Montgomery County
Cooperative Extension
1015 Bridge Road, Suite H
Collegeville, PA 19426
610-489-4315
610-489-9277 FAX
montgomeryext@psu.edu
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The Salt Tolerant Garden at
the Montgomery County Learning Gardens
The Salt Tolerant Garden is located 5 feet off the main road running parallel to it for 250 feet. The garden was designed to highlight herbaceous perennials that are tolerant of salt that is applied to the road during the winter months for snow and ice. De-icers, often sodium chloride, can pose a challenge for plants near roadways, sidewalks and other hardscape areas. Spray from plows and vehicles, and run off leaches into the soil. High salt levels in the soil interrupt water uptake by the plant often resulting in dieback of the stem or buds, discolored or scorched foliage, stunted or reduced plant growth, early fall defoliation and plant death. Not all plants are impacted to the same extent by these salts. Salt threshold levels for plants will vary by species as well as by environmental stresses, such as drought, temperature, sunlight, wind, etc.
Choosing Plants for Salt Areas
Plants with moderate to high tolerance for salt are important to select for areas where de-icer salt will be used. The following tables from the University of Minnesota are examples of high and moderate salt tolerant herbaceous plants. In addition to those, we have found the following to be salt tolerant: Geranium, Coreopsis, Veronica, Gaillardia Blanket flower, Achillea ‘Moongold’, and Iberis sempervirens Candytuft.
Herbaceous Plants with High Salt Tolerance
|
|
Scientific Name
|
Common Name
|
| Aquilegia micrantha | Cliff columbine |
| Calamagrostis acutifolia 'Karl Foerster' | Karl Foerster reed grass |
| Dianthus pulminarious 'Allwood' | Helen Allwood pinks |
| Dianthus x 'Little Boy Blue' | Little Boy Blue pinks |
| Dianthus gratianopolitanus | Spotti pinks |
| Lotus corniculatus | Bird's foot trefoil |
| Machaeranthera xylorrhiza | Common woody aster |
| Schizachyrium scoparium | Little bluestem |
| Waldsteinia fragarioides | Barren strawberry |
| Herbaceous Plants with Moderate Salt Tolerance | |
| Scientific Name | Common Name |
| Artemisia schmidtiana 'Sliver Mound' | Silver mound estuca a |
| Festuca 'Elijah Blue' | Elijah Blue estuca grass |
| Hosta spp | Hosta |
| Hemerocallis 'Stella d'Oro' | Stella d'oro daylily |
| Hemerocallis fulva | Tawny daylily |
| Helleborus orientalis | Lenten rose |
| Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple' | Palace Purple coral bells |
| Oenothera caespitosa | Evening primrose |
| Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' | Sedum 'Autumn Joy' |
| Sphaeralcea coccinea | Prairie mallow |
| Yucca glauca | Soapweed |
Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied.
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity
of its workforce.
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