it may feel as though cimicii'ugas, an almost-instant favourite, have always been a part of the gardener's late-season arsenal, but up until 20 years ago, it was rare to see any members of the genus in Canadian flower beds. Thanks to the introductionof the Danish-bred cultivar 'Brunette' in the early 1990s, though, cimicifugas quickly found themselves in the horticultural limelight. The first variety to produce truly dark, purplish-brown foliage, it was quickly accepted as having ornamental qualities for three seasons rather than one. Single-handedly, 'Brunette' ushered in a new wave of cultivars known as the Atropurpurea Group, which soon became mainstays of the fall border. Since then, cimicifugas have joined that exclusive group of perennials that flower as Thanksgiving draws near (e.g., re-blooming daylilies, sedums, Michaelmas daisies and Japanese anemones), giving the autumn garden a much needed shot in the arm.
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