Achillea Milefolium - Yarrow
Description: Widely found along roadsides and in open fields, this Aster-family plant is easily identified by its feathery, fine, almost fern-like leaves. Many butterflies are attracted to yarrow nectar, while numerous species of moths and beetles use the plant as a larval host. Maxing out at under 2’ tall, plants spread by rhizomes and prefer well-drained, medium-to-sandy soils.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 12-18"; Bloom Time: June, July, August, September; Bloom Color: White
Allium Cernuum Nodding Onion
Description: Nodding Onion is renowned for the unique orientation of its flowers: the umbels face downward, "nodding" towards the ground. Allium cernuum grows best in full or partial sun and a variety of moist soil conditions; if those needs are met, this plant is very hardy, even doing well in damp clay. This plant is easy to grow and will gradually spread by seed and bulb offshoots in suitable sites. Plant in mass for a stunning display. Like all the Allium species, Nodding Onion has a pungent smell when crushed or bruised, making it deer-resistant. . Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry; Height: 18 inches; Bloom Time: July, August; Bloom Color: Purple.
Anaphalis Margaritacea - Pearly Everlasting
Description: The stems and elongated leaves of Pearly Everlasting are covered with white hairs. Clustered at the top of erect stems, the tiny yellow flowers are enclosed by white papery bracts, often mistaken for petals. The overall appearance is a pearly mound; a nice shape and color for a garden edge. Pearly everlasting is drought tolerant as it prefers full sun and dry, even rocky or poor soil conditions. Moderate shade and medium soils are also tolerated. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 2 feet; Bloom Time: June, July, August, September; Bloom Color: White
Aquilegia Canadensis - Columbine
Description: Aquilegia canadensis, columbine, also called red or American columbine, is one of the first plants to provide nectar in the spring for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Columbine is the larval host plant of the Columbine Duskywing. The colorful flowers are red flowing into yellow. Besides being an early bloomer, columbine will tolerate a large range of soil and sun types, so you'll have success with it in full sun as well as shade. It can grow in pine tree areas and is deer-resistant. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial, Shade; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 2 feet; Bloom Time: April, May, June; Bloom Color: Red. .
Asclepias Incarnata, Rose Milkweed
Description: Rose Milkweed is also commonly called Red Milkweed, Marsh Milkweed, or Swamp Milkweed. That lovely vanilla fragrance you detect coming from large, rosy pink flowers possibly hosting several Monarch or Swallowtail butterflies is Rose Milkweed. Like all members of the Asclepias genus, this milkweed is often used by monarch butterflies as a host plant. This deer-resistant plant grows best in moist soil but will tolerate average soils and blooms for about a month in midsummer. pots Sun exposure: full, partial; soil moisture: wet, medium-wet, medium; height: 4 feet; bloom time: June, July, August; bloom color: pink.
Asclepias Tuberosa, Butterfly Weed
Description: Asclepias tuberosa, butterfly weed, is most often a distinctive bright orange, but there is some variation in flower color, from deep red-orange to yellow. This distinctive color and the absence of the typical milky white sap that other milkweed species have make identification easy. The leaves are somewhat narrow, up to 1”, and tapered, with no stem and dark green in color. This is a great milkweed for a sunny location in a dry area. Butterfly weed needs a drier, well-drained location to successfully seed into and grow well. In older plants the long taproot can extend down many feet. Due to this deep, drought-tolerant taproot, it can be late to emerge in the spring, especially in northern climates, so be patient. . Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 2 feet; Bloom Time: June, July, August; Bloom Color: Orange
Asclepias Verticillata, Whorled Milkweed
Description: Asclepias verticillata (Whorled Milkweed) has very skinny, "whorled" leaves. When whorled milkweed is mature, it reaches a height around 2'. Whorled milkweed is deer- and rabbit-resistant. Please note, this species is rhizomatous and will spread. Whorled Milkweed can bloom anytime between July and September, which is later in the year than many other milkweeds. There are clusters of approximately 20 flowers near the top of each plant. The white flowers can be a greenish-white on some plants. The nectar of the flowers attracts many kinds of insects, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 2 Feet; Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: White.
Asclepias Speciosa, Showy Milkweed
Description: Asclepias speciosa has a similar appearance to common milkweed, but its pinkish-purple flowers have longer, tapered petals that are covered with fine hairs. These persistent, fragrant blooms are often described as looking like small crowns. Showy milkweed may be better suited in garden settings because it spreads less aggressively than common milkweed. Asclepias species are excellent nectar sources and are food for the larval stages of monarch and queen butterflies. The flowers attract many butterflies and hummingbirds. Sun Exposure: Full; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet; Bloom Time: June, July, August; Bloom Color: Purple.
Asclepias Syriaca, Common Milkweed
Description: Common milkweed is one of the easiest and fastest to establish of the milkweeds, and planting more, even in small urban pockets, can provide personal satisfaction while helping to counter increasing threats to our monarch butterfly population. The large flower can vary in color from nearly white to deep pink-purple. The fragrance is very delicate and pleasing, and numerous native pollinators will benefit during its long bloom time. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet; Bloom Time: June, July, August; Bloom Color: Pink.
Campanula Rotundifolia, Harebell
Description: Campanula rotundifolia, Harebell, is a delicate beauty with small blue-violet bell-shaped flowers that nod from the tips of slender stems, blooming in spurts from summer to fall. Rosettes of rounded basal leaves wither early after sending up clusters of wiry stems with long, narrow foliage. The slender flowering stems can rise up to 12 inches. Campanula rotundifolia does well in rocky soils and crevices, often self-seeding in retaining walls. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 12 inches; Bloom Time: June, July, August, September; Bloom Color: Purple
Chelone Glabra, Turtlehead
Description: Turtlehead is named for its pretty white blossoms, which resemble a turtle's head poking out from its shell. It is an important host plant, providing larval food for the lovely orange and brown Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly. Its nectar also attracts other butterflies, bumblebees, and ruby-throated hummingbirds. Turtlehead likes wet to moist soils and full to part sun. The plants have deep green foliage of lance-shaped leaves on upright stems and grow to 5 feet tall. They make a good choice for border and wet meadow plantings and will provide for a late summer bloom. Sun exposure: full; soil moisture: wet, medium-wet; height: 5 feet; bloom time: July, August, September; bloom color: cream, white.
Coreopsis lanceolata, Lance-leaf Coreopsis
Description: Lance-leaf Coreopsis waves brightly in late spring and early summer on sunny, even hot sites with dry, sandy or poor soil. The bright yellow, daisy-like flowers are about 1 1/2" in diameter and bloom Sun Exposure: Full; Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 2 feet; Bloom Time: May, June, July, August; Bloom Color: Yellow
Coreopsis tripteris, Tall Coreopsis
Description: As its name implies, Coreopsis tripteris (Tall Coreopsis) stands quite tall reaching heights of 7' and in some cases up to 9'.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry;
Height: 7 feet; Bloom Time: July, August, September, October; Bloom Color: Yellow
Coreopsis palmata-Prairie Coreopsis
Description: Prairie Coreopsis matures to a height of just 2'. Its root systems are fibrous and long-rhizomatous. Prairie Coreopsis prefers medium to dry soil conditions and is tolerant or poor soil conditions and drought. Its striking yellow flowers bloom for 3-4 weeks, usually in June and July. Dead-heading flowers can prolong bloom time. In addition to attracting many native pollinators, Beekeepers consider all Coreopsis species to be good honey sources.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 2 feet Bloom Time: June, July, August; Bloom Color: Yellow Pickup only.
Dalea purpurea, Purple Prairie Clover
Description: Purple prairie clover has a thimble-shaped flower arrangement which blooms from the bottom to the top. These purple flowers do not have a noticeable floral scent, but the flowers attract a number of pollinators. This plant is listed as a superfood for the Rusty Patched Bumblebee. Honeybees, bumblebees, cuckoo bees, leafcutter bees, and more visit the flowers for pollen and nectar.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 2 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: Purple Pickup only.
Echinacea pallida, Pale Purple Coneflower
Description: Pale Purple Coneflower grows up to 3' feet tall and has very pale purple to pink flowers. It blooms in early summer when only a few of the sun loving plants are in bloom and provides nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies, and the leaves provide food for the Ottoe-skipper larva.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet Bloom Time: June, July; Bloom Color: Pink
Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower
Description: A prairie classic! Purple Coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea ) has a fibrous root system with short woody rhizomes. It is a drought-tolerant perennial that is also deer resistant. The flowers are a golden red to purple and may release a slight fragrance in strong sunlight. They are much-loved by bees. Blooms appear June-September and some Purple Coneflowers may re-bloom in the fall, especially if dead-headed early on. Echinacea purpurea matures to 4' in height.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry Height: 4 feet; Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: Purple
Eryngium yuccifolium, Rattlesnake Master
Description: Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master) matures to a height of 4' and has white "bristly" flowers. These bristly flowers and coarse leaves make it largely ignored by deer and rabbits. It is typically found in medium-wet to medium-dry soils and prefers sites with full sun. Although not a butterfly or bumblebee magnet, small native bees, moths and flies will nectar on Rattlesnake Master.
Sun Exposure: Full; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry; Height: 4 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color white
Eupatorium perfoliatum, Boneset
Description: Growing in moist conditions, Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset) produces flat to roundish heads of white flowers. The stem is covered with long spreading hairs with leaves that are often joined at the base, appearing to surround the stem. Many different insect species are attracted to the flowers as the nectar is relatively easy to access. . Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet; Height: 4 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: White
Euphorbia corollate Flowering Spurge
Description: Flowering Spurge’s whorled stem and clumping habit means it can form a fluffy, cloud-like appearance, similar to that of Baby’s Breath. With this ornamental bunches of small white flowers make it a beautiful companion to native plantings. Peak blooms appear between June and August and can stick around for up to 6 weeks.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet Bloom Time: June, July, August; Bloom Color: White
Eurybia macrophylla, Big-leaved Aster
Description: Big-Leaved Aster gets its common name from its large, heart-shaped foliage, which has coarse-toothed edges reaching 8" across.. It's often planted for these large leaves as a shaded ground cover rather than for the sometimes-sparse fall flowers.
Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade; Soil Moisture; Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry Height: 12 inches; Bloom Time: August, September, October; Bloom Color: White
Eutrochium maculatum, Joe Pye Weed
Description: Joe Pye Weed is a very tall plant, up to 6' in the best sun/soil conditions, but strong stems support the flowering plant so it rarely needs to be staked. These attractive stems are almost the same color as the dusty rose-colored flowers, which will bloom for many weeks in July and August, becoming absolute magnets for dozens of species of butterflies.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet; Height: 5 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: Pink
Geranium maculatum, Wild Geranium
Description: Wild Geranium is one species that you just can't pass up. Native to much of eastern North America, it never disappoints. It has lovely dissected leaves, beautiful pinkish-purple flowers, and it readily spreads, forming stunning patches that everything from bees to butterflies can't resist. Mostly found in woodlands in the wild, it does just as well in full sun!
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial, Shade; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry; Height: 12 inches Bloom Time: April, May, June, July; Bloom Color: Purple
Geum triflorum, Prairie Smoke
Description: Blooming in spring to early summer, Prairie Smoke will spread slowly from its roots in well-drained, dry to wet-mesic soils. It prefers full to partial sun.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry Height: 8 inches; Bloom Time: April, May, June; Bloom Color: Pink
Helenium autumnale, Sneezeweed
Description: The large and numerous daisy-like, yellow flowers of Helenium autumnale can provide welcome color in late summer and autumn when many other blossoms have disappeared. Sneezeweed prefers full to partial sun and wet to wet-medium soils. Despite its common name, it presents no problems for most allergy sufferers. Its pollen is distributed by insects, not wind.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet; Height: 4 feet Bloom Time: August, September, October; Bloom Color: Yellow
Helianthus occidentalis, Western Sunflower
Description: Western Sunflower grows lankily up to 3 feet tall, where the brilliant yellow flower head blooms. Helianthus occidentalis can be easily identified through its lack of leaves all the way up the stalk. the Western Sunflower prefers to grow in drier soils where it can receive full to partial sun. Western Sunflower does well in the sandiest of soils and is generally found in upland prairies. Western Sunflower is frequently visited by pollinator friends including bees, common for passing by birds, such as Doves and Goldfinches, to feed on the seeds.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: Yellow
Heuchera richardsonii, Prairie Alumroot
Description: Prairie Alumroot begins and ends its growing season debut with a mounded basal rosette of curly-edged foliage; the leaves are quite hairy on their undersides. Juvenile plants may exhibit some variegation with either white or red-tinged hues. Flowering stalks rise from the center of each clump, often reaching 2 feet tall – sometimes 3’ – before setting blooms. Heuchera richardsonii acclimates to a wide range of soil moisture, but it performs best when situated in an area with plenty of sand, gravel, or other materials that would allow for water to drain readily from the site. This plant tolerates more sun in the northern reaches of its native range. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry Height: 2 feet; Bloom Time: May, June, July; Bloom Color: Green
Iris virginica - Southern Blue Flag Iris
Description: Blue Flag Iris, usually grows in large patches that expand outward from rhizomes. It is 2’-3’ high with the leaves on the flower stem growing slightly taller than the flower. Bloom time is from late spring to early summer. Southern Blue Flag Iris prefers full sun to part shade and will not bloom well if it has more shade than sun. It grows best in moist soils that are not too heavy but will tolerate some brief flooding early in the season and moderate dryness in late summer.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium; Height: 3 feet Bloom T: May, June, July; Bloom Color: Purple
Liatris aspera - Rough Blazing Star
Description: Liatris aspera (Button or Rough Blazing Star) matures to 3' in height and has purple flowers. This Liatris prefers medium to dry soil conditions and will bloom for many weeks in the months of July to October. It grows best in full sun but can tolerate a fair amount of shade.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September, October; Bloom Color: Purple
Liatris aspera - Rough Blazing Star
Description: Liatris aspera (Button or Rough Blazing Star) matures to 3' in height and has purple flowers. This Liatris prefers medium to dry soil conditions and will bloom for many weeks in the months of July to October. It grows best in full sun but can tolerate a fair amount of shade.
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September, October; Bloom Color: Purple
Liatris cylindracea-Dwarf Blazing Star
Description: Liatris cylindracea is an herbaceous perennial that belongs to the aster family. The shortest of the Liatris species, Liatris cylindracea grows to be about 1’ tall. Because of its size, it does not compete with tall, aggressive plants well. Dwarf Blazing Star prefers dry soils and full sun. This Liatris is highly drought tolerant. Its habitats include black soil prairies, hill prairies, oak savannas, rocky cliffs, and other areas of little disturbance. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 12 inches Bloom Time: July, August, September, October; Bloom Color: Purple
Liatris scariosa - Northern Blazing Star
Description: It prefers medium to dry soils, especially with a sandy or rocky component. It can grow between 2' - 3' tall; taller in rich or moist soils. The purple flowers are thistle-like and are typically about 1” across. The flowers grow in columned bunches that can extend up to 18” of the overall plant stem. These flowers attract many bees and butterflies, especially bumblebees and Monarch butterflies. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry; Height: 3 feet Bloom Time: August, September; Bloom
Color: purple
Liatris spicata - Dense/Marsh Blazing Star
Description: The most moisture-tolerant of Liatris species, this Blazing Star does equally well in sunny, well-drained garden sites. For about three weeks in mid- to late summer, it sports purple wands of stemless, crowded flowers, facing all directions and blossoming from the top of the stem down. Marsh Blazing Star is its other common name. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium; Height: 5 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: Purple
Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal Flower
Description: Cardinal Flower is named for its beautiful scarlet red flowers which are an important nectar source for hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies. They grow best in moist, rich soils in full sun to partial shade. Cardinal flower is a showy plant great for the garden or wetland planting. Its blossoms also make excellent cut flowers. Sun Exposure: Full, Partial; Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet; Height: 4 feet Bloom Time: July, August, September; Bloom Color: Red