Wildflowers

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.

Native cactus great for your rock garden or other dry or sandy area. Red seed pods as beautiful as the flower. Edible, but watch out for the spines.

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.

Plant with other aggressive prairie perennials.

A study in KC showed that Symphyotrichum is one of the plant genera in our area that attracts the largest number of different bee species.

A finicky species. A milkweed for your shade garden. Very similar to common milkweed but won't grow as tall or spread as much. Prefers moist but well drained soil.

Caution: very spiny. An annual; allow to reseed and move around the garden. Needs well-drained soil. Good for rock gardens.

Naturally occurs in rocky areas. Can sprawl 4 feet wide; may be used as a ground cover. Flowers and foliage eaten by deer and other herbivores.

A shorter beauty with a wonderfully interesting flowerhead and leaf structure. Good for dry areas - needs well drained soil. Attracts several types of insects.

Not preferred by deer or rabbits. Interesting blooms. Great planted in a mass. Can get tall and lanky in fertile soil. A short-lived perennial, so allow to reseed.

A fuzzy little ground cover. Does best in dry, lean soils (may not survive in rich soil). Host plant for American Painted Lady butterflies. Deer tolerant. Dioecious - males shorter with yellow stamens; females taller with pinkish stamen.

Adds a great structural interest to the garden and seedheads provide winter interest. Spiny leaves, so avoid planting near walkways. Nectar source for many insects and birds, such as finches, eat the seeds. Host to a few swallowtail butterflies.

A goldenrod for your rain garden. Naturally occurs in wet meadows in the Ozark region.

A native succulent that likes rocky, sandy, or well drained soil.

Biennial that blooms the second year then must reseed to continue. Plant some this year and next year to get a consistent show of color for years to come. Native to southern and eastern Missouri.