Native Plants

Dense flattened clusters composed of showy white buds from which the small, often dotted, whitish to pinkish to light lavender, short-tubular flowers emerge and are produced over a long period. Flowering begins in mid to late spring to early summer and may continue into early fall with the flower clusters held atop sturdy 20-30" high stems and attract a host of smaller pollinators but especially bees. Narrowleaf Mountainmint, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, is a neatly clump forming, herbaceous, native perennial with a relatively upright habit and is adorned in narrow, fine-textured deep green to bluish green foliage that may have a light fragrance when crushed. This species if found throughout most of the eastern and central US from east Texas to Florida and as far north as Wisconsin and Maine. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Tough, easy, and adaptable to a wide range of soil types and mositure levels. The butterfly in the image is a Gray Hairstreak. Item# 10030

The silvery grass-like foliage of Narrowleaf Silk Grass could fool anyone to thinking it might actually be a grass but by late summer and fall you can be sure that this is definitely in the aster family when it puts up sturdy branching stems that are topped by loose clusters of nearly 1" wide golden yellow daisies. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators including butterflies and late season native bees storing up for winter. Narrowleaf Silk Grass, Pityopsis graminifolia, is a rhizomatous but non-aggressive, generally evergreen, native perennial found throughout the Southeastern US from near central Texas to Virginia and as far north as Kentucky and into southern Ohio. It makes a drought and deer and rabbit resistant informal ground cover or lawn replacement or allow it to naturalize along roadsides, meadows, and prairies or other naturalistic settings. Its main requirement is average or better drainage and a full sun to partly shaded site with average moisture. May reseed but generally only on exposed or disturbed soils. Item# 10686

A superb butterfly nectar plant! Masses of large pinkish-purple daisy-like blooms are often born from late spring to fall. An excellent cut flower that can last for up to a week in a vase. These seedlings originated from a vigorous native Louisiana population of this beautiful perennial. Item# 9256.

Dainty greenish yellow passionflowers are produced throughout summer and are followed by small black edible/inedible fruit. The Native Yellow Passionflower is a small to medium sized perennial vine with apple green tri-lobed foliage that is often splashed with light silvery variegation. Considered to be one of the most cold hardy Passionvines it is also fairly well mannered making it suitable for container culture. The Yellow Passionflower is found throughout most of the central and eastern US within its hardiness range. A host plant for the Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary, Zebra Longwing, Julia, and other Heliconian butterflies and the Passionflower Bee. Click on "More Details and Growing Info" or the image to learn more about growing Passionvines as perennials in containers or in the garden and landscape. Item# 11046

Clusters of purple frilly flowers are produced atop tall sturdy stems providing late summer and fall color as well as nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. New York Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis, is a vigorous growing clump forming native perennial preferring moist to wet to average moist, fertile soils where it grows 5-8' high providing a tall safe platform for pollinators. This tough and easy perennial is well suited to moist naturalistic areas like meadows and prairies where it can mix with fall flowering sunflowers and asters. Tolerant of periodic drought once well-established and can be grown in average moist garden soils. Reseeds, deadhead to prevent unwanted seedlings. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12109

Loose panicles composed of 1" long, white to pale pink to near lavender flowers with a golden 'beard' and purple bee guides are produced in mid to late spring on sturdy 18-24" stems attracting mainly bees and hummingbirds as well as occasional butterflies. Nodding Beardtongue, Penstemon laxiflorus, is a rosette to small clump forming, herbaceous, drought resistant perennial typically found growing in well-draining, sunny, upland sites in the Pineywoods, as well as tall grass prairies, and open sandy and rocky woodlands. While it is drought resistant it does seem to prefer average moisture during the growing season. May reseed on exposed soils. Provide Nodding Penstemon with a full to mostly sunny site in well-drained soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Makes an easy addition to naturalistic settings like roadsides, prairies, and meadows. Item# 9743

Clusters of 2-3" wide, widely flaring, 4-petalled, primrose yellow flowers are produced in late spring and early summer and are held against a foil of rich green foliage. Northern Sundrops, a selection of our native Oenothera fruticosa ssp. tetragona or sometimes just O. tetragona, is a tough and easy clump forming to short-rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial growing to 2-3' high and potentially to 5'. It is well suited to sunny, average moist to moist, average to well-drained sites. Unlike many of the Evening Primroses, Sundrop flowers are open during the day providing nectar and pollen to a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 13334

Who knew you could get such a rich dark purple from Salvia greggii?! Loads of royal purple, 2-lipped tubular flowers are born in from spring to fall on this low mounding, durable perennial. Great for Hummingbirds and Butterflies! Drought tolerant, deer resistant, and low maintenance. Create a mass of purple flowers in the garden or use it in containers, either way expect to be wowed by Nuevo Leon Autumn Sage! Item#10273.

Masses of 1" wide yellow-eyed bluish purple daisies absolutely cover this plant for weeks in late summer and fall. October Skies Aromatic Aster, a selection of Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, is a low mounding perennial that develops into a compact shrub-like plant by flowering time. Excellent fall color for the garden as well as drought tolerance and pest and disease resistance make this an excellent addition to the perennial or wildflower border and landscape. Prefers good to excellent drainage and a full to mostly sunny site. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Item# 9913

Beginning as early as midsummer the branching stems are cloaked in 1/2" wide white daisies with a contrasting yellow eye eventually becoming reddish. The nectar and pollen laden flowers attract mainly smaller pollinators like bees providing an important late summer source for winter stores. The Ontario Aster, Symphiotrichum ontarionis, is a native perennial that colonizes via rhizomes and grows to about 30-40"H. It is found mainly in the central US from coastal Louisiana north to Canada commonly in semi-shaded sites along stream banks, bogs, and similar consistently moist locations. Deadhead once flowering is complete to minimize reseeding if desired but songbirds may enjoy the small seeds if they are left to ripen. This species is very similar to and is often confused with other white flowered late summer and fall flowering asters. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Item# 12775

Tall spikes growing to 36" high are adorned in whorls of deep fuchsia, foxglove-like flowers beginning in mid to late spring and contuing into fall and attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Parade of Parrots Penstemon or Beardtongue is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial developed from US native species and was selected for its brilliant color, excellent flower power, and vigor. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Remove spent flowering stems to help keep the plants flowering and looking clean. Parade of Parrots Penstemon is small enough to enjoy as a container plant but will also make a statement in the garden and landscape. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13324

3-5" green-yellow fruit with banana custard-like flavor, some say they are best after being frozen. Produces fragrant purple flowers in spring. A small native, normally understory tree, and is the caterpillar host plant of the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. Seedling grown. Plant two different varieties or seedlings for pollination. Item# 786.

Large 3" wide, deep blue, cornflower-like daisies are produced on sturdy stalks starting in late spring and lasting through much of summer on well established clumps. Peachies Pick is a dense clump forming and exceptionally long flowering selection of the Stokesia Daisy. Its dense compact habit make this the perfect Stokes Aster for gardens and landscapes. Did we mention that it doesn't flop like older cultivars? This southern selection originated from the gardens of and was named for Peachie Saxon of Mississippi. It originated to us from one of the people who helped to make it known to gardeners and landscapers everywhere, noted horticulturist and author Gail Barton of Meridian, Mississippi. Item# 10810.

Spikes of long drooping fragrant white flowers are produced in late spring and early summer that are excellent for pollinators like bees. Peter's Peach Creek Virginia Sweetspire was selected by Peter Loos for its longer flowering season and its nearly evergreen foliage that can turn fiery shades of yellow, orange, and red in especially cold winters. This selection originates from the southwestern most portion of this easy to grow native shrub's range. Virginia Sweetspire is a naturally suckering, normally deciduous shrub well suited for use in gardens, landscapes, as well as natural areas. Item# 11382

3" wide creamy white flowers with a burgundy eye are produced from summer to fall on an upright growing perennial with small, trilobed, rich green foliage. The Pineland Hibiscus or Comfortroot is an uncommon native perennial Hibiscus found at the edge of pine forests, along rivers, and streams. It is not always long lived (3-6 years typically) but is certainly a worthy component of wildflower gardens, meadows, other natural settings, and near the back of the garden or landscape. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 9804

Hundreds of 1" wide deep reddish-pink daisies are produced in fall atop these dense mounding perennials that could easily be grown in the place of fall mums. Pink Crush New England Aster, a selection of Aster novae-angliae (a.k.a. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), is a clump forming native perennial with a densely branching, naturally rounded habit requiring no pinching, and producing a superior fall show. It doesn't lodge or break over like the species can. The flowers attract bees and butterflies. Use these perennials where you would normally buy Chrysanthemums whether as part of the perennial border, landscape, or as container plants. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average to well-drained, fertile soil with average moisture for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12841

The large and showy, cupped, 2-4" wide pink and white full flowers of this Primrose make it one of the most desirable and recognizable members of its genus. The many common names attest to the affection that has been doted upon it over the years. Pink Ladies is a low growing colonizing, groundcover like perennial that flowers for an extended period beginning in mid spring with established plants producing a display of showy flowers well into summer under good conditions. Tolerant of a wide range of soil types this easy to establish perennial readily reseeds making this a great choice for naturalistic settings, roadside plantings, and meadows. Attracts a variety of pollinators. Item# 10911.

The extra large (for a Phlox) rich pink 1-1/4" wide flowers are centered by a contrasting dark purplish-red eye which is in turn surrounded by a narrow white halo all atop a dense groundcovering mound of rich green foliage. The butterfly attracting flower show of Pink Profusion Phlox begins in late winter to early spring and may continue for up to 8 weeks and at peak flowering the foliage may be nearly completely hidden. This is a dense clump forming slowly spreading hybrid Phlox that is well suited to the front of the border in the garden and landscape. Naturally summer dormant, consider part shade in hot summer climates. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in a well-drained, humus rich, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Chicagoland Grows®, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12283

2-1/2" wide, miniature Amaryllis-like, white flowers are heavily blushed with pink toward the ends of the recurving petals. A wonderful and easy bulbous perennial, the Pink Rainlily or Brazilian Copper Lily flowers on and off from mid spring to fall and the flowers are held well-above the narrow, strap-like foliage. Item# 9541.

3" yellow daisies top the tall wispy stems of this vigorous native perennial from mid spring to late summer. Finely cut rich green pinnately divided foliage adds a soft textural backdrop for the profusion of flowers. An easy and reliably perennial native for the back of the border. An excellent choice for pollinators. Image courtesy of North Creek Nurseries. Item# 9720.