Native Plant Sale 2023

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Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa: Pink to lavender flowers that appear July through September. 1” long tubes cluster together in dense but ragged heads that may be 1½ inches across. Sturdy stems can grow to 5’. Leaves and stems have a minty aroma. Partial shade in rich, moist soils. Commonly found along edges of woods and on roadsides as well as in old pastures.

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Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta: Golden yellow petals surround a slightly raised conical brow disc. 1 -3’. Blooms June – October. Dry to somewhat moist soils. Full sun to partial shade.

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Boneset

Eupatorium perfoliatum: The leaves of Boneset surround the stem and grow straight out horizontally; they are rough, hairy, and sort of crinkly. The flowers are attractive in large clusters of long-lasting white blooms from summer through autumn. Its strong stems never flop and thus it can be used to support weaker-stemmed growers. Prefers moist conditions but does fine in average soil with sun. Space needed for growth. 

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Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa: Found throughout tall grass prairies in dry open areas and along country roads. Flowers from June -September. The branched stems are generally clumped and may be up to 2½ feet tall. Rough pointed leaves alternate along the stem. The flowers are normally bright orange with many individual flowers in the head. Does not transplant easily.

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Compass Plant

Silphium laciniatum: Found on mesic prairies, blooming July – August. The compass plant may reach a height of 8’. Leaves grow to 1’ long, 6” wide. The irregularly lobed basal leaves tend to orient themselves in a general north-south direction, hence, the common name. Yellow ray flowers, numbering 20 to 30 per head alternate up the stem, are up to 2” long. They resemble those of a wild sunflower and contribute to the late season show of color on the prairie.

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Culver’s Root

Veronicastrum virginicum: A particularly distinctive plant, Culver’s Root is prized for its well-defined, clean lines. The elegant white flower stalks rise like spires above the whorls of deep green leaves in July and August. Growing 3 – 6’ tall, it creates a unique background when planted behind shorter species. Does well in any medium to moist rich soil, in sun or light shade.

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False Boneset

Brickellia eupatorioides: Does best in dry to moderately moist, sunny areas. Plants reach about 3’ high but the tap roots can reach as far down as 16”, making this difficult to transplant. Stems are round and hairy; flower heads resemble a ¾” fuzzy ball. Great for dry arrangements.

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False Dragonhead

Physostegia virginiana: Found in a wide range of conditions, from moist to average soil, full sun to partial sun. It spreads well, creating a bushy clump. Flowers are pink, blooming in August.

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Grey-headed Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata: This prairie native produces large, pale-yellow petaled flowers with an elevated, cone-like center shaded gray to light purple. Blooms June – August. Leaves arranged alternately along a tall, stout stem. Grows 3 – 5′ in well-drained soil to drought conditions. Needs full sun.

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Golden Alexanders

Zizia aurea: A display of small, bright yellow flowers in the spring that become purple in the summer when seed heads dry. Attractive deep green leaves. A versatile plant, Golden alexanders do well in moist to dry soil, full to partial sun, and acidic to neutral soil. It spreads well on its own.

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Hairy Beard Tongue

Penstemon hirsutus: Pale, lavender flowers with white tips grow up to 1” long. Grows 1-2’ tall in open woods or rocky hillsides. Grows in clusters on hairy stems. Blooms May-June, then produces interesting seed pods in August. Attracts hummingbirds & butterflies.

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Hoary Vervain

Verbena stricta: This drought resistant plant grows on dry, sandy soils to a height of 1-3’. Blooms during the heat of August. The long lavender flower stalks stand out brilliantly and bloom for many weeks. Flourishes in poor soil, loves full sun.

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Ironweed

Vernonia missurica: Ironweed’s bright reddish-purple flowers resemble those of its well-known relative, Joe Pye Weed. Named for its tough fibrous stem, that will grow in almost any moist to medium soil. A good plant for adding color in hard to landscape areas. Grows 3 – 6′ tall. Late summer bloomer, July-August. Good for pollinators.

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Jacob’s Ladder

Polemonium reptans: Attractive, abundant violet-blue flowers cover the plant. In the right conditions it will spread quickly, forming ground-covering carpets. Prefers rich soil, full of organic matter, and does well in slightly acidic to neutral conditions in filtered sun to shade. Grows 1 – 1 ½ feet tall, blooms spring to early summer.

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Lead Plant

Amorpha canescens: This shrubby perennial grows up to 3’ in dry, sandy soils. Tiny purple flowers are in a spike-like mass along the upper portion of the stems. The entire plant is hairy, so much so that it has a whitish appearance. Its deep rooted system helps with erosion control but makes it difficult to transplant.

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New Jersey Tea

Ceanothus americanus: Found throughout prairies, along edges of woods, and rocky sites. Small 5-petaled white flowers occur in dense oblong clusters that appear in late May – September. Considered a low upright shrub growing to 3’ tall & up to 4’ wide with several branching stems. Known as a substitute for tea. Leaves gathered while the plant is in full bloom can be dried and stored like any other tea. Attractive to pollinators and hummingbirds that will eat the tiny flowers.

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Nodding Wild Onion

Allium cernuum: Grass-like, ribbony leaves are long and graceful; its flower cluster hangs down, covered with a fine onion-like sheath before opening. The blooms in midsummer are whitish rose colored and bell-shaped. Grows in a wide range of conditions, from sun to partial sun, moist to dry soil, acidic to neutral, rocky to rich. Prefers good drainage. 

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Northern Blazingstar

Liatris scariosa: Prefers medium to dry soils, especially with a sandy or rocky component. It can grow between 2-3’ tall, taller in moist soils. The purple flowers are thistle-like and are typically 1” across. The flowers bloom August – September in columned bunches that can extend up to 18” and may fall over unless tied to a stake. These flowers attract bees and butterflies, including bumblebees and Monarch butterflies. The foliage can be quite appetizing to deer and rabbits, especially in the early years, so keep them protected until they are established. Full sun to partial shade.

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Prairie Coreopsis

Coreopsis palmata: Prairie Coreopsis matures to a height of about 2’ tall, 18” wide. Needs full sun and prefers medium to dry soil conditions; will thrive in sandy soils but tolerates most. Striking yellow flowers bloom for 3-4 weeks in June and July. Dead-head flowers to prolong bloom time. Will naturalize but will require maintenance. Deer-resistant.

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Prairie Dock

Silphium terebinthinaceum: Prairie Dock is among the taller and larger-leaved prairie plants, often maturing to 9-10’ in height. Yellow flowers bloom July-August. Due to its height, competes well with aggressive prairie grasses such as Big Bluestem and Indian Grass. Attracts bees and birds. Requires sandy loam, dry to moist soils, full sun, shade tolerant. Deer-resistant.

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Pale Purple Coneflower

Echinacea pallida: Found in dry, open woods; clay to sandy soil, full to partial sun. Blooms June-July but may rebloom later in the season. Deadhead to prolong blooming. Growing 3′ tall, its petal-like ray flowers are narrower than purple coneflower and a bit longer in their droop. Good for cut flowers, attracts butterflies and is deer-resistant. Divide every 4 years.

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Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea: This coneflower grows 2 – 5’ tall.  A dependable, low-maintenance plant with a long blooming season (summer to fall) and no pest problems. Each flower starts out pale pink with thin turned down petals, gradually turning a deeper purple until becoming burnished-copper colored. Deadheading will increase the bloom time. Soil compatibility is versatile, growing in clay to sandy soil, full to partial sun, acidic to neutral, average to dry conditions. A great nectar plant for butterflies and hummingbirds. Small birds will eat the seeds leading into winter.

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Rosin Weed

Silphium integrifolium: The shortest of the Silphiums, Rosinweed grows 2 -6′ tall. Its bright yellow flowers resemble large daisies and are produced in abundance. Leaves are 5” long on branched 2-3” hairy stems. Will form clumps. Large seeds attract Goldfinches and fragrance attracts bees and butterflies. Grows easily on a wide variety of soils. 

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Rough Blazing Star

 Liatris aspera: Blooming in August through September, these tufted flower heads composed of dozens of bright lavender filaments range up and down the 3’ tall flower stalks. Great for butterflies, hummingbirds, and songbirds. Prefers dry, sandy soil but will grow in any well-drained soil. Full sun.

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Sand Coreopsis

Coreopsis lanceolata: A single flower head composed of butter-yellow petals surrounding a darker yellow disc makes this an attractive addition to any sunny garden or open field. Blooms May – August in well drained to drought prone soil. Full sun. Seeds attract finches in late summer to early fall. Low maintenance when established. Attracts pollinators, self-seeds, great for cut flowers, and deer-resistant.

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Showy Coneflower

Rudbeckia fulgida: Showy Coneflower, also called Orange Coneflower, blooms mid-summer-to-fall. Bloom time can be prolonged by removing spent blossoms. The large 2½” daisy-like flowers have yellow-orange rays and purple-brown centers. Plants remain in a mounded-profile and can form colonies in large plantings on sunny sites with medium-dry to medium-wet soil, although consistent moisture and good circulation seem to be preferred in the establishment years. Leaves are oblong with a medium green color. Good cut flower and deer-resistant. Grows 2-3’ in June – October with full sun.

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Sky Blue Aster 

Symphyotrichum oolentangiense: Blue, 1″ flowers mirror the autumn sky, covering the prairie with an azure blanket.  A most attractive and versatile prairie aster with deep greenish-blue arrow shaped leaves. Does well in a variety of garden settings. Grows 2 – 3’ tall in very dry to slightly moist soils. Prefers full sun, naturalizes well. Will tolerate light shade in dry soils. Attracts bees and butterflies.

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Common Spiderwort

Tradescantia ohiensis: The slender stem of this violet-blue perennial is often branched and grass-like. Dense showy clusters of flowers appear at the top of the stem. Each flower has three oval petals, the overall flower is ¾ to 1” across. The flowers tend to open in the morning. The plant was once thought to be a cure for spider bites, hence the common name. Blooms late spring to mid-summer. Growing 2-3’ tall. Can be aggressive. Full sun to partial shade in most soils.

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Swamp Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata: Deep red to pink, long-lasting flowers are clustered at the top of tall stems and emit an intoxicating fragrance of vanilla. Leaves are willow-like. Average height 2 – 4’ in full sun. A plant of wet meadows, prefers moist conditions but will also thrive in average soils; versatile in nutrient requirements and pH. 

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Sweet Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia subtomentosa: (Sweet Coneflower) Blooms in August-October, producing a plethora of butter-yellow blooms with shimmering reddish-brown centers and greyish foliage. Grows 4 – 6′, adapting well to any reasonably rich soil, including loam, clay, and rich sand. An outstanding plant that looks great in both the perennial garden and prairie meadow. Fragrant, great for cut flowers, deer-resistant.

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Thimbleweed

Anemone cylindrica: Thimbleweed has a tall, upright stem with greenish-white flowers that fruit into an elongated cluster resembling a thimble. Thimbleweed typically grows 1-2′ tall. Mature cones contain tiny dark brown seeds attached to cottony tufts which facilitate distribution by the wind. Blooms June-July in sandy loam, dry to dry-moist soils. Full sun to partial sun. Deer-resistant.

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Western Sunflower

Helianthus occidentalis: Very delicate appearance with just a few leaves at the bottom of the plant and small (up to 2″ diameter) yellow-orange flowers at the top of the 2 – 4’ tall red stems. Blooms August – October, relished by bees, butterflies, and songbirds. It spreads by rhizomes on mostly sunny sites with medium to dry soils. Full sun, not deer-resistant.

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Wild Blue Iris 

Iris versicolor: Veined, violet-blue flowers with yellow centes surrounded by white on a sturdy stalk. Sword-like leaves 3’ tall. Grows in swamps, marshes, wetlands, and can grow in 2 – 4” of standing water. Rhizomes are poisonous to people and animals. Will naturalize. Food and cover for waterfowl. Blooms May – August. Full sun to partial shade.

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Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis: The orange and yellow flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds. Grows 1-3′ tall, blooming May – June in most soils, partial sun to shade. Do not over fertilize or you will get mostly leaves. Self-seeds, naturalizes. A long tap root makes it difficult to transplant. Good for rock gardens. Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Does not tolerate excess moisture. Can be poisonous.

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Wild Petunia

Ruellia humilis: A stout, multi-branched stem, normally growing 1½ -2’ tall. Depending on the habitat, it may grow very low and appear to be ground cover. The showy flowers are petunia-shaped and vary from light lavender to purple. Blooms from June to September. The native habitat is open woodlands to moist prairies to sand plains, therefore prefers full sun to partial shade, dry to medium soil. Attracts butterflies.

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Wild Senna

Senna hebecarpa: Found along roadsides and in thickets, this perennial will grow 4-6’ with 5 to 9 pairs of leaflets. The yellow flowers grow in elongated clusters that attract bees and butterflies. Provides cover for wildlife and large seeds offer a nutritious meal. Flowers appear in July and August. Prefers moist soils, open shade to full sun, and does well in clay.

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Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii: The most prevalent and widely distributed of all prairie grasses. Growing three to eight feet tall, it thrives on a tremendous range of soils, from wet, poorly drained clay to dry open sand. In late August it produces its distinctive three-parted seed heads, which resemble a turkey foot. The lush green of the leaves and stems changes with the first frost to an attractive reddish-copper color that provides landscape interest well into the winter.

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Bottlebrush Grass

Elymus hystrix: Bottlebrush grass is particularly stunning when the gorgeous bristly seed heads are touched by filtered sun. Bottlebrush grass does best in well drained, woodland soil, in the partial shade provided by a high canopy cover. Give it room to spread into a large stand. The name, Hystrix, is Greek for hedgehog, attesting to the spikey look of this grass.

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Indian Grass 

Sorghastrum nutans: Flower spikes stand 2 – 3’ above the foliage. In August, flower spikes turn tan/yellow. Clumping, warm season type with ½” wide leaves range from green to almost blue that branch off at an angle from the stems. Readily reseeds. Full sun, prefers deep rich loam but will tolerate a wide range of soils.

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June Grass 

Koeleria macrantha: June grass prefers dry locations and full or partial sun in sand, dry prairies, Jack Pine woodlands, and oak woodlands. This is a hardy grass for difficult locations. Its vertical blue-green foliage forms clumps that grow up to 18”. The flowers grow much higher above the leaves in a cylindrical cluster that remains vertical and turns from glossy pale green to golden-brown as the seeds mature from June – July. Consider this for massing in dry gardens and for naturalizing large areas or mix it in plantings with other native prairie grasses. June grass can also provide effective cover for dry slopes.

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Prairie Cordgrass

Spartina pectinata: Prairie cordgrass is a tall 6 – 8’, robust, native grass. Strong rhizomes with the ability to grow 5 -10′ per year separate this grass from the other desirable native warm season grasses. Best grown in fertile, moist to wet loams in full sun to part shade. Plants tolerate sandy or rocky soils. Plants also tolerate some dry soils where they tend to grow/spread less aggressively. An easy characteristic to look for is the sharp, serrated edges of the leaf blade. The seed typically matures within a week or two of frost, and is flat, paper-like with barbed awns that attach firmly to fur or fabric.  Blooms July-August. Yellow brown in color. Deer resistant.

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Prairie Dropseed

Sporobolus heterolepis: This grass produces a magnificent fountain of emerald green leaves, adding a touch of elegance to almost any planting. Often considered to be the most handsome of the prairie grasses, making a well-defined and very distinctive border when planted 18 to 24 inches apart. The seed head has a faint but unmistakable fragrance that can be detected by some people, but not by others.

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Side-oats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula: This grass grows 2 – 2 ½ feet tall. A creeping grass that forms a coarse mat of green foliage with 2’ spikes of little oat flowers and fruits. The culms are light green in spring and light tan in fall. It prefers full sun and dry conditions. This grass grows readily in various kinds of soil, including those containing clay-loam, gravel, rocky material, and sand. This grass is quite drought resistant.

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Sweet Grass 

Anthoxanthum hirtum: Growing 1 – 2’ tall, this cool seasoned grass is sometimes called “Vanilla Grass” because of the scent it emits. Wide, bell-shaped flower clusters can be tan, bronze, or purple. Prefers full sun, tolerates partial shade, moist to wet soils.