Five Ways Native Plants Enrich the Environment

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Scott Vogt

One of the traits of being a horticulturist is a heightened awareness of plants. The good, the bad, the ugly, the sad, and the beautiful are all critiqued. My family is used to it, but they still roll their eyes from time to time as I stop to look at various landscapes.

Over the past few days as I shop for gifts for Christmas, I have noticed several sad landscaping attempts outside the stores. Creativity is at a minimum and most displays add nothing to the beauty of the place. Granted, it is a parking lot or store front, but the plants I have seen do nothing to enrich the environment.

I don’t have all the answers for these areas, but I think native plants could really bring some life to these tough spaces and our own landscapes. Here are five ways I believe native plants enrich the environment.

Native plants increase biodiversity.

A healthy ecosystem includes a variety of plants that are in bloom throughout the year, attracting a host of pollinators. We don’t need to give up beauty for function. Simply put, native plants make things happen in the landscape.

Native plants enrich the soil.

It goes without saying, but a diverse collection of native plants with deep roots benefits any soil type. Native plant roots can grow up to 10 to 15 feet deep depending on the species. Their roots break up heavy clay soils and allow water to thoroughly permeate the soil profile.

A good example would be Big Bluestem. What we see above ground is only 1/3 of the entire plant. The roots are 2/3 of the plant and 1/3 of those roots die each year, adding organic matter to the soil and opening pores so water can percolate into the soil. Legumes such as purple prairie clover or wild indigos fix nitrogen from the air and deposit it into the soil as well. The extensive root systems of native plants help stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. Wow, so many soil benefits!

Native plants reduce inputs.

Native plants do not need pesticides or fertilizers to promote growth. They are able to use nutrients already in the soil to actively grow. A healthy plant that is not under stress is able to fend off pests more easily. Native plants are drought tolerant and require little – if any – supplemental water to survive. If the right plant is matched to the site, that native plant will grow with minimal care after it is properly established.

Native plants provide habitat.

Native plants increase habitat used by wildlife, particularly songbirds. With songbird populations in decline, native plants provide the food and shelter they need for survival. Even a small garden display can have a positive impact.

A robin looks for food in a native plant bed.

Native plants provide a “sense of place”.

Native plants thrive in the Great Plains. They are adapted to its unique environmental conditions and require no special care to survive. Native plants growing in your area convey an understanding of the special place where we live. Let’s look at the particular plants that are native to the land and embrace our “sense of place”.

Asters: Autumn’s Crescendo

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Scott Vogt

Mention fall blooms to most gardeners and they think of chrysanthemums. Blooming in September and October, “mums” are the major source of color in most late-season gardens.

Another group of fall-bloomers that are just as attractive, but not as well-known, are the asters. Asters are related to chrysanthemums (both are in the Sunflower Family) and have similar daisy-like flowers. Like chrysanthemums, asters also come in a wide variety of sizes and colors and are perennial, meaning they come up year-after-year. There are several native asters in the collections of the Dyck Arboretum and these are discussed below.

The New England aster (Aster novae-angliae) occurs in eastern Kansas. One of the taller species, this plant may reach three to four feet in height. The flowers are generally a shade of purple in color, although pink and white-flowered forms have been found. ‘Purple Dome’, ‘Hella Lacy’, ‘Alma Potschke’ and ‘Vibrant Dome’ are good varieties for the garden.

New England Aster with Monarch

The sky blue aster (previously Aster azureus, now Aster oolentaniensis) grow two to three feet tall and has a bright blue flower. Also occurring in eastern Kansas, this species in particularly useful as a garden plant because it can tolerate dry shade. ‘Bluebird’ is a nice selection.

The aromatic aster (Aster oblongifolius) grows further west than the previous species, and is a more drought-tolerant plant. Its name alludes to its fragrant purple flowers and pungent foliage when bruised. This species grows about two foot tall. We have ‘Dream of Beauty’ (short with pink blooms), ‘October Skies’ (2’ x 2’ with light blue flowers) and ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ (3’ x 2’ with light blue flowers).

Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’

The heath aster (Aster ericoides) has the smallest flowers of any in the group, but it produces them in large enough numbers to make an impressive show. In the late summer, it is covered with tiny white daisies. Typically, it grows to two feet tall. This adaptable plant occurs throughout much of Kansas. ‘Snow Flurry’ is a groundcover form only reaching 6-8 inches tall.

Fendler’s aster (Aster fendleri) is the smallest of all the Kansas asters, only reaching about eight inches in height. Occurring in central and western Kansas on dry, rocky prairie, it is probably the most drought-tolerant of our native asters. In September these low plants are literally covered with lavender daisies. The variety ‘My Antonia’ would make a nice addition to a xeric garden.

A few varieties for shade would be White Woodland Aster (Aster divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’) which makes a great groundcover with white blooms and mahogany stems. It only reaches 12 inches tall. The other woodland aster is Blue Wood Aster (Aster cordifolius) which is taller (3’ X 3’) with loads of tiny light blue flowers.

White Woodland Aster

In addition to being appreciated by humans, many asters also attract many different pollinators including Monarchs. Planting asters is a good way to bring these beautiful creatures into the home garden.

Of the asters described above, only New England aster is widely available for purchase. We carry many of these asters at our FloraKansas plant sales. The others can be obtained from mail-order nurseries that specialize in wildflowers.

These native wildflowers are good examples of plants that are not only beautiful and useful, but also hardy and adapted to our climate and growing conditions. In my opinion, you should give them a try.

Silphiums: Four Pillars in the Tallgrass Prairie

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Scott Vogt

2015 seems to be the year of the genus Silphium in the arboretum. In recent years, I can’t remember them looking so bright or growing so tall. With the spring and summer rains these sun-loving, yellow-flowered plants have reached a new level. In fact, they are among the tallest plants of the prairie in late summer and autumn. We grow and sell four species: Prairie Dock, Silphium terebinthinaceum; Cup Plant, Silphium perfoliatum, Compass Plant, Silphium laciniatum; and Rosinweed, Silphium integrifolium. Each of these are distinct and easily identified by their unique leaves.

Prairie Dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum)

I call this the Hosta of the prairie. It almost has a tropical-look to it, with large rough leaves up to one foot wide and two foot long. It will make a statement in the landscape, but give it plenty of room and keep it away from walkways, because the long stems tend to arch over the path. Individual clumps can become large over time reaching six feet in diameter. The yellow flowers develop in mid-August atop tall leafless stalks. This member of the tallgrass prairie is one of my favorite wildflowers. In my opinion, Prairie Dock is a must in your wildflower garden. Update (2023), I love this plant but we have found that it self seeds everywhere. If you include it in your garden be prepared to deadhead after flowering to avoid a monoculture of prairie dock. Use with caution.

Prairie Dock

Prairie Dock with Missouri Black-eyed Susan

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)

A natural bird bath in the landscape. Each pair of leaves clasps around the stem forming a small basin. When it rains, these crude cups fill with water that is then available to wildlife. They stand tall in the landscape and therefore work well as a screen. I have also used them as a dark green background for other shorter perennials like black-eyed Susan, and gayfeather. The yellow blossoms can be seen starting in July and are visited by a host of butterflies. Later, birds cherish the seeds. Cup Plant thrives in heavier clay soils or even wet conditions. It will be happy in any setting if given ample sunlight.

Cup Plant with water

Cup Plant Flower

Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum)

Do you need directions? This is the plant that can help. The interesting basal leaves look like flat hands. Those lower leaves usually orient themselves north-south to minimize exposure to the intense summer sun, hence the descriptive common name. These extremely tall (up to ten feet) wildflowers are found in prairies and glades throughout the eastern third of Kansas. Each stem is covered with tiny white hairs that give it a rough, bristly feel. The bright yellow flowers emerge along the upper parts of the plant in summer. Split or broken stems exude a clear sticky resin much like pine sap. Native Americans used this resin as a mouth-cleansing chewing gum. I think I will stick with Trident®.

Dyck Arboretum Blog: Silphiums, Compass Plant

Compass Plant Leaf

Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium)

Rosinweed is shorter, but just as tough as the other Silphiums. Again, the name describes the resin exuded if the stem is bruised or broken. The golden yellow flowers that mature at the top of the stems are beautiful in the summer. It is a pollinator magnet, attracting bees, butterflies and even hummingbirds to the flowers. It becomes a natural bird feeder in the fall and winter as the seeds are devoured by birds. It is quite drought tolerant once established and is at home in a wide variety of soils.

Rosinweed

While each of these wildflowers are unique in appearance, especially as you look at the leaves, they all have that “clear, sticky juice” that exudes if the stem is damaged. I love them in the landscape, but they need room because they grow so tall. They are great in prairie settings or areas on the periphery of your yard. You can’t go wrong – just give them plenty of sunlight so the sunflower-like blooms can brighten your summer landscape.

Each of these plants can be purchased at our FloraKansas Fall Plant Sale, September 11 to 13.

Native Plant Alternatives for Three Common Non-Natives

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Scott Vogt

One of the great things about native plants is that there is so much diversity found in the prairie. From wet to dry, sun to shade, clay to sand, there is a plant for every place in the landscape. The diversity of plants give us so many options and provides alternatives to what is typically planted in gardens and displays in our area. The non-native plants listed below are coupled with native plant alternatives that make excellent substitutes.

Alternatives for Bugle Weed-Ajuga Cultivars

Ater divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’ (White Woodland Aster): This native aster has small white flowers with pink centers that cover the plant in fall. The attractive foliage is dark green with burgundy highlights. It slowly creeps to fill in an area, but it is not aggressive. This is a nice plant for full to part shade.
Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger): This native of the woods is quite adaptable, but prefers rich organic soils. Wild ginger spreads slowly to form colonies. Plant these about a foot apart and they will form a solid ground cover in two or three years. These will not grow in sun. The kidney shaped leaves are a soft-green and often cover the flowers, which are brownish and bell shaped.
Senecio obovatus (Squaw-weed): I love this woodland native because it looks good all year long. The rounded dark green foliage is semi-evergreen. It is a weaver as it spreads to fill voids in a shaded or part shade situation. The yellow flowers brighten the shade garden in the spring.

Squaw Weed

Alternatives for Barberry – Berberis spp.

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Little Devil’ or ‘Tiny Wine’ (Ninebark): We have been growing Ninebark here at the arboretum for many years with great success. It is quite adaptable and many of the new cultivated varieties have beautiful reddish purple foliage and whitish-pink blooms in the spring. These two new forms (Little Devil and Tiny Wine) just come in a smaller size. They ultimately get only three to four feet tall. They have the same ornamental characteristics and tough demeanor as the larger varieties. They grow best in average soil with full to part sun. Good things do come in small packages.

Physocarpus ‘Little Devil’

Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea): If this native shrub can flourish in the prairie, imagine what it will do in your landscape. This compact native shrub has glossy green leaves. The showy white clusters are held at the end of the branches in May and June. It develops a rounded habit (3-4 feet tall) if given room to spread its branches. The small dark fruit clusters are attractive later in the season.
Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’ (Switchgrass): This native grass forms a dense upright bundle, finally maturing to three feet tall. Red leaves form early in the season and hold fast through the fall. The entire plant turns shades of yellow and orange in the fall. I love grasses in the fall and winter because they provide movement in the garden as the gentlest breeze sets the whole plant in motion. It thrives in full sun and adapts to a wide range of soils, including clay.

Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’

Alternatives to Maiden Grass – Miscanthus spp.

Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern Gama Grass): We have many clumps of this native grass in the arboretum. The arching stalks arise from a large base of narrow, gray-green leaves. The interesting flower spikes add another focal point atop the stems from May through September.
Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass): This clump-forming native grass can range in size from three feet on up to 8 feet tall. The medium green leaves ultimately change to yellows, oranges and eventually fading to tan through the winter. The finely-textured seed heads are open and airy. They make great screens and produce a nice backdrop for other perennials. ‘Northwind’ and ‘Dallas Blues’ are exceptional cultivars for the home landscape.

Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass): Indian grass matures into a vase shape that is up to six feet tall and three feet wide. The tannish plumes atop the sturdy stems appear in late summer. It prefers a medium to dry soil with full sun for best growth.

Indiangrass

We will follow up these alternatives with some other choices for non-natives in the coming weeks. It is good to know that there are substitutes for many traditional landscape plants. Keep in mind that whatever is planted has consequences, both negative and positive. By choosing natives, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

“You must choose, so choose wisely”. (From Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)

Plant Profiles: Butterfly Milkweed

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Scott Vogt

As I drove through the Flint Hills this week in late June, there were orange dots among the prairie grasses that caught my eye. Few plants found on the prairies of Kansas are as readily recognizable as butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa). This classic prairie plant found throughout the eastern two-thirds of Kansas blooms from late May into August.

Butterfly milkweed is a stout one to two foot tall perennial with a deep, coarse, fibrous root system. Flowers range from deep orange-red in the eastern part of its range to lighter orange and finally yellow farther west and south in Kansas. Unlike the numerous other milkweeds found in Kansas, butterfly milkweed does not exude a white milky sap when the stem is cut or a leaf is removed.

Butterfly weed

Generally available in garden centers and nurseries as well as our FloraKansas Plant Sale, butterfly milkweed can easily be used in a perennial border or in wilder, more naturalistic plantings. Somewhat slow to establish because of the coarse roots, butterfly milkweed is a long lived plant and an excellent competitor in the garden when challenged by more vigorous plants.

While it prefers full sun and good drainage, it will tolerate light shade. It is also very drought tolerant once established. Several cultivated varieties of butterfly milkweed have been developed. These include ‘Gay Butterflies’, a mix of red, orange, and yellow flowered plants, and ‘Hello Yellow’, an exclusively yellow flowered selection.

Hello Yellow Butterfly Milkweed

The common name is derived from the blossom’s ability to attract butterflies and a host of pollinating insects. The complex flowers actually have pollen sacs attached to a y-shaped structure or stirrup. These structures attach to visiting insects and are consequently carried off to the other flowers in the vicinity, allowing cross pollination to occur. Fruits are long, skinny pods, typically three to six inches long. These contain many seeds, each having a tuft of white, silky hairs. As the pod dries and splits in the fall, the seeds are carried away by the breeze, each equipped with a tiny parachute-like structure.

Do your garden a favor and include some butterfly milkweed. Its many ornamental and functional assets, plus its rugged character will make it a focal point in the summer garden for years to come. Plus, you will be rewarded as pollinators such as Monarchs seek out this beautiful native wildflower.

Three Lessons I Have Learned About Native Plants

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Scott Vogt

When I started at the arboretum 18 years ago, I thought I knew so much. I had book knowledge about horticulture, but I had not learned much about native plants. In fact, information about native plants was almost non-existent. My learning curve was very steep those first few years. Even now I continue to learn how to garden with native plants – the lessons just keep coming. Here are the three lessons I think are essential for a successful prairie garden.

Be Patient

I know this goes counter to our “instant everything” culture, but prairie plants don’t work that way. A prairie garden does not magically appear overnight. It takes time for those transplants or seedlings to develop root systems that will sustain them during the dry periods of the year. I remember visiting a prairie reconstruction in Wisconsin several years ago. It had been established from seed 20 years earlier and they said it was just then really maturing into a true prairie. I have found that if you are patient, you will be rewarded by beautiful, strong and adapted native plants.

Start Small

Planting too much too soon – I have made this mistake many times. My eyes get bigger than I can manage. I like too many of these native plants and rather than working at a project in stages, I plant the whole area. I then spend the rest of the summer maintaining a planting that is too big for the time I can give it. It has a tendency to get out of hand in a hurry if I don’t keep up with it on at least a weekly basis. Plant an area that you can handle with your schedule.

Plan your garden for all seasons of the year

This lesson took the longest to learn, because it meant becoming familiar with the native plants. I needed to learn all about them – their bloom times, soil conditions they need to thrive, mature height and what they look like when not blooming, including seedheads and forms. Most of these characteristics had to be experienced over several years. That information is vital to planning and developing a prairie garden.

There are no Wave Petunias in the prairie, so you need to plan your garden with a succession of bloom. Combine wildflowers in such a way that there is always a new set coming into bloom and going out of bloom throughout the year. Grasses can be strategically incorporated as a backdrop or to highlight interesting seed heads and to add texture and movement during the winter.

With each new season comes new revelations about native plants. They are so intriguing and diverse. There really is a plant for just about any area if you match the plants with your site. The key to understanding the prairie landscape is to keep learning. I know that I still have much to learn and experience. Each day is a new opportunity.

Favorite Penstemons for the Landscape

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Scott Vogt

Penstemons are beautiful spring blooming wildflowers that provide incredible color and attractive forms.

I have been convinced through trial and error that some plants are more garden worthy than others. If matched with the proper sunlight and soil, penstemons fit that category. Whether planted in the spring or fall, all of the penstemons will bloom the next year. Right now our penstemons are putting on a show. They have spectacular tubular flowers of white, pink, red or lavender, depending on the species and varieties. Here are some of my favorites for three different garden types.

For a more formal prairie garden…

Shell-leaf Penstemon (Penstemon grandiflorus) – Found in prairies throughout the Great Plains, it has thick burgundy stems, waxy blue-green leaves and large lavender flowers. Plant in full sun in any soil that stays medium to dry throughout the year. Grows up to 3’ tall.

‘War Axe’ is an exceptional strain of Shell-leaf Penstemon. Seeds collected from plants with maroon, red, purple, and pink blooms are mixed together and planted. The resulting plants will have one of these colors and each plant is different. What a surprise in the spring! Same form and cultural requirements as the species.

Smooth Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis) – I love this penstemon as a perennial border. The white flowers in spring have just a blush of pink and develop interesting seed heads. It adds outstanding form and texture to any landscape throughout the year. Penstemon ‘Dark Towers’ is a beautiful selection of smooth penstemon with attractive reddish-purple foliage and soft pink tubular blooms.

WaltersGardens-HI16678-PenstemonDark-TowersPP20013

Photo courtesy Walters Gardens

Tube Penstemon (Penstemon tubaeflorus) -The snow-white flowers shine in the spring garden. The morning dew covers the tubular blooms in the morning. Each stem reaches for the sky, ultimately growing three feet tall. Pollinators flock to the flowers, especially large bees that dangle from flowers as they try to crawl inside to reach the nectar at the back. It is amazing to watch the different pollinators work these flowers.

Native companion plants for the formal prairie garden: Spiderwort (Tradescantia sp.), Evening Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa), and Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Penstemon tubaeflorus. Photo courtesy Craig Freeman

For a pond or stream edge…

Smooth Penstemon is an excellent choice. It is very adaptable to wetter environments. It has thrived next to our pond edge for years with no ill effects from flooding or too much moisture.

‘Husker Red’ is a selection of Smooth Penstemon with wonderful deep red foliage. The white flowers are similar to the species with a blush of pink. It thrives wherever you plant it.

Native companion plants for the pond edge: Gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), Kansas Gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya), Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis), or Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccafolium)

For a rock garden…

Cobaea Penstemon (Penstemon cobaea) – Found regularly within the Flint Hills region on road cuts and exposed bluffs and hills, it has large white flowers with lavender lines inside the throat. Plant in full sun in a medium to dry soil. Grows to 24” tall.

Rocky Mountain Penstemon (Penstemon strictus) – This penstemon is not native to our region, but is quite adaptable. The foliage is clean and evergreen with the rosy-lavender blooms held on one side of the upright stems. It grows to 24” in full sun and a lean, medium to dry soil.

Native Companion plants for rock gardens: Evening Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa), Shortstem spiderwort (Tradescantia tharpii), Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Narrow-leaf Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)

Establish these penstemons like any other perennial with daily watering for the first few weeks after planting and check them periodically through the year. You will be rewarded by these resilient wildflowers. They have spectacular flowers that you must experience. Wow is all I can say.

A New Must-Have Plant Identification Book for Kansas

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Brad Guhr

Oenothera macrocarpa (MO evening primrose) – photo by Michael John Haddock

For 35 years, Janét E. Bare’s popular book Wildflowers and Weeds of Kansas has been one of the standards for plant identification in Kansas. When I moved back to Kansas in 1998 with a fresh botany/ecology degree, a new job in environmental consulting that required plant identification, and a desire to know the name of every plant I could find, I knew that Bare’s hardback book with mostly black and white photos had to be in my library. The going rate for this 509-page out-of-print book was around $100 at the time and I felt lucky to find a nice copy at a used book store in Kansas City for $50.

For Kansas, I have collected to date what I consider to be fourteen helpful plant identification resources (see list below). In addition to Bare’s multiple decades standard, they include a number of good paperback books with color photos, some with line drawings and county maps, and the behemoth 1402-page hardback resource Flora of the Great Plains as the most comprehensive, but very technical resource without photographs. For years, I carried a bulky collection of these books in a backpack and always had the rest close at hand back at the car or office.

Allium stellatum (pink wild onion) – photo by Michael John Haddock

Thanks to a new publication by University of Kansas Press, however, wildflower identification in Kansas just became much easier. Janét Bare teamed up with two of the most talented botanists in the state, Craig C. Freeman and Michael John Haddock (both with publications of their own – see below) to produce the updated Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds, a must-have resource for plant enthusiasts.

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders) – photo by Michael John Haddock

As the dust jacket states, “For purposes of identification, conservation, study, or the simple pleasure of thumbing through, it is a resource without parallel.” It has 742 color photographs, up-to-date nomenclature, taxonomic descriptions and a dichotomous identification key, and interesting information with regard to habitat, commonness, moisture preference, phenology, ecology, herbal/medicinal traits, DNA and more. My one critique of the book is that it does not include helpful county presence maps (only has region presence codes), but I’m sure the authors considered this and figured that including these maps would add even more pages and size to an already large 518-page resource.

This book has descriptions for 1,163 species of wildflowers and a handful of woody plants (an increase from 831 species in Bare’s earlier book) and covers roughly 56 percent of the state’s native and naturalized flora. It could be labeled both a coffee table book and a comprehensive field guide. (To get a copy signed by Haddock, come to our Summer Soirée on June 28.)

Glandularia canadensis (rose verbena) – photo by Michael John Haddock

Put this new book in your backpack along with Iralee Barnard’s new grasses resource and H.A. Stephen’s woody plants book (see list below), and you should be able to identify most common plants found on an outing in Kansas.

Happy botanizing! ~Brad

Helpful Plant Identification Books

(in addition to the new Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds by Haddock, Freeman, and Bare)

Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains
Great Plains Flora Association
Iowa State University Press, 1977

Field Guide to the Common Grasses of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska
Iralee Barnard
University Press of Kansas, 2014

Field Guide to the Common Weeds of Kansas
Prepared by T. M. Barkley
Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Division of Biology, Kansas State University
Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution number 82-547-B
University Press of Kansas, 1983

Flora of the Great Plains
Great Plains Flora Association
T.M. Barkley, Editor
University Press of Kansas, 1986

Kansas Grasses
Clenton E. Owensby
Kansas Publishing Inc., 2004

Kansas Prairie Wildflowers
Clenton E. Owensby
Iowa State University Press, 1980

Roadside Wildflowers of the Southern Great Plains
Craig Carl Freeman and Eileen K. Schofield
University Press of Kansas, 1991

Sedges: Carex
Roberts H. Mohlenbrock
Southern Illinois University Press, 1999

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines in Kansas
H.A. Stephens
University Press of Kansas, 1969

Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains
James Stubbendieck, Geir Y. Friisoe, and Margaret R. Bolick
Nebraska Department of Agriculture, 1994

Wildflowers and Grasses of Kansas: A Field Guide
Michael John Haddock
University Press of Kansas, 2005

Wildflowers and Other Plants of Iowa Wetlands
Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roosa
Iowa State University Press, 1999

Wildflowers and Weeds of Kansas
Janet E. Bare
Regents Press of Kansas, 1979

Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie: The Upper Midwest
Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roosa
Iowa State University Press, 1989

Water Smart: Steps to Establishing Your New Plants

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Scott Vogt

Now that you have purchased your plants at our FloraKansas plant sale and hopefully gotten them planted in your landscape, you’ll want to be intentional about watering methods. It’s true, native plants are more drought-tolerant than you may be used to. However, in order to get your plants successfully established, they will still need some careful attention these first few weeks and through the summer.

Follow these steps to be “water smart” as you establish your native plants:

The First Year

When planting: Water plants as soon as you get them in the ground. Allow the water to soak in, then water again until the soil is thoroughly moistened.

First Two Weeks: Water plants daily depending on the weather. If it rains, skip a watering. Just-planted roots are only able to absorb soil moisture from the potting soil. They have not attached to their surrounding soil. When you see new growth, the plants have begun to get established.

First Month: Unless the weather is extremely hot and dry, you may be able to decrease watering frequency to two or three times per week. Generally, you want the soil to be dry an inch or two below the surface before you water. Too much water leads to foliar and root problems. It is optimal to allow the soil to dry between watering because this encourages roots to grow deep.

Following Months: Water only when top inch or two of soil dries or when plants display signs of being dry. Water deeply and infrequently. How much water will depend on your soil and environmental conditions. Don’t forget to check your plants during the winter months.

The Second Year

Water deeply as needed. During prolonged periods of dry weather water once or twice per week. Generally, it takes plants at least two years to fully develop a sustaining root system.

The Following Years

Properly planted and watered plants should be fairly well established, and can thrive with less watering than you may expect. Drought-tolerant plants may need no supplemental water, whereas shallow-rooted plants or plants with greater water needs may need water weekly. Many plants, when selected for the conditions in your yard, may need watering only once or twice a month in dry weather.

Best Management Practices for Native Plants (BMPs)

Drought-tolerant plants: Even drought-tolerant plants need regular water until they are established!

Young Trees and Shrubs: Young trees and shrubs need deep regular watering. During times of little or no rain, water deeply once a week until trees become established.

Fertilization: Don’t fertilize new plants. Fertilizing during establishment encourages rapid top growth that is not sustainable by the root system.

Mulch: Mulch new plantings with 1-3 inches of mulch and keep mulch away from plant stems.

Water in the morning: Less water is lost to evaporation.

Choose the right watering method: A soaker hose applies water directly to the soil and reduces evaporation. If you are planting a few plants in an existing planting bed, hand watering can get the new plants the water they need while not overwatering the rest of the bed.

Get to know your soil: Is your soil sand or clay? It greatly affects watering frequency and duration. Our clay soils can only take in about an inch of rain per hour.

Check soil moisture before watering: Check soil moisture with finger or spade. Soil should be dry an inch or two below the surface before you water.

Recheck soil after watering: At least an hour after you water (or two hours with clay soil), probe soil to see how deeply the water penetrated. If it didn’t reach the root zone, you may need to increase your watering. If the area is soggy, try cutting back on watering next time.

Pick the right plant for the right place: Choose plants that are pest-resistant, require less water, and match the sun, shade, and soil in your yard.

Avoid planting in hot, dry weather: Plants will easily stress and not develop healthy roots under hot, dry conditions. If you must plant in summer, plant in the cool of the morning when less water is lost to evaporation.

Shade plants worth trying

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Scott Vogt

There is always that area in your landscape that is shaded. These areas can be frustrating, because they don’t grow turf well leaving the soil bare. Here are a few good shade plants to spruce up that dark corner of your garden.

Columbine, Aquliegia canadensis

Delicate but tough wildflower for the shade garden. Flowers are red with yellow that bloom in April and May. Plants ultimately reach 12-24 inches tall in part-shade to shade. They are quite adaptable, but prefer an average to moist soil.

Appalachian Sedge, Carex appalachica

This sedge looks like it came straight from the 80’s big hair days. The punked out spikes reach 12 to 18 inches straight up in any shade garden. This lovely sedge is native to dry woods. Its fine texture and fountaining habit make it a lovely groundcover in dry shady sites, even in the root zone of trees.

Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata

This native phlox is a favorite spring wildflower. It can be found along streams and in open woods. The 12 inch clumps are covered with delicate 1.5 inch lavender flowers in May. Quick to fill in areas when happy, it requires little or no maintenance.

Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens.

Epimedium ‘Lilafee’

This dwarf Epimedium grandiflorum is one tough cookie in the landscape. In mid-spring, the new ear-shaped foliage emerges with a dramatic bronzy-lavender color. The delicate violet flowers dance above the heart-shaped foliage.

White Woodland Aster, Aster divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’

This nice selection for the woodland border has pure clean white flowers atop the mahogany stems. It blooms in September and October, adding splashes of color to your shade garden later in the season. It prefers part-shade to shade in an average to moist soil. It is a weaver that slowly fills open areas, but it is not aggressive.