Louisiana Native Plants

Purple, lavender, and near white 5-petaled flowers practically cover the plant in spring atop the deep green narrow foliage. Alyissa's Purple Prairie Phlox is a groundcover like native perennial whose butterfly pollinated flowers open a dark purple and fade to light lavender and near white as they age. Use this low growing perennial as a groundcover at the front of the border, garden, or landscape or in natural settings like roadsides, meadows, and prairies. This is an Almost Eden exclusive introduction and was discovered in an old fence row in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. Item# 11801

The American Beautyberry adorns itself in dense clusters of 1/8" wide, rich purple ,rarely white, berries that encircle the stems. The fruit begins to ripen and color up in summer but they are most noticeable on the bare winter stems. Apparently the berries sweeten as winter sets in and songbirds find them irresistible. A fast growing, native, deciduous shrub that is tolerant of sun to semi-shade but generally flowers and fruits best in full or mostly sunny conditions. Because it flowers on new growth, if the American Beautyberry gets too large it will benefit from periodic hard pruning and still produce fruit the same year if pruning is done before new growth begins in spring. Item# 10688.

Huge flat clusters, becoming dome-shaped as they mature, are composed of numerous small lightly fragrant white flowers that are followed by heavy crops of shiny black berries. The American Elderberry, Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, is a large growing native deciduous suckering shrub whose cooked fruit and flowers are used to create healthy and delicious confections, syrup, jelly, wine and more. The pollen rich flower clusters attract an array of smaller pollinators and its ripe fruit is sure to attract a host of bird species. Elderberries are monoecious, both male and female at the same time, and are typically at least semi-self fertile but it is generally recommended to plant at least two different plants for cross pollination and the heaviest crops. If you order multiple plants from us, you will receive at least two different selections. The large ripe fruit clusters are a great treat for chickens. Item #11269

The dainty white flowers of spring are soon followed by bumpy green fruits that mature to pink and then nearly to red. Once fully mature the pods split open to display the bright orange seeds inside giving it the name of Hearts-A-Burstin'. The American Strawberry bush is typically a deciduous to tardily deciduous large shrub (this selection seems to be more consistently evergreen) with green stems and dark to medium green, somewhat glossy foliage that is native to much of the eastern and central US. Excellent fall color in oranges, reds, and yellows. Images of fruit courtesy of Susan Thomas Spell. Item# 10218.

Wide flat-topped clusters of white flowers are produced in spring atop sturdy stems adorned with deep green finely cut deep green foliage. American Wild Carrot, Daucus pusillus, is a native annual common to roadsides throughout much of the US and is commonly confused with the non-native Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus carota, which is a parent to the common Carrot. The flowers attract bees and other garden beneficials and once through flowering the flattened clusters curl upward at the outer edges creating a protected 'nest' of ripening seeds. The American Wild Carrot makes an easy addition to naturalistic roadside plantings, meadows, and prairies where it readily reseeds on exposed soils. Full sun is preferred in average to well-drained soils. Item# 12027

Anna's Choice Yaupon Holly produces loads of golden yellow berries in dense clusters that last well into spring or until the birds decide they are ripe, whichever comes first. Either way we get all fall and winter to enjoy the beauty this durable native evergreen shrub provides. Anna's Choice is a vigorous upright to spreading evergreen shrub that is resistant to deer, salt, and is tolerant of a variety of moisture conditions from periodic droughts to periodic flooding. Item# 10202.

Large clusters of white late spring flowers produce green berries that ripen to a blue-black. The flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators and the edible fruits attract a variety of wildlife, especially birds. Arrowwood Viburnum is a vigorous growing, naturally rounded, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with rich green foliage and is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions. Fall color includes yellows, orange, reds, and near purple. Arrowwood Viburnum makes an easy hedge, background specimen, or screen. Easy and reliable. Item# 10922

Large spikes of deep blue, tubular flowers are born in summer, late summer, and sometimes into fall on this clump forming native perennial wildflower. Under natural conditions Azure Blue Sage produces tall arching stems that terminate into large, often branching, spikes of flowers that are quite suited to use by Hummingbirds and butterflies. Great at the back of the garden or in natural settings. Item# 10460.

Large clusters of rich purple to red-purple flowers sit atop the sturdy 3-4' stems of this medium sized Ironweed in summer and potentially into fall. Baldwin's or Western Ironweed, Vernonia baldwinii, is an excellent source of midsummer pollen and nectar for long-tongued bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. This species is more drought resistant than many Ironweeds once well-established and it is important to note that this species can colonize an area via long rhizomes. Its ability to colonize an area may make it a better choice for naturalistic areas like meadows, prairies, and roadsides than in more formal garden settings. Provide good drainage and a full sun to mostly sunny site with average moisture. Deadhead once flowering is complete to prevent unwanted seedlings. Item# 12356

Round clusters of lavender to white tubular flowers are born in summer on this durable native perennial. Wild Bergamot is a clump forming native perennial with good deer resistance. Excellent for hummingbirds and butterflies. This tough little native is drought tolerant and prefers to be on the dry side of moist and is resistant to drought once well-established. The fragrant foliage has been used in teas, perfumes, potpourri, and more. Item# 10484.

The sweet melon scented, 8-10" wide huge white flowers are produced in midspring and can potentially reach 12" across with pollinated flowers producing large cones with bright orange-red fleshy seeds. One of the most notable aspects of the Bigleaf Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, as its name suggest is its huge, wide, bluish-green foliage with a white reverse that can be up to 30" long and over 12" wide boasting the largest leaves of any native North American tree. This is a medium sized, deciduous tree with a slow to moderate rate of growth with a pyramidal habit when young eventually developing a rounded crown at maturity. Provide the Bigleaf Magnolia with an average moist, well-drained, acidic soil rich in organic matter preferably sited out of strong winds to protect the foliage. It can be grown in full sun to partly shaded conditions and flowering usually begins at around 10 years of age. The flowers offer nectar to a variety of pollinators and the ripe fruit is utilized by birds and small mammals. Item# 12600

The 2-3" wide dark eyed daisies are composed of deep golden yellow rays that surround the dark brown to black cones are produced in late spring to summer (depending on your zone). The flowers attract bees and other small pollinators and the seed heads attract songbirds. The Black-Eyed Susan is an annual - atleast in our area, biennial, to short-lived perennial with dark green hairy foliage that adorns well-branched plants and each plant can produce 20-30 or more flowers. This is a widespread species found along roadsides, meadows and prairies, savannas, and in open Longleaf Pine forests mainly in soils with average or better drainage. The Black-Eyed Susan is a common addition to seedmixes and readily reseeds on exposed soils, although it is not an aggressive species. Item# 11725

One of the hottest new native grasses on the market! Blackhawks Big Bluestem starts off in spring as a deep green clump of upright to arching blades that may be tipped with red to purple. It is in late summer when the real show begins with the upright and arching foliage and flowering stems of August deepen to red to red-purple and further deepening and intensifying as the cooler fall weather arrives becoming nearly all black as its sturdy and showy flowering stems begin to mature. Blackhawks Big Bluestem is a slightly more compact plant reaching about 4-5' high when in flower. The species is native throughout much of the eastern 2/3's of the US and is a clumping to slowly spreading rhizomatous grass whose seeds are utilized by a number of seed eating birds. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with an average to well-drained, acidic soil for the deepest foliage colors and optimum vigor. Plants are in their best form when grown in a low fertility soil. Overly fertile soils can cause them to topple at maturity. Images courtesy of Brent Horvath, Intrinsic Perennials, all rights reserved. Item# 12169

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In late summer and fall these plants are covered with dark-eyed golden yellow 2-3" wide daisies that sit atop sturdy stems with the flowers providing pollen and nectar for smaller pollinators and other garden beneficials. Blackjack Gold Brown-Eyed Susan offers more flowers over a longer period on sturdy disease resistant plants with improved vigor on longer-lived plants. It received exceptionally high marks in trials at UGA in 2019. This is a heat and sun-loving, deer and rabbit resistant native well-suited to both the garden and landscape as well as in naturalistic settings. The Brown-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia triloba, readily reseeds on exposed soils but is not aggressive or difficult to control. It prefers a full to mostly sunny position in well-drained, average moist to semi-dry soils. Ripened seedheads offer food for songbirds and small mammals. Item# 12319

Large clusters of lightly fragrant, pale blue flowers held on 12-14" high stems are produced in early spring to early summer, depending on your zone, attracting mainly butterflies, long-tongued bees, and sphinx and hummingbird moths. Blue Buttons' Lapham's Phlox, is a selection of Phlox laphamii, a.k.a. P. divaricata var. laphamii, that is reported to have a slightly longer flowering season, petals that are without clefts and are rounded to pointed, wider foliage and may have a slight preference for shade above that of typical Woodland Phlox. This is an evergreen to semi-evergreen, slowly spreading native perennial that makes a choice groundcover in average moist to moist, well-drained, fertile soils preferably rich in organic matter. Provide shade during the heat of the day such as morning sun, filtered shade, and deciduous shade seems to be about perfect as they receive sunlight during the majority of the growing season but are shaded by the time summer arrives. Item# 12878

Sturdy spikes of brilliant blue to lavender-blue, two-lipped flowers are borne for an exceptionally long period in late summer and into fall on this hardy, native, clump-forming perennial. Suitable for consistently moist to wet soils. The Blue Cardinal Flower is enjoyed by hummingbirds, butterflies, and an variety of other pollinators as well as making a beautiful cut flower. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries. Item# 10159.

Large, 3-4", blue, cornflower-like daisies are born in summer on this durable and reliable US native perennial. Stoke's Aster comes highly recommended and its easy to see why with moderate drought resistance, few pest or disease problems, deer and rabbit resistance and it revels in the heat and sun of our southern summers. Plants readily multiply into dense clumps. Super easy and tough. Item# 1212.

With some of the deepest blue flowers of any Amsonia and a consistently compact habit, Blue Ice has become one of the most popular Bluestar cultivars on the market. The clusters of deep blue, starry flowers open from deep violet buds and will be sure to brighten any spring garden. Yellow fall color adds to its interest. Bluestars are pest, disease, and deer resistant perennials that are considered to be somewhat drought resistant once well-established. Item# 10652.

Flat topped clusters of bluish-purple Ageratum-like flowers are born atop sturdy stems in summer and sometimes into fall. Blue Mistflower is a rhizomatous colonizing native perennial that may be best suited to naturalistic settings or among larger growing plants as a tall groundcover. Excellent for pollinators, particularly native bees. Item# 10458