Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders)
Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders)
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Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) expresses the viable seed content of a seed lot using its purity and germination or viability test results. It helps you compare seed lots and calculate how much bulk seed is needed to meet a specified PLS planting rate.
PLS weight and bag weight
PLS weight is not the same as the total weight of seed in a bag. For example, a lot with 80% purity and 75% viability contains 60% PLS: 80 × 75 ÷ 100 = 60. Supplying 10 lb PLS from that lot requires about 16.67 lb of bulk seed.
Use the current seed test and the stated basis of the mix specification. Germination calculations may include applicable hard or dormant seed. Seed-count estimates also require the number of seeds per pound; PLS alone does not provide a seed count.
What to check when buying a mix
Check whether each rate is stated in PLS pounds, bulk pounds, or a combination. A mix with both bases should not be described as having an all-PLS total.
PLS does not remove weed seeds or guarantee establishment. Review the seed label and analysis for weed content, and match site preparation, planting conditions and follow-up management to your project.
Sources: USDA NRCS, Understanding Pure Live Seed and The Importance of Seed Quality for Natural Resource Conservation.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) produces flat-topped clusters of small yellow flowers in late spring and early summer. It is a useful early-flowering addition to a prairie garden, moist meadow, or lightly shaded woodland edge, before many midsummer wildflowers begin blooming.
Grow it in full to partial sun with soil that stays moderately moist. It can tolerate light shade, making it useful where an open planting meets scattered trees. Dry, exposed ground is less suitable than a site with reliable spring moisture.
The flowers are visited by insects, and the leaves are a food source for black swallowtail caterpillars. Allow some feeding damage when growing it for that purpose. Plants can form small colonies, so give them room among other perennials rather than crowding them into a narrow gap.
Plant specifications & ecological relationships
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full to partial sun; light woodland shade tolerated |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Moist |
| Height | Up to 2½ ft |
| Bloom season | Late spring to early summer |
Show / hide ▾Native Landscaping Companion Plants
Build a layered native planting with grasses and sedges as a matrix, ground covers, seasonal flowers, and plants for texture. Explore the full curated lists below. Match light, soil moisture, mature size, and spreading habit to your site.
Native Landscaping Guide — plan your planting
Hover over a plant name or expand Growing information for details. Short: under 2 ft · Medium: 2 to under 4 ft · Tall: 4 ft or more.
Full Sun
Click the buttons below to expand a list of species.
Grasses & Sedges — Matrix Species
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Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–8 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; bronze fall color · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Very vigorous; can dominate small beds. Best with ample space and strong companions.
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Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–7 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; golden-brown seedheads · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Very vigorous; can dominate small beds. Best with ample space and strong companions.
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Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Blue-green foliage; copper fall color · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Upright clumps; avoid overly rich or wet soil.
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Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine-textured clumps; foliage usually 1–2 ft tall.
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Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–2.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Dry · Note: Fine texture with seedheads along one side of the stem.
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Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Very vigorous; can dominate small beds. Best with ample space and strong companions.
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Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Summer seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist · Note: Best in cooler, moist pockets; not a dry-prairie grass.
Ground Covers
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Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)
Growing information
Height: 9 in–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist · Note: Spreads aggressively by rhizomes; can overwhelm smaller plants.
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Prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; greenish-white flowers · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Clump-forming foliage; use light shade rather than deep shade.
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Wild petunia (Ruellia humilis)
Growing information
Height: 6 in–1 ft (Short) · Color: Lavender · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to dry · Note: Seed pods burst and fling seed nearby; can self-seed.
Flowers
Spring
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Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Upright, bushy form; best flowering in sun. Native to parts of the central and eastern U.S.; Chicago-region native status is uncertain.
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Cream wild indigo (Baptisia bracteata)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Cream-yellow · Season: Spring · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Low, bushy form; allow room for its spreading outline.
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Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: White · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average · Note: Upright flower spikes; blooms bridge spring and summer.
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Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: An informal, naturalistic look—best for gardeners who enjoy a wilder style.
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Hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Lavender-purple with pale lips · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Compact; can self-seed without usually spreading aggressively.
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Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans)
Growing information
Height: 6 in–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pale blue · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average to moist · Note: In prairie-style gardens, use sheltered part-sun pockets; avoid hot, dry exposures.
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Large-flowered beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Lavender-pink · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Dry, well-drained · Note: Showy flowers; best in sandy or gravelly soil; can be short-lived.
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Midland shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pink to white · Season: Late spring · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Spring ephemeral; summer dormant.
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Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late spring–midsummer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Flowers bridge spring and summer; foliage may decline after flowering.
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Pale beardtongue (Penstemon pallidus)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White to pale pink · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine-textured spring flowers; best in well-drained soil.
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Pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens)
Growing information
Height: 6 in–1 ft (Short) · Color: Lavender-purple · Season: Early spring · Light: Sun · Moisture: Dry, well-drained · Note: Best in dry areas; avoid wet or poorly drained soil. Confirm the supplied subspecies when local nativity is important.
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Prairie phlox (Phlox pilosa)
Growing information
Height: 6 in–1.75 ft (Short) · Color: Pink to lavender · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Low spring color for the front of a planting.
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Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
Growing information
Height: 5 in–10 in (Short) · Color: Pink-red flowers; silvery-pink seedheads · Season: Spring · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Low spring accent with feathery seedheads.
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Smooth beardtongue (Penstemon calycosus)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Light violet to purple · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to filtered shade · Moisture: Moist to dry, well-drained · Note: Also called calico or long-sepal beardtongue; adaptable in garden beds.
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Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue flowers; pink buds · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist · Note: Spring ephemeral; summer dormant. In sunnier gardens, use moisture-retentive soil and shelter from hot afternoon sun.
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Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) — Part sun / partial shade
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Red and yellow · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Part sun / partial shade · Moisture: Moist to dry, well-drained · Note: Use part-sun or lightly shaded pockets in either garden group; seedlings benefit from shelter. Self-seeds into gaps; foliage can decline after flowering.
Summer
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Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow with dark centers · Season: Summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to moderately dry · Note: Usually biennial or short-lived; can renew itself by seed.
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Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Orange · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Can be finicky in heavy, poorly drained clay; prefers slightly drier conditions.
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Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)
Growing information
Height: 9 in–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist · Note: Spreads aggressively by rhizomes; can overwhelm smaller plants.
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Common ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist · Note: Can reach the tall category; use moist pockets.
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Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum)
Growing information
Height: 6 ft–12 ft (Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Tall; large divided leaves and towering flower stems.
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Culver's root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
Growing information
Height: 4 ft–7 ft (Tall) · Color: White · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; slender flower spires for the back of the bed.
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Dense blazing star (Liatris spicata)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist · Note: Also called marsh blazing star; best in moister pockets.
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Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Dry, well-drained · Note: Short, drought-tolerant species; slow to establish.
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Dwarf blazing star (Liatris cylindracea)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Purple · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Dry · Note: Short; best in dry, well-drained sites.
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Early goldenrod (Solidago juncea)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Summer-flowering goldenrod; spreads by rhizomes.
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Grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Wet to normal · Note: Spreads by rhizomes; allow room to expand.
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Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Purple · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Upright spikes; favors open, dry sites.
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Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Purple flowers; gray-green foliage · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Low, bushy form with fine-textured foliage and flower spikes.
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Meadow blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to average, well-drained · Note: Butterfly magnet; height varies with site conditions.
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Missouri ironweed (Vernonia missurica)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Magenta-purple · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; strong late-season color.
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New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3.25 ft (Medium) · Color: White · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Compact, bushy shrub form.
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Nodding onion (Allium cernuum)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pink to pale pink · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average, well-drained · Note: Nodding flowerheads; use brighter woodland edges.
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Oxeye sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; also called false sunflower.
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Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Pale pink-purple · Season: Early summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Slender, drooping petals.
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Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall flower spikes; best in moister prairie pockets.
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Prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–10 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Tall flower stems above broad basal leaves.
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Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pink-purple · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Use brighter woodland openings for stronger flowering.
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Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea)
Growing information
Height: 9 in–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Purple · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine foliage and compact flower spikes.
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Rose milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pink · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Wet to normal · Note: Also called swamp milkweed; avoid prolonged drought.
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Rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Button-like flowers along upright stems.
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Royal catchfly (Silene regia)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Red · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Vivid red—an uncommon flower color in the prairie palette.
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Sand coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Early summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Also called lanceleaf coreopsis; flowering may begin in late spring.
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Savanna blazing star (Liatris scariosa)
Growing information
Height: 2.5 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Butterfly magnet; blooms can extend well into fall.
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Showy black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. speciosa)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Golden yellow with dark centers · Season: Summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Spreads by rhizomes; allow space for colonies.
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Slender mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Fine foliage; spreads by rhizomes.
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Spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Pale yellow flowers; pink-lavender bracts · Season: Summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Best in dry, well-drained areas; showy bracts add color.
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Sweet black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subtomentosa)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow with brown centers · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; place toward the back.
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Tall coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–8 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Midsummer–early fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; place toward the back.
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Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Midsummer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Spreads by rhizomes; aromatic foliage.
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White prairie clover (Dalea candida)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine foliage and compact flower spikes.
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Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)
Growing information
Height: 6 in–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: A short milkweed; can spread aggressively by rhizomes.
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Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Growing information
Height: 2.5 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Lavender-pink · Season: Midsummer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes.
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Wild petunia (Ruellia humilis)
Growing information
Height: 6 in–1 ft (Short) · Color: Lavender · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to dry · Note: Seed pods burst and fling seed nearby; can self-seed.
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Wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: White · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average · Note: Long-lasting, button-like flower clusters.
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Yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average · Note: An informal, naturalistic look—best for gardeners who enjoy a wilder style.
Fall
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Aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Violet-blue · Season: Fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Dry, well-drained · Note: Low, rounded form.
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Downy sunflower (Helianthus mollis)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: May spread aggressively by rhizomes.
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Drummond's aster (Symphyotrichum drummondii)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–3.25 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Pale blue to white · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Part sun · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Can self-seed aggressively; best at partly shaded edges.
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Heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine foliage and clouds of small flowers.
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New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple to pink · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; can spread aggressively, especially by seed.
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Old-field goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)
Growing information
Height: 6 in–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Also called gray goldenrod; relatively low stature.
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Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Upright flower plumes; avoid saturated soil.
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Sky-blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Pale blue · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Airy late-season color.
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Smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average · Note: Smooth foliage and late-season flowers.
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Stiff goldenrod (Oligoneuron rigidum)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Stiff stems and broad flower clusters.
Texture
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Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–8 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; bronze fall color · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Very vigorous; can dominate small beds. Best with ample space and strong companions.
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Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Upright, bushy form; best flowering in sun. Native to parts of the central and eastern U.S.; Chicago-region native status is uncertain.
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Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum)
Growing information
Height: 6 ft–12 ft (Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Tall; large divided leaves and towering flower stems.
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Cream wild indigo (Baptisia bracteata)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Cream-yellow · Season: Spring · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Low, bushy form; allow room for its spreading outline.
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Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–7 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; golden-brown seedheads · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Very vigorous; can dominate small beds. Best with ample space and strong companions.
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Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Purple flowers; gray-green foliage · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Low, bushy form with fine-textured foliage and flower spikes.
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Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Blue-green foliage; copper fall color · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Upright clumps; avoid overly rich or wet soil.
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New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–3.25 ft (Medium) · Color: White · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Compact, bushy shrub form.
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Nodding onion (Allium cernuum)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pink to pale pink · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average, well-drained · Note: Nodding flowerheads; use brighter woodland edges.
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Prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; greenish-white flowers · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Clump-forming foliage; use light shade rather than deep shade.
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Prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–10 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Tall flower stems above broad basal leaves.
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Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine-textured clumps; foliage usually 1–2 ft tall.
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Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue-green foliage; white flowerheads · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Bold, sword-like foliage and rounded flowerheads.
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River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
Growing information
Height: 1.5 ft–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Green seedheads, aging bronze · Season: Summer–fall seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Can spread aggressively, especially by seed; ornamental hanging seedheads.
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Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
Growing information
Height: 2 ft–2.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Dry · Note: Fine texture with seedheads along one side of the stem.
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Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Growing information
Height: 3 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Very vigorous; can dominate small beds. Best with ample space and strong companions.
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Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
Growing information
Height: 1 ft–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Summer seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist · Note: Best in cooler, moist pockets; not a dry-prairie grass.
Rain Garden & Wet Prairie
Choose plants for the moisture and light in each part of your rain garden. Basin plants tolerate wetter soil; moist slopes drain between storms. Prairie dropseed is for the dry upper margin only. Shaded, draining positions suit the spring woodland companions.
Shop rain garden landscaping plants
Click the buttons below to expand a list of species.
Grasses & Sedges — Matrix Species
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Brown fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea)
Growing information
Height: 1–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; brown seedheads · Season: Late spring–summer seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Dense, upright clumps · Note: Useful as a wet-soil matrix; can self-seed freely.
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Meadow sedge (Carex granularis) — not currently listed for sale
Growing information
Height: 0.75–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue-green foliage; green to brown seedheads · Season: Late spring–early summer seedheads · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Low, leafy clumps · Note: Also called pale sedge; useful as a low matrix in moist soil. Not currently listed for sale.
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Palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
Growing information
Height: 2–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Late spring–early summer seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / shaded lower slope · Form: Arching, palm-like foliage · Note: Best in moist pockets; spreading clumps provide distinctive foliage.
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Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) — Margins only
Growing information
Height: 1.5–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry; well-drained · Rain garden position: MARGINS ONLY — dry upper rim · Form: Fine-textured clumps · Note: Margin-only exception: keep out of the wet basin and saturated soil. Foliage is usually 1–2 ft tall.
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Small yellow fox sedge (Carex annectens)
Growing information
Height: 1.5–3.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; yellow-brown seedheads · Season: Late spring–summer seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Upright clumps · Note: Clump-forming sedge for moist portions that drain between rains.
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Soft rush (Juncus effusus)
Growing information
Height: 1–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green stems; brown flower clusters · Season: Summer flowers; foliage interest · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lowest moist areas · Form: Upright, cylindrical stems · Note: Also called common rush; rhizomes can expand clumps.
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Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
Growing information
Height: 1–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Summer seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist · Rain garden position: Cool, moist slope · Form: Fine-textured clumps · Note: Best in cooler, moist pockets; not a dry-prairie grass.
Ground Covers
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Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)
Growing information
Height: 0.75–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Spreading, low colonies · Note: Aggressive rhizomes can crowd smaller plants; allow room to spread.
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Common blue violet (Viola sororia) — Ground cover
Growing information
Height: 0.25–0.75 ft (Short) · Color: Purple-blue · Season: Spring · Light: Part sun to shade · Moisture: Moist; drains between rains · Rain garden position: Shaded, draining slope · Form: Low, spreading ground cover · Note: Reseeds freely and can spread strongly; best where a spreading groundcover is desired.
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Golden ragwort (Packera aurea) — wholesale only
Growing information
Height: 1–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Spring (April–May) · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Moist slope / shaded lower slope · Form: Low foliage; upright flower stems · Note: Can spread aggressively and crowd smaller plants. Foliage is lower than the flowering stems.
Flowers
Spring
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Blue flag iris (Iris virginica var. shrevei)
Growing information
Height: 2–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late spring–early summer (May–June) · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright, sword-shaped foliage · Note: Rhizomes can form colonies; allow room to expand.
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Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)
Growing information
Height: 0.75–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Spreading, low colonies · Note: Aggressive rhizomes can crowd smaller plants; allow room to spread.
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Common blue violet (Viola sororia) — Ground cover
Growing information
Height: 0.25–0.75 ft (Short) · Color: Purple-blue · Season: Spring · Light: Part sun to shade · Moisture: Moist; drains between rains · Rain garden position: Shaded, draining slope · Form: Low, spreading ground cover · Note: Reseeds freely and can spread strongly; best where a spreading groundcover is desired.
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Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) — User choice / optional
Growing information
Height: 1–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Branching, loose clumps · Note: User choice / optional. An informal, naturalistic look—best for gardeners who enjoy a wilder style.
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Golden ragwort (Packera aurea) — wholesale only
Growing information
Height: 1–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Spring (April–May) · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Moist slope / shaded lower slope · Form: Low foliage; upright flower stems · Note: Can spread aggressively and crowd smaller plants. Foliage is lower than the flowering stems.
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Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans) — Moist, draining shade
Growing information
Height: 0.5–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pale blue · Season: Spring · Light: Part sun / partial shade · Moisture: Moist, well-drained · Rain garden position: Shaded upper slope · Form: Low, leafy clumps · Note: Use a sheltered, moist position that drains; avoid standing water and hot, dry exposure.
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Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)
Growing information
Height: 1–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Yellow · Season: Early spring (April–May) · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet; consistently moist · Rain garden position: Wet basin / seep-like area · Form: Low, rounded clumps · Note: Best where roots stay moist; may go dormant after flowering, especially as soil dries.
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Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) — Moist, draining shade
Growing information
Height: 1–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue; pink buds · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist · Rain garden position: Shaded, draining slope · Form: Spring ephemeral clumps · Note: Spring ephemeral; summer dormant. Avoid hot, exposed or persistently waterlogged positions.
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Wild hyacinth (Camassia scilloides)
Growing information
Height: 1–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Pale blue to nearly white · Season: Late spring (May–June) · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic; drains between rains · Rain garden position: Draining moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Spring bulb; upright flower spikes · Note: Spring ephemeral; dormant by midsummer. Can be slow to establish; avoid prolonged standing water.
Summer
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Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Growing information
Height: 1–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow with a dark center · Season: Summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to average; drains between rains · Rain garden position: Upper slope / draining wet-mesic edge · Form: Upright, short-lived clumps · Note: Use the draining upper part of the rain garden. Usually biennial or short-lived; renews by seed.
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Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) — wholesale only
Growing information
Height: 1.5–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue-purple · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / lower slope · Form: Bushy, spreading colonies · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes and seed; keep away from small, delicate companions.
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Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Growing information
Height: 2–3.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Red · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright flower spikes · Note: Needs consistent moisture; vivid red flowers.
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Common ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
Growing information
Height: 2–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Basin / moist slope · Form: Upright, branching stems · Note: Can reach the tall category; use moist pockets.
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Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
Growing information
Height: 4–7 ft (Tall) · Color: White · Season: Early summer–midsummer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Tall, slender flower spires · Note: Tall; use toward the back of a planting.
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Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Growing information
Height: 1–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / moist shaded slope · Form: Upright flower spikes · Note: Needs consistent moisture; can self-seed into suitable gaps.
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Marsh blazing star (Liatris spicata)
Growing information
Height: 2–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Midsummer–late summer · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Upright flower spikes · Note: Also called dense blazing star; best in moist soil that drains between storms.
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Monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens)
Growing information
Height: 1–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Lavender-blue · Season: Summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright, leafy stems · Note: Can self-seed into open, moist soil.
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Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)
Growing information
Height: 2–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pink to lavender · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Upright flower spikes · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes; give it room and strong companions.
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Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
Growing information
Height: 2–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright, branching stems · Note: Allow room for tall, branching stems in moist soil.
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Spotted Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum)
Growing information
Height: 4–7 ft (Tall) · Color: Dusty pink · Season: Summer–early fall (July–September) · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Tall, broad flower heads · Note: Tall; can be aggressive. Best for larger rain gardens with room to spread; may overwhelm smaller companions.
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Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Growing information
Height: 2–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pink · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright, branching clumps · Note: Also called rose milkweed; avoid prolonged drought.
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White turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Growing information
Height: 1–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to consistently moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright clumps · Note: Keep consistently moist; spreads gradually by rhizomes.
Fall
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Blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) — wholesale only
Growing information
Height: 1.5–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue-purple · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / lower slope · Form: Bushy, spreading colonies · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes and seed; keep away from small, delicate companions.
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Bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Growing information
Height: 1–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue · Season: Late summer–fall (August–October) · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Compact, upright stems · Note: Slow to establish; pair with companions that will not crowd it.
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Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Growing information
Height: 2–3.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Red · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright flower spikes · Note: Needs consistent moisture; vivid red flowers.
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Common ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
Growing information
Height: 2–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Basin / moist slope · Form: Upright, branching stems · Note: Can reach the tall category; use moist pockets.
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Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Growing information
Height: 1–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / moist shaded slope · Form: Upright flower spikes · Note: Needs consistent moisture; can self-seed into suitable gaps.
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New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Growing information
Height: 3–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple to pink · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Tall, branching stems · Note: Tall; can spread aggressively, especially by seed.
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Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)
Growing information
Height: 2–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pink to lavender · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Upright flower spikes · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes; give it room and strong companions.
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Ohio goldenrod (Oligoneuron ohioense)
Growing information
Height: 2–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Upright stems; flat-topped flower clusters · Note: A late-season choice for moist prairie conditions.
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Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
Growing information
Height: 2–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Sun · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright, branching stems · Note: Allow room for tall, branching stems in moist soil.
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Spotted Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum)
Growing information
Height: 4–7 ft (Tall) · Color: Dusty pink · Season: Summer–early fall (July–September) · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Tall, broad flower heads · Note: Tall; can be aggressive. Best for larger rain gardens with room to spread; may overwhelm smaller companions.
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White turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Growing information
Height: 1–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to consistently moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright clumps · Note: Keep consistently moist; spreads gradually by rhizomes.
Texture
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Blue flag iris (Iris virginica var. shrevei)
Growing information
Height: 2–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late spring–early summer (May–June) · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Upright, sword-shaped foliage · Note: Rhizomes can form colonies; allow room to expand.
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Brown fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea)
Growing information
Height: 1–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; brown seedheads · Season: Late spring–summer seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lower slope · Form: Dense, upright clumps · Note: Useful as a wet-soil matrix; can self-seed freely.
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Meadow sedge (Carex granularis) — not currently listed for sale
Growing information
Height: 0.75–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue-green foliage; green to brown seedheads · Season: Late spring–early summer seedheads · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to wet · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Low, leafy clumps · Note: Also called pale sedge; useful as a low matrix in moist soil. Not currently listed for sale.
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Palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
Growing information
Height: 2–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Late spring–early summer seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / shaded lower slope · Form: Arching, palm-like foliage · Note: Best in moist pockets; spreading clumps provide distinctive foliage.
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Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) — Margins only
Growing information
Height: 1.5–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Late summer–fall seedheads · Light: Sun · Moisture: Average to dry; well-drained · Rain garden position: MARGINS ONLY — dry upper rim · Form: Fine-textured clumps · Note: Margin-only exception: keep out of the wet basin and saturated soil. Foliage is usually 1–2 ft tall.
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River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
Growing information
Height: 1.5–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Green to bronze hanging seedheads · Season: Summer–fall seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Rain garden position: Shaded, draining slope · Form: Arching clumps · Note: Can seed aggressively; ornamental hanging seedheads.
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Small yellow fox sedge (Carex annectens)
Growing information
Height: 1.5–3.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; yellow-brown seedheads · Season: Late spring–summer seedheads · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Moist to wet-mesic · Rain garden position: Moist slope / wet prairie · Form: Upright clumps · Note: Clump-forming sedge for moist portions that drain between rains.
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Soft rush (Juncus effusus)
Growing information
Height: 1–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green stems; brown flower clusters · Season: Summer flowers; foliage interest · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Rain garden position: Basin / lowest moist areas · Form: Upright, cylindrical stems · Note: Also called common rush; rhizomes can expand clumps.
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Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
Growing information
Height: 1–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; airy tan seedheads · Season: Summer seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist · Rain garden position: Cool, moist slope · Form: Fine-textured clumps · Note: Best in cooler, moist pockets; not a dry-prairie grass.
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Growth habit | Often grows in colonies |
|---|---|
| Root form | Fibrous roots |
| Cultivation hardiness zones | Zones 3a–8b (general cultivation guidance) |
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Zizia aurea |
|---|---|
| Other common names | golden alexanders; Common Golden Alexander; Golden Alexanders; Meadow Parsnip; Wild Parsley |
| Plant family | Apiaceae |
Plant characteristics
Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders) is a medium height perennial prairie plant with beautiful yellow flowers. It is an attractive, earlier flowering plant with a longer bloom time thank most and can do well in landscaped settings. It can add early interest in the garden as well as needed nectar for those earlier pollinators. This plant is a host for the Black Swallowtail. Very similar to Zizia aptera (Heart-leaved Meadow Parsnip) in most ways except (Golden Alexanders)has compound leaves rather than heart-shaped leaves.
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates
Illinois plant communities
Mesic black-soil prairie — central Illinois
Recorded at Loda Cemetery Prairie (Iroquois County), Prospect Cemetery Prairie (Ford County), Weston Cemetery Prairie (McLean County). INHS identifies these sites as remnants of this community.
Selected native plants from the same remnant records:
- Sorghastrum nutans
- Andropogon gerardii
- Sporobolus heterolepis
- Eryngium yuccifolium
- Silphium laciniatum
- Parthenium integrifolium
These inventories include edges and disturbed patches. Shared remnant records do not establish that every plant grows together in one microsite.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.
| Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest | FAC |
|---|---|
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 5 |
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin |
| County nativity | Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity. |
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife
Bees & other flower visitors
USGS observations recorded the following insects visiting flowers of this plant in North Dakota. The records describe visits, without distinguishing pollen collection from nectar feeding or measuring successful pollination. They do not establish local occurrence, exclusive dependence, or a larval-host relationship.
Bees
- Andrena medionitens — North Dakota; 2015.
- Andrena ziziae — North Dakota; 2012.
- Halictus confusus — North Dakota; 2015.
- Hylaeus affinis — North Dakota; 2015.
- Hylaeus annulatus — North Dakota; 2013.
- Hylaeus mesillae — North Dakota; 2015.
- Lasioglossum sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2013, 2015.
- Sphecodes sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2015.
Other flower visitors
- Ancistrocerus catskill — North Dakota; 2015.
- Botanophila sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2012, 2015.
- Cerceris sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2015.
- Chiastocheta sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2012.
- Ectemnius continuus — North Dakota; 2015.
- Ectemnius maculosus — North Dakota; 2015.
- Eristalis dimidiata — North Dakota; 2015.
- Eristalis stipator — North Dakota; 2015.
- Gasteruption sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2015.
- Gymnoclytia sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2015.
- Hedriodiscus sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2013.
- Helophilus latifrons — North Dakota; 2015.
- Lestica confluenta — North Dakota; 2015.
- Lucilia silvarum — North Dakota; 2015.
- Odontomyia sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2012, 2013.
- Polistes fuscatus — North Dakota; 2015.
- Sphaerophoria abbreviata/asymmetrica/philanthus (unresolved species group) — North Dakota; 2015.
- Sphaerophoria contigua — North Dakota; 2015.
- Stratiomys sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2012.
- Symmorphus cristatus — North Dakota; 2015.
- Toxomerus sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2015.
- Tropidia quadrata — North Dakota; 2013, 2015.
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for Golden Alexanders?
Light: Full to partial sun; light woodland shade tolerated. Soil moisture: Moist.
Is Golden Alexanders deer and herbivore resistant?
Species-specific deer resistance has not been verified here. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.
When should I expect Golden Alexanders to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Late spring to early summer. Timing varies with location and weather.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Native landscaping evidence: These planting suggestions draw on published growing requirements, mature form and spread. Placement and maintenance advice reflects landscape design judgment using these sources: Zizia aurea; Pycnanthemum virginianum; Desmodium canadense.
Illinois communities & local records: INHS: Loda, Prospect and Weston prairie records.
Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online; USACE National Wetland Plant List.
Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; Patrick Goggin: Wisconsin native plant guide, p. 75; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.
Wildlife records: USGS Pollinator Library.
Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.
Research notes & credits
USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication. Retained for comparison; the displayed C-value follows Flora database 80.
Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.
Planting references and review
Reviewed: 2026-09-26
Plant spacing:Select a spacing suited to your site and planting design.
Seeding rate: Use a site- and method-specific specification. No verified automatic species rate is supplied.
Seed preparation: A species-specific preparation method and named code system need confirmation for the supplied seed lot.
Plant Shipping & Care
Plant Shipping & Care
We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.
As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.
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- Retail pickup — trees and shrubs only: Pickup is available by prior arrangement for eligible woody plants. Some container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders.
- Wholesale orders: Plants, trees and shrubs are available for pickup by arrangement. Delivery can also be arranged for your order. Wholesale pickup is free. All seed orders ship, including wholesale seed.
- Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.
Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready
We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.
Wholesale Orders
- Plant pickup and delivery are arranged for your order. Seed ships only.
Retail & Website Orders
- Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
- Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
- Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
- If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months.
- Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
- Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
- If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready. In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments
- Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability. We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish. If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date. If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
- Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
- Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.
Where We Ship
Natural Communities ships native plants and seed from multiple supplier locations across the Midwest. Shipping coverage extends beyond our local consultation area; see the shipping map below. Availability and delivery options depend on the product and destination. Check the product details and shipping options at checkout, or contact us before ordering if you need help confirming coverage.
Our on-site ecological consulting serves the greater Chicago region and southeastern Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee area. Consultations take place at your property by appointment. Our offices are not walk-in retail stores or plant pickup sites.
What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery
- Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
- We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.
Shipments
- Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.
What to Do With Your Plants After Receiving Your Delivery
- Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
- Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
- Water your plants
- Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
- If you cannot install your plants immediately
- Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
- Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
- Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
- No additional fertilizer is needed
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.
We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance. We hope you find it helpful. If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.
Consultation Services
Ecosystem Restoration Considerations
Native Seed Establishment Best Management Practices
Native Seed Stratification Best Management Practices
Solving a Site Problem? Get Expert Advice + Get Store Credit
Whether you're fighting severe erosion, replacing invasive species, designing a pollinator haven, or seeding large acreage, choosing the wrong species wastes time and money. Talk 1-on-1 with a restoration ecologist to map out the exact species, plug counts, or seed mixes for your soil and goals. Book a consultation and get all or a portion credited directly back to your order.