooting Star'
Cape jasmine

• flowering shrub to 3'–4'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy
• white flowers in late spring
• red fruit in late summer

Globba clarkei

• to 24"–36"
• plant in shade to partial shade

Grevillea 'Poorinda Leane'
spider flower

• evergreen shrub to 3' × 5'
• plant in sun
• hardy to zone 7b
• yellow-orange flowers in all season
• butterfly/pollinator friendly

Helwingia japonica
Japanese helwingia

• deciduous shrub to 5' × 5'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy
• light green flowers in spring

Hibiscus 'Peppermint Flare'
mallow

• hardy

Hibiscus syriacus 'Buddha Belly'
rose-of-Sharon

• flowering shrub to 10'
• plant in sun
• hardy to zone 7
• white flowers in summer

Millettia pulchra
summer wisteria

• deciduous subshrub to 3'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy
• light purple flowers in summer-fall
• fine textured foliage

Orixa japonica 'Summer Sunshine'
Japanese orixa

• deciduous shrub to 6'–8'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy
• deer resistant
• Gold new growth ages to chartreuse, best in some sun.

Paesia scaberula
scented fern

• herbaceous perennial to 1 foot
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 7
• deer resistant

Phegopteris hexagonoptera

Items 1–25 of 33