Native Demonstration Garden

Champlin Garden ClubMany photos were taken from Prairie Moon Nursery

Perennials

Anise HyssopHyssopus officinalis/Agastache foeniculum

PurpleJuly-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 48” Spacing 12-18“

Anise Hyssop has very showy flowers, fragrant foliage and seems to be of little interest to deer. It self-seeds readily and often blooms the first year. It's a bee, hummingbird, and butterfly magnet!

Aromatic AsterAsteracea/Symphyotrichum oblongiflolium

PurpleAug.-Oct. Blooming PeriodHeight 24” Spacing 12-18“

Aromatic aster is one of the last Aster species to bloom in the fall. The stiff stems will branch out slowly to create a bush-like appearance and will completely covered in light purple flowers when blooming.

Black-Eyed SusanRudbeckia Hirta

YellowJune-August Blooming PeriodHeight 20-24” Spacing 10-12”

Black-eyed Susan is an opportunist that thrives easily in disturbed areas. It has naturalized through most of the continent. A biennial, it blooms and completes its life cycle in its second year but will re-seed.

Butterfly WeedAsclepias Tuberosa

OrangeJune-Aug. Blooming PeriodHeight 20-24” Spacing 12-36“

One of the most popular natives for the landscape! A great Milkweed for a sunny location in a dry area, Butterfly Weed's vivid orange color, low mounded profile, and ability to attract and sustain butterflies make this plant a well-known favorite for all types of gardens.

BonesetEupatorium perfoliatum

WhiteJul - Aug Blooming PeriodHeight 4’ Spacing 1-2’

Boneset produces flat to roundish heads of white flowers. The stem is covered with long spreading hairs with leaves that are often joined at the base, appearing to surround the stem. Many different insect species are attracted to the flowers as the nectar is relatively easy to access.

Canada Wild RyeElymus Canadensis

GreenJuly-Oct. Blooming PeriodHeight 60” Spacing 24-36“

Canada Wild Rye actively grows during the spring and fall when soil temperatures are cool.

ColumbineAguilegia Canadensis

RedMay-July Blooming PeriodHeight 15-20” Spacing 12-24“

Columbine is one of the first plants to provide nectar in the spring for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The colorful flowers are red flowing into yellow. Besides being an early bloomer, Columbine will tolerate a large range of soil and sun types, so you'll have success with it in full sun as well as shade

ConeflowerEchinacea Purpurea

PurpleJuly-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 48” Spacing 18-24”

Purple Coneflower may be the most iconic prairie plant. It is golden red to purple, matures to about 4' on most sites and may release a slight fragrance in strong sunlight.

Dotted Blazing StarLiatris punctate

PurpleJuly-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 24” Spacing 10-12”

A deep root system will form on this xeric, long-lived Liatris, protecting it well in hot, dry climates.

Ground PlumAstragalus Crassicarpus

PurpleJuly-Oct. Blooming PeriodHeight 8” Spacing 12-18“

A low-growing, spreading legume, it prefers full sun and well-drained soils. It has pinnate leaves and, in spring, clusters of pea-like blossoms with hues of lavender, purple and white.

HarebellCampanula rotundiflora

PurpleJune-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 12” Spacing 6-8”

Harebell, is a delicate beauty with small blue-violet bell-shaped flowers that nod from the tips of slender stems, blooming in spurts from summer to fall. Rosettes of rounded basal leaves wither early after sending up clusters of wiry stems with long narrow foliage.

Hoary VervainVerbana Stricta

PurpleJune-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 30-35” Spacing 10-12“

The seeds are a staple for many small mammals and birds that depend on this widely-distributed plant. The gray-green leaves are fuzzy on both sides and are the larval host for the Common Buckeye Butterfly.

Joe Pye WeedEupatorium maculatum

PinkJun - Aug Blooming PeriodHeight 3-5’Spacing 3-4’

Although tall, Joe Pye Weed’s strong stems rarely need to be staked and are almost the same color as the flowers. It is a magnet for dozens of species of butterflies.

Large-flowered BeardtonguePenstemon grandiflorus

Pink to Purple May-June Blooming PeriodHeight 24”Spacing 8-12”

This showy Penstemon has stunning large, tubular flowers that bloom for just a few weeks in May or June. It is loved by bees and hummingbirds and is drought tolerant. In the past, Native Americans treated toothaches by chewing the root pulp of this plant and then placing it in the cavity.

Mountain MintPycanathemum virginianum

WhiteJuly-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 36” Spacing 18”

Leaves have a mint smell and can be used for tea. Attracts butterflies and bees. Makes a nice cut or dried flower.

New Jersey TeaCeanothus Americanus

WhiteJune-July Blooming PeriodHeight 30-35” Spacing 18-36”

Flowers attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Birds also eat the seeds. If using the plants in a formal garden or border an occasional pruning in winter will help keep them looking neat.

OxeyeHeliopsis Helianthoides

Gold/YellowJuly-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 48” Spacing 18-36”

Unlike true sunflowers and most asters, both its disk and ray flowers are capable of producing seed. It blooms profusely through the summer on thin stems above the foliage, in the manner of Rudbeckia.

Pearly EverlastingAnaphalis margaritacea

WhiteJune-Sept. Blooming PeriodHeight 20-24” Spacing 18-24”

The stems and elongated leaves of Pearly Everlasting are covered with white hairs. Clustered at the top of erect stems, the tiny yellow flowers are enclosed by white papery bracts, often mistaken for petals. The blossoms can be dried for durable bouquets.

Prairie CloverDalea purpurea/Petalostemum purpureum

PurpleJuly-Aug. Blooming PeriodHeight 18” Spacing 18-24”

A staple legume of mostly sunny, diverse plantings in medium to dry soils. This is a legume species (member of the pea family). Most legumes harbor beneficial bacteria called rhizobia on their roots.

Prairie SmokeGeum Triflorum

Rose/PinkApril-June Blooming PeriodHeight 6-12” Spacing 6-8”

Many nodding rosy-pink flowers with feathery reddish seed head above the fuzzy pinnate basal leaves.

Stiff GoldenrodSolidago rigida

YellowAug.-Oct. Blooming PeriodHeight 48” Spacing 12-24“

Stiff Goldenrod has larger, flatter flower clusters than most Goldenrods. The leaves turn nice shades of red in the fall.

Wild BergamotMonarda Fistulosa

LavenderJuly-Aug. Blooming PeriodHeight 30-35” Spacing 24-36”

Showy fragrant lavender blooms in mid-summer. Easy to grow. Attracts bees, and is deer resistant.

Wild Geranium Geranium Maculatum

LavenderMay-July Blooming PeriodHeight 12” Spacing 8-14”

Upward facing lilac to bright pink 1 ¼ “ blossoms with white at the center. Bushy plant with deeply cut foliage.

Wild PetuniaRuellia humilis

PurpleMay-July Blooming PeriodHeight 18” Spacing 12-18”

Wild Petunia is native to much of the eastern US. This lovely plant isn't actually a petunia (which are relatives of the tomato) but rather a member of the Acanthaceae family.

Shrubs

CoralberrySymphoricarpos albus

White/ PinkMay-June Blooming PeriodHeight 48” Spacing 24-48“

Coralberry is usually planted for its prolific coral-red berries that persist through winter. It is also called Buckbrush or Indian Current

Dwarf Bush HoneysuckleDiervilla lonicera YellowJun-Aug Blooming PeriodHeight 48” Spacing 24-36“

Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle is a great shrub for those difficult dry, shaded areas. It is hardy in zones 3-7, spreads somewhat aggressively by rhizomes, and has beautiful red fall foliage (see image, left). The classic Honeysuckle flower is a favorite of bees.

Dwarf NinebarkPhysocarpus opulifolius

WhiteJune Blooming PeriodHeight 48” Spacing 36”

If you need a carefree shrub for your urban landscape, choose the ninebark. In addition to handling drought, it can also tolerate cold temperatures and acidic or alkaline soils.

Early Wild RoseRosa Blanda

White/ PinkJune-July Blooming PeriodHeight 36-60” Spacing 12-24“

Early Wild Rose is rhizomatous; it spreads aggressively and therefore may not be suitable for small landscape plantings.

Red Osier DogwoodCornius Stolonifera

WhiteMay-June Blooming PeriodHeight 36-72” Spacing 10-15’

The Red Osier dogwood is an attractive landscaping plant, with deep red stems and twigs for winter color, many creamy white flowers in the spring followed by attractive white fruits, and spectacular maroon fall leaves.

Bulbs

Glory of the Snow Chinodoxa

PinkApril-May Blooming PeriodHeight 5-6” Spacing 3-6”

Glory-of-the-Snow is best suited for cold weather. It peeks out in the coldest weather to welcome Spring. There are up to 8 to 10 1 inch flowers to each short 6 inch stem, in a sparkling violet-blue with a white center.