Illinois bundleflower
Desmanthus illinoensis
White flowers in summer open over delicate fern-like foliage. Supports bees and various game birds … 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
shooting star
Dodecatheon meadia
Nodding blooms point upward and away from the pointed red and yellow flower center, resembling … Continued
downy phlox
Phlox pilosa
These long-blooming perennials thrive in rocky or dry open woods, meadows, and prairies. An upright … Continued
marginal wood fern
Dryopteris marginalis
Leathery leaves are a beautiful addition to the woodland garden and can form a lovely … Continued
pale purple coneflower
Echinacea pallida
Echinacea pallida is easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun … Continued
narrow-leaved purple coneflower
Echinacea angustifolia
This Great Plains native blooms in late spring to mid-summer. It is found growing in … Continued
purple coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Showy purple flowers in July and August on plants that grow to 2-3′. Like its … Continued
yellow coneflower
Echinacea paradoxa
A 2-4′ yellow-flowering native. Like its cousins, flowers make great cuts, butterflies are attracted to … Continued
horsetail
Equisetum hyemale
Hollow, segmented, tubular stems grow to 4′ tall and grow in dry soils to wet, … Continued
purple love grass
Eragrostis spectabilis
Masses of reddish-purple panicle blooms are beautiful in large sweeps.
rattlesnake master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Beautiful native growing to 4′ tall with glaucus, yucca-like foliage topped with clusters of white, … Continued
pincushion cactus, spinystar
[Coryphantha] Escobaria vivipara
2″ bright magenta open in May-June, followed by fleshy, greenish-purple fruits. As the evergreen, ball-shaped … Continued