wild ginger
Asarum canadense
This low, colony-forming perennial grows large, velvety, heart-shaped leaves with a darkish red-brown to green-brown … Continued
browsing: native plants
Native plants have evolved alongside native wildlife and offer the most useful habitat — food & shelter — in addition to great beauty. Our prairie natives require less water and are adapted to grow in local conditions so they do well without requiring extensive resources and chemicals.
Kansas Native Plants at VVN Pocket Guide
Native vs Native Cultivar
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common milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Common milkweed produces dusty pink flower clusters in mid-summer atop large, glossy leaves that resemble … Continued
showy milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
Showy milkweed produces dusty pink flower clusters in mid-summer atop large, glossy leaves that resemble … Continued
Sullivant’s milkweed
Asclepias sullivantii
Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun, plants may self-seed in … Continued
swamp milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Swamp milkweed sports lightly fragrant flower clusters from early summer through fall. Plants grow 3-5′ … Continued
tall green milkweed
Asclepias hirtella
Plants grow up to 4′ and produce white flowers. This species prefers medium-wet to dry … Continued
butterfly weed, milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
Perennial Plant Association 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year! Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) features showy … Continued
‘Hello Yellow’ butterfly weed
Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'
A long-lived, low-maintenance perennial, this yellow flowering selection of our native A. tuberosa was discovered … Continued
whorled milkweed
Asclepias verticillata
Whorled milkweed blooms later than other milkweeds with white flowers July thru September. The caterpillars … Continued
pawpaw
Asimina triloba
This native understory tree or large shrub grows 15-20’ tall (sometimes to 30’) and occurs … Continued
‘Wood’s Purple’ New York Aster
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Wood's Purple'
New York aster is a low-maintenance perennial for average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full … Continued
‘Bluebird’ aster
Symphyotrichum laevis 'Bluebird'
A Mt. Cuba selection of the native smooth aster introduced by Dr. Richard Lighty, this … Continued