Are Native Plants Really Drought-Tolerant?

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Scott Vogt

I love prairie plants and I encourage people to use them in their landscapes. Native plants have so many excellent qualities. I see their benefits in the plantings we have throughout the Arboretum. They attract pollinators and other wildlife and they are beautiful in flower and form. Native plants have become all the rage now, and rightfully so. However, as their popularity continues to grow, some misunderstandings about them are being advanced.

Myth: Native plants are always drought-tolerant in the landscape.

Even I have touted this myth from time to time that native plants are always drought-tolerant, maybe even more drought-tolerant than similar exotic plants. Our expectation that these plants will naturally grow on their own and survive under any circumstances is not true. The reality is that there are a set of plants that are well-suited for our particular landscape.

New Jersey Tea

What is true? Native plants can be drought-tolerant in the right conditions.

We know about the extensive root systems these plants develop and assume that means they will never need watering in our contrived landscapes. In their prairie homes, they are drought-tolerant. They are perfectly matched to the prairie habitat they prefer. They are content because all aspects they require to grow are being met, from soil, moisture and sun to even prairie companions.

Brown-eyed Susan

What is false? All native plants will grow happily in your landscape.

Often, our landscapes cannot perfectly match the preferred environments of these native plants. Since they are not ideally situated, these plants will need some input from time to time to keep them happy and thriving. This is the reason the selection process becomes the most important step in developing your native landscape. It is vital that you match the right plant with the right place. Just because a plant is native doesn’t mean it will happily grow in your landscape, will tolerate drought or require little care once established.

Embrace the process of learning about individual plants.

This kind of plant knowledge can be hard to learn. I have mistreated my share of native plants trying to get them to fit into my box, my “planned” native garden. What I should have been doing was familiarizing myself with where these plants grow, learning about their native ecosystems and trying to match plants as closely as possible to their new home. Some of the best learning experiences I had came at the expense of losing a few plants. I quickly learned that not every native plant will be happy all of the time, especially if it is not properly situated.

Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’

I like to use the example of a Missouri Evening Primrose and a swamp milkweed. The primrose thrives in dry conditions while the swamp milkweed loves having its feet constantly wet. The primrose will not be happy growing next to the pond with the swamp milkweed, just as the swamp milkweed will not be happy growing next to the primrose on a dry windswept hill. Each is distinctly different, requiring unique conditions to prosper. If these native wildflowers are not ideally located in the landscape, environmental conditions will need to be constantly manipulated to keep them growing.

Swamp Milkweed

Missouri Evening Primrose

I love native plants and will continue to promote their use. Understanding this myth about native plants helps me be more selective in the plants I choose for my landscape. With more knowledge comes a better understanding of what these native plants need.

Just like the diversity of the prairie, there are a host of plants that will fit into almost any landscape environment, including your corner of the world. As you become more aware of plant types and match the right plant with your situation, you will be rewarded for your time and effort.

Interested in learning more about native plants and how to utilize them in your garden? The Arboretum will be offering landscaping classes this spring, one about landscaping for sunny areas and one for shady areas.

A Native Shade Garden

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Scott Vogt

In Kansas, the benefits of shade are obvious. If you step outside on a summer afternoon, you will quickly move under the canopy of a large shade tree. The sun can be intense. We love the shade that trees provide, as well as the value they add to our homes. However, it can be a real challenge to grow anything under the umbrella of trees, including grass.

How do you develop a resilient native shade garden? Here are some steps that might improve this problematic area in your yard and maybe begin to change your approach to gardening in the shade.

Native Columbine

Shade can be bad

Realize the challenges of a shady spot

The root competition
Too much leaf litter and debris
Reduced air movement make it difficult to establish a beautiful landscape
Plants rarely bloom
Not as many plants to choose from compared to sunny areas
Plants grow slowly

Shade can be good

Since we love the trees in our landscapes, we need to embrace the microclimate they provide.

Shady landscapes are easy to care for since they require minimal weeding and watering.
Generally, there are fewer insect problems.
The canopy of the trees protects plants from leaf scorch.
Each autumn, a new set of leaves fall, providing winter protection for plants and a fresh dose of organic matter for the soil as the leaves decompose.

Soil and Sun Levels

Discover the type of soil you have and the amount of sunlight your area receives each day. Each of these factors will determine which plants to choose.

Three to five hours of sun each day is considered partial shade. This can be dappled shade where there is always some light making it through the trees branches
Two hours or less of sun each day is full shade.
A soil that is friable is usually high in organic matter. This type of soil is ideal for most plants that grow in the shade.
A sandy soil that is hard and dries quickly is typically found under oak and maple trees with dense shade.

The Arboretum woodland garden

Use Nature As Your Guide

One of the best ways to landscape for shade is to mimic nature. Look at examples from woodland settings, then integrate the elements and plants you like the most. Generally, these landscapes are random and informal with three to four distinct layers of plants. Large trees make up the upper canopy that provide the majority of shade. Next, smaller trees and large shrubs of varying heights make up the understory. Use this plant layer to add interesting forms, textures and blooms. Redbuds and viburnums, for example, are naturals for these areas. The woodland floor is the final layer. Lower growing woody and herbaceous species with graceful blooms, a variety of leaf shapes, attractive fruits and seed heads, varying heights and forms, and contrasting bright and dark colors will add to the appeal of this layer as you view it up close.

Carex pensylvanica. Photo Courtesy Hoffman Nursery, Inc.

The starting point for your shade garden is to examine what is already growing. Most shade gardens have the umbrella of large trees. The middle and ground floor need to be filled with appropriate plant material that match the soil, moisture levels and amount of sunlight the area receives throughout the day. Shade gardens lend themselves to solitude because they are usually enclosed by plants . They are a natural oasis with a bench, water feature or fire pit surrounded by interesting plants. Here is a plant guide for each of these lower tiers of a shade garden. For our purposes, I will focus on plants for a medium to dry soil, with the ultimate goal to develop an area that is attractive to you and wildlife, such as birds and pollinators.

Native perennials for the Woodland Floor

Allium cernuum pink nodding onion
Anthyrium angustum lady fern
Aquilegia canadensis columbine
Arisaema triphyllum jack-in-the-pulpit
Aruncus dioicus goatsbeard
Asarum canadense wild ginger
Aster cordifolius blue woodland aster
Aster divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’ white woodland aster
Aster lateriflorus calico Aster
Carex sp. Woodland sedge
Clematis virginiana virgin’s bower
Chasmanthium latifolium river oats (Use with caution)
Chrysogonum virginianum green and gold
Dennstaedtia punctilobula hay-scented fern
Dicentra eximia fringed bleeding heart
Dodecatheon meadia shootingstar
Epimedium spp. barrenwort
Geranium maculatum wild geranium
Heuchera Americana alumroot
Histrix patula bottlebrush grass
Pachysandra procumbens Allegheny spurge
Packera aurea golden ragwort
Phlox divaricata woodland phlox
Podophyllum peltatum May apple
Polygonatum biflorum giant solomon’s seal
Sanguinaria canadensis bloodroot
Sedum ternatum wild stonecrop
Smilacina racemose solomon’s Plume
Solidago caesia wreath goldenrod
Solidago ulmifolia elm-leaf goldenrod
Stylophorum diphyllum celadine poppy
Tiarella cordifolia foamflower
Veronicastrum virginicum culver’s root
Zizia aurea golden alexander

Golden Ragwort

Small trees and shrubs

Aesculus glabrra var. argute Texas buckeye
Aronia melanocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’
Cercis canadensis-redbud
Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush
Cornus racemosa gray dogwood
Hamamelis witchhazel
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
Hydrangea quercifolia oakleaf hydrangea
Lindera benzoin spicebush
Physocarpus opulifolius ninebark
Rjus typhina ‘Bailtiger’ Tiger Eye sumac
Symphoricarpos albus snowberry
Viburnum dentatum arrowwood viburnum
Viburnum prunifoium blackhaw viburnum
Viburnum rufidulum rusty blackhaw viburnum
Viburnum trilobum highbush cranberry

My shade garden project: I started with a fire pit under a 50 year old pin oak tree. It is essentially bare soil because nothing will grow under it very well. I will chart the progress over the next few years.

So, my advice to you is this: Accept your shady situation. Mix it up. Combine plants with different textures, colors, shapes and heights to add interest. Knowing your light levels will help, too. Keep in mind that shade plants grow slowly. Choose larger plants initially to install or just be patient with what you have planted. Water as needed, but remember these shade plants are competing with the roots of a large tree. Maybe add a soaker hose to deliver moisture efficiently to the root zone. And finally, look to enhance all the layers of the shade garden, not just the lowest level. A native garden looks better when it mirrors the natural woods with all three dimensions growing harmoniously together.

Needy Seeds: How to Germinate Prairie Species

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Katie Schmidt

January and February can be dull months for a gardener. When the north wind whips and the drizzle freezes, spring seems a lifetime away. But here at the Arboretum these cold months are a busy time for seed treatment. Seeds we’ve collected and ordered are prepared according to their species-specific needs.

Seeds collected for the Prairie Window project being cleaned and sorted

Stratification

There are many specific types of stratification: warm-moist, cold-dry, cold-moist, water-soak, etc. Many prairie wildflower species require a cold-moist stratification period, a sort of “man-made winter”. Seeds are amazingly self governing, with built-in mechanisms to prevent germination until conditions are suitable. For species that have spent thousands of years adapting to the Great Plains, this means reading and reacting to seasons: long, cold, moist winter gives way to spring. Aha, time to sprout! It is the stratifyer’s job to convince the seed that winter has come and gone.

Cold stratification involves

first, mixing the seeds with media (sterile soil, sand, sphagnum moss, vermiculite)
wetting it slightly (too much moisture and the seeds will rot, too dry and they won’t germinate)
then storing in a refrigerator for a specified length of time

Each species is a little different – some need 60 days of cold, some need 120, and some just 10. Be sure to look up the requirements of each species if you are stratifying your favorites at home.

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) seeds waiting to catch a breeze. 30 days of cold, moist stratification is all you need to germinate them for yourself.
Photo from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMilkweed-in-seed.jpg

Scarification

Scarification is any process that weakens the seed coat, purposely making it more permeable to gases and water that trigger germination. In the wild, these seeds would only sprout after many years of freezing and thawing, or perhaps after being passed through the digestive tract of a seed eating animal. If you want to germinate tough-coated seeds for your own garden (and you don’t have the digestive tract of a bird) then you will need to simulate nature’s scarification processes. This is done by nicking seeds with a knife or rubbing with sand paper. Seeds naturally activated by wildfire may need to be treated with nearly-boiling water. Some seeds perform best after an acid bath! Every seed is unique.

Line drawing of prairie seeds by Lorna Harder. This is the featured graphic on our “Prairie Restoration” informational sign on the Arboretum grounds.

Fall Sowing Alternative

Fall sowing is often less work intensive than manual seed treatment. Let mother nature do the work of breaking the seed coat by sowing your seeds in late fall. The cycles of freezing and thawing mixed with intermittent winter moisture will produce much the same effect as the previously mentioned methods. But be patient – some seeds may take several years to germinate this way.

If you are looking for high quality native seed, Prairie Moon Nursery is a good source.

To find species-specific information on seed treatment, check out Growing Native Wildflowers by Dwight Platt and Lorna Harder, available in our gift shop.

Finding Common Ground with Native Landscaping

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Brad Guhr

In the gardening off season now, you have a chance to think about the big picture of what you want for your landscape. Consider a plan that resonates with the general public by finding common ground with native landscaping. I will offer some suggestions that help keep your native landscaping from looking like a “weed patch”.

Let’s start with some perspective. Landscaping in the United States has many different influences and varies greatly from formal to wild/ecological. You have a whole spectrum of styles to consider.

Formal Gardening

Many of us were taught to appreciate the formal landscapes and garden designs made famous in Europe and France centuries ago featuring rectilinear lines with meticulously-trimmed lawns and hedges. Much of our society today still prefers this landscaping style as is evident in city codes and homeowner association regulations that encourage and even mandate manicured vegetation. With this style, we value leaves over flowers, vegetation simplicity, order, control and tidiness. Intensive use of mowers, trimmers, water, fertilizer, herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides, help efficiently maintain this style of landscaping that symbolizes human domination of nature.

Gardens of Château de Villandry, France. Photo by Peter Dutton.

Ecological Restoration

On the other end of the landscaping spectrum is ecological restoration. Plant communities native to a place are used as the blueprint to reconstruct a functioning ecosystem. Seeds of that plant community (i.e., prairie grasses and wildflowers in South Central Kansas) are planted and disturbance vectors (i.e., fire and grazing) that originally maintained that plant community are restored. While intensive preparation and planning go into reconstructing a prairie, this style of landscaping is eventually low maintenance, requires only implementing/simulating occasional disturbance, and mostly embodies working in sync with nature.

Reconstructed Prairie at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains.

Native landscaping advocates, promote many benefits of this latter landscaping style:

Colorful flowers and seed heads with varied shapes and textures
Diverse habitats with food and shelter that attract various forms of wildlife
Dynamic landscapes that provide year-round visual enjoyment
Long-term low input needs with regard to water, fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides
Adaptation to natural environmental conditions
A cultural connection to earlier inhabitants that used native vegetation for food, medicine, and ritual; building a “sense of place”

There are barriers, however, to landscaping this way in cities. Fires and grazing are not practical in urban areas. Annual mowing adequately simulates these activities, but dealing with that much biomass can still be cumbersome. Codes limiting vegetation height and social expectations driven by the formal garden mindset are hurdles for folks wanting to landscape with native plants. Native plantings are often seen as messy “weed patches”.

But you can still landscape with native plants in publicly palatable ways and enjoy many of the listed benefits. While my training and education are in ecological restoration and I used to be an advocate for restoring diverse prairies in urban areas, I realize that is not usually practical. I’ve moved towards the middle of the landscaping spectrum when it comes to recommendations on landscaping with native plants, to find common ground between formal and ecological styles.

With more than a decade of lessons learned from helping schools implement native plant gardens, I’d like to offer some of the following management practices to make native plant gardens more visually appealing to the general public.

Native Plant Garden Best Management Practices

Define Garden Goals – Wildlife habitat in general? Single species habitat (e.g., monarch)? Rain garden? High profile or in backyard? Prairie or woodland?
Start Small – I plan for about one plant per 2-3 square feet. Hand irrigation to establish plants in the first year is important as well as establishing a regular weeding routine takes time. Keep the workload manageable. You can always enlarge/add more gardens later.
Prepare the Site – Eradicate existing perennials with a couple of Glyphosate treatments in summer, especially important for getting rid of weed enemy #1, Bermuda grass.
Consider Height Proportions – Think about being able to see layers of plants. Island gardens are visually more appealing with shorter plants and there are many short to medium height native options to consider. Gardens against building walls do allow for taller vegetation in the back.
Be sure that plants are not too tall for the scale of small island plantings.
Add Hardscaping – Include features such as bird baths, feeders, houses, artwork, and benches for human enjoyment.
Get Edgy – Establish the boundary where weeding meets mowing. A flexible edge such as flat pieces of limestone is a favorite. A visible edge also conveys that this garden is purposeful.
Limestone edging helps define this garden.
Clumping of Species – When a garden has high visibility for the public, choose fewer species and plant them in clumps or waves to convey that this garden is intentional. Too many species planted will appear random and thrown together over time.
Suggestions for planting in waves or clumps.
Don’t Fertilize – Native plants will survive fine without fertilizer. Extra nutrients benefit weeds and only make native plants taller (and more wild looking).
Mulch Is Your Friend – One or two applications (2”-4” deep) of free wood chip mulch from the municipal pile or delivered by a tree trimmer keeps the native garden looking good and helps control weeds. A layer or two of newspaper under the mulch also minimizes weeds.
Signage Educates – Whether a wildlife certification sign or species identification labels, signage helps convey that this garden is intended to be there. Education leads to acceptance.
Weeding Is Mandatory –Weeding regularly and often minimizes the need for a long backbreaking weeding session that will make you hate your garden. It is therapeutic and good exercise. Plus, a high frequency of visits to your garden will add to your appreciation and enjoyment.
Weeding can be fun!

Now, resume your planning and consider going native. Do so in a visually pleasing way and maybe your neighbors will follow suit.

Photo Credits

With a Voice of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Scott Vogt

For each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything Thy goodness sends, for flowers that bloom about our feet; for tender grass, so fresh, so sweet; for song of bird, and hum of bee; for all the things fair we hear or see, Father in heaven, we thank Thee! – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Little Bluestem

Indian Grass

Cheyenne Sky Switchgrass

Monarch on New England Aster

Arkansas Bluestar Fall Color

Sugar Maple

Native Blackhaw Viburnum

Luminary Walk – Photo by Tom Sawin

May you all be blessed throughout this holiday season.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

A Kansas Land Ethic: Celebrating 35 years of Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Scott Vogt

Can you imagine what Hesston would be like without the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains? Over 35 years ago, Harold and Evie Dyck had a dream to create a garden that reflected the Kansas landscape they loved so much. They wanted it to be close to Schowalter Villa and Hesston College. They wanted it to be a “…setting for educational opportunities for the community and a place where visitors may come to enjoy nature or sit in quiet reflection.”

This Arboretum, dedicated with the first tree planting on October 10, 1981, has matured into one of the premier native plant gardens in the country.

Julia Dyck, representing the Dyck family, had the honor of the first shovelful of soil around the new Bur Oak tree. October 10, 1981.

Today, as we celebrate our 35th anniversary, most visitors to the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains never knew Harold or Evie Dyck. That is unfortunate because they were gracious, generous visionaries ahead of their time.

The idea of the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains came about after Harold and Evie visited the Barlett Arboretum in Belle Plaine, Kansas. They talked about an Arboretum that would benefit the community, region, and the state of Kansas.

“Even though we have been many places,” explained Evie, “we have always appreciated Kansas. If we develop an arboretum in Kansas, we feel it should reflect the character of Kansas.” They left this place as a legacy for future generations to enjoy. It was their way of saying “Thank You” to the community they lived in and served all their lives. They had a Kansas land ethic.

Harold and Evie Dyck

In many ways, the Arboretum has exceeded even Harold and Evie’s expectations and the impact they wanted it to have. Each year, over 20,000 visitors experience the Arboretum through educational programs, engaging events or interactive discovery. Our mission, “to promote, through education and stewardship, the conservation and use of plants native and adaptable to Kansas,” has become mainstream. The most important component of our mission has always been to connect people to the prairie. Native landscaping, enhanced biodiversity, and increased awareness of the prairie are important ideas within our mission that guide much of our efforts. It is our goal to provide a setting where visitors can experience native and adaptable plants in attractive displays. It was Evie’s dream to provide not only a beautiful place for community recreation, but also a place to pause for a little while, enjoy nature and hopefully gain a deeper appreciation of the simple beauty of Kansas.

Kansas Earth Partnership for Schools native planting on school grounds

Orange Butterfly weed in the Bird Watch Area

FloraKansas Native Plant Sale

Wedding at the Arboretum

Luminary Stroll

Prairie Window Concert Series-Red Molly

We who live in Hesston often take the Arboretum for granted. It seems as if it has always been here. I certainly take for granted being able to work at the Arboretum, and am reminded of this privilege each time I talk with a visitor. There are not too many communities the size of Hesston who have a garden for the citizens to enjoy. In my short time as director, I have come to realize how vital it is for our success and growth, that those who utilize the Arboretum support us in many different ways. These gardens wouldn’t exist without that original dream and the support of many people who volunteer and give generously each year.

Cliff Bitikofer-Long-time volunteer on new mower donated by Excel Industries, Inc.

I wish you could hear the stories of people who have come to our plant sales and transform their landscape by using native plants. How others love this place and have seen nothing like it. How they appreciate what we do here and want to support our mission. To see extended families, including multiple generations, frequently come through the Visitor Center, walk the grounds, and feed the fish and turtles. I wish you could see the faces of the children and hear the conversations we have with those who are seeing the Arboretum for the first time or rediscovering its beauty. This place is unique and special.

Bearer of the Ammonite (by Paul Friesen)

Help us celebrate 35 years of the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains. We have many exciting events scheduled over the next year starting with the Anniversary Kick Off on October 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. On that day, there will be a ceremonial oak planting and screening of the documentary Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for our Time. Refreshments will be served during the show. Come enjoy an evening at the Arboretum as we reminisce about the past and look forward to the future. Click here for the full schedule of events.

Five Reasons Why Fall is for Planting

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Scott Vogt

I have people ask me all the time at our FloraKansas plant sale if fall is a good time to establish plants. My answer is “Yes, it is a GREAT time to plant!” In fact, it’s a perfect time to plant just about anything other than annuals, but especially trees and shrubs. (Be sure to download our TREE COUPON and bring it with you to FloraKansas.)

I don’t know why this fall planting message is not resonating with all gardeners. We may be worn out from managing the plants we installed in the spring or we are busy with other things and not focused on what our gardens will need to be ready for next year. Whatever the reasons, experience tells me that you will be rewarded for working on your landscape this fall. Here are five reasons why:

#1 Warm Soils

Because the soil is still warm from the summer, the roots will continue to develop until the first frost. In our area, this occurs around mid-October. However, trees and shrubs will root until the ground freezes. In the spring, these plants will have developed root systems that are actively growing and ready to produce flowers and survive the hot summer months. Two years ago, we planted twenty-five butterfly milkweed and twenty-three survived the winter. All of these plants bloomed again this summer.

#2 Reduced stress

Transplanting causes stress on plants as they are introduced to a new environment. This shock is reduced by planting in the fall because the plant is entering dormancy. The growth is moving from above ground to below ground and root systems are storing energy reserves for next year. Fall transplants have this vital time for root development before winter. Transplanting in the spring, on the other hand, causes additional stress and plants may hardly recover from transplant shock before the demands of summer set in. The overall plant health is improved for next year by starting with transplanting this fall.

#3 Less weed competition

We have found that when planting in September there are fewer problems with weeds such as crabgrass and foxtail. Transplanting in fall allows plants to get a head start for next season without competing with problematic weeds. Remember to mulch around the plants after the first freeze to help moderate soil temperatures, control winter annual weeds such as henbit, and hold soil moisture through the winter. Keep mulch away from the base of plants to allow proper air exchange.

Pale coneflowers blooming the next spring after planting.

#4 Fewer Pests

All those pesky bugs are less active in the fall. They are not nibbling or sipping on your plants. With their life cycles nearly complete, they are looking for homes to survive the winter. Fewer bugs means less-stressed plants that will have a chance to get properly rooted.

#5 Beneficial Rains

Warm days and cool nights provide an ideal environment for transplanting and growth. Typically, fall brings many cool, cloudy days with frequent precipitation. Warm sunny days can cause stress on new transplants. Cooler nights and morning dew allow plants to recover each night. Beneficial autumn rains will eliminate some daily watering.

Here at the Arboretum, we prefer to plant in the fall because we have more time and have seen the benefits first hand. We are usually very busy in the spring readying the gardens. It is nice to see plants that were started in the fall jumping to life and even blooming that next year. As an encouragement to plant trees this fall, bring this TREE COUPON to the sale to receive an additional discount.

Whenever you plant, whether spring or fall, the ultimate goal is to create a landscape you can enjoy. If you need some ideas to get you started, check out these sample landscape designs and our 2016 Native Plant Guide.

Plant Profile: The Gayfeathers

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Scott Vogt

Gayfeathers are truly iconic symbols of the prairie. Also known as blazing stars, these distinctive plants occur throughout Kansas grasslands. Seven species are native to our state, all blooming during late summer and early fall. Producing upright spikes crowded with rose-purple flower heads, gayfeathers add a distinctive dimension to late-season landscapes dominated by asters, sunflowers, and goldenrods.

Kansas Gayfeather, Liatris pycnostachya

Four species of gayfeathers can be found in the Arboretum’s living collections. Kansas gayfeather or thickspike gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) is the tallest, reaching up to five feet in height. It is a plant of the tallgrass prairie of eastern Kansas. Button blazing star or rough gayfeather (L. aspera) occurs in drier habitats and is generally about three feet tall. Two other species, L. mucronata and L. punctata grow from one to three feet in height. Liatris punctata occurs throughout the state and is the most drought tolerant of the gayfeathers.

Liatris and Indian grass in the Prairie Window Project

Button Blazing Star or Liatris aspera and Indian grass in the Prairie Window Project

LiatrisPunctata_LincolnKS_PRoberts_16Sept1983_00518

Dotted Gayfeather, Liatris punctata

Gayfeathers are not only beautiful in their natural settings, they also make very fine garden plants. Thickspike is the species most likely to be sold by nurseries and garden centers. We will have most of these species at our FloraKansas Plant Sale. They all appreciate a sunny flower bed or border. Adding to their value as garden plants, gayfeathers are also attractive to many butterflies and other pollinators. In addition, the spikes make excellent cut flowers, either fresh or dried.

Six Elements of a Beautiful Fall Garden

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Scott Vogt

I have said it before that fall is my favorite time of the year. It means that the hottest days of summer will be replaced by autumn’s cool mornings and warm afternoons. The landscape is transformed by subtle, incremental changes that are unique every year. I have seen hints that these shifts are already happening, which is exciting. As a gardener, I gain a deeper appreciation of autumn’s exquisite beauty each year.

Fall should be the crescendo of your garden. The culmination of your time and effort with every element fitting harmoniously together. So how do you set the stage to make a grand statement with your landscape in the fall? Here some essential elements that I consider as I design a garden, especially if you want to create a show later in the season.

Textures and seedheads

When you look at a prairie in the fall, native grasses dominate the landscape. They are in full bloom with interesting seedheads and colorful stems. Grasses provide texture and movement in the garden, plus they are extremely hardy. They move with the gentlest breeze and rustle as the north wind ushers in cooler weather. I like to use grasses as backdrops for other perennials. The dark brown coneflower seedheads really stand out in the slender red stems of little bluestem. The red leaves of Penstemon ‘Dark Towers’ look great with Panicum ‘Northwind’ switchgrass. Mix and match grasses with perennials both tall and short. You really can’t go wrong by taking advantage of different types of leaves and including native grasses in your design.

moblkeyedsusan_littlebluestem_3-6-03-eweaver

Little Bluestem and Coneflower Seedhead Photo by Emily Weaver

Layers of Plants

Layering plants is the best way to mimic nature. It is critical to have the canopy of trees stair stepped down to understory trees and shrubs extended outward with native wildflowers and grasses. Each of these layers can have a diverse selection of plant material that adds form, structure, and beautiful fall colors. Everything that wildlife needs for survival can be included in these layers as well. Place maples and oaks in the back with dogwoods, viburnums, serviceberries and crabapples in the middle layer, and a host of wildflowers, grasses, and shorter shrubs such as sumac spreading into the sunlight away from the shadow of the trees.

October Skies Aromatic Aster, Purple Dome New England Aster and Little Bluestem

Interesting Lines

I develop eye-catching lines and curves either through the use of plants or edging. Curves can lead you through the garden or take you gently around a corner to reveal a piece of art or focal point. Rather than straight lines, try undulating your borders. It gives the illusion of extra space while drawing your eye along the border. Also, curves relieve the linearity of most gardens. I use ‘October Skies’ aromatic aster or shorter grasses such as Bouteloua ‘Blonde Ambition’ or prairie dropseed along these borders for dramatic effect.

Fall Color

You can enjoy a colorful fall garden through leaf color or blooms. Maple trees like ‘John Pair’ or ‘Autumn Splendor’ develop beautiful fall color. I love the blooms of Asters and goldenrods late in the season. They extend the blooms well into September and October. Native grasses are transformed from green to splendid shades of reds, oranges, and yellows. Amsonia hubrichtii turns butter yellow and a large mass of them is quite stunning. This is one of my favorite plants because it has multiple seasons of interest.

PanicumVirgatumAndSolidagoRigida_EWeaver_13Sept2002_00274

Switchgrass and Rigid Goldenrod Photo by Emily Weaver

Amsonia hubrichtii Photo courtesy Walters Gardens.

Use of light

The lower angle of the autumn sun can transform a garden. Take advantage of its glow with bright fall colors and interesting forms. The late evening light illuminates native grasses in exquisite ways. ‘Tiger Eyes’ sumac with its chartreuse foliage that changes to oranges and yellows as the season progresses can brighten up a dark corner of your garden.

Frame the Views

Look for areas in your garden worth highlighting such as an arbor, a bench or a piece of art. You can leave a narrow swath of lawn with perennials and shrubs on either side that lead to this focal point. Interesting lines and diverse plants will only add to the intrigue and beauty of this space. It is another trick you can use to draw people into the garden.

In fact, all these elements will draw you into the garden this fall. They will help you transform your landscape into a beautiful and functional space. By thinking about or adding just of few of these elements, you will be rewarded as your garden transitions from summer to fall.

Celebrating Silphiums

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Brad Guhr

Late July to early August is a great time of the year to be celebrating Silphiums. Scott wrote a Silphium post last summer highlighting the four species we can grow well in south central Kansas. I noticed during a recent walk around the Arboretum how brilliantly all four of these species are flowering right now and felt that they were worth recognizing once again. Review Scott’s post at the link above to become familiar with the four species we have in the Arboretum. I’ll touch on a few additional features of this genus in more depth.

Leaf Orientation and Morphology

Compass plant gets its name because the leaves tend to orient north and south and take advantage of cooler morning and evening sunlight to photosynthesize. When the sun is directly overhead during hotter times of the day, compass plant leaves have less direct sun exposure to minimize heat buildup and moisture loss. Cup plant does the same thing. Go HERE for an article in the American Journal of Botany for more on this topic.

Leaf morphology (or shape and form) plays its part too. Deeply lobed compass plant leaves have greater surface area than cup plant, which may translate to a more efficient heat radiating capacity (think of the function of a car radiator with all its coils and fins to maximize cooling potential).

Compass plant leaf

Cup plant leaf

Of the four species that Scott highlights, cup plant is the only Silphium species that doesn’t have a native range in Kansas (even though it seems to grow well here). Its range is east and north of Kansas where average precipitation levels are higher and temperatures are lower. Compass plant extends into drier and warmer climates and so this difference in leaf morphology between the two species may be a plausible adaptation for dealing with climate variation. Dense white hairs on Silphium leaves also help reflect sunlight and reduce wind speeds at the leaf surface. Both can reduce moisture loss.

White hairs on compass plant leaf

Comparison to Sunflowers

Even though Silphiums are in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), they differ physiologically in their seed formation. You probably know that typical sunflower family flowering heads have both disc and ray florets. The ray florets act as sterile pollinator attractors and the disc florets are the seed producers. Our state flower, annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus), is one good example. Silphiums are just the opposite in that the attractive ray florets are the seed producers. Botany geeks are fascinated by these kinds of things, but I’m sure the more casual observer will find this equally as riveting.

Fertile ray florets blooming on compass plant

Flat, dark seeds have formed from compass plant disc florets

Easy to Grow

When it comes to growing native plants in your landscape, few are easier to establish than Silphiums. That’s the positive way to look at it. If you ask anybody who has had experience growing Silphiums as an ornamental in their manicured landscape, they will probably cite that they are invasive and problematic. Some use more pointed, even colorful language. You won’t notice this for the first few years while they are establishing. But when they start flowering in year four or five and seeds start dropping, that is when the invasion begins. Because each Silphium plant grows to a sizeable diameter of three feet or more, and the plants grow to a substantial height, they can become downright bullies.

So, we still encourage people to enjoy Silphiums for all the apparent reasons…colorful flowers during the heat of the summer, interesting foliage, and a great attractor of all sorts of insects via flowers and vegetation. But plant them in an area such as a prairie restoration or a less ornamental landscaped area where you won’t be as concerned with its aggressiveness or be judicious with deadheading. Keep scale in mind too with regard to the 6-9 feet height of Silphiums and the size of your planting area, as taller plants fit better in bigger planting areas.

Compass plant has spread and come to dominate this 15 year-old planted bed.

Rosinweed in the foreground and compass plant in the back seem to thus far be balanced in a diversely-planted and highly competitive five year-old reconstructed prairie environment.

Finally, if you have identified the appropriate area and decide to add Silphiums to your landscape, you might as well add some complementary purple flowers like ironweed and gayfeather. They bloom at the same time and add visual enjoyment and pollinator sources. These species along with Silphiums will add great interest to your landscape.

Western ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii)

Kansas gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya)