By Blane Eshbach 

Have you been looking to add a new tree, shrub, edible, vine, or perennial plant to your garden? Check out the PHS Gold Medal Plant list  for inspiration! We recently awarded six new plants with the distinguished title for 2025.  

“The PHS Gold Medal Plant program provides amateur and professional gardeners alike with unique plant species suggestions to help refresh their gardens with easy-to-grow, hardy perennials, trees, shrubs, and edibles, many of which also bring ecological function to the garden and benefit local wildlife,” said Andrew Bunting, PHS’s Vice President of Horticulture. “This year’s Gold Medal Plant winners provide a wide array of plant recommendations that are well-suited to many different types of garden spaces, making it simple to find a plant that is right for your garden’s conditions.”    

What Makes a Plant a “Gold Medal Plant”?   

Gold Medal Plants are selected for their ease of cultivation, multiple seasons of interest, commercial availability, appropriateness for the Mid-Atlantic region, and value to wildlife.  PHS's database of these plants is highly sought after by gardeners, nurseries, and other horticulturists to see the annual choices!  

How are Gold Medal Plants Chosen?   

PHS annually convenes nursery owners, horticulturists, expert gardeners, and professional growers to review newly available and classic species and cultivars, selecting the best-performing and most beautiful for inclusion in the Gold Medal Plant program.   

The PHS Gold Medal 2025 Winners

1. Acer rubrum Redpointe® 

Hardiness Zones 4-8  

About this plant: Native to North America, this tree is great at enduring heat and drought. It thrives best in well-drained, moist, rich, and slightly acidic soil but is also tolerant of wet conditions. In the fall, these trees sport vibrant red leaves, and when grown in full sun, they can grow to be 45”.

2. Amelanchier x grandiflora  ‘Autumn Brilliance’  

Hardiness Zones 3-9

About this plant: Commonly known as apple serviceberry, this deciduous shrub or small tree has an upright spreading habit and round canopy. In early to mid-spring, the tree is adorned with clusters of star-shaped white flowers. In the fall, its leaves turn vibrant reds and oranges from which it gets its cultivator name ‘Autumn Brilliance.’ It attracts songbirds and pollinators, is adaptable to a variety of soil conditions, and can grow to be 15”-25”. 

3. Carex cherokeensis ‘Cherokee Sedge’ 

Hardiness Zones 6-8

About this plant: This perennial is a stately species with grass-like foliage that is nearly evergreen in the Mid-Atlantic region, making it a great common landscape groundcover. The spring flowers and subsequent seed heads are attractive and add visual interest and texture until fall. It is 12’-24’ at maturity. 

4. Leucothoe axillaris  'ReJoyce' 

Hardiness Zones 5-7

About this plant: This native evergreen shrub is deer-resistant, adaptable to a wide range of light exposures, and particularly shade-tolerant. Beginning in spring, new red leaves emerge. White flowers form in clusters on arching branches. In the fall, the foliage turns a deep bronze-purple. It can grow to be 2”-4”. 

5. Monarda  ‘Gardenview Scarlet' 

Hardiness Zones 4-9

About this plant: This attractive clump-forming perennial has masses of vibrant red flowers that grow well in well-drained, humus-rich soils. ‘Gardenview Scarlet' attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators. It is deer resistant and selected for its resistance to powdery mildew. They can grow up to 3” in clumps.

6. Solidago rugosa  'Fireworks' 

Hardiness Zones 4-8

About this plant: Rough goldenrod is one of the best goldenrods for home gardens. It has a relatively compact habit, and it attracts scores of pollinators when it is in bloom in late summer and fall. The yellow flowers are small, fragrant, and resemble fireworks. They can grow to be 3”-4”. 

Cultivating a Greener Tomorrow

By choosing these exceptional Gold Medal Plants, carefully selected for their beauty, resilience, and ecological value, gardeners can create inspiring and sustainable landscapes that enrich both people and wildlife, nurturing a greener, more vibrant world for generations to come