Prefers poor soils and tolerates drought and heat. Goldfinches feed on the seeds and many bees and butterflies prefer this plant for its pollen and nectar. Supports the specialist Mining Bee, Andrena helianthiformis.
A beautiful plant for your pond or water garden. Can be grown in muddy banks or in non-holed containers. Can spread rapidly if not contained. Seeds are edible to humans and also enjoyed by birds. Plant used by fish, dragonflies, damselflies and other aqua
Great plant for lots of long-lasting color. Annual - so allow seeds to fall to bare ground to reseed. Can be used in a new native planting to provide color the first several years before other plants fill-in.
This Blazing Star will tolerate more moisture, but still prefers less fertile soil. Butterflies love the Blazing Stars! Plant with other tall species to help keep it upright.
Beautiful basal leaves can be 2' tall and 1' wide and add a fantastic texture to the garden. Long tap root makes this plant very drought tolerant. May not flower for a few years.
Flower color may range from white to purple, though the ecotype we grow tends more to white. Plant goes dormant after the seeds are produced. Toxic to mammals if eaten.
A nice groundcover for dry, non-fertile areas. Slow to mature. Host to the American Painted Lady butterfly. Poisonous to, and therefore not desirous to, deer and rabbits.
2018 Kansas Native Plant Society Wildflower of the Year. Clump forming. A study in KC showed that Penstemon is one of the plant genera in our area that attracts the largest number of different bee species.