Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Asteraceae
Form: Rhizomatous, spreading clumps of foliage,
with species and many cultivars forming large colonies; low and matlike;
foliage height to 12 inches, spread to 48 inches or more
Foliage: Alternate, bright green to slightly gray or
dusty green; very finely divided or dissected with a distinct musky odor;
leaves to 12 inches in length and 2 inches wide; fine texture
Flowers: Heads are very flat and solid, up to 4 inches
across; compound corymbs composed of pistillate ray flowers on the outer
edges of each floret and bisexual, usually yellow, disc florets only
1/8-1/4 inch across; on stems to 24 inches long. Long-blooming; species is typically white
but cultivar colors range from white to pink, rose, yellow, gold, red, or
orange and many fade into a different color range. Can be successfully dried and hold their
color. June-August
Seedheads: Brown,
solid, and persistent through the winter
Culture: Full sun, will thrive but become open in part
shade; average to lean or poor, infertile and well-drained soil; drought
tolerant once established and can be basically ignored. Cut back after flowering to rejuvenate
foliage and encourage repeat bloom; divide to control spread and keep center
from becoming open. Silver-foliaged hybrids remain in contained clumps and
rarely need dividing; may heave out of the ground and need resetting.
Uses: Groundcover in hot spots, naturalized
gardens, prairies and meadows; cut flowers, dried flowers (flowers hold their
color well); texture contrast.
Companions: Russian sage,
catmint, lilies, daylilies, coneflowers, poppies (spreading foliage will hide
bare spots left by this spring bloomer), ornamental grasses
Propagation: Terminal
cuttings or division before or after flowering
Cultivars: ‘Moonshine’ - a
hybrid with upright gray-green foliage, non-spreading; yellow
`Paprika’ - deep brick red-orange, fading to orange and gold
`Fireland’ - deep crimson red, fading to pale red-salmon; 36” tall
in flower
`Red Velvet’ - dark red, fading to medium pink
`TerraCotta’ - the color of a terracotta pot, fading to gold
`Summer Pastels’ - pale yellows, pinks
‘Snowsport’ - pure white, very strong bloomer on good foliage
Other Species: A. filipendulina, A. ptarmica, A. serbica
Common Milkweed
Asclepias
syriaca
Asclepidaceae
Form: Narrow, vertical
clumps from deep, strong rhizomes, with thick unbranched stems, height to 48 inches, spread 18 inches
Foliage:
Mostly opposite; large (4 to 7 inches long), ovate to oblong,
bluish-green, almost rubbery, pubescent, bold.
Milky sap in all parts of the plant; mildly toxic
Flowers: Up to 120 individual flowers in spherical
clusters the size of tennis balls at the top of the stems and in terminal
leaf axils; each flower shaped like a square-dancing skirt; (hooded)
extremely fragrant, especially in evening; June to July
Seedheads: Dehiscent (splitting open) pods, boat-shaped,
up to 4 inches long, covered with wart-like bumps; each flat brown seed on its
own white silk parachute
Culture: Full sun to part shade, average to dry soils;
tolerant of total neglect. Highly
attractive to aphids and butterflies.
Seeds prolifically in favorable conditions. Late to emerge in spring
Uses: Fragrance, butterfly gardens (host to
monarchs), dried seed pods.
Companions: grasses, coneflowers, other prairie plants
Propagation: Seed
Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias
tuberosa
Asclepidaceae
Form: Upright, weakly vase-shaped clumps of stiff,
hairy stems, no milky sap; height 24 inches, spread 18 inches
Foliage: Mostly alternate, bright
green, 2 to 4 inches long and usually lanceolate, tightly packed on stems and
hairy; medium-fine texture
Flowers: Flat-topped terminal umbels; each flower
hooded; orange-red typical, but varies to include yellow; June to September
Seedheads: Pod or follicle like a canoe, dehiscent,
thin-skinned and smooth; ornamental
Culture: Full sun to very light shade; withstands
disturbed sites but not heavy clay or standing water and must have good
drainage. Thick taproot makes it very
drought tolerant and difficult to transplant.
Mark location, very late to emerge in spring. Seedlings are readily produced if the site
around the parent plant is undisturbed.
Favorite aphid food.
Uses: Butterfly gardens, cut flower, naturalized
areas, prairies.
Companions: grasses, coneflowers, Russian sage,
coreopsis, catmint, hummingbird mint, torch lily
Propagation: Fresh seed, root cuttings
Cultivars: ‘Gay Butterflies’ - yellow and red; seed
commercially available
Fendler’s Aster
Aster fendleri
Asteraceae
Form: Open, spreading mound, to a height and width
of 18 inches
Foliage: Narrow, alternate, light green to gray green,
leaves one inch in length; fine texture
Flowers: Pale lavender with yellow discs, ½ to ¾
inches across in loose panicles, September
Seedheads: Not persistent
Culture: Full sun, well-drained, sandy to loamy soil;
does well on rock ledges. Good drainage
is a must
Uses: Butterfly gardens, rock gardens, naturalized
areas
Propagation: Division, cuttings, seed
Cultivars: ‘My Antonia’ - a pure white release from the
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
Upland Aster/Sneezewort
Aster ptarmicoides
Asteraceae
Form: Upright, spreading plant that develops loose
clumps or colonies; height 18 inches, spread to 30 inches
Foliage: Alternate, very narrow and almost linear,
less than ½ inch wide and up to 6 inches long, dark green, irregularly
toothed, fine texture
Flowers: White, disc nearly concealed by rays, ½ inch
across in loose panicles; reminiscent of Achillea ‘The Pearl,’ and Kalimeris;
earliest aster to bloom, beginning in late July and reblooming into through
September if deadheaded or sheared
Seedheads: Not persistent
Culture: Full sun, dry to average soils of medium to
low fertility; good drainage required.
Shear after bloom to encourage light rebloom and reduce flopping.
Uses: Edger, border, cut flower, natural gardens,
butterflies.
Companions: daylilies, yarrow, blanketflower, sedums,
little bluestem, blue grama
Propagation: Division, cuttings or seed
Plains Yellow Primrose
Calylophus serrulatus
Onagraceae
Form: Semi-woody plant with spreading habit, to a height of 12 inches and spread of 18 inches
Foliage: Alternate, narrow, lanceolate, sharply toothed, gray-green, each leaf 1/8 inch wide and less than 1 inch long, fine texture
Foliage: Alternate, narrow, lanceolate, sharply toothed, gray-green, each leaf 1/8 inch wide and less than 1 inch long, fine texture
Flowers: Four-petaled yellow flowers ½ inch to ¾ inch
in diameter on stalks on ends of branches;
continue to form as branches elongate during season; eight yellow
stamens are prominent in center of blossom.
Flowers stay open during the day, unlike most primroses. May through
July
Seedhead: Not effective
Culture: Full sun; dry,
well-drained soil; intolerant of overhead watering or high humidity
Uses: Edger, low border, open groundcover.
Companions: Lavender, sedums, blue grama, penstemons
Propagation: Taproot makes this plant drought tolerant but
hard to divide; cuttings. Cut back hard only in spring, to live wood
Cultivars: ‘Prairie Lode’ - extremely floriferous
selection
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea
purpurea
Fabaceae
NATIVE
Form: Clustered, often branched stems, upright vase
shape from deep taproot; height and spread 24 inches
Foliage: Feathery, alternate, odd-pinnately compound,
each less than 2 inches long, and leaflets rarely exceeding 1 inch; fine but
dense texture
Flowers: Tiny, red-violet to hot pink with yellow
stamens; encircle a columnar spike at the terminal ends of short branches
like ballerina skirts. Bloom begins at base of spike to tip, resulting in
long season of interest. June to August
Seedheads: Not effective
Culture: Dry, well-drained soils, full sun; tolerant
of moderate moisture if well-drained but extremely drought tolerant.
Uses: Prairie or wildflower plantings, cut flowers,
butterflies.
Companions: coneflowers, penstemons, lavender, mallow, boltonia, sedum
Companions: coneflowers, penstemons, lavender, mallow, boltonia, sedum
Propagation: Cuttings
Cultivars: ‘Stephanie’
- more compact and less prone to lodging, much more floriferous; developed by
Dr. Dale Lindgren of the University
of Nebraska
Other Species: D. candida, D. villosa
Queen Anne’s Lace/Wild Carrot
Daucus
carota
Apiaceae
Form: Low, rosette-like basal mound, spreading to
12 to 18 inches and reaching a height in flower of up to 36 inches. Biennial that has naturalized in many areas
of the Great Plains (not technically native…and considered invasive in many
states).
Foliage: Deeply divided and almost fernlike, with
upper leaves almost non-existent. Divided,
and divided again, on a long petiole from the base. Bright green, fine texture
Flowers: Compound umbels, flat-topped, creamy white
“old lace” with one purple flower in
center; bristly green globe buds, clusters of needle-like bracts at the
base. July to September
Seedheads: Spent umbels curl in on themselves and dry
like tight birds’ nests
Culture: Full sun to light shade in almost any soil,
including dry disturbed roadsides, along the edges of wetlands and woodlands,
and in ordinary garden loam. Allow to
reseed if you want the plant to persist.
It can be very invasive.
Uses: Cut flowers and seedheads, meadow and prairie
gardens.
Companions: coneflowers, grasses, Mexican hat, gaillardia
Propagation: Seed
Illinois Bundleflower/Prairie Mimosa
Desmanthus
illinoensis
Mimosaceae
Form: Large, wide-spreading, shrublike perennial
with grooved stems branching at the base to form an open rounded mound
24 to 24 inches in height and spread
Foliage: Bipinnately compound, bright green, 2 to 4
inches long and further divided into leaflets that look almost fernlike. The leaves fold in the wind or at a touch. Medium-fine texture
Flowers: Tiny, creamy white, in heads like round
pompoms up to 1 inch across, on stalks from 1 to 3 inches long in the upper
leaf axils. June to August
Seedheads: Odd, flattened, curved pods like a squashed,
dried out brown peach pit, persistent
Culture: Full sun, dry to average or moist soils with
good drainage. Tolerant of a wide range
of soils, and aggressively seeds itself in fertile soils.
Uses: Add structure and
texture to large-scale plantings; hell strips, prairie and natural gardens;
forage for range animals.
Companions:
coneflowers, native and ornamental grasses, sedum
Propagation:
Seed
Rabbit-brush
Ericameria nauseosus var. nauseosus
Asteraceae
Form: Shrubby, rounded upright plant with
semi-woody stems; height and spread to 36 inches. Will become larger if left undisturbed. A plant for the west.
Foliage: Glabrous, pubescent; entire
plant appears softly gray-green, with twigs also covered with soft down; fine
texture but medium form
Flowers: Held in terminal
clusters of various forms, 5 disk florets on each flower head, yellow, with no
rays; individual flowers small but numerous; June to November
Seedheads: Not effective, but stems of plant retain
substance and silver appearance through winter
Culture: Full sun, average to poor soil of low
fertility; tolerant of alkaline soils; extremely drought tolerant and must have
excellent drainage; suffers in areas with high humidity. Cut stems to 6 inches above ground after last
frost; difficult to move in large sizes.
Uses: Shrublike plant in naturalized gardens,
prairies, hot spots.
Companions: Russian sage, yarrow, narrow-leaved puccoon,
small soapweed, artemisia, gayfeather
Propagation: Cuttings
White Snakeroot
Eupatorium rugosum
Asteraceae
Form: Upright stems, lightly branched, to a height
of 48 inches and spread of 30 inches; can appear larger but this is often due
to seedlings at the base of a larger plant.
Considered invasive in many states.
Flowers: White puffs consisting of one to two dozen
¼ inch flowers in dense corymbs arising from leaf axils; sharp contrast to
dark green foliage and persistent; August to October
Foliage: Coarse, opposite, thin in comparison to E.
maculatum, very sharply toothed; leaves up to 7 inches long, ovate
with pointed tips; medium texture
Seedheads: Not ornamentally effective; very adept at
spreading millions of seedlings
Culture: Part shade to full shade, loamy soil and even
moisture for best performance; will tolerate full sun if kept consistently
moist. Tolerant of drought once
established, wilting and recovering quickly during the night; competes well
with tree roots. Cut back after bloom
Uses: Woodland gardens, naturalized areas, cut
flowers, moon gardens.
Companions: Large hostas, ferns, Virginia bluebells
Propagation: Seed
Cultivars: ‘Chocolate’ - deep purple foliage,
not nearly as apt to spread
Blanket
flower
Gaillardia aristata
Asteraceae
Form: Rounded, basal rosette of foliage to a height
of 24 inches and spread of 18 inches in bloom
Flowers: Hot-colored flowers sometimes difficult to
combine with others; red and yellow ray florets are zonal and notched;
center may be burgundy or brown and rounded but not raised like coneflowers;
flower width 3 to 4 inches; long season of bloom beginning in June and lasting
until frost
Foliage: Basal foliage 8 to 10 inches long on petiole,
often pinnately lobed (alternate, entire and sessile on flower stems),
gray-green as though the leaves have been covered with road gravel dust; medium
texture
Seedheads: Round, fuzzy balls; fairly persistent during
blooming season but not into winter
Culture: Full sun, light, sandy or loamy well-drained
soil; cannot withstand heavy soils or standing water; tolerant of alkaline
conditions and drought. Deadhead to
prolong bloom period and rejuvenate foliage
Uses: Edger, naturalized gardens, wildflower
gardens, hot spots; cut flowers.
Companions: Blue flax, veronica, Russian sage,
sneezeweed, bearded iris, sedums, daylilies
Propagation: Seed or division; many hybrids can be
produced from seed. Hybrids best for
best garden performance are crossed with G. pulchellum, although these
will be short-lived
Cultivars: Gaillardia
x grandiflora, hybrid blanketflower, and cultivars are more
available than G. aristata.
`Goblin’
‘Baby Cole’
‘Arizona Sun’
‘Fanfare’
Dotted Blazing Star
Liatris punctata
Asteraceae
Form: Dense, upright unbranched stems
to a height of 30 inches and spread of 12 to 15 inches
Foliage: Narrow, linear leaves are dark
green and stiff, up to 5 inches long but less than ¼ inch wide. The leaves occur in a basal clump and are
held almost horizontally away from the flowering stems for nearly their entire
length. The underside of the leaves is
covered with tiny dots.
Flowers: Magenta disk flowers are
prominent, clustered together toward the top of the stem in a spike. Long-lasting when cut, the flowers of dotted
blazing star appear in August and September
Seedheads: Not effective
Culture: Full sun to very light shade, in
dry to average soils with good drainage.
Uses: Naturalized or prairie garden,
cut flowers, hell strips, bioswales.
Companions: native and ornamental grasses,
false sunflower, American feverfew, goldenrod
Propagation: Division in spring, seed
Thick-spike Gayfeather/Kansas Gayfeather
Liatris pycnostachya
Asteraceae
Form: Basal foliage forms a rounded mound to a
height and spread of 12 inches; flower spikes reach 48 inches
Foliage: Alternate and lanceolate, up to a foot long
at the base, and ½ inch wide, decreasing in size on flowering stems; medium
texture
Flowers: Buds are sessile, round green balls on
snakelike stems that refuse to stand upright; mauve or magenta flowers are
produced along the length of the spike in an inflorescence, with leafy bracts
beneath the flowers; August to September
Seedheads: Not effective
Culture: Full sun, well drained soils; tolerant of heavy clay and standing water;
fairly drought tolerant once established but performs best if given consistent
moisture and not allowed to dry out.
Stake to control habit. Protect
corms from rabbits and voles
Uses: Naturalized gardens where the unruly habit
can be blended with other plants; prairies, hot spots, wildflower plantings,
cut flowers.
Companions: ornamental grasses, sedums, American
feverfew, coneflowers, beebalm
Propagation: Division
Cultivars: ‘Eureka’ - Dramatically heavier in flower,
with a shorter, more garden-worthy habit.
Other Species: L. punctata, dotted gayfeather - most drought-tolerant
Other Species: L. punctata, dotted gayfeather - most drought-tolerant
L.
aspera
L.
squarrosa
L. microcephala
L.
ligustylis
L.
spicata
Spike Gayfeather
Liatris spicata
Asteraceae
Form: Clumps of foliage to a height and spread of
18 inches; flower spikes reach 36 inches
Foliage: Basal leaves to 10 inches long and 1 inch
wide; stem leaves become smaller, to less than 3 inches long and ¼ inch
wide; dark green and linear; medium-fine texture
Flowers: Sessile magenta flower heads on an
inflorescence up to 18 inches long, blooming from top to bottom for an extended
period; June to August
Seedheads: Brownish spikes; form remains effective into
late fall
Culture: Similar to L. pycnostachya
Uses: Excellent cut flowers that hold their color
when dried; butterfly gardens, naturalized gardens, prairies, hot spots,
wildflower plantings.
Companions: dwarf goldenrod, rudbeckia, sedum, American
alumroot (purple foliage cultivars)
Propagation: Division
Cultivars: ‘Kobold’ - dwarf less than 2 ½
feet tall, heavy bloomer; more vertical habit
‘Floristan White’ - up to 36 inches, clean white useful where
magenta doesn’t work
‘Floristan
Violet’ - taller and very long-blooming. This is not native, but is most
widely available in the trade.
American Feverfew/Wild Quinine
Parthenium integrifolium
Asteraceae
Form: Stout upright clumps of basal foliage are
topped with vertical flowering stems; height in flower to 48 inches, spread 36
inches
Foliage: Glossy, dark green obovate leaves with
pointed tips and coarse teeth are up to 10 inches long in the basal clumps,
and progressively smaller as they alternate along the stalks. The lower leaves have long petioles; upper
leaves may be sessile or clasping. All
foliage is covered with short, bristly hairs.
Bold texture.
Flowers: The inflorescence is a dome-shaped to
flat-topped, branched panicle, formed from numerous soft white flower heads. The
small flower heads are about ¼ inch wide, with 5 insignificant ray flowers
surrounding a buttonlike disk. The long season of bloom and contrast
between the white flowers and dark foliage make this a showy prairie
plant. July to September
Seedheads: Not effective
Culture: Full sun to part shade and dry to average,
well-drained soils will produce strong plants.
American feverfew is intolerant of standing water and will succumb
rapidly if placed in soggy locations. It
is drought tolerant once established.
Uses: Hot spots, dry sites, backdrop, moon garden,
naturalized areas.
Companions: Russian sage, pitcher sage, fall-blooming
asters, threadleaf coreopsis
Propagation: Division in spring
Narrow-Leaved Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum
tenuifolium
Lamiaceae
Form: Upright and slightly rounded, spreading from
rhizomes but not invasive like mint; reaches a uniform height of 36 inches with
a similar spread
Foliage: Opposite, deep green, very narrow, lanceolate
or linear; usually less than 1 inch long; leaflike bracts in axils of square
stems; aromatic mint fragrance, fine texture
Flowers: Small, white, in button-like clusters ½ inch
or less across, many clusters together in flat-topped terminal
inflorescence. June to August
Seedheads: Flowers dry to a gray-white on the plant;
remain quietly ornamental
Culture: Full sun to part shade; tolerant of dry to
average soils, but also tolerant of heat and drought. Cut to ground in late winter or early spring
Uses: Texture, cut flower or foliage; backdrop,
fragrance; attractive to many beneficial insects.
Companions: American alumroot, sedums, artemisia,
rudbeckia, prairie dropseed
Propagation: Cuttings, division
Prairie Petunia/Fringed Ruellia
Ruellia humilis
Acanthaceae
Form: Open, spreading clump,
upright until mid-season, when stalks branch and become more or less prostrate;
height 9 inches, spread 18 inches
Foliage: Opposite, short-stalked or stalkless, ovate,
feel and appear stout but not fleshy; bright green; stems and leaf petioles
purplish; all surfaces covered with rough pubescence. Medium-fine texture
Flowers: Tubular, widely
flared to five lobes resembling a supertunia (small petunia), tube longer than
lobes, flowers up to 2 inches across, violet-blue, lasting one day. June to August
Seedheads: Not effective, but EXTREMELY prolific!!
Culture: Full sun to almost full shade; dry to average, well-drained soils; tolerant of alkaline soils and nearly any condition except standing water. Shear after initial flowering to reduce length of trailing stems and rejuvenate foliage; remove spent flowers to limit seed production.
Culture: Full sun to almost full shade; dry to average, well-drained soils; tolerant of alkaline soils and nearly any condition except standing water. Shear after initial flowering to reduce length of trailing stems and rejuvenate foliage; remove spent flowers to limit seed production.
Uses: Naturalized settings, as a nearly
maintenance-free, loose groundcover (plants do not root at nodes), rock
gardens, prairies, hot spots, edges.
Companions: sedums, especially purple-foliaged ones,
short grasses, lambsear, rock cress, puccoon
Propagation: Prolific seed producer, which germinates
readily, including from late-season, self-fertile flowers, and forms a deep,
fibrous root system that is difficult to eradicate
Mexican Hat
Ratibida columnifera
Asteraceae
Form: Erect, finely branched, narrow plant,
to a height of 30 inches and spread of 12 inches
Foliage: Alternate, pinnately
lobed and coarsely toothed; floppy or casual, medium-fine texture
Flowers: Bright yellow, drooping rays (few in
number) surround a tan or brownish cylindrical disc that is up to 2 inches long,
and dominates the shorter rays; long bloom season in cool conditions; July to
August
Seedheads: Quietly ornamental; source of bird seed
Culture: Full sun, loose, well-drained soils;
intolerant of poor drainage or standing water; short-lived in heavy clay. Drought tolerant once established. Cut back after bloom to rejuvenate foliage,
or allow seedheads to stand through wintergood drainage (prefer dry to wet
sites)
Uses: Naturalized areas, prairies, wildflower
gardens, hot spots, cut flowers.
Companions: blue flax, grasses, coreopsis, asters, goldenrod, boltonia.
Companions: blue flax, grasses, coreopsis, asters, goldenrod, boltonia.
Propagation: Seed
Cultivars: var. pulcherrima - mahogany rays
`Buttons and Bows’ - double the number of rays
‘Red’
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Asteraceae
Form: Basal foliage in broad clumps, 15 to 18 inches in height and spread. Form in flower is broadly upright; height depends on cultivar. Short-lived perennial, usually grown as an annualFoliage: Extremely hairy, dark green, alternate, lanceolate, 2 to 5 inches long; stems also hairy. Coarse or bold texture
Flowers: Orange-yellow rays, zonal, orange,
brown, rust depending on cultivar; flowers almost dry on the plants, extending
the bloom season. June through October
Seedheads: Dark brown discs that persist into winter
Culture: Full sun, average soils with good
drainage. Tolerant of extended heat and
drought (better than R. fulgida), but not reliably perennial. Susceptible to severe caterpillar
damage. Allow some plants to reseed or
start with new plants each year.
Uses: Cutting garden,
borders, massing.
Companions: pitcher sage, blue globe thistle, statice,
sedum, ornamental grasses
Propagation: Seed, tissue culture. Reseeds itself naturally
Cultivars: ‘Cherry Brandy’ - rich
burgundy with large rays
‘Becky’ Mix - to 10 inches tall, mix of colors
‘Rustic Colors’ - to 24 inches, mixed
colors
‘Autumn Sunset’ - very short, to 15
inches, with free-flowering bronze/orange zoned rays
‘Prairie Sun’ - massive golden yellow
flowers with gold-green eyes; short and stocky
Golden Glow/Cutleaf Coneflower
Rudbeckia laciniata
Asteraceae
Form: Upright and weakly vase-shaped, developing
large open clumps; foliage height and spread 36 inches; flowering stems to 72
inches
Foliage: Very large dull green leaves to 10 inches
or more long with 3 to 7 deep rounded lobes on lower leaves and 3 on sessile
upper leaves; mitten-shaped appearance; coarse texture
Flowers: Limp yellow rays up to 4 inches long
appear to flutter around raised green discs; flowers held singly on open
branched stems well above foliage; long bloom time beginning in July and
continuing through September, especially if plants are regularly deadheaded
Culture: Full sun to part shade; consistently moist
soils preferred but tolerant of drier conditions if supplemental water can be
provided during drought; will show heat and water stress quickly by
drooping. Plants can flop in high winds
because of height; pinch or locate near dense plants for support. Cut flowering stems after bloom and deadhead
for extended season
Seedheads: Not effective
Uses: Backdrop, specimen, naturalized areas, pond
edges or wetland gardens, cut flowers.
Companions: asters, butterflybush, globe thistle,
ornamental grasses, joepye weed, veronica
Propagation: Divide clumps in spring or fall
Cultivars: ‘Herbstonne’
- Many-petaled, drooping yellow flowers surrounding bright green disc, up to 7
feet tall; may be a hybrid between R. laciniata and R. nitidus
‘Goldquelle’ and ‘Golden Glow’ - good hybrids, shorter and double
Azure Sage/Pitcher Sage
Salvia
azurea
Lamiaceae
Form: Very tall, (48 to 60 inches) unbranched
square stems covered with a whitish bloom rise from basal foliage. Overall habit is floppy and needs support
from other plants
Foliage: Opposite, narrowly lanceolate, thick and
pubescent, with a gray-green appearance.
Leaves appear whorled and become much smaller as they ascend the stems;
medium texture
Flowers: Individual flowers up to 1 inch long on short
stalks (pedicels), whorled densely in spikes borne in upper leaf axils;
two-lipped, very clear sky blue.
September to October
Seedheads: Not effective
Culture: Full sun to very light shade (which will
promote further flopping); average to poor, well-drained soils. Tolerant of drought and exposure; intolerant
of standing water or poor drainage.
Uses: Natural gardens, prairies and meadows, cut
flowers.
Companions: grasses, coneflowers, tall asters
Propagation: Seeds itself occasionally; transplant when
small or use lateral offshoots from parent plant. Terminal cuttings can also be taken.
Cultivars: ‘Nekan’ - more upright, wider
clumps and a consistent habit for garden use, height to 36 inches
‘Grandiflora’ (var. grandiflora) - pitcher sage,
smaller, deeper blue flowers
‘Alba’
- white, fading to a muddy brown
Compass Plant
Silphium laciniatum
Asteraceae
Form: Large upright clumps of
foliage give rise to vertical flowering stalks; height in bloom to 6 to 8 feet
or more; spread 24 to 36 inches
Foliage: Glossy, dark green alternate leaves are
reminiscent of oak leaves, deeply divided (sometimes twice) into narrow
segments. The basal leaves may be up to
12 inches long and 8 incheswide; stem foliage is progressively smaller. The common name comes from the plant’s
tendency to orient its foliage in compass directions. Bold texture
Flowers: Borne at the terminus of densely hairy
stalks, the butter-yellow flowers occur in loosely alternate bunches, each
flower composed of uniformly arranged, narrow ray flowers surrounding a
yellow disk. Individual flowers may
be 2-5 inches wide. July to September
Seedheads: Not effective
Culture: Full sun to very light shade and average to
dry soils, including roadside ditches and mildly disturbed areas, will produce
large plants. Compass plant often occurs
along railroad banks, surrounded by other prairie natives that like
well-drained conditions. Allow it to
lean against a fence or into taller grasses in managed landscapes
Uses: Backdrop, specimen, butterfly and hummingbird
garden, cut flowers.
Companions: fall-blooming asters, dense grasses such as
Indian grass and maiden grasses, pitcher sage
Propagation: Seed
Cup Plant/Rosinweed
Silphium perfoliatum
Asteraceae
Form: Massive clumps of dramatic foliage spread to
36 inches, and blooming spikes may reach 6 feet or more on smooth, square
stems up to 1 inch across.
Foliage: Huge dark green leaves are roughly
triangular in shape, joined at the base to encircle the stem. This distinct characteristic is most obvious
on leaves just below the flower stalks.
The margins are coarsely toothed.
Bold texture
Flowers: Dark branches hold individual flowers in a
loose cluster at the top of the flower stalks.
The heads are up to 4 inches wide, with yellow-gold rays densely
clustered around a sterile, darker gold disk.
July to September
Seedheads: Not effective
Culture: Cup plants perform best in low, marshy or
poorly drained areas in full sun to light shade. They can remain undisturbed for years and
will slowly increase to form large colonies
Uses: Backdrop, wetland, pond edges, texture
contrast.
Companions: switchgrass, joe pye weed, Helen’s flower,
hardy hibiscus
Propagation: Division in spring
Canadian Goldenrod
Solidago canadensis
Asteraceae
Form: Upright, arching stems form large colonies
from creeping rhizomes; height 48 inches, spread to 48 inches or more
Foliage: Dark green, alternate, narrow and lanceolate,
up to 4 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide, larger toward base, sessile and sharply
toothed with three prominent veins; medium texture
Flowers: Tiny bright yellow flowers held mostly on the
upper side of branches in a large, open plume-shaped inflorescence, more rays
than discs; bloom may occur along a large portion of the stem in the leaf axils
from August to September
Culture: Full sun to part shade; moist or dry,
well-drained soil; tolerant of a wide range of soil types. Provide good air circulation to reduce rust
and foliar diseases. Pinch in late
spring to reduce height; deadhead or cut flowering stems after bloom to
rejuvenate foliage. Spreads rapidly in loose, moist soil; divide regularly to
control
Seedheads: Not effective, but cut flowers hold their
color well when dried
Uses: Naturalized areas, prairies, wildflower
gardens, wetlands, backdrop, butterfly gardens, cut flowers, dried
flowers.
Companions: ornamental grasses, butterfly milkweed,
blazing star, coneflowers, sedums, balloonflower
Propagation: Divide in spring; stem cuttings
Cultivars: Native parent of many excellent garden hybrids
‘Golden Baby’ - 24 inches tall, early bloomer in late June to
July
‘Cloth of Gold’ - dense flower clusters, golden, shorter to 18
inches
‘Crown of Rays’ - 24 to 36 inches tall with widespread plumes,
rising from more refined foliage
Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago rigida
Asteraceae
Form: Clumps of broad foliage from a large,
branched caudex; not rhizomatous. Plants
are 12 inches to 18 inches tall and half as wide; overall form is stiffly
upright, especially in bloom, when plants can reach 48 inches or more
Foliage: Basal rosette of leaves of somewhat
variable shape: ovate, lanceolate,
or oblong, reaching an overall length including the long stalk of 4 to 12
inches. Upper leaves are sessile,
clasping, very thick and leathery.
Foliage and stems covered in short hairs, giving the plants a dusty
appearance Foliage often overwinters. Medium to bold texture.
Flowers: Light yellow-gold, held upright on stiff
unbranched stems in flat corymbose clusters; very distinct among
goldenrods. The color holds well when
cut. August to September
Culture: Full sun; average garden loam or sandy soil;
dry and well-drained conditions. Remove
spent flowers to limit seed production.
No particular care is required.
Uses: Naturalized landscapes, hell strips, prairie
or wildflower gardens, cut flowers.
Companions: Russian sage, coneflowers, Indian grass, little bluestem, boltonia, asters
Companions: Russian sage, coneflowers, Indian grass, little bluestem, boltonia, asters
Propagation: seed
Other species: Solidago sphacelata `Golden Fleece’
- very short plant with a compact mound of rounded leaves, open sprays of
flowers August to September; excellent with veronica or plumbago.
Solidago
rugosa
`Fireworks’
- spectacular upright plant to 48 inches in bloom, in late August to October
(one of the last goldenrods to flower) and looks like an explosion of sparks
Western Ironweed
Vernonia fasciculata
Asteraceae
Form: Open, upright clumps of unbranched stems from
a basal mound of foliage; leans against its neighbors; 24 to inches tall and 12
to 18 inches spread
Foliage: Lanceolate, with an acute tip and sharply
pointed marginal teeth; alternate and usually sessile. Leaves may be up to one inch across and five
to six inches long. Foliage decreases in
size as stems elongate. Medium-bold
texture
Flowers: Compound, each head up to ¾ inch across and
composed primarily of somewhat tubular disk flowers with five lobes and a
divided style; as many as 30 in a flat-topped cluster or corymb. The primary heads are terminal; smaller ones
appear in the leaf axils. Flower color
is brilliant purple-magenta.
Fish-scale-like green bracts support the flower heads. August to
September.
Seedheads: Dry, tannish seeds attached to achenes; not
persistent
Culture: Full sun to very light shade; moist
soil. Ironweed will tolerate a fairly
wide range of soil types and moisture. It withstands short periods of standing
water.
Uses: Prairie, meadow, rain garden and bioswale;
cut and dried flowers; attractive to pollinators
Companions: Goldenrod, sedges, great blue lobelia
Propagation: Seed; the fibrous roots also allow the plant
to be divided
