little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Perennial Plant Association 2022 Perennial Plant of the Year! State grass of Kansas Silvery-blue foliage … Continued
browsing: native perennials
Native plants have evolved over thousands of years alongside native wildlife and therefore offer the most useful habitat. Native plants feed bugs at every stage of life, and bugs are the very foundation for our entire food web.
Our prairie natives require less water, and are adapted to grow in our soil types and temperature extremes, so they do well without requiring extensive resources and chemicals. Native plants help in management of rainwater runoff and maintain healthy soil with their deep root systems.
Native vs Native Cultivar
three-leaved stonecrop
Sedum ternatum
This small, spreading native perennial typically occurs in damp locations along stream banks, bluff bases … Continued
Maryland wild senna
Senna {Cassia} marilandica
Maryland wild senna is a perennial flowering native that blooms in summer and grows up … Continued
wild senna
Cassia hebecarpa
Round, pea-like foliage on 4-6′ tall plants with dark yellow, pea-like blooms in summer. We … Continued
royal catchfly
Silene regia
Hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies are attracted to this bright red flowering native. Sticky glands cover … Continued
compass plant
Silphium laciniatum
A native perennial which occurs in prairies throughout most of the Midwest. Tall, sturdy plant … Continued
cup plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Named for the cup-shaped vase where leaves join the stalk, these tall perennials hold water … Continued
prairie dock
Silphium terebinthinaceum
Native to prairies, railroad right-of-ways, and other exposed habitats in the Midwest and portions of … Continued
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Showy goldenrod is a rhizomatous native perennial which typically occurs in dry soils in open … Continued
Stiff Goldenrod
Oligoneuron rigidum {Solidago rigida}
Large, flat medium yellow flower clusters provide late-season nectar for butterflies and, later, seed for … Continued
‘Fireworks’ goldenrod
Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks'
Lacy, radiating bloom spikes of sparkling golden-yellow from mid-September past mid-October. Plants grow 3-4′ high. … Continued
Indian grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Upright clumps of slender, blue-green leaves 1/2″ wide. Foliage turns orange-yellow in fall. Stems are … Continued