Plant Profile: Aronia

Posted on December 19, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

Also known as chokeberry, Aronia is a North American native fruiting bush that is sorely underused in the ornamental landscape. Often confused with chokeCHERRY, chokeberries also have a white spring bloom, dark summer fruit, and gorgeous fall color. There are many Aronia varieties available, but it can be hard to keep them all straight! I planted three different types in my own backyard as a little experiment in how they might differ, and now that they are 3 years old, I can finally see the contrast. Read on for a primer on this superfruit-producing native shrub and a breakdown of a few different varieties.

*Black Chokeberry flowers are attractive to bees and other spring pollinators. Photo by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

Chokeberry Basics

Aronia rarely gets much taller than six or seven feet in our region, though it can reach eight feet tall if situated properly. The white blooms are prolific, and attract lots of those spring bees buzzing around. These shrubs are self-fertile, but planting in groups will increase your berry crop. The fall color is bright, saturated red tones, and when the leaves drop the berries often hang on through much of winter. Interestingly, birds don’t eat them right away. I notice in my yard that they are largely untouched until mid-winter, when the robins suddenly show up and then gobble them all down in the matter of a few hours. Perhaps they get more palatable with lots of freezing and thawing cycles? Just a hunch.

North and South

*Native ranges of Aronia species in North America, photo from BONAPS*

Aronia arbutifolia and Aronia melanocarpa are both native to north America, but have slightly different ranges. A. arbutifolia is more commonly found in the southern states, with a range that dips all the way to Florida and the Gulf Coast. A. melanocarpa is hardy into the far northern parts of Minnesota and on into Canada. While neither one is native to Kansas, they can still thrive here since we are on the edge of both the ranges. The flowers and berries have wonderful wildlife value for our pollinators and birds.

**Aronia arbutifolia** ‘Brilliantissima’ in bloom. Photo by Daderot at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C., via Wikimedia Commons

Berry Different

*From left to right: **Aronia arbutifolia** ‘Brilliantissima’, **A. melanocarpa** ‘Viking’, and **A. melanocarpa** ‘MacKenzie’*

When potted and ready to purchase at our Florakansas event, it is almost impossible to tell the difference between the many types of chokeberry we offer. It is not uncommon for us to have up to five Aronias to choose from at one time, all displayed together. But once allowed to mature, some obvious differences emerge. A. arbutifolia has smaller, firmer berries that hold their red coloring much longer into the year. They also have ovate leaves. A. melanocarpa varieties tend to have large fruit and round to teardrop-shaped leaves. The largest fruit, in my experience, is from ‘MacKenzie’. If you are looking for a large harvest for human consumption, MacKenzie will be the best choice. Some wonderful ideas for Aronia jelly, sauce, vinaigrette, and fruit leather can be found at the Forager Chef.

Shape Up

The shrubs not only have different berry sizes, they also grow in slightly different shapes. ‘Brilliantissima’ is very upright and vase shaped, while ‘MacKenzie’ is rounded and dense. ‘Viking’ is sort of between the two, not as round as the big fruited bush but not as narrow as ‘Brilliantissima’. Of course, I am drawing generalizations from a too-small sample size (1 specimen each) so this is purely anecdotal. I made a sketch, such as it is, of their general shape as they are now in my backyard. I am writing this in December when they have lost their leaves, otherwise I would have taken a photo, which might have been more helpful!

Because of its adaptability, edibility, low-maintenance habit, and wildlife value, Aronia is a fantastic addition to any landscape. It is sorely underrepresented in urban environments. So as we look ahead to spring, start thinking about where you can add one of these to your yard and garden. You won’t regret it!

New Plants around the Grounds

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

I recently spoke at the Oklahoma Native Plant Network fall festival in Oklahoma City. They had a day full of speakers, including representatives from Tulsa Botanic Garden, the Xerces Society and Bat Conservation International. But the real treat of course was the plant market outside the presentation hall. So many great native treasures were available from local vendors, I couldn’t resist buying a few new plants. I was able to get a few hard-to-find species for installation on the Arboretum grounds. Keep an eye out for these beauties on your next visit.

Callicarpa americana var. lactea – White American Beautyberry

Photo provided by the grower, Wild Things Nursery of Seminole, Oklahoma.

I didn’t even realize a naturally occurring white variety of beautyberry existed until I saw it being sold by Wild Things Nursery at the ONPN event. All the same lovely characteristics as its purple cousin – shade tolerant, pollinator friendly, bird attracting – but with striking white berries on arching stems. Marilyn, the owner of Wild Things Nursery said she collected the seed over twenty years ago down a shady dirt road in north western Arkansas. According to her they come true from seed reliably. Beautyberry are marginally edible, though not very tasty. Find these new additions in the back of the Compassionate Friends Garden near the hedgerow at the arboretum.

Hibiscus laevis – Halberd-leaf Rosemallow

Our pond has several lovely Hibiscus moscheutos thriving along its edge, and I am excited to add H. laevis to the mallow collection. This is a slightly taller species with narrow leaves, as the name implies, in the shape of a medieval sword. Native throughout the eastern half of the US, though much of its wetland habitat in the mid-Atlantic has been disturbed. Sadly, it is not as commonly found as it once was. I’ll be planting this on tip of the island, where there is some space on the banks thanks to our latest renovation. I found this at a great plant at a vendor called Duck Creek Farms from Mounds, Oklahoma.

Native Range of *H. laevis*, according to USDA plants database

Wisteria frutescens – American Wisteria

Illustration by Mary Vaux Walcott, via Wikimedia Commons

Anyone who has seen the opening scenes of Bridgerton house on Netflix’s hit show will recognize the pendulous purple blooms of Wiseria vine. But most of the Wisteria you see in media and in formal landscapes is the asian variety. Beautiful, but at a price: invasive in certain parts of the country and downright pushy in the garden, it needs diligent trimming to keep growth in check. But native W. frutescens is a great alternative to its exotic cousins, and with plenty of color to spare. I’ll plant this next spring near a leg of our new octagonal gazebo soon to be erected in the Birdwatch Garden.

*Wisteria frutescens*, Photo by Bearerofthecup, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Shop Til You Drop

Photo by Sue in az, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In between shopping for the Arboretum, giving the keynote presentation of the festival, and networking with all the like-minded conservationists and plant peddlers, of course I also snagged a few things for my own landscape! I found blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) for a hot, dry spot near my front sidewalk. I also found an adorable spineless cactus (possibly Optunia ellisiana?) to plant nearby. Here’s hoping these cuties fill in the rather inhospitable space between my purple prairie clover and creeping sedum.

If you are in the area, put ONPN’s fall festival on your radar for next year. It was a great time to learn about native plants and related topics in conservation. And you will never see me turn down an opportunity to buy plants and support small growers!

Think Pink

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

Muhly grass is in its prime this time of year, and all our regular visitors are asking about it. This native grass is unforgettable once you see it in bloom, and we are lucky to have multiple types growing on our grounds. Read on to find out which species is right for you!

Muhlenbergia capillaris – Muhly grass, Hair

Planted in the northwest corner of the Arboretum, our plot of muhly grass is in its third year. When first planted they are pretty thin and unimpressive, but once mature these grasses really put on a show, especially if planted in large groups. Vibrant pink seed heads appear in late summer and persist in a thick cloud of color all through fall. Extremely drought tolerant, they hardly need watering once established. They require excellent drainage, best planted in gritty soils, or on a slope.

*M. capillaris* is native to the southeastern US. Map by USDA plants database.

Muhlenbergia reverchonii – Seep Muhly

Usually smaller in stature, this grass is notably less stiff. While M. capillaris grows straight up, the graceful blades of seep muhly are arching and curled. It isn’t as deep in color, but still has a nice pink hue that is slightly more airy and light. Better for folks who prefer more neutral tones. This species has much more movement in the wind, and is softer to the touch. Something to think about when installing grasses around play areas or walkways!

**M. reverchonii** has a more limited range, found in the central regions of Oklahoma and Texas.

Muhly Grass cultivars

*‘White Cloud’ muhly grass, photo courtesy of Hoffman Nursery*

There have been some great options on the market for Muhly grass cultivars in recent years, including a variety of M. capillaris called ‘White Cloud’. It has all the allure of those wispy seed heads but in an ethereal white, a perfect pop for darker backdrops like brick or evergreens. At 4 ft tall it grows a bit taller than the pink types and can be used as a fluffy, neutral tone backdrop in the garden. Muhlenbergia ‘Undaunted’ is a well-loved cultivar of M. reverchonii. It’s weeping seed heads and open habit make it a great specimen plant for the perennial border.

*‘Undaunted’ is noted over the straight species for increased hardiness in norther zones and having a deeper panicle color at first flush. Photo courtesy Walter’s Gardens*

No matter which Muhly grass you choose, as long as you plant in full sun and well draining soil, you will surely be thrilled with its light texture and season-long interest. It is a water-wise plant with no major pest problems, but it does have few flaws: collapses easily in heavy snow, not very hardy in northern zones, and doesn’t always establish well when planted in fall. Keep those things in mind when considering adding this grass to your landscape. Look out for the spring update of the Native Plant Guide on our FloraKansas page to find out what species we will have available at our spring sale.

Right Rudbeckia, Right Place

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

Rudbeckia is a very recognizable flower. Its bright yellow blooms appear when summer reaches its peak, and flowers steadily through the hottest part of the summer when we all need it most. Also known as black eyed Susan (named after a romantic poem!) or sometimes as yellow coneflower, Rudbeckia is a variable genus with many garden worthy species. But they each want a little bit different environment, so be sure to put them in the right place!

Rudbeckia maxima – Giant Coneflower

*Photo by Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

R. maxima is a lesser known species native to the southern US, including Oklahoma and Texas. It averages about 6 feet tall in our area, but can be taller in moist, fertile soils. The flowers attract pollinators all through July, and through the winter a bevy of birds perch on the cones and eat the nutritious seeds. The foliage is striking: waxy and grey, resembling cabbage leaf. A wonderful vertical element to add to your landscape, with very sturdy stems and large blooms. It is a show piece in the garden! But it can easily be floppy if it gets too much shade or the soils are too rich. Situate it in strong sun and semi-dry soil, with dense grasses around it for support.

*These **R. maxima** are thriving on the dry side of our drainage ditch near the greenhouse. The cones were huge this year!*

Rudbeckia subtomentosa – Sweet Coneflower

Sweet coneflower is often found in moist sites, as seen here growing on the banks of the Arboretum pond. This plant can handle a bit of dry soil once established, but in general it likes moist sites. So try to plant it in a low spot or drainage area. The common name references the subtle sweet smell of the blooms. Less spready than other species of Rudbeckia, it pairs well in the garden with grasses like Panicum and other tall forbs like Eryngium yuccifolium. The petals can vary in length, and sometimes they are even rolled or ‘quilled’ as seen in the cultivar ‘Little Henry’.

Rudbeckia triloba – Brown Eyed Susan

Clouds of small yellow blooms on stiff, wiry stems appear in mid to late June on this easy to grow perennial. It readily self seeds, to the point of becoming an absolute menace in the garden! But if you have the space to let it run wild it is a pollinator-attracting powerhouse. It is best planted in an area that can be contained, either by mowing, burning or hemmed in by sidewalk/pavement. This species is native throughout most of the eastern half of the continental United States, and grows well in full to part sun and average to moist soil. The cultivated variety called ‘Prairie Glow’ flowers red with yellow tips. It is a seed strain from breeder David Cavagnaro introduced to the garden trade in 2003. Both the straight species and the cultivar are often available at FloraKansas.

**Rudbeckia missouriensis** blooming in the Gjerstad garden on the northwest side of the Arboretum.

And beyond these three, there are tons more to choose from! In a previous post, Scott talked a bit about R. missouriensis, R. hirta, R. lacinata, and R. fulgida, all great options for the habitat garden. All of these and more are usually available at our biannual FloraKansas event, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for our updated plant list when it comes out.

Plums, Cherries, and Very Bitter Berries: A Prunus Profile

Posted on August 14, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

In honor of all the wild plums ripening right now, this week’s blog is all about the Prunus genus of plants. There are several common Prunus species found in Kansas. All are excellent choices for wildlife and habitat gardening, as they produce fruit and many are important caterpillar host plants.

Gee, What a Genus

Prunus is a group of plants known as a Genus. If you remember back to your high school biology days, that is the grouping just smaller than a plant family, but less specific than a species. This genus contains over four hundred different species within it, and many are economically important plants for humans, including cherry, apple, pear, peach, plums, apricot, and almond. Thank goodness this genus exists, as it contains all my favorite types of pie! It also contains four very common species in our area: sand cherry, choke cherry, American plum, and Chickasaw plum. Those are the species we are going to focus on in this post.

Sand Cherry

Height: 3′-6′
Full Sun
Average to dry soil, tolerant of clays

Prunus pumila is a tough-as-nails plant that adds a splash of fall color to the landscape. Hot southern exposures are no problem for sand cherry. Birds and bugs alike visit this plant throughout the growing season for its fruit and flowers. A naturally occuring variant, Prunus pumila var. besseyii, known as western sand cherry, tends to be wider than it is tall. A great choice for parking lots or street medians when you need vegetation to stay shorter than five feet. There are even lower growing varieties, like Prunus besseyii ‘Pawnee Buttes’ , which stays reliably short (under three feet) with a prostrate habit. Prunus pumila ‘Jade Parade’ is another low growing option, but its branches arch upward rather than snake on the ground like ‘Pawnee Buttes’, better to show off its spring flowers. Edible fruits can be harvested for pies, jams, and all manner of sauces.

Chickasaw Plum

Height: 5′-7′
Full Sun to Part Sun
Average to dry, sandy soil

Also known as sandhill plum, Prunus angustifolia grows best in sandy soils but is highly adaptable and can be found all throughout the state. Showy white flowers in April give way to sweet and tangy fruits by July. The fruits are used to make wine and jellies. This is a great plant for stabilizing soil and preventing erosion, or for filling in hedgerows. It suckers quickly, creating dense thickets useful to small birds. Many of us Kansans have fond memories of picking these in childhood, careful to avoid the spiny branches, and toting a bucket of them back to Grandma’s house for processing.

Chokecherry

*USDA NRCS Montana, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

Height: 8′-10′
Part Sun
Average to moist soil

Pendulous white blooms in spring cover this small tree in April, attracting every insect in the area. It is a handsome landscape plane, thought it suckers aggressively in certain settings. The fruit of Prunus virginiana is beloved by birds, but not as well loved by humans. It has an incredibly astringent taste that basically chokes you, hence its name. Thanks to all those tannins, it takes a lot of sugar to make a yummy jam out of this but it can be done! Be sure to process and pit them correctly, as like most Prunus species, the pits/stems/leaves all contain cyanide-producing compounds.

American Plum

*Photo by: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

Height: 6′ to 12′
Full Sun to Part Sun
Average soil

Prunus americana is a delicious treat to find while out on a hike or walking in the pasture. Ripening in late summer, the fruits turn reddish orange when ready. They make for a fantastic jam, and can be used in desserts or turned into an applesauce-like consistency as a sauce for pork or venison. The tree itself is petite and ornamental, with white spring flowers that feed the bees.

Prunus, and We Will Grow!

The species mentioned here are relatively easy care and don’t take much special treatment. Many Prunus species will sucker, sending up shoots from the base of the plant and spreading to form a colony. You can either trim them off as they arise, plant in an area you can mow around to control the spread, try to find sucker-free varieties of your favorites, or simply plant them in an area that allows them to grow wild and free. Birds love the thicket-forming quality of these plants, and the less pruning you do the more cover they have to play around in! Trim out dead wood as it arises, and in the case of Prunus americana, trim in late winter and remove any dead wood promptly to encourage healthy fruit production.

If you are looking for a plant to add some high quality native habitat to your landscape, look no further than a member of the Prunus genus. They all have great ornamental appeal and high scores for their wildlife value. And many will be available at our upcoming FloraKansas event September 5-8!

Plant Spotlight: Spigelia marilandica

Posted on July 17, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

Bright red, versatile, compact habit and attracts hummingbirds…why has the landscaping industry so often overlooked this plant? Spigelia is a lesser known and underutilized species for native gardens. We rarely see it in landscape designs in this area, and it can be hard to find commercially available. What gives? Read on to find out about this wonderful plant and how to use it in your garden.

*Photo by J. Carmichael (Tevonic), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

Pinkroot

Spigelia marilandica, also known as woodland pinkroot or Indian pink, is a petite treat. Two feet tall and wide and blooming in June, it is a big show in a small package. The deep red trumpet shaped blooms are yellow on the inside, forming a two-toned flower when the petals bend outwards. Indigenous people in its native range have used it medicinally, though we don’t suggest trying this on your own as it does have some toxic properties at higher doses.

*USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

The tube shaped blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds, and it is low maintenance once established, needing no special trimming or care. According to its entry on the Ladybird Johnson database, “This plant does very well in gardens. It blooms from the bottom upward and the flowering season can be prolonged by removing the flowers as they wither.”

So, What’s the Catch?

S. marilandica is not found much around here. Its native range is mostly in our neighboring states to the south and east. Not to say there aren’t going to be a few stray specimens living in some moist woods of eastern and south eastern Kansas, but it would be rare. It likes lots of moisture, like streambanks and seasonally wet ravines, and prefers shade. Moisture and shade are not what Kansas is known for.

*This map shows the native range of **Spigelia marilandica**, from BiotaNA*

But if you have a shade garden in Kansas, you are likely giving it a bit of supplemental watering just to keep things going during our droughty summers. Why not add this beauty to the mix? They are difficult to find and propagate from seed (though there is some helpful advice here on that topic), but lucky for our local readers we will have some live plants available at our fall FloraKansas fundraiser! We will have a variety called ‘Little Red Head’,

*Spigelia ‘Little Red Head’, Photo courtesy of Walter’s Gardens*

Companion Plants

With its bright red color, Spigelia is a showstopper. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be complemented by companion plants that also like semi-moist shade. Think hostas, phlox, geranium, and starry champion. Spring blooming woodland ephemerals like Columbine and Mertensia would play well with this species. Remember to plant in clusters of three or five for the biggest impact, and repeat those clusters to create a cohesive look even if you are aiming for a naturalistic woodland garden.

Spigelia will be available at our fall FloraKansas event, which is coming right up in September, the weekend following Labor Day!

Native Plants in Modern Horticulture: Terminology

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

We get a lot of questions about what exactly it means for a native plant to be a cultivar or a variety, and how that might affect pollinator attraction or ecological value. The short answer is: it’s complicated! To really understand the conversation happening around nativars, it is important to understand how they come to exist. How is that plant reproduced? Where it was discovered? What does the patent says about its parentage? It can be a tricky road full of complicated terminology, and we will be posting a series of blogs to dig into this topic, and how it applies to the native plants common in the Arboretum and at our FloraKansas fundraiser events.

Button bush (*Cephalanthus occidentalis*) is a native shrub growing up to 12 feet tall. The variety ‘Sugar Shack’ is a much more manageable size at 6 feet tall and wide. Varieties created by the horticulture industry can be helpful in adapting these beautiful plants to fit urban spaces, but their benefit to the ecosystem is still being studied.

The first post in this series is a primer on terminology used in these discussions. Future posts will cover naturally occurring varieties versus cultivars, hybridization and breeding programs, and what it all means for native plant enthusiasts!

The Language of Plants

Cultivar, hybrid, variety — these terms are often tossed around willy nilly and their definitions get mixed up. This article does a fantastic job of explaining it in lay terms, but the even shorter version is:

Variety = naturally occurring genetic variation within a plant species. Seed is usually true to parent plant.
Cultivar = variation within a plant species developed through human intervention; seed usually is not true to parent plant.
Hybrid = product of a cross between two different species or varieties, which can occur naturally or by human intervention. Seed may be sterile, or may be viable, and may or may not grow to reflect the parent plants.

A naturally occurring variety may later be found to be the product of spontaneous hybridization. A hybrid plant may have been created with two cultivars as parent species. These descriptors are not always mutually exclusive, and can overlap in confusing ways!

If you search for ‘Hello Yellow Milkweed’ online, you get a lot of results that call this a cultivar or even a hybrid. But I can’t seem to find any plant patent or breeding information yet. So, this may be a situation where the terminology being used is incorrect and it might be just a naturally occurring color variation. I will keep searching for info!

These simple definitions from the American Begonia Society are also helpful:

A SPECIES is a natural grouping of similar plants that can interbreed and reproduce by seed.

A NATURAL HYBRID occurs between two different species.

A VARIETY appears naturally within a species, but it has some distinctive trait which sets it apart.

Just to Muddy the Waters…

‘Variety’ is different than ‘Plant Variety’. As frustratingly similar as those terms are, the first is a taxonimical distinction, while the second is a horticultural industry term. For example, Baptisia australis var. minor is a natural variation on Baptisia australis. It is shorter and more compact than the regular species. This is a botanical or taxononmical variety, and you can tell by the way it is written. But a Plant Variety is usually listed ‘like this’, and describes a patented cultivar. This distinction protects the plant breeders rights. Echinacea ‘Summersong FireFinch’ (listed as Echinacea purpurea G0052Y under its patent) is an example. Too often even the plant producers and sellers do not use the terms uniformly. I have seen Baptisia australis var. minor tagged as Baptisia ‘Minor’, which may cause people to think it is a patented or man-made variety, when it is not.

All that to say, it is very difficult to know what you are getting sometimes! Check out our other posts diving into detail on hybrids and cultivars to get a better understanding of what to look for when purchasing.

‘Julia’ is a hybrid coneflower sporting vibrant orange flowers on strong stems. Native *Echinacea* has been bred extensively into many colors and habits, some of which are so different from the parent plant they become unusable to insects. Research continues as to whether changing the color of the flower so drastically is detrimental to pollinators. Photo courtesy of Walter’s Gardens.

Other important terms you may want to be aware of for future posts:

Diploid and Tetraploid – the number of chromosomes in the plants cells. Diploid plants have two sets of chromosomes, tetraploid have four sets. Both occur in the natural world, and one is not necessarily better than the other, though tetraploid plants do show some benefit in yield, palatability, and vigor.

F1 hybrid plant or seed – product of the pollination of two different parent plants, short hand for Filial 1, or “first children”. This can happen naturally, as in the case of peppermint. But it is often it is performed by humans to create disease resistant and more desirable plants. It is responsible for huge advances in the food stability and supply of important crops. This kind of plant breeding was studied and recorded carefully by monk Gregor Mendel over 150 years ago!

Controlled Pollination – purposefully transferring pollen from one plant to the receptive female stigma of another plant, while removing the possibility for other pollen to fertilize that plant. At its simplest, controlled pollination is doable by the home gardener with the desired pollen dusted on a paintbrush, tweezers to remove the male anthers on the flower (if the flower is bisexual), a plastic bag to keep out any other wind-born pollen.

Subspecies – a taxonomic distinction just below species, meant to indicate a group within a species that is distinctly different but still close enough to be interbred with the species. Usually a subspecies is somewhat geographically isolated. Often confused with a variety, and sometimes a plant initially identified as a variety eventually becomes designated as subspecies.

Know Better, Do Better

A paraphrase from Maya Angelou, this saying is applicable in all parts of life, including gardening! Knowing the terminlogy of the trade ultimately helps us make better decisions in our gardens. Scientific lingo is cold and uninviting, but we shouldn’t just dismiss certain plants as “unnatural” just because the terms are poorly understood. In trying to do our best for pollinators and the prairie ecosystem, information is power. Stay tuned for future posts that about how we decide which cultivars are useful on our grounds and which to avoid, how to spot a patented plant, when is the best time to use straight natives only, and how to make some native clones of your own!

Peonies, please!

Posted on May 22, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

Peonies are in full bloom right now, and what a show! They are an old fashioned favorite, and a plant can only achieve such a title by being easy enough to grow that it lives on to be beloved by multiple generations. Don’t we all remember peonies in grandma’s garden? As well recognized as they are, there is more to this flower than meets the eye! Read on to learn about the many different types of peonies and their growing habits.

*A ‘Bartzella’ Intersectional Peony in Our Mother’s Garden just west of the main parking lot.*

*‘Bartzella’ flowers are by far the largest in our peony collection, and with a lovely fragrance!*

Three Main Types

To most folks, a peony is just a peony. Besides different colored flowers, aren’t they all the same? Actually there are three types of Peonies – tree, herbaceous, and shrub (which are a hybrid of the first two). Tree peonies can be 7 ft tall with massive flowers and woody stems. These are not commonly grown in our region, but herbaceous and shrub types are. Herbaceous peonies often called ‘garden peonies’. They are 2 to 4 feet tall and wide, easy to grow and long lived, but have a tendency to flop over in a stiff wind or rainstorm. Shrub/Intersectional peonies are a hybrid of tree and herbaceous types; they exhibit the larger flowers and stiffer stems of the tree peony, but the heat tolerance and shorter height of the herbaceous species. They were developed in the 1940s by Toicho Itoh, a Japanese plantsmen. This is why they are also called ‘Itoh Peonies’.

'Kansas' variety garden peony -- pom-pom shaped flower head with multple petal layers, hot pink/magenta — *Fittingly, this is a ‘Kansas’ Peony. A regular garden/herbaceaous type, it is a reliable addition to the garden, but it does flop over under the weight of its own blooms.*

'Scarlett Heaven' Intersectional Peony -- deep red single layered bloom — *We recently added the Itoh peony ‘Scarlett Heaven’ to our gardens. At only two years since planting, it’s flowers stay relatively small and few. But it will get more robust as time goes on!*

Native Peonies

The genus Paeonia contains 33 known species, and is native to several places across the globe. From Europe to China and even some in North America. The garden and intersectional peonies commonly sold in garden centers are usually cultivated varieties of some of these native species, brought about via grafting, selective breeding, and tissue culture. Before all the primping and plumping, they were just wildflowers! Here are a few species of note:

Paeonia lactiflora – common parent plant to modern garden peonies, also known as the Chinese peony, native to eastern Tibet throughout northern China and Siberia
Paeonia officinalis – very similar to a modern garden peony, native southern and western Europe
Paeonia suffruticosa – tree peony, native to northern Asia
Paeonia brownii – very short species native to high elevations of northwest North America
Paeonia californica – medium sized drought loving species endemic to southwestern California and the northern Baja region

'Julia Rose' Itoh Peony -- coral pink bloom with frilly yellow center — *‘Julia Rose’ Intersectional Peony*

Make Room for the Bloom

If you want these beautiful flowers in your garden, make sure you have the space! You may need to stake garden peonies as they don’t all support their blooms well, so you will need some wiggle room around your plants to retain walking access. If you opt for the intersectional type, note that these showstoppers can easily be 4 feet tall and wide! Peonies appreciate medium moist soil and aren’t fussy about pH. In fact they prefer a slightly alkaline soil over anything acidic, so our limey Kansas clay is often just right! They can even handle mild drought once established. Avoid planting in soils that stay soggy for long periods of time.

Spring and fall are the best time to plant peonies. You can order them online, through catalogs, or even purchase a few at one of our biannual FloraKansas events! However you acquire them, with the proper care they will bloom and thrive for years to come.

FloraKansas Greenhouse Guide

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

When you visit the greenhouse during our FloraKansas fundraisers, you may notice some signage hanging over the aisles: Shade, Adaptables, Natives for Sun. This post will help you make sense of how we organize the species so you can find exactly what you want and start planting!

Use the aisle markers to help you navigate the greenhouse. You may also find it helpful to bring your Native Plant Guide with you, helping you remember the names and attributes of the plants you are interested in. *Photo by Amy Sharp Photography.*

Shade

In the north aisle you will find shade plants, both native and adaptable. These plants will appreciate all day dappled sun or less than 6 hours of direct sun per day. By nature, many of these plants like a bit more water than their sun loving counterparts. There are lots of great options for dry shade, however, which is common in Kansas’ suburban neighborhoods. Use your native plant guide or the placard over each species to know which plants like it dry or moist, and help you select the right plants for your site.

**Geranium maculatum** ‘Crane Dance’ is a hybrid of two parent G. maculatum types. This plant can tolerate droughty shade and has excellent fall color. Photo courtesy Walter’s Gardens

Adaptables

**Heptacodium**, also known as Seven Son Flower, is a shrub from northern Asia. While it is not native here, our butterflies sure do love it! Hardy and drought tolerant, it has become one of our favorite adaptable shrubs. Monarchs on Seven Son Flower at Dyck Arboretum, 9/20/2020 – Photo by Gerry Epp

The center aisle is for Adaptables. This is our catch-all term for non-natives that still deserve to be included in our sale. Maybe it is because they are a well-known garden classic, like peonies or hibiscus. Perhaps they are new and unique, appealing to the adventurous gardeners in our customer base. No matter the reason they initially caught our eye, we consider the following before we add them to our inventory:

do they reliably perform well in our area?
are they known to be non-invasive?
do they still benefit our local pollinators and birds?
are they particularly water-wise or hardy?

We research every plant that goes into this aisle to make sure these species deserve a spot at our sale, and have something special to offer our shoppers.

Natives for Sun

Lastly the Natives for Sun aisle is by far the most jam packed and diverse of the three, alphabetized by latin name for all those botany nerds out there. These plants are native to KS and our bordering states. We research the historical ranges for these plants. We also research which horticultural varieties we carry are naturally occurring or intentionally hybridized by breeders. Information is always changing on this topic! When considering whether it is ‘native enough’ for this aisle we also consider factors like how the flower form and leaf color has potentially been changed by humans, which can affect its function in the ecosystem.

Our greenhouse was built in 2008, and has changed the way we operate our fundraiser in a big way. Before we had a greenhouse, Florakansas was held in the parking lot! I am so glad those days are gone and that our greenhouse is the permanent home for Florakansas, a center of activity for volunteers, and a warm place to escape to in late winter. We hope to see lots of you enjoying the greenhouse at our spring sale!

The Edible Landscape

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Katie Schmidt

I am a big fan of a landscape that is functional as well as beautiful. Functionality might mean wildlife and pollinator attraction, water absorbing (rain garden) or water conserving (xeriscaping). But it can also mean incorporating human food plants into your perennial garden. This not only provides a healthy snack, but it encourages more interaction and participation. What is the point of a beautiful landscape if you aren’t out enjoying it?

Here is a small preview of some of the plants I discuss in my Native Plant School class, now available on our YouTube channel, all about landscaping with edible plants.

If this topic fires you up, stop by our gift shop to grab a copy of Kelly Kindscher’s Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie, a wonderful plant guide and exploration of ethnobotany on the Great Plains.

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

A personal favorite of mine, Elderberry is as beautiful as it is nutritious. This plant will love a low spot in the yard where water tends to collect after rains, or an area with poor drainage. It can reach 8ft tall, putting on an impressive show in late spring when covered with massive white flower clusters. Berries ripen in July, a perfect time to spend the hot afternoons in the kitchen making jams and syrups. I make a cold remedy from them that has never let me down!

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

Persimmon (left) and PawPaw (right) both produce delicious fruit.

Everything about pawpaw seems tropical. Surely this fruit cannot be native to hot, dry Kansas…yet it is! It is an easy growing plant that can grow in full sun or partial shade and tolerates alkaline soil. To get a good fruit set you should plant more than one; though they have both male and female flowers on a single tree they are not self-fertile. The fruit is worth it! A custard-like texture with the flavor of bananas and mangos, it is perfect for pies and homemade ice cream.

Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

*Monarda fistulosa flower, photographed by Brad Guhr*

If you are short on garden space and can’t add a shrub or tree, never fear. Monarda fistulosa is a wonderful edible perennial much smaller in stature than the previous options. About 3ft by 3ft when happy and mature, the leaves of this plant make excellent tea, with a flavor reminiscent of the bergamot oil used in Earl Grey. It has a long history of medicinal use by indigenous North Americans, for everything from upper respiratory problems to sore feet. The flowers are also edible and add a citrusy, spicy punch to salads.

From persimmon to chokeberry, we have so many native plants to choose from to diversify our diets and add beauty to our home landscapes. Thanks to thousands of years of culinary experimentation by the tribes and nations of North America we have a rich ethnobotanical tradition to learn from, an example of how to learn about, appreciate and interact with food and flora.