red maple
Acer rubrum
Native trees renowned for their incredible red fall color, these trees have a life span … Continued
browsing: Keystone Plant
Keystone plants are native plants critical to the food web and necessary for many wildlife species to complete their life cycle. Without keystone plants in the landscape, butterflies, native bees, and birds will not thrive. 96% of our terrestrial birds rely on insects supported by keystone plants.
There are two types of keystone plants: Host plants that feed the young caterpillars of approximately 90% of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera).
Plants that feed specialist bees who only eat pollen from specific plants. Keystone plants for native bees feed both specialist and generalist bees.
‘Bluebird’ aster
Symphyotrichum laevis 'Bluebird'
A Mt. Cuba selection of the native smooth aster introduced by Dr. Richard Lighty, this … Continued
clump river birch
Betula nigra
Vigorous, fast-growing, medium-sized, native deciduous tree which occurs on floodplains, swampy bottomlands, and along streams. … Continued
box elder
Acer negundo
This hardy, fast-growing native tree can survive dry and extremely cold conditions. Food source for … Continued
shagbark hickory
Carya ovata
A long-lived shade tree with a straight trunk, excellent shade. This Midwest native is named … Continued
pecan
Carya illinoinensis
This massive shade tree is the pecan producer of the industry. Lustrous, dark green foliage … Continued
downy sunflower, ashy sunflower
Helianthus mollis
Fine hairs cover the stems and leaves, giving this native perennial a gray-green color. A … Continued
Maximilian sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
State flower of Kansas Clusters of bright yellow flowers in September atop 6-8′ stalks. An … Continued
Prairie crabapple
Malus ioensis
This small native tree has spreading branches and a broad, open crown and sometimes grows … Continued
cottonwood
Populus deltoides
State tree of Kansas! Broad open crown of widely spreading branches covered in lustrous, bright … Continued
oak
Quercus species
Oaks are without doubt one of the most important trees of the Northern Hemisphere. Historically, … Continued
black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Huge 3-4″ deep yellow blooms with dark brown eye cover this black-eyed Susan from late … Continued