Native Plants Outdoor Laboratory

Lincoln University Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Cooperative Extension

LUCE FS#08-F-2015 Rev. 07/13/2015

Lincoln University Cooperative Extension • Native Plants Program

900 Chestnut Street, Allen HallJefferson City, MO 65101

(573) 681-5543

Fact Sheet

Missouri’s Natural BeautyLincoln University has a Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory (NPOL) with more than 80 plants native to Missouri including wildflowers, shrubs, vines, grasses and trees. This laboratory is comprised of plants that can be naturally found in prairies, glades, wetlands and forests. It is located on campus between Allen Hall and Foster Hall at 900 Chestnut Street in Jefferson City, Missouri. This is a living laboratory and easily accessible. Lincoln students, faculty and staff, as well as neighbors and the public at large can learn to identify native plants all year.

Monarch butterfly foraging on swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), one of the host plants for its caterpillar.

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) at the NPOL is a great addition for every garden because it attracts butterflies and native bees.

Phot

o by

Ran

dy T

inda

ll

Linc

oln

Uni

vers

ity C

oop

erat

ive

Ext

ensi

on •

Nat

ive

Pla

nts

Pro

gram

STO

P 1:

The

tour

beg

ins a

t the

Alle

n H

all s

ign.

Her

e ro

ck

pink

s (Ta

linum

cal

ycin

um) s

how

thei

r lov

ely

bloo

ms a

t m

idaf

tern

oon.

The

rigi

d go

lden

rod

(Sol

idag

o ri

gida

) tha

t is

grow

ing

near

by b

rings

man

y po

llina

tors

* (S

ee g

loss

ary)

. The

go

lden

rod

can

be tr

imm

ed to

con

trol i

ts h

eigh

t and

the

spid

er

mite

s tha

t are

pre

sent

in th

e su

mm

er h

eat.

This

nor

ther

n ga

rden

bed

con

tain

s a p

lant

that

is k

now

n as

lit

tle b

lues

tem

, (Sc

hiza

chyr

ium

scop

ariu

m).

You

will

als

o fin

d pu

ssyt

oes (

Ante

nnar

ia p

lant

agin

ifolia

); it

is h

ost t

o th

e A

mer

ican

lady

but

terfl

y. A

rom

atic

ast

ers (

Sym

phyo

tric

hum

ob

long

ifoliu

m) a

lso

grow

in th

is b

ed. A

ster

s are

a la

te fa

ll ne

ctar

sour

ce fo

r man

y sp

ecie

s of b

utte

rflie

s and

inse

cts.

The

arom

atic

ast

er h

as b

een

prun

ed to

redu

ce it

s hei

ght a

nd th

e nu

mbe

r of s

pide

r mite

s. Th

is la

bora

tory

will

hel

p Li

ncol

n U

nive

rsity

Coo

pera

tive

Exte

nsio

n (L

UC

E) d

isco

ver m

anag

e-m

ent p

ract

ices

to c

ontro

l the

se p

ests

.

STO

P 2:

San

d ph

lox

(Phl

ox b

ifida

) blo

oms f

rom

Janu

ary

thro

ugh

Apr

il, w

ith d

aint

y bl

ue b

loss

oms.

At t

his s

top,

ther

e is

a c

olle

ctio

n of

yel

low

con

eflow

ers (

Echi

nace

a pa

rado

xa)

and

glad

e co

neflo

wer

s (Ec

hina

cea

sim

ulat

a). T

hey

bloo

m a

t th

e sa

me

time

in M

ay a

nd Ju

ne a

long

with

foxg

love

pen

ste-

mon

(Pen

stem

on d

igita

lis).

This

pla

nt h

as w

hite

blo

ssom

s th

at a

ttrac

t hum

min

gbird

s for

a si

p of

nec

tar.

STO

P 3:

The

mid

-gar

den

isla

nd is

a h

ost t

o m

any

plan

ts th

at

grow

wel

l in

soil

with

goo

d dr

aina

ge. T

he h

airy

wild

pet

unia

(R

uelli

a hu

mili

s) b

loom

s bea

utifu

lly in

the

mor

ning

. The

fa

lse

aloe

(Man

freda

virg

inic

a) g

row

s wel

l her

e. P

over

ty

gras

ses (

Dan

thon

ia sp

icat

a) a

re u

sed

to li

ne th

e ed

ge o

f the

w

alkw

ays;

they

can

thriv

e in

dry

and

poo

r soi

l con

ditio

ns.

Thes

e gr

asse

s are

par

t of a

n on

goin

g re

sear

ch st

udy.

STO

P 4:

The

sout

h ga

rden

is p

lant

ed w

ith th

e an

nual

goa

t-w

eed

(Cro

ton

mon

anth

ogyn

us).

It se

rves

as a

larv

al*

(see

gl

ossa

ry) h

ost f

or th

e le

afw

ing

butte

rfly

(Ana

ea a

ndri

a). O

n th

e so

uth

side

of t

his b

ed is

the

wild

blu

e in

digo

(Bap

tisia

aust

ralis

). Th

is p

lant

has

blu

e flo

wer

s in

late

sprin

g th

at

deve

lop

into

pod

s tha

t rat

tle.

STO

P 5:

Thi

s bed

was

pla

nted

in fa

ll 20

12, w

ith tw

o-ye

ar-o

ld se

edlin

gs th

at in

clud

e w

ild b

lue

indi

go (B

aptis

ia

aust

ralis

), po

verty

gra

ss (D

anth

onia

spic

ata)

and

pra

irie

drop

seed

gra

ss (S

poro

bolu

s het

erol

epis

) tha

t bor

der t

he

park

ing

lot.

STO

P 6:

Loo

k ov

er th

e ra

iling

at t

he fa

r sid

e of

Sto

p 5;

you

will

see

woo

dlan

d w

ildflo

wer

s and

woo

dy sp

e-ci

es. S

kink

s (liz

ards

) can

be

foun

d he

re. T

hey

shar

e th

is

area

with

the

sprin

g bl

oom

ing

flow

ers s

uch

as sp

iceb

ush

(Lin

dera

ben

zoin

), w

hich

is a

hos

t pla

nt fo

r the

spic

ebus

h sw

allo

wta

il ca

terp

illar

and

the

wah

oo tr

ee (E

uony

mou

s at

ropu

reus

).

STO

P 7:

The

bla

zing

star

(Lia

tris

pyc

nost

achy

a) p

ath

guid

es y

ou to

the

red

ceda

r gaz

ebo

and

rain

gar

den.

Her

e yo

u w

ill se

e a

dry

stre

am th

at c

hann

els r

unof

f effe

ctiv

ely

from

the

park

ing

lot i

nto

the

rain

gar

den

behi

nd th

e ga

-ze

bo. T

his i

s a p

erfe

ct p

lace

to st

ep in

to a

fiel

d of

wild

-flo

wer

s, si

t on

a be

nch

and

take

a b

reak

from

the

hect

ic

univ

ersi

ty li

fe.

STO

P 8:

Pra

irie

drop

seed

gra

ss (S

poro

bolu

s het

erol

epis

) an

d le

adpl

ants

(Am

orph

a ca

nesc

ens)

can

be

seen

nea

r the

A

llen

Hal

l mai

n en

tranc

e. In

200

9, th

is w

as th

e fir

st a

rea

that

was

pla

nted

. The

re a

re M

isso

uri b

lack

-eye

d Su

sans

(R

udbe

ckia

mis

sour

iens

is),

aste

rs (A

ster

pal

udos

us a

nd

Solid

ago

ptar

mic

oide

s) a

nd b

ee b

alm

(Mon

arda

fist

ulos

a)

clos

e to

the

labo

rato

ry’s

sign

. The

pra

irie

dock

(Silp

hium

te

rebi

nthi

nace

um) fl

ower

s are

vis

ited

by n

ativ

e be

es; t

he

leav

es o

f thi

s pla

nt a

re u

sed

for d

ry o

r fre

sh a

rran

gem

ents

. Th

e bi

rdba

th is

a w

elco

me

sigh

t to

visi

ting

bird

s. N

ext t

o th

e lig

ht p

ole

is th

e Am

eric

an b

eaut

yber

ry b

ush

(Cal

licar

-pa

am

eric

ana)

, with

its a

ttrac

tive

purp

le b

errie

s tha

t attr

act

frui

t-eat

ing

bird

s.

A

smal

l pie

ce o

f Mis

sour

i’s n

atur

al b

eaut

y ad

orns

the

cam

pus o

f Lin

coln

Uni

vers

ity (L

U) a

t the

Nat

ive

Plan

t Out

door

Lab

orat

ory

(NPO

L) in

fron

t of A

llen

and

Fost

er h

alls

. Wal

k-in

g th

roug

h th

e bl

ack-

eyed

Sus

ans a

nd b

eaut

yber

ry b

ushe

s giv

es th

e fe

elin

g of

bei

ng tr

ansp

orte

d to

the

wild

s of M

isso

uri.

Her

e yo

u w

ill fi

nd b

utte

rflie

s, bi

rds,

nativ

e be

es, o

ther

po

llina

tors

and

wild

life

that

com

e to

drin

k w

ater

and

find

refu

ge in

this

urb

an sa

nctu

ary.

Th

is h

ando

ut c

over

s onl

y a

smal

l sam

ple

of th

e di

vers

ity o

f flor

a (p

lant

s) d

ispl

ayed

at t

he N

POL

in Je

ffers

on C

ity. V

isit

and

spen

d tim

e id

entif

ying

pla

nts.

Or j

ust e

njoy

the

beau

ty

and

tranq

uilit

y. T

his s

anct

uary

is fo

r eve

ryon

e. It

doe

sn’t

mat

ter i

f you

are

a st

uden

t, ed

ucat

or, n

atur

alis

t, fa

rmer

, am

ateu

r gar

dene

r or j

ust n

eed

a pl

ace

to re

st. I

t is a

wel

com

ing

plac

e fo

r all.

STO

P 9:

Just

bey

ond

the

bird

bath

, fal

se in

digo

s (A

mor

pha

frut

icos

a) li

ne th

e ou

tsid

e w

all o

f Alle

n H

all.

This

row

of p

lant

s offe

rs c

over

for b

irds;

its

flow

ers p

rovi

de n

ecta

r for

nat

ive

polli

nato

rs. Y

ou

will

als

o fin

d pr

ickl

y pe

ars (

Opu

ntia

hum

ifusa

), M

isso

uri p

rimro

ses (

Oen

othe

ra m

acro

carp

a) a

nd

glad

e on

ions

(Alli

um st

ella

tum

). A

ll of

thes

e gr

ow

wel

l in

the

dry,

rock

y ha

bita

t at t

he c

orne

r, w

hich

is

sim

ilar t

o a

glad

e.

STO

P 10

: At t

he b

otto

m o

f the

step

s, to

the

left,

yo

u ca

n se

e a

woo

dy a

rea.

It is

mos

tly b

lack

locu

sts

(Rob

inia

pse

udoa

caci

a) a

nd c

omm

on h

ackb

errie

s (C

eltis

occ

iden

talis

). Th

e in

vasi

ve b

ush

hone

ysuc

k-le

is b

eing

elim

inat

ed; i

n its

pla

ce, y

ou w

ill fi

nd n

a-tiv

e sp

ring

wild

flow

ers a

nd sh

rubs

. The

se in

clud

e do

wny

skul

lcap

(Scu

tella

ria

inca

na),

colu

mbi

nes

(Aqu

ilegi

a ca

nade

nsis

), ce

land

ine

popp

ies (

Sty-

loph

orum

dip

hyllu

m),

spik

enar

d (A

ralia

race

mos

a)

and

two

shad

e-lo

ving

gol

denr

ods e

lmle

af (S

olid

ago

ulm

ifolia

) and

zig

zag

(Sol

idag

o fle

xica

ulis

), sh

rubs

an

d m

ore.

To

see

how

the

grou

nds l

ooke

d w

ith

hone

ysuc

kle,

gla

nce

to th

e rig

ht.

STO

P 11

: Beh

ind

Alle

n H

all,

ther

e is

a n

atur

al

mea

dow.

Cup

pla

nts,

elde

rber

ry a

nd p

okew

eed,

iro

nwee

d an

d pe

rsim

mon

tree

s gro

w h

ere

natu

rally

Th

ese

prov

ide

cove

r and

tast

y be

rrie

s for

bird

s. To

se

e th

e m

eado

w, g

o ba

ck to

the A

llen

Hal

l sig

n an

d lo

ok b

ehin

d th

e bu

ildin

g.

Glo

ssar

y: G

lade

: Woo

dlan

d op

enin

gs w

ith g

rass

es

and

wild

flowe

rs o

n so

uth

and

west

faci

ng sl

opes

.H

ost P

lant

: Pla

nts t

hat b

utte

rfly

cate

rpill

ars n

eed

to

feed

on.

Lar

val:

Dev

elop

men

tal s

tage

of a

n in

sect

s gr

owth

. Pol

linat

ors:

Bee

s, in

sect

s and

wild

life

that

tra

nspo

rt po

llen.

Fac

t S

hee

t

New

Gar

den

Bed

Sidewalk

Redb

ud

Serviceberry

Spic

ebus

h

Swee

tBa

yM

agno

lia

Blaz

ing

Star

Gar

den

Phlo

x

Man

na G

rass

Ager

atum

Swam

p M

ilkw

eed

Gaze

bo

Side

oats

Gra

ma

Rain

Ga

rden

Blue Iris

Purp

leBe

ardt

ongu

e

Rose

Ve

rben

aPa

th

Sweet B

lack

-eye

d Su

san

Rusty Blackh

aw

Wild

Pet

unia Or

ange

Cone

flow

er

Blue Indigo

Poverty Grass

Pove

rty G

rass

Wild

Pet

unia

Arom

atic

Ast

erRa

ttles

nake

Mas

ter

Littl

eBl

uest

em

Rock

Pink

Lead

plan

tLe

adpl

ant

St. J

ohn’

s W

ort

St. J

ohn’

s W

ort

Amer

ican

Beau

tybe

rry

Beau

tybe

rry

Wild

Pet

unia

Mis

sour

i Bla

ck-

eyed

Sus

anBu

tterfl

y W

eed Sa

nd

Phlo

xGlad

e Co

nefl o

wer

Swee

tBa

yM

agno

lia

Gla

de

Onio

nPr

ickl

yPe

arCa

ctus

Mis

sour

i Prim

rose

Blue

As

ter

Bee

Balm

Fals

e In

digo

Bush

Purp

le

Cone

flow

er

Foxg

love

Bear

dton

gue

Wah

oo

Gold

ense

al

Fost

erHa

ll

Puss

ytoe

s

Alle

n Ha

ll

Colu

mbi

ne

Wild

Ging

er

Ragwort

Palm

Sed

ge1

11

2

3

St. J

ohn’s

Wor

t

4 5

6

7

8

910

Purp

le P

oppy

M

allo

w

Mea

dow

in

prog

ress

Woo

ded

Area

Beaut

yber

ryAmer

ican

Prairie Blazing StarDropseed Grass

STO

P 9:

Just

bey

ond

the

bird

bath

, fal

se in

digo

s (A

mor

pha

frut

icos

a) li

ne th

e ou

tsid

e w

all o

f Alle

n H

all.

This

row

of p

lant

s offe

rs c

over

for b

irds;

its

flow

ers p

rovi

de n

ecta

r for

nat

ive

polli

nato

rs. Y

ou

will

als

o fin

d pr

ickl

y pe

ars (

Opu

ntia

hum

ifusa

), M

isso

uri p

rimro

ses (

Oen

othe

ra m

acro

carp

a) a

nd

glad

e on

ions

(Alli

um st

ella

tum

). A

ll of

thes

e gr

ow

wel

l in

the

dry,

rock

y ha

bita

t at t

he c

orne

r, w

hich

is

sim

ilar t

o a

glad

e.

STO

P 10

: At t

he b

otto

m o

f the

step

s, to

the

left,

yo

u ca

n se

e a

woo

dy a

rea.

It is

mos

tly b

lack

locu

sts

(Rob

inia

pse

udoa

caci

a) a

nd c

omm

on h

ackb

errie

s (C

eltis

occ

iden

talis

). Th

e in

vasi

ve b

ush

hone

ysuc

k-le

is b

eing

elim

inat

ed; i

n its

pla

ce, y

ou w

ill fi

nd n

a-tiv

e sp

ring

wild

flow

ers a

nd sh

rubs

. The

se in

clud

e do

wny

skul

lcap

(Scu

tella

ria

inca

na),

colu

mbi

nes

(Aqu

ilegi

a ca

nade

nsis

), ce

land

ine

popp

ies (

Sty-

loph

orum

dip

hyllu

m),

spik

enar

d (A

ralia

race

mos

a)

and

two

shad

e-lo

ving

gol

denr

ods e

lmle

af (S

olid

ago

ulm

ifolia

) and

zig

zag

(Sol

idag

o fle

xica

ulis

), sh

rubs

an

d m

ore.

To

see

how

the

grou

nds l

ooke

d w

ith

hone

ysuc

kle,

gla

nce

to th

e rig

ht.

STO

P 11

: Beh

ind

Alle

n H

all,

ther

e is

a n

atur

al

mea

dow.

Cup

pla

nts,

elde

rber

ry a

nd p

okew

eed,

iro

nwee

d an

d pe

rsim

mon

tree

s gro

w h

ere

natu

rally

Th

ese

prov

ide

cove

r and

tast

y be

rrie

s for

bird

s. To

se

e th

e m

eado

w, g

o ba

ck to

the A

llen

Hal

l sig

n an

d lo

ok b

ehin

d th

e bu

ildin

g.

Glo

ssar

y: G

lade

: Woo

dlan

d op

enin

gs w

ith g

rass

es

and

wild

flowe

rs o

n so

uth

and

west

faci

ng sl

opes

.H

ost P

lant

: Pla

nts t

hat b

utte

rfly

cate

rpill

ars n

eed

to

feed

on.

Lar

val:

Dev

elop

men

tal s

tage

of a

n in

sect

s gr

owth

. Pol

linat

ors:

Bee

s, in

sect

s and

wild

life

that

tra

nspo

rt po

llen.

S

EW

Native Plants Outdoor Lab (continued) LUCE

The Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) provides beautiful vertical flower spikes that will con-tinue blooming for 2-3 months in mid to late summer. Bees, butterflies and wasps will visit the flowers for pollen and nectar. This is only one of the many perennial native flowers you will find at the NPOL on Lincoln University’s campus.

The Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory features plants from different plant communities naturally found across Missouri:

Prairie – Prairie Blazing Star, Goldenrods, Asters and Little Bluestem

Woodland – Bluebells, Celandine poppy, Wahoo, Wild Ginger, Pussy toes

Glades – Missouri Primrose, Wild Petunia, Poverty Grass, Sand Phlox

Savanna – Bee Balm, Rattlesnake Master, Foxglove Beardtongue

Wetlands – Swamp Milkweed, Blue Mist flower, Palm Sedge, Rose Mallow

Depending where they originally grow, plants will have different soil and moisture requirements. Choose a plant that coordinates with the light exposure and type of soil in your garden when planting native plants. Photos of some of these beautiful plants can be seen on the right.

Missouri Primrose(Oenathera macrocarpa)Prairies and gladesBlooms in spring and sum-mer; Pollinated by night-flying sphinx moths.

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus)Bluffs and glades, dry to moist, tolerates shadeFragrant-white blossoms in spring; Host plant for Rustic Sphinx moth.

Wahoo(Euonymous atropurpureus) Woodlands and alluvial soils along streams; Shrub to small tree, fall interest; Red fruits consumed by birds.

Phot

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andy

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Little Bluestem(Schizachyrium scoparium)Prairies, glades and savannas; Summer and fall interest; Shelter for wildlife in summer and winter.