Growing Conditions

Monarch favorite perennial with button-shaped flowers arranged in spikes in late summer and early fall. 2-4' tall x 1-2' wide (bigger in rich soils, where it may need staking). Full sun, half sun, average soil with average (medium) moisture to drier...

'Floristan Violet' is a purple-flowering cultivar of dense blazing star, shorter and bit more compact than the species. More suitable for common garden conditions. Easy and showy. 3' tall x 0.75' wide, strictly vertical structure. Full sun, half sun,...

'Floristan White' is a white-flowering cultivar of dense blazing star. This favorite, easy to grow, and very showy perennial has narrow leaves that  gradually decrease in size and length towards to top of the stems, which continue in 10" long spikes...

Shorter and more compact version of spiked blazing star, suitable for smaller or medium-sized gardens. Doesn't need staking. This is seed strain, so somewhat variable in look. Usually 2'+ tall x 0.5'-1' wide. Narrow leaves gradually decrease in size and...

This favorite, easy to grow and very showy perennial has narrow leaves that gradually decrease in size and length towards the top of the stems, which continue in 10" long spikes of purple-red flowers that highly attract bumblebees, long-horned bees,...

'Bottle Rocket' is improved 'Rocket' ligularia - 6" shorter, with more dense habit and more flowers. Mustard yellow flowers, chocolate stems, nice serrated leaves. Blooming time: summerSize: 28-34" tall by 24-28" wideUSDA zones: 4 to 9Culture: partial...

Old-fashioned, but alien-looking lily with doubled pale orange flowers, heavily spotted. Easy to grow. Good cut flower (2 weeks in the vase). Blooming time: summer (July)Size: 4-6' tall by 1-2' wideUSDA zones: 3/4 to 9, heat zones 1-7Culture: full sun,...

Interesting and long-lived, non-invasive perennial with rough basal leaves combined with very fine cloud structure of small purple-blue flowers. Proven as reliable plant in hot and humid Midwestern climate! Effective in summer, fall and winter. Usually...

Delicate, narrow and vertical plant with silver gray leaves and soft pink flowers. Quite tolerant to heat, humidity and definitely to droughts. Pollinator friendly. Blooming Time: early to late summer Size: 2-3' tall x 0.5-0.75' wide...

A common shrub in the moist woods of eastern North America, Lindera benzoin is one of the first native shrubs to bloom. It becomes conspicuous early in the spring blooming period, when clusters of small yellowish flowers appear on its bare...

Cardinal Flower is one of the most beautiful and popular wildflowers for a moist, sunny or partly-shaded spot in the perennial border, meadow, rain garden or alongside a stream. The brilliant red flowers that bloom from July through September are a...

White flowering form of common, great, modest, adaptable and easy to grow native perennial. Prefers sun or partial shade and average moist to moist location. It is blooming in late summer, it has 1 1/2- to 3- foot spikes of snow white flowers The value...

A very common, but also widely underused perennial! The Great Blue Lobelia prefers sun or partial shade and a moist location. It blooms in late summer, with 1 1/2- to 3- foot spikes of deep blue flowers. The value of this plant comes from its late...

Underused native grass with strap-like leaves, ornamental hairy leaves. Very good fall and winter color = purple-red! Best in a garden with some shade during the day, mixed in with other shade tolerant plants. Will moderately seed around, where happy...

'Oculata' = "eyed", this is form with white flowers with pink or magenta eyes. The eye is variable (plants are seedlings). Old-fashioned short-lived perennial that persist in your garden by self seeding. 2-3' tall x 1-1.5' wide, rosettes of very...

Small, filler plant for a half shade or shade garden with a very long flowering season. Good mound forming, groundcover with an interesting leaf pattern!  Blooming Time: spring to fall with the peak in early/mid summerSize: 12" tall and 12-14" wide...

Tough, adaptable and spreading wildflower with deep brown-red colored foliage. Spreads wide to form colonies in time. Blooming Time: June/JulySize: 2' tall x 2' wide, spreads wide with underground rhizomes to form large coloniesUSDA Zones: 4 to...

Underused perennial, tough and adaptable plant, densely groundcovering soil and suppressing weeds. Cultivar of native wildflower, ornamental for the whole growing season, with amazing burgundy-red fall color. Slowly spreading wide into 1-2' tall and...