A lush Petworth blooms in August from the rain
/Lavender and fuschia crepe myrtles at the 8th and Randolph triangle park.
We’ve gotten plenty of rain for most of the summer, so the neighborhood is looking especially verdant this year! Now when do we get a break from the humidity?
If you’ve found yourself walking around our beautiful neighborhood admiring the flowers and wondering what you’re looking at, we’re here to help. Welcome to "Petworth Blooming,” a popular series featuring some of the most common plants and flowers seen around Petworth. Follow @petworthblooms on Instagram for additional photos of our neighborhood flora.
One of a small handful of summer flowering trees is the Crepe Myrtle (seen above). Originally from India, Southeast Asia and Oceania, these trees love all the hot weather we’ve been having. In addition to great flowers, mature trees develop beautiful mottled bark. Pink, purple and white are the most common colors; some cultivars have dark purplish leaves as well.
Yellow sunflowers on Illinois Avenue NW.
Summer wouldn’t be complete without the Sunflower. Beloved by kids, adults and bees. Plenty of sizes and colors to choose from, but often need some staking and regular watering to get the best results.
Orange sunflower on Delafield Street NW
Agastache or Hyssop is a great native plant that’s quite easy to grow. It has long lasting upright blooms that are very attractive to a variety of pollinators. This member of the mint family has the characteristic square stems that are the easiest identifier of mints. Available colors include light blue, yellow and orange.
Agastache in Grant Circle
Cosmos come in a whole universe of colors and a range of leaf shapes. These summer annuals are pretty much foolproof to grow from seed and are very drought tolerant. They can sometimes end up looking a little too wild depending on your taste or available space.
Purple cosmos on Decatur Street NW
Zinnias are an easy to grow annual that love hot, dry weather. They will reseed themselves if the flowerheads are left on the plant. Lots of bright pinks, yellows, oranges and reds are available, and many different plants heights too. Some species stay under a foot, while others can get to at least four feet. If you have a sunny spot, these are practically fool proof.
Short growing zinnias on Varnum Street
Rose of Sharon bushes are blooming all over Petworth right now. They come in both white and various shades of pink. Originally from China, they are now grown in gardens throughout the world. These plants are members of the mallow family which includes tropical hibiscus, cotton, and cacao (chocolate) plants!
Double-petaled Rose-of-Sharon at St Gabriel’s church on Grant Circle.
One of my personal favorite flowers blooming now is Spotted Beebalm. This member of the mint family has spotted yellow flowers held in clusters above lavender bracts. There’s a lot of variety within the species in terms of how bright both the flowers and bracts appear. It is easily distinguished from other beebalms by having multiple flower clusters arranged vertically on a single stalk.
Spotted beebalm at the 4th and Buchanan triangle park. Coreopsis and agastache providing color in the background.
A flower which I’d never noticed until this year is the aptly named Surprise Lily. The flowers only last for a little more than a week, so if you aren’t looking at the right time you’ll easily miss these delightful pink flowers. The leaves die back much earlier in the year, so the flowers appear on stalks that seemingly come from nowhere.
Surprise lily on Upshur Street
A colorful summer flower, Lantana is usually an annual in our climate since it normally grows in tropical regions. There are many varieties sporting different growth habits and flower colors. The rounded clusters of flowers are well liked by butterflies and it will keep blooming all summer.
A medium sized lantana on 4th Street NW
A much shorter growing variety of lantana on Delafield Street.
Annual Vinca are looking quite lovely now. With bright tropical flower colors and glossy leaves these guys really stand out. Originally from Madagascar, they are available in pink, red, purple and white.
Purple and pink vinca, plus yellow zinnias on Sherman Circle.
So what's blooming in September? We’ll talk about that, next month! Meanwhile, enjoy the scenery around Petworth.
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