cup plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Named for the cup-shaped vase where leaves join the stalk, these tall perennials hold water … 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
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
Indian pink
Spigelia marilandica
A long flowering woodland perennial with unique flowers that attract pollinators — especially hummingbirds. This … Continued
prairie dropseed grass
Sporobolus heterolepis
2′ narrow-leaved, fragrant native grass. Incredibly attractive in bloom and seed. NATIVE TO THE UPPER … Continued
Princes’ plume
Stanleya pinnata
Spectacular, yellow plumes in mid-summer on this tall, showy perennial. Low, basal leaves are topped … Continued
celandine, wood poppy
Stylophorum diphyllum
This woodland wildflower occurs most often in moist woodlands and along streams and features 4-petaled, … Continued
sundrops, narrowleaf evening primrose
Oenothera fruticosa
Sundrops prefer moderately fertile, dry, well-drained soil in full sun to very light shade. Good … Continued
sweet Joe-pye weed
Eutrochium {Eupatorium} purpureum
Shade tolerant and showy, this easy-to-grow native stays in place in the garden and invites … Continued