The High Line Blog

  • Plant of the Week: Queen Anne’s lace

    By Ayinde Listhrop August 14, 2017
    Photo by Ayinde Listhrop As you enter or exit the park towards the northern most section of the High Line, you'll notice a self-seeded display featuring hundreds of white flowers covering the length of the Interim walkway. Aggressive and hardy, yet alluringly attractive, Daucus carota i... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Firetail Mountain Fleece

    By Matt Vermeulen August 7, 2017
    Many beautiful blooms on the High Line are fleeting— for example, spring ephemerals pop up for only a few weeks and are soon gone. But Firetail mountain fleece, this week's plant, is long-blooming, sometimes lasting until the year's first frost. Currently it's in peak form in the Washington Gr... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Bellflower Clematis

    By EM Rodriguez July 31, 2017
    The Vegetal Screen is a seated bench area located near the Tenth Avenue Square with trellises for perennial vines, such as Major Wheeler Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens 'Major Wheeler') and Autumn Revolution™ American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens 'Bailumn'). Among these climbers the b... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Hoary Skullcap

    By Donavon T. Falls July 24, 2017
    Tucked away in the northernmost section of the High Line, this native wildflower puts on a stunning display in the mid-to late summer months. Blooming effervescently with its pale lavender and deep purple flowers, Scutellaria incana, common name hoary skullcap, consistently attracts a wide v... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Wild Spurge

    By Ayinde Listhrop July 17, 2017
    Euphorbia corollata is one of three kinds of Euphorbia that you can find on the High Line. It's a small herbaceous perennial that features tall slender stems, alternate leaves and dainty looking flowers. In the wild, Euphorbia corollata can be found growing in the woods and fields of the Unit... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Mexican Hat

    By Matt Vermeulen July 11, 2017
    Many people think the High Line that exists today is "natural", exactly like it was when it was when the rail track was abandoned in the 1980's. In fact, almost every bit of the High Line was planted according to our master plan. However, the design is not set in stone. Piet Oudolf wants his c... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Swamp Azalea

    By EM Rodriguez July 7, 2017
    There are two Rhododendron species represented in the High Line collection, both located in the Flyover woodland garden. The swamp azalea, Rhododendron viscosum, is in full, fragrant bloom. It is an openly branched shrub that grows up to 12 feet tall, but on average maxes at 5 feet. The lea... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Hay-Scented Fern

    By Donavon T. Falls June 26, 2017
    Photo by Ayinde Listhrop Dennstaedtia punctilobula is a new addition to the High Line this year, and it already provides an immediate contribution to the park's visual aesthetic during these early summer months. With hairy yellow-green fronds, which appear radiant in the afternoon sun, it... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Walker’s Low Persian catmint

    By Ayinde Listhrop June 19, 2017
    Nepeta racemosa is an herbaceous perennial native to the Caucasus, Turkey and Iran. Purple flowers bloom on spikes from late spring through fall and are loved by hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects. Cats are also interested in this plant! The leaves and stems of Nepet... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Red Feather Clover

    By Matt Vermeulen June 12, 2017
    Without the work of bees and other pollinators, we would not have fruits, nuts, berries or vegetables. But despite their importance to our very existence, many people have an irrational fear of bees. For people with an allergy, a bee sting can be serious, but for most it's merely an annoyance.... read more