Day 14 of Native Plant Month, we are looking at Filipendula rubra, commonly known as Queen of the Prairie.  There are12 species in North America and Europe and includes meadowsweet and dropwort (Europe) and QotP and Queen of the Forest (North Am). Blooms on the different species are white or pink.
Filipendula rubra Queen of the prairie thrives in moist, well-drained soils and prefers full sun to partial shade. It is commonly found in meadows, wetlands, and along streams and rivers. The plant is adaptable to various soil types, including clay and loam. Filipendula is an important plant for pollinators, attracting tiny bees, butterflies, and beetles with its nectar-rich flowers. The flowers are small pink, and are arranged in dense, fluffy clusters. They bloom in late spring to early summer.It is known for its clusters of small, fragrant candy pink flowers. Filipendula rubra are herbaceous perennials that can grow up to 6' tall. Plants spread by stolons. The leaves are large, pinnate, and have a serrated edge.  Filipendula is relatively easy to grow and can be propagated by seed or division. It requires regular watering, especially during dry periods, and benefits from mulching to retain soil moisture. The plant can be grown in garden beds, borders, and naturalized areas.This is a good plant for rain gardens. Filipendula has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. The plant contains salicylic acid, which is a precursor to aspirin, and has been used to treat pain, inflammation, and fever. It has many other medical applications also.
I love this plant and for many years I associated it with the pinnacle of native plant growing at home. Don't know why. I just did. I think I perceived it as a hard plant to grow but actually it is rather easy. At my home I grow it in a rain garden. Actually this is just a garden bed next to my garage that does not have gutters ;P It stays pretty moist all year. I was happy last summer when I was able to collect my own seeds to grow for this season. Squeee!
Cheers!15 Mid-month break- non native plants to attract pollinators, there are a few
Day 15 of Native Plant Month Non- Natives: Yay or Neigh? Mid-month break- non native plants to attract pollinators; I have been following the teaching and research of Dr. Tallamy for several years and his feeling is that a mix is ok. My feeling is that if you are converting a conventional garden to native pollinator habitat then do it slowly and keep the few species that you knoe can benefit pollinators. The following list are non-natives that I grow because I have observed bees and butterflies on them.
Digitalis lutea sand foxglove is first, I love this plant. It was given to me by a Hammond Garden Club member in 2002. Fond memories! Although this plant is non-native I always see bees on it. That’s why I have kept planting it. It is a short-lived perennial so by now you have learned what that means….Let the seeds fall, seeds be seeding! This is how I have had this plant for more than 20 years now. I only have a small section of it. I think that is something to consider when mixing plants in a garden. The bulk of your plant choices should be native but small planting of these should be ok. Since it is a reseeder, if you live adjacent to a natural area or land preserve, skip this one. We don’t want to make more problems for the future. It is deer resistant.
This plant is different than the foxgloves that most of us think of. It has 18-24” stem sof tiny lemon yellow flowers. It is a perennial but, again short lived. That doesn't mean it is unworthy to plant. It just needs different management. The spread on one plant is about 12” Part shade is best and late afternoon sun is perfect. It prefers moist, well drained soil and blooms late spring to mid summer. Deadheading will prolong the bloom period. Always let 1 or 2 stems go to seed. Like columbine, you need to let the seeds drop. Here is a quote from the Monticello garden website. Yes That Monticello.
“Small yellow foxglove has been cultivated in British gardens since the 16th century, and was probably established in American gardens by 1800. It's slender stalks of pale yellow blossoms are very striking in partly shaded locations against a dark green background. The plants form leafy clumps their first season from seed and flower the second. They are short-lived perennials, but self-sow readily and perpetuate themselves in the garden. "Yellow-flowered Fox-glove" is listed in Philadelphia nurseryman Bernard McMahon's book, The American Gardener's Calendar, 1806, as a "hardy, fibrous rooted perennial". Nineteenth-century American garden writer Joseph Breck recommended this species in his book, The Flower Garden (1851). Deer avoid all Digitalis species.”
Foeniculum vulgare bronze fennel is a short-lived perennial that is an alternative host plant for Eastern black swallowtail butterflies. It can be rather tall in the garden so be prepared for that. It belongs in the back of the border but if you garden like me, you may end up with a forest of bronze fennel. I like its soft delicate texture and the surprise caterpillars. With this being said, when you grow it let it bloom, let the pollinators have the pollen then for the love of all that is green and holy, deadhead every stem except for one. It is short lived but do not let all the seed fall, even if you have one plant you will have 100’s of seeds. One comment on the small forest of fennel that I ended up with, I saw very few caterpillars. Could be that they were in too much shade or too crowded.
Borage, and annual that grows fast and reseeds in the garden. It’s flowers are edible and reportedly taste like cucumber in a salad. It is very attractive to bees, especially bumbles. The flowers are a pretty pop of sky blue in a container or in the herb garden.
Cosmos ‘Diablo’ my all-time favorite cosmos variety for many reasons. Unlike other sulfur cosmos they grow 3-5’ tall, I have always had bad luck with the small varieties surviving. Another reason I like these is that they bloom earlier than the pink cosmos. They seeds are easy to collect and last for years but I don’t think I have seen any reseed in the garden. The blooms on this plant are orange, yellow or red-orange. The plant is a nice pop of color in the garden.
Nasturtium is a vining plant that creeps along the ground or can be planted in hanging baskets, my favorite way to grow it. The hummingbirds can get to it. This is an annual that has edible leaves and flowers. A peppery addition to a salad. There are many cultivars of Nasturtium. I like the long ones in the ground in full, hot blazing sun. With regular watering this plant will thrive and be full of flowers. I like the dwarf varieties (under 3’) in hanging baskets. Make sure the potting mix is rich with bark so they don’t dry out too much. Hot sun will produce a lot of blooms. This species resents fertilizing , it stunts its growth. Nasturtium is ideal in a veg garden as an insect deterrent. Very popular with bees and hummers. In my opinion the pink and purple flower varieties are not worth it. The colors are muddy.
Lesser catmint Clinopodium (Calamintha) nepeta subsp. nepeta. A big name for a small fantastic plant! This is one of my favorite border plants. They are available in white or lavender flowers, top out at 18” tall and 24” wide. They are covered with 1000’s of blooms from June through Oct. This plant blooms longer than just about any other that I know of. It is a nectar source for many species of tiny bees. It grows in full sun, many types of soils and is deer resistant.
Tithonia rotundifolia Mexican sunflower ‘The Torch’ (orange), ‘Yellow Torch’. Annual, 4-5’ tall and wide. Startin in late June it begins blooming and does not stop until a killing frost gets it. In bloom it is covered top to bottom with 2-3” brite orange blooms. It is a pretty large plant so if you have limited space go for the dwarf orange or dwarf yellow varieties. ‘Fiesta del Sol’, ‘Aztec Sun’
 
April 16 - Eutrochium and Conoclinium
Good Morning Gardeners and Lovers of Native Plants! We are working our way through the month and Day 16 of Native Plant Month, we are looking at two wonderful cousins in the pollinator garden: Eutrochium and Conoclinium. These plants are fantastic additions to any garden, providing both beauty and ecological benefits.
Eutrochium (Eupatorium), commonly known as Joe Pye Weed, is a tall, robust perennial that can reach heights of up to 7 feet. It is native to North America and is often found in moist meadows, woodlands, and along stream banks. This genus has several species and a few cultivars. The plant produces large, dome-shaped clusters of pink to purple flowers that bloom from mid-summer to early fall. These flowers are a magnet for pollinators, attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Eutrochium prefers full sun to partial shade and thrives in moist, well-drained soils. It is also known for its medicinal properties, having been used traditionally to treat a variety of ailments. I grow Eutrochium purpureum sweet Joe Pye weed, she has pale pink blooms and is a magnet for monarchs and other large butterflies. It grows best in part shade but can tolerate full sun with supplemental watering. One caution with this plant is to deadhead after the flowers are finished. If all the seeds fall, seeds be seeding! You may end up with a forest of Joe Pye weed. This plant has big roots early on and can be difficult to dig out. So be preventative. On the flip side, this plant is a clay buster with its big deep roots.
Conoclinium, commonly known as Blue Mistflower, is a shorter perennial that typically grows 2-3 feet tall. It is also native to North America and is found in similar habitats as Eutrochium. The plant produces clusters of small, fluffy blue flowers that bloom from late summer to early fall. These flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, particularly the Monarch butterfly. Conoclinium prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soils. It is an excellent choice for adding late-season color to the garden and for supporting pollinators. This plant can reseed but is not deeply rooted and easily moved or potted up.
Both Eutrochium and Conoclinium are easy to grow and can be propagated by seed or division. They require regular watering, especially during dry periods, and benefit from mulching to retain soil moisture. These plants are not only beautiful but also play a crucial role in supporting pollinators and other wildlife in the garden.
 
April 17 - Geranium maculatum Wild Geranium
On Day 17 of Native Plant Month, we are focusing on Geranium maculatum, commonly known as Wild Geranium. This charming plant is native to North America and is a delightful addition to any garden. It has been historically demonized for being a weed in the garden and lawn. I think that is not a fair assessment. Too many of our native plants have been labeled as weeds and branded as bad plants. I like this one a lot.
Wild Geranium is a herbaceous perennial that typically grows 1-2 feet tall. It is known for its deeply lobed, palmate leaves and its lovely, five-petaled flowers that range in color from pale pink to lavender. The flowers bloom in late spring to early summer, adding a splash of color to the garden during this time.
Wild Geranium thrives in moist, well-drained soils and prefers partial shade to full shade, making it an excellent choice for woodland gardens or shaded borders. It is commonly found in deciduous forests, woodlands, and along shaded stream banks. The plant is adaptable to various soil types, including loam and clay.
Wild Geranium is an important plant for pollinators. Its flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, providing them with a valuable source of nectar. The plant also serves as a host for the larvae of a few moth species, contributing to the biodiversity of the garden. Wild Geranium is relatively easy to grow and can be propagated by seed or division. It requires regular watering, especially during dry periods, and benefits from mulching to retain soil moisture. The plant can be grown in garden beds, borders, and naturalized areas, where it will form attractive clumps over time. Mine grows in my rain garden at home. I don’t find that it seeds very much around the garden. Wild Geranium is a versatile and resilient plant that brings beauty and ecological benefits to any garden. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this plant is a fantastic choice for adding color and supporting pollinators. Plus, it's easy to grow and propagate, making it a great addition to your garden collection. Happy planting!

​April 18 - Passiflora incarnata (Passion Fruit, Maypop)
Good Morning Gardeners! On Day 18 of Native Plant Month, we are focusing on Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as Passion Fruit vine or Maypop. This fascinating plant is native to the southeastern United States and is a wonderful addition to any garden. It is hardy here in the NWI region.
Passiflora incarnata is a perennial vine that can grow up to 15-20 feet long. It is known for its intricate, showy flowers that are typically purple and white. The flowers bloom from late spring to early fall, adding a touch of exotic beauty to the garden. The plant also produces edible fruits, known as passion fruits, which are oval-shaped and have a sweet-tart flavor.
Passiflora incarnata thrives in well-drained soils and prefers full sun to partial shade. It is commonly found in open fields, along roadsides, and in disturbed areas. The plant is adaptable to various soil types, including sandy and loamy soils.
Ecologically, Passiflora incarnata is an important plant for pollinators. Its flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, providing them with a valuable source of nectar. The plant also serves as a host for the larvae of several butterfly species, including the Gulf Fritillary and Zebra Longwing butterflies, contributing to the biodiversity of the garden.
Passiflora incarnata is relatively easy to grow and can be propagated by seed or cuttings. It requires regular watering, especially during dry periods, and benefits from mulching to retain soil moisture. The plant can be grown on trellises, fences, or other structures, where it will climb and spread, creating a lush, green backdrop.  I am attempting to grow this plat in a large container and take it in the garage for the winter. We’ll se if it works,

On Day 19 of Native Plant Month, we are focusing on the beautiful Penstemon genus, specifically Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) and Penstemon grandiflorus(Large-flowered Beardtongue). These stunning plants are native to North America and are excellent additions to any garden.
Penstemon digitalis is a herbaceous perennial that typically grows to about 3-4 feet tall. It is known for its tall spikes of tubular white to lavender flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer. The flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it a valuable plant for pollinator gardens. The plant's foliage is also quite attractive, with dark green leaves that provide a lovely contrast to the white blooms.
Penstemon grandiflorus, on the other hand, is a shorter perennial that grows to about 2-3 feet tall. It is known for its large, showy flowers that range in color from pale lavender to deep purple. The flowers bloom in late spring to early summer and are also highly attractive to pollinators. The plant's foliage is blue-green and adds a unique texture to the garden.
Both species of Penstemon thrive in well-drained soils and prefer full sun to partial shade. They are commonly found in prairies, open woodlands, and along roadsides. These plants are drought-tolerant once established and are relatively low-maintenance, making them ideal for gardeners of all experience levels.
Ecologically, Penstemon species play a crucial role in supporting pollinators. Their tubular flowers are perfectly adapted for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, providing them with a valuable source of nectar. Additionally, the plants serve as host plants for the larvae of several butterfly species, contributing to the biodiversity of the garden.
Penstemon is relatively easy to grow and can be propagated by seed or division. They require regular watering during dry periods and benefit from mulching to retain soil moisture. These plants can be grown in garden beds, borders, and naturalized areas, where they will form attractive clumps over time.

​April 11 Eryngium yuccafolium rattlesnake master
Day 11 of Native Plant Month, we are looking at Eryngium yuccafolium rattlesnake master, an interesting plant that resembles yuccas but is not as aggressive. This is a very differnent  flower to grow in a pollinator garden to give some visual variety from all the daisy shaped flowers you may grow.  A lot of our native pollinator plants that we grow at home are daisies and these stand out from them. The flower resembles a golf ball and is born on a tall flower scape in open clusters. Rattlesnake master attracts a lot of pollinators, including butterflies, skippers, moths, bees, wasps, beetles, and flies, as a nectar source. Surprisingly this plant is in the parsley plant family and is a host plant to the butterflies that use that family (swallowtail). I have never seen any caterpillars on mine. There are some species of moth that use it as host. If you see caterpillars, don’t disturb them. Could be that black swallowtails in other regions use this plant. Very architectural plant and a native bee magnet! Eryngium grows easily in dry to medium dry soils that is well drained. Drought tolerant after getting established (1 whole year). Full sun is best. In optimal conditions Eryngium will reseed and as we know from our other plant studies, reseeding is important for plants to renew themselves. If not, the species will disappear from the garden. Foliage is blue-green in color and stands out against the rest of the garden 3-5’ tall and 2-3’ wide. The foliage is three feet long and resembles yucca leaves. Since it is so coarse it is rabbit and deer proof. After the plant blooms for a number of years,  it dies back and leaves a number of pups behind. Foliage is blue-green in color and stands out against the rest of the garden. Nice plant, really easy to grow and a cool unique look.
Round flowers ripen to brown clusters of seeds when ready to pick. Seed smell really good! I will have this plant for sale this year.
12 Agastache: Anise hyssop, Purple giant hyssop
Good Morning!! What a beautiful morning, hopefully it will be a warm enough day to be outside for all of us. But as my former boss in the park dist used to say, there is no bad weather just poor wardrobe choices 😛 I hope you are enjoying our daily plant study, I am having fun writing them. We now enter into the back half of the month and getting into the more showy plants. We had to get through the more boring looking plants, though, they are workhorses in a pollinator garden. Not every plant can be purple coneflower or queen of the prairie. LOL
The 12th day of Native Plant Month brings us Agastache or hyssop. The native species that I grow are very easy and I find this plant to be delightful in that it smells good and feeds a lot of wildlife. Great for butterflies, all kinds of bees, hummingbirds and when the seeds are ripe small birds eat them. Agastache foeniculum anise hyssop is a perennial that grows average of 3’-5’ tall, 2-3’ wide and grows in full sun to part shade very nicely. Adaptive to many different soils, but best in moist well-drained. I have found this plant on clay buster plant lists. Not sure what that is about. The flowers are tiny lavender/ purple flowers on spikes,  June – September means it is a long bloomer and makes for an excellent cut flower and dried flower. It is a member of the mint family so it spreads by stolons but is not aggressive. It is in fact very easy to divide. I find lots of seedlings around the garden but they are easy to manage. I am always surprised how many bees feed from this plant. I also like the soft purple color. Funny story about this plant, in my younger days as a horticulturist, I once sat in my garden for hours popping seedlings out from in between my stepping stones and planting them up! I think a plant broke off over the winter right there. Dropped every seed! I had to save every baby!
The other hyssop that I grow to sell is a new one to me. Agastache scrophulariifolia purple giant hyssop is tall but not very purple.  It seems that under the right conditions it could make quite a large clump. Give it plenty of room. It grows fast but doesn’t reseed as much as anise hyssop. So, there may be advantages to this plant. This plant is attractive to pollinators and small birds similar to anise hyssop. Tolerates Wetter Soils and can be drought tolerant so very good rain garden plant. Grows in full sun to part shade, blooms July to October, 6’ tall x 4’ wide. Can be used for screening or the back of a perennial border.
Agastache is a wide ranging genus with many species around the world. There are some species that are sold in garden centers as annuals. These are called licorice mint and sunset hyssop, Agastache rupestris. These cultivars are usually some shade of yellow or orange in color. Great for hummingbirds. They are hardy in warmer zones. Agastache rugosa Korean hyssop is sometimes sold and I have seen seeds available. Just keep in mind that it may not be very attractive to pollinators because they are not the food the pollinators know.
Bottom line, a great species that is easy to grow with great ruturns.
Have a great day!!
 
 
April 13 Echinacea
Lucky Day 13 of Native Plant Month! Greetings! Our plant study today is Echinacea. Probably one of the most well-known and loved native plants in the Midwest. Coneflower is an iconic prairie plant that has been cultivated into many forms, sizes and colors. Where do I start? Echinacea has 9-10 species endemic to North America. I grow 2 species but I will outline a couple others that I love.
First I encourage you to grow the native species before choosing the fancy cultivars. This is because the trend now is that gardens should feed wildlife instead of just being eye candy, along with shrinking the lawn. With that in mind what does Echinacea feed? This species is great for butterflies, bumble bees, other native bees, wasps, moths and hummingbirds. Over the winter, the seeds are eaten by birds. Coneflowers are beautiful showy daisies that stand out in the summer garden, they are known for their drooping petals and large center cone. The name Echinacea come from the Greek word for hedgehog, Be careful when you collect seeds because the spines on the cones are sharp! A tip for collecting seed, they are cream/ white/ gray. The black spines are not seeds. I received seeds once from a seed swap and all the packages were generously filled with, you guessed it…spines. I have taught seed collecting for many years and I always mention this because what a waste of time to do all the work and get nothing useful out of it. Seed collecting can be tricky but it doesn’t have to be.
Echinacea purpurea, the most common and easiest coneflower to grow. They bloom for 6-8 weeks in summer and rebloom in fall under the right conditions. I have always liked this plant for the bright blooms all season long. Flowers are called purple but they are actually bright pink. The daisy flowers are large, about 3” in diameter. They grow 2-3’ tall and spread by rhizome and seeds. The one soil requirement they need is good drainage. Plant in full sun to part shade. They are a clay buster but no soggy soil. The plants are short-lived but if you let some seeds fall in the garden, the species will persist. From a design aspect, I think this plant looks best  in a large planting. Start with 3-5 plants. I will have these for sale this summer.
Echinacea pallida pale purple coneflower, a tall graceful daisy with extra drooping petals. Blooms earlier than E. purpurea and is a little taller. One big difference in the two species is that pale purple coneflower has a taproot so it doesn’t spread as fast as other species. Mostly it spreads by seed. I absolutely love this species for its early bloom, long life and graceful blooms. I will have this one for sale.
Echinacea tennesseensis is an interesting plant, the rose-purple petal curve upward instead of drooping downward! Very unique. Interesting fact the species almost went extinct. Its native range is only a few counties in Tennessee. Over the past 2 decades, it has been revived in the plant world as available seed and a couple of cultivars. One is called ‘Rocky Top’. E. tennesseensis natively grows on rocky limestone outcropping, glades, cliffs. So, if you have a limestone base soil or environment, it will grow well for you. I have grown it at home and in the parks and it always grows very well in well drained garden soil. Full sun, part shade exposure, med moisture soil. Tennessee coneflower grows 2.5’ tall and wide, mostly spreads by seed. It blooms for 2.5 months June-Aug.
Lastly is Echinacea angustifolia narrow leaf coneflower. This is the species’ roots are used for medicinal purposes, first with indigenous cultures then settlers. I have only grown it once and it didn’t come back so I don’t sell it. However here are some interesting facts: The flower looks like purple coneflower but he stems and leaves look like pale coneflower. A little funny looking! Native to prairies but essentially extinct in the wild. However it is being farmed. Whenever I am sick I use the Echinacea throat drops. They work like a charm to stop that post nasal drip- yuk.
Just a few words about the fancy cultivars of Echinacea. The first was hybridized at the Chicago Bot Garden in the late 90’s going on the market in the early 2004. It was ‘Art Pride’ and it was a cross between E. purpurea ‘Alba’ and Echinacea paradoxa a yellow coneflower native to MO. From there we have had 100’s of new cultivars and collections. My favorite is ‘Mac n Cheese’ and ‘Tomato Soup’ You can guess what colors they are. A far cry from our humble but beautiful native coneflowers. The problem with all these cultivars, including ones being released now is that they are not 100% hardy in our region and they are very expensive. I have seen them up to $29.00  for a 1 gallon pot. My message on these is this; plant a couple up near your sitting area in your yard. Or maybe near the front door but also have a large patch of straight species coneflowers somewhere else on the property for wildlife. Never expect the seeds from the cvs’ to retain the fancy color they will almost always be some shade of pink. The cultivars of E. purpurea are hardy, some of these include ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’, ‘Magnus’, ‘Ruby Star’ and ‘White Swan’ all very hardy and the seeds from ‘White Swan’ are true.

April 7 Coreopsis the first of the Keystone plants
On the Seventh Day of Native Plant Month we are looking at the genus Coreopsis aka tickseed. The common name tickseed comes from seeds resembling the size, shape and color of ticks. They just look a little like them. This is the first of the Keystone Plants I am going to present.  I think I have had a love/ hate relationship with this plant for years. I was first introduced to it in the garden centers that I worked. You know the ones with the fine stems and tiny yellow and red flowers and they die over the winter because most cultivars are not hardy in our region. Grrrr. When I was getting into natives, I planted Coreopsis lanceolata with the beautiful bright golden flowers. Great plant until the flowering is over and you have to deadhead. This was in the time before I adopted the philosophy of “let the seeds go” meaning let the plant reseed where they want to. They will eventually find the area in the garden where they are best suited and live longer in that space. Keeping up with the deadheading was a pain. So, I didn’t have it in my garden for about a decade. As I learned more about building habitat instead of formal gardening, I realized that to do the best for the pollinators and beneficial insects, I needed to provide the plants. Plant the plants. Seeds be seeding! That’s what I try to teach in every interaction, plant the plants, let them seed and follow their lead. So back to this species: I grow Coreopsis lanceolata lance-leaf tickseed, Coreopsis tripteris tall tickseed and Coreopsis verticillata thread-leaf tickseed. These species couldn’t be more different. C. lanceolata is a clump forming plant 18”-24” tall, is relatively short-lived. Hence the reason for allowing it to reseed. All plants have a lifespan, they don’t live forever. If we allow the short-lived ones to reseed the colony will sustain itself for many years. C. tripteris tall tickseed grows about 5’ tall and is airy and delicate, taking up space between more showy and coarse texture plants like common milkweed and Joe Pye weed. Small light yellow blooms seem to float in the air above the garden like tiny butterflies ( I really should start writing plant tags) Anyhoo, beautiful plant, I like how delicate it looks. C. verticillata threadleaf tickseed (12”-24” tall) is more of a groundcover plant. It spreads over many years to create a large soft looking colony. You can plant it with other plants that also grow a little aggressive and they will keep each other in check. All three species can tolerate some dry conditions but like a more in between garden soil. Coreopsis is  a Keystone Plant. The concept comes from Homegrown National Park and the research of Doug Tallamy. A Keystone Plant is one that supports more species of insect and wildlife than others. They are critiacally iportant in building habitat in your gardens. I venture to say they should be the base plantings of all our native gardens. If you have ever had some apprihension about where to start when choosing plants, this is a good place to start. Here is a link to the full list and the website for Homegrown National Park:
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.nwf.org/-/media/Documents/PDFs/Garden-for-Wildlife/Keystone-Plants/NWF-GFW-keystone-plant-list-ecoregion-8-eastern-temperate-forests.pdf
 
https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-trees-and-shrubs/
 
April 8 Allium cernuum nodding wild onions
We are one week into National Native Plant Month. A month-long daily study into natives that are great for the garden, benefit the environment and pollinators. Today I am pleased to share with you an unassuming prairie plant Allium cernuum nodding wild onion. If you have ever been to my garden, as messy as it is, I grow many species of Allium and nodding onion is one of my faves. The benefit to pollinators is mostly to bees and small butterflies. There are many native Allium species, but I like this one for home gardens. They are small, whimsical looking and easy to grow. They grow in rocky soils on glades, bluff edges, open woods, dry meadows and prairies throughout their native range. In the home garden they need well drained soil but can tolerate clay soil. Each bulb puts out a cluster of long chive-like foliage. However, it does not grow as thick as chives. Each bulb puts out one stem of blooms (scape), each one holding up to 30 blooms each. Flower buds hang in pendulous clusters covered in a membrane until the buds mature. Blooms are light pink to white and slowly straighten up from an arching position to standing straight. After the blooms are finished they form tiny clusters of 3-4 green seeds, when mature seeds are black. I find this to be one of the easiest seeds to collect and clean. In the garden they will reseed so deadhead if you don’t want them all over, in my garden they are spreading pretty slowly because I collect the seed. I like this species also for its delicate look in the garden compared to other Allium that look like drumsticks. Just a different look. Pair this plant with other natives like prairie dropseed grass, Purple love grass, Coreopsis, black eyed Susan and coneflowers. Because Allium are pretty fragrant, they are deer resistant. In most situations nodding wild onion grows in sun or part shade and is drought tolerant. An all around nice native plant for small bees and wasps.
 
April 9 Achillea millefolium common white yarrow
On the 9th Day of Native Plant Month we are looking at a plant that is both naturalized and native to our hemishere. Achillea millifolium yarrow is a plant that gardeners have had a love/ hate relationship with over many centuries. It originates in Europe and came over with settlers. But is also native . The reputation is that the species runs rampant through the garden. To be fair that’s not wrong. Yarrow can be quite aggressive. Paired with the right plants that can be equally a little aggressive and they can complement each other. So, if this plant is aggressive, why would we even consider planting in a home garden? This is an easy plant to grow for beneficial insects like hover flies, ladybugs, lacewings, tachinid flies and wasps.  Yarrows also attract butterflies and bees. What do beneficial insects do? These are the workhorses of a healthy garden that eat the insects that harm our vegetable plants. It is part of companion planting, a practice of pairing plants together for mutual benefit. If the prey insects are not present yet, plants like yarrow with copious amounts of pollen will attract and feed them until the prey does show up. It is like an insurance policy for the garden. A great way to protect the garden from insects that cause big headaches in the garden. Yarrow also produces potent volatile oil that repels bad insects. Used in modern cosmetics because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant and skin firming properties.
Drought tolerant after it is established (1 whole year), can grow in just about any garden soil, well drained, sandy- loam is best. 12-18” tall, full sun is best but will also grow in part sun. Yarrow grows all over the Northern Hemisphere. Has beautiful soft ferny foliage that is very fragrant. There are several cultivars in colors ranging from yellow to shades of orange and red. All popular with pollinators for the nectar and pollen.
This is an article about Beneficial Insects: https://extension.okstate.edu/fac.../beneficial-insects.html

April 10 Native grasses benefits of and why to plant them: fill up root space to fight weeds
Day 10 of Native Plant Month! Time to address native grasses. Now before you scroll on because you don’t want to die of boredom give me a chance to change your mind about grasses. In my experience gardeners that I have sold plants to have not been really excited about native grasses. However they are very important to a balanced home habitat. They are winter food for birds and other wildlife, they host month and butterfly caterpillars, and they take up space. Take up space, why is that important? Glad you asked. One of the chores of having a habitat is weeding, especially in the first 3 years. In order for a native planting to successful, it has to be weed free. Competition from weeds is the #1 reason for habitat failure. Especially at home and small municipal plantings. So one way we can combat that is by taking up root space. Often when we plant a native garden it is by small plugs and sometimes seed (0/10 I do not recommend!).  What happens is that perennial weeds that grow by stolons (creeping roots), can take over pretty quickly because there is not enough root mass to prevent them from moving around. So we plant native grasses to put out larger root mass than the plugs and they can slow down weed spread. This give the forbes a chance to get established without competition. Native grasses and forbes have evolved together over eons in the prairies and other environments, so they get along well.  Now understand that this will work for most weeds but not all. Another reason to plant native grasses is too cover the soil. Any soil that is exposed to the sun will give weed seeds a chance. Anytime we uncover soil to plant something new, we are exposing the weed seed bank. Have you ever had a nasty weed pop up in the garden and you don’t know how it got there? One way is that the seeds are just there in your soil for decades waiting to be exposed to the sun. When we plant grasses in between forbes (technical name for native flowers) we cover the soil. So it is a twofold benefit to your habitat and the benefits to wildlife.
I am not going to cover sedges right not except to tell you that they are similar in appearance to grasses but not in the grass family. They generally grow in sun, some in part sun and spread by stolons, so a little more spready than grasses. This doesn’t mean they are bad because they are usually shallow rooted. They usually grow in wet soils, wetland and marshes. Ideal for rain gardens. If you are a beginner at native gardening, this is all you need to know for now.
What grasses do I grow? Well, in my garden, because it is older and has a lot of bulbs planted, has been a struggle to get any grasses established. The foliage from daffodils and tulips grow pretty big  and shade out the space where I want grasses. I have too many large clumps of daffs. My garden is forever a work in progress. I will probably pot up some grass plugs into 1 gallon pots and grow them out until fall and plant them when they are a little bigger. That does not mean that you have to do that, though. My garden….ugh. Anyhoo the following are the grasses I grow for sale and photos.
Bouteloua curtipendula side oats gramma, 2’ tallx 2’ wide. Thick clumper, does not spread. Full sun is beast in medium to dry soil. Thick bushy grass plants put up flower stems in summer. Flowers are orange to red and hang down the stem.
Erogrostis spectabilis purple love grass is a beautiful short grass. Very delicate and airy looking with purple seed heads that resemble purple smoke. Up to 2’ tall in flower 2’ wide spreads by seed. Full sun, dry soil. July- Aug bloom.
Schizachyrium scoparium little blue stem widely spread throughout the US, it can be seen recently on roadsides all over the Midwest. This grass is a smaller clump forming grass reaching about 2’ tall and 18-24” wide. Blue-gray foliage color turns copper after the first hard frost. Makes it an attractive grass for multiple seasons. Little Bluestem serves as the larval host for several skipper species.  Other insects that feed on Little Bluestem include grasshoppers, Prairie Walkingsticks, the leaf-mining beetles, thrips, spittlebugs, and leafhoppers. The seeds of this grass are eaten by songbirds. Little bluestem provides necessary overwintering habitat and resources for many insects and birds.
 
Sporobolus heterolepsis prairie dropseed grass is one of my favorites. I really hope I can get a few clumps established in my garden. It is a beautiful clump forming grass with fine foliage. At the end of summer they bloom and smell like buttered popcorn! The seed heads are full of seeds that get heavy and arch over making the plant into a vase shape. Foliage turns golden in fall. Seeds are attractive to birds during winter. 2’ tall by 3’ wide when mature after three years or so. Full sun to part shade and med wet to dry soil so it can grow just about anywhere. Like other clump forming grasses, bumble bee queen burrow under it for winter protection. This does not harm the plant.  It is a pretty and delicate looking grass for the garden, formal landscape or habitat. Female bumble bee queens nest at the base of bunch grasses, like Little Bluestem, where they are protected until they emerge in the Spring. 
Panicum virgatum panic grass or switch grass, 4’ tall and wide at maturity. Beautiful big grass for the native garden or landscape. Makes a statement in a landscape similar to maiden grass. Give it a try, it is beautiful. This plant has been used in biofuel production and high grade hay production. 
One of the questions I get frequently about grasses in general is, should they be cut down in fall? My feeling on this is no, leave the seeds for the birds and the dry foliage for them to build spring nests and let the foliage cover the soil of your garden. What to do about nonnative grasses? Cut them down or better yet remove and replace. With our changing climate, our zone here in the Chicagoland Region has moved up a half zone, from 5b to 6a, fall is warmer longer and allows time for non-native grasses to set seeds. Even 25 years ago when I started in the Hort industry we were all saying:  Yeah go ahead and plant maiden grass, it Never forms seeds in our climate. Well, that is not true anymore. Maiden grass, zebra grass and porcupine gras as well as Japanese silver grass are all riskier to grow because they can set viable seeds and take over vulnerable environments. I have seen silver grass and maiden grass in places where they were not planted and there are people studying it.  

National Native Plant Month started back in 2021 and since I have yet to participate in Pollinator Week in June, I thought I would post a little information every day about the native species I grow for my annual plant sale.  These are facts and my own musings on the plants I love. I hope you enjoy it. Keep checking back because I will be adding all the way to April 30th. At least that's the plan. 

April 1- Milkweeds
Since I sell natives I think I will try to post once a day and talk about a native plant that I sell.
So for April first here she is... One of the most important native plants you can grow milkweed. I know you are probably thinking, "of course she would start with this!". Absolutely! We all want to make sure we have all the milkweed that the monarchs need to survive and thrive. It is after, all the only plant the caterpillars eat. There are several species that I grow for the home garden. They are important not just for caterpillars, but for bees, hummingbirds and the other 40 species that use it as home (common) Common is my favorite because of it's fragrant blooms in June but it can get "spready" we never refer to it as invasive. If you don't like its aggressive nature then prairie mw would be a good alternative. Swamp/ rose mw is the next species I grow. Small in stature, lots of flowers and spreads only by seed. Butterfly weed is the next, used mostly by insects and Hummers for nectar. And it is a beautiful pop of orange in the garden. This one can be a bit tricky in clay soil. It needs perfect drainage. Whorled MW is a fantastic species for hot dry conditions, the small stature is great for the home garden. It still feeds caterpillars.

April 2- Wild columbine
On the second day of Native Plant Month we will look at Aquilegia canadensis wild columbine. Wow where do I start? I love this plant so much. It is really beautiful and easy to grow. Wild columbine is native to the eastern half of the US. This plant can be seen in woodland situations. It has blue-gree (glaucus) foliage and erect flower stems covered in blooms that hang off of the stems like tiny lanterns. The red/ yellow bloom color is attractive to hummingbirds and early bees and hawk moths. The spring bloom of this plant depends on the weather, In our area, it blooms mid May through early June for about 4 weeks. Sometimes a little earlier. The blooms look as if they are part of a crown, those vertical structures are called spurs and show us it is in the buttercup plant family. These spurs are filled with nectar. Fun Fact: some bees will bite into the end of the spur instead of drinking from the inside of the bloom!
In the home garden this plant shines in mid spring, especially when planted enmasse. This is a great addition to any Soft Landings planting. What's that you ask?
Soft Landings are plantings under mature trees where native flowers and sedges can grow without disturbance. The planting ideally encompasses the whole area under the tree from drip line to drip line This makes a good over wintering space for moths and insects. Sone species literally fall out of the trees when it is time for metamorphosis. Without a soft landing they will perish in the lawn mower. A soft landing is never cut down, never cleaned out. Only occasionally weeded to keep the planting healthy.
Wild columbine does not have a lot of management needs. They take care of themselves although occasionally they can get leaf miner. When that happens, simply remove and destroy the affected foliage. The plant will push out more leaves. To maintain the colony of plants or to have the plants spread allow them to reseed every year. If the colony is getting large, transplant when they are very small as they have a taproot and transplanting after the first year is difficult.
What's not to like? Attractive foliage, beautiful blooms and easy to propagate. I will have plenty of these for sale this season.
The seed heads appear in July and can be collected when they are brown and papery. These seeds will be one of the first to collect in the garden.

April 3- Golden Alexander
Zizia aurea golden Alexander is our next plant in our month-long Native Plant appreciation. This plant is pretty new to me. I didn’t start planting it until five years ago. Several years ago I started thinking about what native plant Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies use for their caterpillars? We know they use all plants in the parsley family including dill, carrots, parsley and bronze fennel. But none of those are natives. So if this is a native butterfly what do the caterpillars eat? After some investigation I discovered Zizia. And what a cool plant?! It doesn’t grow huge only 1.5’ x 3’ tall and wide. But as we know native plants don’t grow in a vacuum and prefer to be growing in a community. This plant grows in a nice tight clump when given a little space. In a plant community they seem to grow loger stems and meander through their neighbors.They bloom May-June and have compound umbel shaped blooms like all other in the parsley family. Flowers are yellow. This plant is pollinated by bees and butterflies. It grows natively in colonies in moist woods, meadows and thickets. I the home garden it will happily grow in part shade moist soil. This is an ideal plant for Raingardens as are many of the plants we will be studying this month. Rain gardens are an excellent way to keep your rainwater on your property. Why is that important?  I helps keep stormwater out of the municipal sewers. Does this mean your property will flood? No. A properly built rain garden will filter water through your property not hold it. It is not a pond. Rain gardens should be empty in 24-48 hours. The other benefit of this garden method is to guide water through the soil to underground aquifers as opposed to sending the water down stream and away from our region.
 
April 4- Baptisia: white wild indigo, dwarf blue indigo, yellow wild indigo (B. sphaerocarpa)
Good Morning Gardeners and Lovers of Native Plants! On Day 4 of Native Plant Month, we are looking at Baptisia also known as wild indigo. There are 5 species that I can think of off the top of my head, but I am selling only 3 this season (I only have so much room 😉) Baptisia australis is the species most gardeners are familiar with. Baptisia is in the legume (pea) plant family. This is seen in the flowers that look just like pea flowers. Another characteristic of this plant family is that it is a nitrogen fixer, meaning it can deposit nitrogen into the surrounding soil. Baptisia are host to a few butterflies: Wild Indigo Duskywing, Orange Sulphur, Clouded Sulphur, Eastern Tailed Blue. They are a large plant in the garden and a beautiful focal point for the spring and early summer garden. For the remainder of the summer they are a pretty shrub in the garden not unlike our beloved state flower the peony (LOLOL) They are pollinated by bees, syrphis flies and some butterflies. The seed pods are very cool. They are charcoal black pods that sound like a baby rattle. So cool! Baptisia can take a few years to mature and begin blooming. They are definitely worth the wait. They are notorious for being difficult to transplant after several years but I have never had a problem. Below are photos of the three species I sell: Baptisia australis, Baptisia alba white wild indigo, Baptisia sphaerocarpa yellow wild indigo.
 
 April 5 Pycnanthemum muticum clustered mountain mint Perennial Plant of the year 2025.
On day 5 of Native Plant Month I am showing you a new plant to me. It happens to be the Perennial Plant of the year 2025- Clustered mountain mint Pycnanthemum muticum. Mountain mint is new to me but I love this plant for all of its advantages to pollinators. It is attractive to a very diverse group of pollinators including bees, butterflies, wasps, syrphid and tachinid flies. Although this plant is in the mint family I don’t want you to think it will take over your garden. It produces a sizable colony in the garden without competition, but it is shallow rooted and easy to manage. Root prune in spring around the edge of the colony to keep it from spreading so fast. Pycnanthemum is more closely related to bee balm than true mints. They have square stems like other members of the mint family and strong fragrance. Animals rarely browse on these plants. Blue-green fuzzy foliage gives some variety to the garden. Blooms are tiny clusters white or purple flowers. They bloom in sun and part shade. The best bloom show will be in full sun. This plant prefers medium to high moisture, fertile well-drained soil. So in other words pretty good soil. Once they are established (after the first year) they are drought tolerant. Makes a good dry flower or fresh cut flower. Once blooming is finished, the seedheads are attractive through winter and provide food for birds. It frows 2-5’ tall, pair with other colony forming plants to keep plants in check: Monarda, Rudbeckia, Asclepias and Phlox can work well. Since it is a new plant to me, I will be selling it this season but I will be planting it for the first time too, we can learn together.
 
April 6 Antennaria plantaginifolia pussytoes
Day Six of Native Plant Month! I want to talk about a sweet little native that is a butterfly host for the American lady and painted lady. When you are planning a pollinator garden or enhancing an existing garden, it is becoming more important to add host plants for insects. This one just happens to also be a low groundcover with wooly gray-green foliage and pale pink  blooms in May-June that are about 12” tall. This is a member of the aster family and found across the Eastern US. There are several species of pussytoes. This one has showier velvety foliage than other species. This plant spreads by stolons but is not aggressive. This species is not eaten by wildlife. A good plant for rocky dry areas. Maybe around a mailbox, birdbath or any other dry sunny areas. This plant can grow in really dry situations but you have to get it established before totally ignoring it. It also thrives in medium moisture but well-drained soil. So it seems pretty adaptive. It does not thrive in too rich/ loamy soils. The tiny flower stems can be saved for tiny dried flower arrangements.