Liatris pycnostachya – prairie blazing star; purple flower spikes (1-5’); lvs. linear, grows well in part to full sun; soils partly dry to moist. Attracts bees, hummingbirds.
Ratibida pinnata – grey-headed coneflower; ray fl. yellow, disc fl. gray/brown; lvs. pinnate (plants 1-5’); grows well in part to full sun; variable soils; Bees, hummingbirds.
Heliopsis helianthoides – Ox-eye; early sunflower; yellow ray and disc flowers; opp. lvs. (plants 3-5’); grows well in part to full sun; variable soils. Insects, goldfinches.
Chamaecrista (Cassia) fasciculata – Partridge pea; yellow pea fls.; compound lvs.; (plants 1-2’); grows well in most to full sun; variable soils. Assorted insects.
Andropogon gerardii – Big bluestem; Grass 4-8’; blue-red stems with “turkey foot” fls. ; grows well in most to full sun; variable soils. Good background.
Monarda fistulosa – Wild bergamot; Purple clustered fls. (1.5-4’) ; part shade to full sun; variable soils. Lvs. fragrant (mint), Assorted insects, hummingbirds.
Sorghastrum nutans – Indian grass, Grass to 3-6’; reddish-gold plumes; orange-yellow in fall; grows well in most to full sun; variable soils. Good background.
Echinacea pallida – Pale purple coneflower; dark cone w/purple reflexed ray fls. (1.5-3’) ; part shade to full sun; variable soils. Assorted insects, goldfinches (?).
Eryngium yuccifolium – Rattlesnake master; yucca-like lvs. (2’) w/white clustered fls. (3-5’); part shade to full sun; variable soils. Carrot family member.
Sporobolus heterolepis – Prairie dropseed (1-2’ bunchgrass); leaves very thin, plumes up to 3’; grows well in most to full sun; variable soils. Great foreground.
Lespedeza capitata – Round-headed bushclover (2-5’ legume); trifoliate lvs.; white fls.; nitrogen fixer; most to full sun; variable soils. Great midground.
Amorpha canescens – Lead plant (1-3’ legume shrub); green-grey compound lvs.; spike of purple fls.; nitrogen fixer; most to full sun; variable soils. Great foreground.
Aster azureus – Skyblue aster (up to 3.5’ composite); purple ray, yellow disc fls. (Sept-Oct.), most to full sun; variable soils. Great fore/midground.
Asclepias incarnata – swamp milkweed (1-6’ tall herbaceous shrub); oval lvs.; clusters of magenta fls. (July-Aug.); most to full sun; moderate dry to moist soil; food source of monarch butterflies.