Forbs

Type: Perennial
Habitat: Disturbed prairies
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soil: Dry to medium moisture
Growth: 2’ - 3’ tall
Bloom: White from May- June
Spread: spreads by rhizome and by seed. Can spread prolifically to form large colonies
Maintenance: low maintenance in large areas. Quarterly maintenance to keep from spreading in small landscapes.
Benefits: Pollinators, butterflies, bees, erosion control, tea

Info: Beautiful spring bloomer that is commonly planted in herb gardens. Can be used in mass plantings for large areas. Can sometimes flop over in extreme humidity, so sometimes nice to plant next to grasses or sedges to keep it more upright.

Native Range: most counties in KS, MO, IA and NE

Type: Perennial
Habitat: Low, moist edge of the woods and meadows
Light: Part shade to part sun
Soil: Medium moisture
Growth: 4’-6’ tall
Bloom: Yellow from July-Oct
Spreads: prolifically by seed and slowly by rhizome
Maintenance: remove plants that have seeded in unwanted areas. Plant can be staked to prevent falling over
Benefits: bumblebees, flies, predatory insects

Info: Prolific spreader by seed with tall flowers. Very valuable to a large variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, Syrphid flies, and many species of predatory insects. Does not do well in dry sunny areas. This plants primary use in ornamental gardens is for its foliage as only several of its flowers are ever in bloom at the one time.

Native range: Eastern KS, most counties in MO, Southeast NE, a few Southern and Western counties in IA

Type: Perennial
Habitat: Rare in Missouri. Wet edge of the woods or meadows
Light: Full/Partial
Soil: moist rich soils
Growth: 6’ tall columnar
Bloom: White to pale purple from July-Oct
Spread: Prolifically by seed and by rhizome slowly
Maintenance: remove plants that have seeded in unwanted areas. Can be staked if falling over
Benefits: Bumblebees, predatory insects

Info: large plant best suited for larger landscapes. It blooms actually appear to be almost white from a distance but up close are a very pale purple. It is a host plant to the endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee. Purple Giant Hyssop has a very long bloom time while also being a nectar rich plant these two things in combination make this plant very popular with butterflies. In some Eastern states it is considered a endangered species.

Native range: Only Leavenworth County in KS, limited counties in NW Missouri, SE Nebraska and SW Iowa

Type: Perennial bulb
Habitat: Prairies and savannas
Light: Full sun
Soil: Dry to medium
Growth: 1’ tall
Bloom: White/Pink April-June
Spread: bulb offsets and by seed less successfully
Maintenance: remove plants that have seeded in unwanted areas
Benefits: flies, small bees

Info: This small native plant is not only beautiful, but deer resistant. It spreads by bulbs and seeds. like most other wild garlics it has slender foliage that blinds in amongst grasses and sedges, but when stems are trampled or disturbed you can smell the onion like aroma. It is easy to distinguished from other wild garlics by its showy display of white/pink flowers in the spring.

Native range:

Type: Perennial bulb
Native Habitat: Open woods, glades, slopes
Sun: Full to Part sun
Soil: Medium moisture
Height: 1.5’ tall
Bloom: Purple from July-August
Spreads: by seed
Maintenance: deadhead flowers before seeds mature to prevent spread. Bulbets can be divided in fall for more plants.
Benefits: Pollinators, edible, hummingbirds, drought tolerant
Insect interactions:

Info: These showy native onions have large flowering bulbs that are deer resistant and a great plant for pollinators. Spread can easily controlled by deadheading flowers before seeds mature. The leaves and bulbs of this plant can be used in cooking or eaten raw. Bulblets can be divided and planted in fall. This plant can be a great addition to rock gardens, cottage gardens, and as a boarder planting for garden beds. This plant is attractive to butterflies and hummingbird.

Type: Perennial bulb
Habitat: glades, open woodlands, prairies and slopes
Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Medium to Dry
Growth: 1-1.5’high .5-1’ wide
Bloom: reddish pink blooms in July-September
Spread: seed and bulbet
Maintenance: bulbets can be divided in the fall. Plant can be left to reseed so new onions can form a green mulch layer in the garden. If spread is unwanted, deadhead flowers before they go to seed.
Benefits: Bees, flies, beetles, hummingbirds, edible, drought resistant, deer resistant,

Info: This edible native perennial can be found in rocky soil in the Ozark region. Commonly eaten by the Native Americans and early pioneers, it was used in soups or just eaten raw. This showy plant is very drought and deer tolerant and makes a great addition to any native or cottage garden. Also pared well with showy wild garlic in order to get similar blooms from April-September.

Native range: Ozarks and central Kansas

Light: Full sun to Part shade
Soil: Medium to dry
Growth: 3’ tall , 1.5 Wide
Bloom: Blue from April-May

This southern Missouri native is commonly found growing along streams in sandy rocky soil. When grown in the shade may require staking to prevent plants from flopping over. When grown in full sun make nice round clumps that can be easily pruned to shape once blooms are finished if desired. The Shiny leaves that turn a beautiful yellow in the Fall. Ozark Bluestar is a great addition to any native garden.

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: wet areas in woodlands and prairies
Light: Part Shade
Soil: Wet to average
Growth: 1-3’ tall multi-stemmed clump
Bloom: Blue/purple blooms in March-May
Spreads: by seed
Benefits: drought tolerant, good fall color, cut flowers,

Info: This ornamental native perennial grows throughout the midwest and can be found in woods or on the plains. It grows best in wet, sandy soils. This species has wonderful golden fall color that adds interest throughout the season.

Design suggestions: This plant grows and blooms better in the sun, but can tolerate part shade. Excellent for mass plantings as borders, or in forma gardens. Also a great addition to naturalized gardens or rain gardens

Type: Perennial
Native habitat: damp edge of the woods
Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Medium to wet well drained soil
Growth: 1’-2’ tall 2’-2.5’ wide
Bloom: White from April-June

Info: This native perennial grows best in wet to medium well drained soils. Commonly found in Missouri along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, it spreads through rhizomes to create a nice ground cover making it a good native alternative to Vinca or Ivy.

Type: Perennial
Native habitat: open woods
Light: Full shade to part shade
Soil: Medium to wet
Growth: 1’ - 2’ tall 1’ wide
Bloom: White from June-August
Spreads: by seed

Info: Anemone virginiana, or tall thimbleweed, is a perennial wildflower known for its slender stems and white flowers. Thriving in moist woodlands and meadows, it blooms in late spring to early summer. This plant supports pollinators and adds elegance to natural landscapes with its airy blooms and feathery seed heads.

Host plant to mining bees, small carpenter bees, sweat bees, green sweat bees and yellow faced bees (Holm, Heather. Pollinators of Native Plants: Attract, Observe and Identify Pollinators and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants. Pollinator Press, LLC, 2014.)

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: Moist woodlands
Light: Part Sun
Soil: Medium to Wet
Growth: 2-4’ wide , 4-6’ tall
Bloom: White

Info: This Native perennial is found in moist woodlands and grows best in wet conditions especially if planted full sun. This species is dioecious meaning there are both male and female plants. Male plants have a more attractive bloom, but female plants have attractive seed pods. In landscapes this plants looks stunning in large masses. It is the larval host for the Dusky Azure

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: grasslands, woodlands and prairies
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: medium to dry soil moisture
Growth: 4” tall , 1’ wide
Bloom: White from April-June
Spread: seed and rhizome
Benefits: butterflies, bees, ground cover

Info: This Missouri Native can be found in grasslands, woodlands, and dry prairies. it grows best in rocky or sandy well drained soil. It is a low growing ground cover that spreads well and is great for small or large landscapes. A host plant for American painted lady butterfly caterpillars. great addition to rock gardens, open woodland gardens, boarder plantings, and also does well on slopes.

Type: perennial
Native Habitat: open woodlands, prairies
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Dry sandy or rocky
Growth: 1’ tall bloom foliage that hugs the ground
Bloom: White in May
Spreads: seed and rhizome
Benefits: pollinators, ground cover, erosion control, deer resistant

Info: Antennaria parlinii, or Parlin's Pussytoes, is a perennial plant native to North America. Thriving in well-drained soils and partial sun, it's found in woodlands and meadows. Its fuzzy flowers attract pollinators, and its roots contribute to erosion control.  A host plant for painted lady butterfly caterpillars.

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: dry woodlands, rock outcroppings, meadows
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: medium moisture
Growth: 2’-3’ tall 1’-2’ wide
Bloom: red/yellow April-May
Spreads: seed

Info: This native, perennial can be found in woods through out the state. Its early spring flowers are great for attracting humming birds. Under proper conditions, can be a prolific reseeder and form large colonies. Great for large areas that need to be filled in or creating spring interest in the garden. Dead-heading and watering will encourage additional blooms and keep to foliage looking attractive longer in the season. This is a must have in any woodland or shade garden and can be a great addition to already naturalized areas.

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: Woodlands
Light: Part shade to shade
Soil: Wet to medium wet
Growth: 4’ tall and wide
Bloom: Green from July-August

Info: This Missouri Native can be found in woodlands growing in moist fertile soils along slopes and cliffs. It has a shrub like growth habit and over time can form thickets by spreading rhizomes. Its attractive berries are a delight for birds. This plant is a member of the ginseng family and its roots can be used for flavoring teas and to make root beer. The roots have also been used medicinal in the past. Spikenard is a great addition to any part sun to shade woodland gardens or native plantings.

Light: part shade to full shade
Soil: medium to wet soil
Growth: 3’ tall
Bloom: green from May-June

Info: Great for rain gardens. Nice, unique plan to add to shade gardens

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Medium
Growth: 20-30’ tall 5-10’ wide vine
Bloom": pipe shaped greenish yellow in May-June

Info: This native vine is the host plant for the larva of the pipe vine swallowtail butterfly. This vine is seen in the wild growing up trees in moist woods often along creeks or streams. The attractive blooms resemble small popes. This is a great vine option from growing on arbors, trellises, and on fences

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: Glades, rocky prairies, bluffs
Light: Full Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry to Medium well drained
Growth: 2’-3’ tall
Bloom: Yellow from August-September
Spreads: prolific spreader by rhizome and seed in dry, well drained areas

Info: This native perennial is very drought tolerant and can form large colonies that are perfect for filling in large areas. It can eve handle being mowed once established. Does not do well in wet or poorly drained areas. In small areas, Its silver foliage is very aromatic and also medicinal. Its leaves can be used as a tea for stomach issues, a stronger tea can be brewed to use as wash for deodorant for underarms and feet.

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: woodlands
Light: Part Shade to Full Sun
Soil: Medium to Wet
Growth: 1’ tall
Bloom: Purple/brownish blooms in April-May
Spread: rhizome and slowly by seed.

Info: This native plant can be found in the woods throughout the state. It is a low ground cover with leaves that can be up to 6’ wide. Spreading by rhizomes, they can form a lovely carpet of green ground cover. The slender roots can be used as ginger substitute. Great for edging or ground cover in garden beds.

Type: Perennial
Native Habitat: Swamps, wet meadows, river edges
Light: Full Sun
Soil: medium to wet
Growth: 4’-5’ tall and 2’-3’ wide
Bloom: Pink from July-August
Spreads: by seed

Info: This native Milkweed also known as Swamp milkweed is great for monarchs and other butterflies. In the wild you can see this plant growing in swamps, near rivers, around ponds, and other wet meadows or fields. It has a clump forming growth habit. Rose milk weed is a great addition to any butterfly garden or wet area.

Sun: Full Sun
Soil: medium to medium wet
Growth: 2’-3’ tall and 1’-1.5’ spread
Bloom: Pink bloom June-July

Info: This Native milkweed also know as smooth milkweed has a similar look as common milkweed except its stems and seed pod are smooth. In the wild you can find this plant growing in wet prairies and along rivers. Like other members of the milkweed family this plant plays a significant role as a food source for monarch caterpillars its blooms are also a important nectar source for adult butterflies.

Type: Perennial
Native habitat: Prairies, roadsides, meadows, open fields
Light: Full Sun
Soil: Dry to medium
Growth: 2’-3’ tall 1’ wide
Bloom: Pink from June-August
Spreads: Seed and rhizomes

Most commonly known for being a great host plant for monarch butterflies, common milkweed is a great addition to pollinator or naturalized gardens. Does reseed rapidly, so it undesired, it is best to remove seed heads before they split open

Light: Full Sun
Soil: dry to medium in poor, well drained soil
Growth: 1-2’ tall and 1’-2’ wide
Bloom: orange bloom from May-Sept

A type of Milkweed, butterfly weed is a small, bushy plant with large orange flowers. Like the name suggests, this plant is great for butterflies, especially Monarch butterflies. A slow spreader that spreads mostly by seed, Butterfly milkweed is great for smaller gardens, if the soil is dry and well drained. Milkweed is prone to aphids. If noticed, treat with soapy water.

Light: Full sun to part sun
Soil: Medium to dry
Growth: 2’ tall
Bloom: White from July-Sept

Info: This shorter milkweed tends to bloom later in the year than other milkweeds. With it’s slender leaves, it is a great attractor of monarch caterpillars as well as a wide variety of other pollinators who use the nectar and pollen of the flower.

Light: Full Sun to part shade
Soil: medium to dry
Growth: 2’-4’ tall and 2’-3’ wide
Bloom: white bloom from April-May

Wild White Indigo is unique among the Baptisias that we offer due to its bloom that extends far above the foliage. Both bloom and seed pod are great for cutting flowers .

Light: Full Sun
Soil: Medium
Growth: 3-5’ tall 3’wide
Bloom: Blue/Purple blooms April-June

Info: This Missouri native is found in limestone glades, the edge of woodlands, and in the prairies. This plant, like other members of the pea family is a nitrogen fixer. This plant is a wonderful addition to any pollinator garden or native planting. Along with it’s flowers being particularly beautiful, it’s seedpods are attractive through winter and fall.

Light: Full sun/Part shade
Soil: Dry to Medium well drained
Growth: 2.5’ wide and tall
Bloom: Cream colored bloom in May-June

Native to Missouri, Cream Wild False Indigo is a compact shrub that fits in nicely to organized or wild flower beds. The flowers and seed heads make a great addition to flower arrangements.

Light: Full sun / Part Shade
Soil: Dry to Medium well drained
Growth: 2.5’ wide and tall
Bloom: Yellow from June-July

This Baptisia is found in prairies from Texas to Missouri , but there is some question as to whether it was introduced via railroad tracks or whether it was actually native to Missouri. it is commonly found in Arkansas. Like other species of baptisia found in the state it is slow growing, but once established it has a nice mounding shape. This makes this an excellent species for formal gardens. This species is a host plant for wild indigo duskywing butterfly, several species of sulfur butterfly, and some skippers.

Type: Herbaceous perennial
Native habitat: prairies and meadows
Light: Full Sun
Soil: Moisture: Medium
Growth: 4’-5” tall
Bloom: White from August-September

Great plant for rain gardens. Tends to spread but isn’t aggressive and is easy to weed. Beautiful, prolific bloomer and a great height for a mid range plant in almost any garden. Attractive foliage when not in bloom.

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry to Medium
Growth: 1’-2’ tall
Bloom: Purple from May to August

Info: This native perennial can tolerate a wide range of light and soil conditions. It is typically found on woodland edges and openings. It is very deer resistant and a big hit with pollinators. It does spread via rhizomes to form clumps. Great for formal or wild landscapes.

Light: Full sun
Soil: Dry to Medium
Growth: 2’wide 1.5’ Tall
Bloom: Magenta blooms June-August

Mostly found in open rocky areas along creek beds, this native is a great groundcover for filling in large areas in perennial beds.