Wildflower & Native Plant FAQ

What is a native plant, anyway?

A native plant is one that occurs naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without direct or indirect human intervention. We consider the flora present at the time Europeans arrived in North America as the species native to the eastern United States. Native plants include all kinds of plants from mosses and ferns to wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.

Are native plants a better choice for your garden?

The answer lies, in part, in your own judgement. Native woodland wildflowers will never give your shady garden the riots of color that can be had with impatiens and caladiums, but if you like to garden with elegant and underused plants, they are great. If you want to create a garden that emulates nature, they are essential. As with any plant that you want to grow, however, the right plant must be matched with the right spot. There are a myriad of native plants that thrive in every type of habitat imaginable. It's your job to do some research to find the best species for your hot, dry slope, that wet swale in the back, or the dry shade under your oak tree.

Does digging wildflowers from the wild hurt the environment?

Absolutely! Removing wildflowers from the wild is harmful for three reasons. First, you diminish the natural population and consequently reduce the diversity within that population. With less diversity, a plant population may be less capable of responding to environmental changes; it may perish if suddenly stressed by disease, insects, or sudden extremes in weather. Second, nature is likely to fill the vacuum you create when you dig up a wildflower with a plant of a different species, often an invasive weed. Finally, wild collected plants often perform poorly in the garden. Plants propagated in a nursery or grown from wild collected seed or cuttings, are much more likely to survive transplanting.

Should I fertilize my wildflowers?

Many native plants are well adapted to soils with meager nutrients. Most native woodland perennials do well with the nutrients that are released slowly by the decomposition of leaves. Prairie plants may have a greater need for lime than for fertilizer in areas where the soil is naturally very acidic. We fertilize our plants very little, and rely on organic mulches such as shredded leaves to supply nutrients. When we do fertilize, organic sources of nutrients are applied in the fall every three years; a small amount of fertilizer is applied only to the plant species that require the extra nutrients.

What is the best mulch to use on my woodland wildflower garden?

Woodland wildflowers flourish when mulched with slightly decomposed leaves. Shred or compost leaves that do not break down quickly, such as those from oak and beech trees, before applying them to beds of wildflowers.

Where can I get native plants?

Buy plants from a reputable nursery or grow them from seed yourself. You may be surprised to learn that some wildflowers are still taken from the wild to be sold at commercial nurseries, particularly the slow growing trilliums, orchids, and lilies. This practice has a negative impact on biodiversity and often the plants don't survive. When buying native plants make sure that the nursery propagates what it sells or buys from wholesalers who propagate plants from nursery grown stock plants. Fortunately, conservation-minded native plant nurseries that specialize in propagating and selling native plants have sprung up all over the country; your local native plant society may be able to recommend one to you.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a great resource for all kinds of native plant and wildflower information. The Center's web site at www.wildflower.org lists state wildflower and native plant societies.

Source:
United States National Arboretum

Related topics:
Preserving our native plants
Benefits of landscaping with native plants

Prairie Coneflower

Ratibida columnifera

Alternate Names

Upright prairie coneflower, yellow coneflower, long headed coneflower, columnar prairie coneflower, Mexican hat

Description and Adaptation

Prairie coneflower is a native, late-season, herbaceous perennial in the Aster Family. It usually has a taproot and grows upright from a woody base to a height of 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm). The numerous, pinnate leaves are deeply cut into linear or lance-shaped segments along alternately branched stems. Showy yellow ray flowers droop and surround the columnar-shaped, brown, central disk. Occasionally, the ray flowers are reddish-brown in color. The flowers tend to bloom from late June until August, with seed ripening completed in early August to September. The mature seedhead has a pleasant odor when crushed that is similar to anise or licorice. The fruit is a 1-seeded, gray-black achene.

Prairie coneflower is a native, drought-tolerant wildflower of the Great Plains that is commonly found from south central Canada to northern Mexico, and west from Manitoba and Minnesota to southeastern Idaho. It prefers to grow in the dry, open spaces of prairie grasslands and mountain foothills and is found along roadsides, in waste and disturbed areas, and along railroad rights-of-way. Prairie coneflower does well on a variety of soil types, including loams and rocky to gravelly-sandy textures. It tolerates a pH range from slightly acidic to moderately alkaline and weak saline soils, in areas receiving 10 to 30 inches (254 to 762 mm) of annual precipitation. Prairie coneflower attains optimum growth in full sun and low to moderate levels of competition within a native plant community. This plant is a common component of such ecological sites as shallow, silty, shallow to gravel, and silty steep. Associated species include western wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie Junegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, common gaillardia, white and purple prairie clover, big sagebrush, and western yarrow.

Uses

Prairie coneflower is palatable and nutritious to all classes of domestic livestock when utilized in early stage of plant growth and development. It is considered a desirable spring browse plant for big game animals, and the seed of prairie coneflower is preferred by several species of upland birds and small mammals. Prairie coneflower is a medium to tall-statured forb that may fill a structural cover and nesting niche for multiple species of upland birds in a variety of plant community types. A more diverse native plant community will be attained when this species is included in native seed mixes for the rehabilitation of such disturbed sites as rangelands, minelands, roadsides, park and restoration areas, prairie restoration projects, and conservation plantings in accordance with government farm bill program requirements.

Landscape: Prairie coneflower is commonly recommended as an ornamental wildflower in pollinator friendly, low maintenance, or natural landscapes.

Ethnobotanic: Native peoples utilized a decoction of leaves and stems to treat pain, poison ivy rash, and rattlesnake bites. An infusion was made from plant tops to treat headache, stomachache, cough, fever, epileptic fits, and to induce vomiting. A medicinal or beverage-type tea was made from the ripened flower heads and leaves. An orange-yellow dye was produced from boiled flowers.

Establishment

Seed should be planted into a firm, weed-free seedbed, preferably with a drill that will ensure uniform seed placement depth of ¼ to ½ inch (6 to 12 mm). The processed seed of prairie coneflower has approximately 600,000 seeds/lb (1,320,000 seeds/kg). The full seeding rate is 2 lb/acre (2.2 kg/ha) pure-live-seed (PLS), but it would seldom be seeded in a pure stand. It is recommended that prairie coneflower be included as a component of a native seed mixture at a rate of ¼ to ½ lb/acre (0.3 to 0.6 kg/ha). When used in a mix adjust the seeding rate to the desired percentage of mix. Spring seeding is preferred over a dormant, fall planting date. Periodic mowing during the establishment year is one option for weed suppression.

Seed Production

Seed production fields should be established in rows at 25 PLS per linear foot of row (82 per linear meter of row). Between-row spacing is dependent on the type of planting and cultivation equipment, and ranges from 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm). Adequate between-row space should be provided to perform mechanical cultivation. At 24-inch row spacing, the recommended seeding rate is 1 PLS lb/acre (1.1 kg/ha), and at 30- and 36-inch row spacing, the seeding rate is 0.7 and 0.6 PLS lb/acre (0.8 and 0.7 kg/ha), respectively. There are presently no herbicides specifically labeled to control weeds in seed production fields. Seed harvest of prairies coneflower is effective by several methods such as swathing and combining or direct-combining. Direct-combining should take place when the seed has just begun to shatter from the very top of the ripened conehead. Processing of the seed works well over a 2- to 3-screen fanning mill with final cleaning over an indent cylinder or gravity table. Seed production of 300 to 500 lb/acre (336 to 560 kg/ha) can be expected under irrigated conditions. Seed production stands may remain productive for only 3 years (2 seed crops). Seed viability is very high and longevity can be expected for 5 to 8 years when stored at moderate temperatures and low humidity.

Management

Growth of prairie coneflower begins in mid spring and flowers begin to appear in early summer. Excessive competition from other species may require removal to promote prairie coneflower establishment and longevity. Livestock grazing and wildlife browsing should be limited to avoid over-utilization during the active growing season.

Pests and Potential Problems

There are no major insect or disease pests of prairie coneflower. Stands can be reduced by powdery mildew and root and crown rot organisms.

Environmental Concerns

Prairie coneflower will establish relatively quickly via seed distribution. It is not considered weedy, but often finds its way into adjacent vegetative communities. Prairie coneflower coexists with other species and adds biodiversity to a variety of native plant communities.

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Stillwater Germplasm was released in 2004 from the Bridger Plant Materials Center. It is a selected class release of prairie coneflower that is a composite of five accessions collected from native stands in Montana. The five accessions were selected because of their consistent taller stature, uniformity in seed maturity dates, and superior seed production.

G1 seed (analogous to foundation seed) is produced at the Bridger PMC and made available to commercial growers through the Montana Foundation Seed Program at Montana State University-Bozeman and the University of Wyoming Foundation Seed Service at Powell, Wyoming. One generation (G2 equivalent to certified) beyond G1 is recognized.

Source:
USDA NRCS Bridger Plant Materials Center

Violet Prairie Clover

Dalea purpurea

Alternate Names

purple prairie clover

Description

Violet prairie clover is a native, warm-season legume which grows to a height of 30 to 90 cm. Several stems may grow from a single base. The flowers are pinkish-purple on elongated spikes which are 2-4 cm long. The flower head at the end of a wiry stem is cylindrical, with a fringe of rosy petals on a partly bare cone. Violet prairie clover flowers the last of May through September. The leaves are divided into 3-5 narrow leaflets which may be sparingly hairy.

Uses

Violet prairie clover can be used in roadside plantings, as wildlife food and habitat, in wildflower gardens because of its attractive flowers, and as a small component in a seeding mixture for prairie restoration. Tea can be made from vigorous taproot to reduce fever in measles victims. This plant is highly palatable and nutritious. It is grazed often and tends to decrease under heavy use. Violet prairie clover fixes nitrogen in the soil.

Adaptation and Distribution

Violet prairie clover occurs in prairies, rocky open glades, along railroads, and rocky or open woods. It ranges from Indiana to Saskatchewan and Montana, south to Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico; also in Alabama and introduced east to New York. It is most abundant in the upland of the true prairie. It also occurs in sand prairies, hill prairies, and gravel-hill prairies.

Establishment

Prepare a clean weed free seedbed by disking and harrowing. Firm the seedbed by cultipacking. The seedbed should be firm enough to allow the seed to be planted ¼ inch deep. A seeder with a legume box works well in the seeding operation, although other types of seeders or drills may be used. Violet prairie clover is easily propagated from seed. Seed sown in spring will produce transplants in one season. For permanent plantings, sow unstratified inoculated (Inoculum –F) seed in fall, stratified inoculated seed in spring. Plants are largely cross-pollinated. Violet prairie clover grows well on well-drained or dry soils.

Seeding rates for violet prairie clover should be about two pounds of pure live seed (PLS) per acre for seed production in 36-inch rows. For solid stand production, drill three times the seeding rate of row production to maintain 40 PLS per square foot. For prairie restoration or diverse plantings for wildlife, use at least five species of native grasses and ten species of native forbs or legumes. Plant purple prairie clover at a rate of eight ounces/acre PLS when this species is 0-5% of the combined mixture. Scarified inoculated seed should be used in spring plantings and unscarified inoculated seed should be used to make fall plantings. There are approximately 300,000 clean seeds in one pound of violet prairie clover.

Apply no fertilizer the establishment year unless a soil test indicates a severe deficiency of potassium and/or phosphorus. Use no nitrogen during the establishment year as this can encourage weed competition.

Management

Reduce weed competition by mowing at a height that will not affect the purple prairie clover seedlings. For grassy weed control use Poast herbicide and follow label recommendations, as herbicide weed control will encourage a good stand. For preemergence or post emergence, Plateau herbicide is labeled; follow label recommendations.

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

‘Kaneb’ (Riley County, Kansas) violet prairie clover was released by the Manhattan, Kansas Plant Materials Center because of its superior vigor and seed production. Bismarck Germplasm (Lyman County, South Dakota) is a selected release from the Bismarck, North Dakota Plant Materials Center; it was chosen for its superior vigor, forage abundance and above average seed yield. Central Iowa Germplasm is a source identified release from the Elsberry, Missouri Plant Materials Center; it is a composite of collections made throughout central Iowa.

Source:
USDA NRCS Elsberry Plant Materials Center

Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta


Description

Rudbeckia hirta, black-eyed Susan, is a biennial forb about 1 m tall with yellow ray flowers and dark brown spherical centers. After germination, the seedling grows into a rosette with oblong leaves. Sometimes flower stalks will appear in the first summer, but typically black-eyed Susan blooms from June to September of the second year. After flowering and seed maturation, the plants die. The seed is very small (1,746,000 per pound) and black, about 2 mm long and 0.5 mm in diameter.

Uses

Erosion control: Black-eyed Susan is an important component in critical area treatment plantings along with grasses, legumes, and other forbs when used along road cuts, hillsides, and other areas subject to erosion.

Wildlife: This plant offers protection and food to several song and game birds.

Recreation and beautification: Black-eyed Susan can be used for landscaping and in wildflower gardens.

Adaptation and Distribution

Black-eyed Susan is naturalized in most of the states east of Kansas and the bordering areas of Canada. It is adapted throughout the Northeast on soils with a drainage classification range from well-drained to somewhat poorly drained. It will perform acceptably on droughty soils during years with average or above rainfall, but best growth is achieved on sandy, well drained sites. It is winter hardy in areas where low temperatures are between -30 ° and -20 °F.

Establishment

Black-eyed Susan is easily established with most critical area seeding techniques. Generally ½ lb. of seed per acre is sufficient in mixes with conservation grasses, legumes, and other forbs. Where the intent is to maximize the impact of the forb component, utilize bunchgrasses rather than aggressively spreading grasses such as reed canarygrass or bromegrass. Once established, new seedlings will be produced from the preceding crop; the stand may perpetuate itself indefinitely.

Management

After establishment, competing perennial vegetation should be controlled through the use of mechanical or chemical practices. If competing vegetation is not controlled, one will observe a decrease in the number of black-eyed Susan plants.

Pests and Potential Problems

There are no major insect or disease pests of black-eyed Susan. Stands can be reduced by powdery mildew and damping-off organisms.

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

'Golden Jubilee' black-eyed Susan was released by the Big Flats Plant Materials Center in 1985. It is typical of the species except slightly shorter in height with a longer bloom period. It was not selected for its flower size or color. 'Golden Jubilee' is the only cultivar of black-eyed Susan that has proven adaptation throughout the Northeast for conservation use. The original collection area of 'Golden Jubilee' was near Manchester, Vermont. Foundation seed is distributed to commercial producers by the Big Flats PMC in Corning, NY. Black-eyed Susan is readily available from commercial sources.

Source:
USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program

Red Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis


Alternate Names

Wild columbine, wild honeysuckle, meeting-houses, red-bell, Canada columbine, American columbine, rock-lily, jack-in-trousers, cluckies, Aquilegia australis, Aquilegia canadensis var. australis, Aquilegia canadensis var. coccinea, Aquilegia canadensis var. eminens, Aquilegia canadensis var. flaviflora, Aquilegia canadensis var. hybrida, Aquilegia canadensis var. latiuscula, Aquilegia canadensis var. phippenii, Aquilegia canadensis forma flaviflora, Aquilegia canadensis forma ecalcarata, Aquilegia canadensis forma albiflora, Aquilegia canadensis forma phippenii, Aquilegia coccinea, Aquilegia elegans, Aquilegia eminens, Aquilegia flaviflora, Aquilegia latiuscula, Aquilegia phoenicantha and Aquilegia variegata.

Uses

Ethnobotanic: Seeds from this plant have been used to treat ailments such as headaches, sore throats, stomatitis, heart problems, skin rash or itch caused by poison ivy, kidney and urinary problems, and fever. They have also been used for ceremonial medicines, perfume, and as additives to tobacco. Roots of this plant can be used to treat gastrointestinal ailments.

Landscaping: Red columbine, in native or cultivated forms, is a popular garden perennial because it is hardy, lives approximately 3 to 5 years, and can readily regenerate by seed. It is also useful for woodland and meadow plantings.

Wildlife: Red columbine is pollinated by hummingbirds, which may depend on the plant as an important nectar source. In addition, at least four bee species have been found to be effective pollinators of red columbine in southeastern Wisconsin and northwards.

Description

General: Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae). Red columbine is a perennial herb that has short-lived fibrous roots and a vertical underground stem (caudex). It is 30-80 cm (12-30 in) tall, growing from the caudex. Compound leaves are distinctly divided into obovate leaflets. The flower is downward facing, with all petals prolonged backward into a tubular spur. Sepals are petal-like and typically red. Petals are yellow and become redder at the tip of the spur. Plant growth begins in early spring. This plant blooms from March to July and sets fruit in mid to late summer (June to August). Aboveground portions of Red columbine die back to the caudex in mid to late autumn.

Distribution: Red Columbine is native to eastern and central North America and is found from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan, south to northern Florida, western Oklahoma and eastern Texas.

Habitat: Red columbine is found in dry to mesic or even low woods, especially along borders or clearings of oak-hickory, oak-maple and maple-basswood forests, black-oak savannas, cedar glades, pine woods, and mixed conifer hardwood forests. It can also be found on wooded to open rocky hillsides, bluffs, calcareous cliffs, outcrops, ledges, banks, beach ridges, gravelly shorelines, roadsides, quarries, and peat bogs.

Adaptation

The USDA Hardiness Zones for red columbine is 3 to 8. It grows in thin soils over granitic bedrock, steep hillsides of thin loess over limestone or quartzite bedrock, and on gravelly glacial marine soils. Because of highly variable genetic plasticity, red columbine populations can occur in a wide range of habitats from rich woods to rocky cliffs.

Establishment

This hardy eastern perennial is propagated by seed. Seed is mature and ready for collection when it turns black in the follicles. Collected seed should be stored in seedbags at temperatures of 5 to 6 degrees Celsius (~41 degrees Fahrenheit) and can be stored up to 4 months. A 3 to 4 week period of moist stratification at 5 degree Celsius may speed up germina-tion time but does not increase germination rate.

Aquilegia canadensis seeds should be hand-sown into germination trays in greenhouse temperatures of 21 to 24 degrees Celsius (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit). Germination will take place within 3 to 4 weeks, and supplemental lighting is not necessary. Soil in the germination trays must be kept evenly moist during germination. Fertilization may damage the foliage, so avoid application while in germination trays.

Seedlings can be transplanted into plug cells following a 3-4 week period of root development. Plugs will need to be cut back to allow for air circulation over the media surface. Approximately 2 weeks prior to outplanting, plants should be exposed to lower greenhouse, or frost-free outdoor, temperatures.

Although red columbine prefers soils that are well drained, loose, and slightly acidic, it will grow in medium that is loose and has a mixture of organic matter. It will not bloom during the first growing season.

Germination procedures can begin in August and as late as November. Outplanting should take place in the spring (April). Red columbine can also be direct-seeded at a planting site in the fall or early spring. The general recommendation for wildflower seeding is 11 pounds per acre.

Management

Columbine species are little bothered by powdery mildew or broad mites. The waxy nature of the leaves sheds water-based pesticides. Red columbine is unpalatable to livestock but is sometimes browsed by deer.

Red columbine can survive fire disturbance. Recolonization begins when the underground caudex resprouts following disturbance. Population growth continues by seed.

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Examples of cultivars include the ‘Canyon Vista,’ ‘Corbett,’ and ‘Nana’ columbines. These cultivars were developed for garden use to change the color intensity of the red and yellow flowers of the canadensis species.

Native plant material is readily available from a number of growers, wholesalers, and retailers of native seed. The National Plant Materials Center (NPMC) in Shenandoah National Park produces columbine plugs, quart-size plants, and seed.

Source:
USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center