Aquilegia canadensis

Wild Columbine

Light:

Sun, Pt Shade

Moisture:

Dry, Medium

Soil:

S, L

Size:

1-3 feet

Bloom Time:

May-June

Color:

Red/Yellow

Desc.: 

Excellent plant for shady areas, but does very well in full sun.  Hummingbirds rely on the nectar of this plant in spring when few other flowers are in bloom. 

Asclepia tuberosa

Butterfly weed

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Dry, Medium

Soil:

S,L

Size:

2-3 feet

Bloom Time:

June-August

Color:

Orange

Desc.: 

This is one beautiful milkweed and one of the most striking of the prairie wildflowers!  The brilliant orange color is a magnet for all sorts of butterflies.  Like all milkweeds it is an important food source for Monarch butterflies.  It looks great in a sunny perennial garden.

Aster laevis

Smooth Aster

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Dry-Medium

Soil:

S,L

Size:

2-4 feet

Bloom

Aug-Oct

Color:

Blue

Desc.:  

This plant rules the prairie and the garden in the autumn.  The late season butterflies and beneficial insects flock in droves to this plant.  It is a tall flower so plant with beauties like white false indigo, culver’s root and yellow coneflower for a full season show of color.  Leave this lovely to stand through the winter and songbirds like chipping sparrows and juncos will thank you. 

Liatris aspera

Rough Blazingstar

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Dry, Medium

Soil:

S,L

Size:

3-4 feet

Bloom Time:

July-Sept

Color:

Pink

Desc.: 

This butterfly magnet can reach 4 feet tall if planted in rich soil and full sun.  It works wonderfully in a well drained garden.  Attracts butterflies.

Monarda fistulosa

Bee Balm, Bergamot

Light:

Sun, Pt shade

Moisture:

Dry, Medium, Moist

Soil:

S, L,C

Size:

2-5 feet

Bloom:

Aug-Oct

Color:

Lavender

Desc.:   

This monarda can be found growing in a wide range of dry, open spaces as well as moist sites.  The stems are square, typical of members of the mint family.  It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.  The bloom resembles a jester’s hat.

Allum cernuum

Noddling Wild Onion

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Medium, Moist

Soil:

L, C, S

Size:

1-2 feet

Bloom

July-Aug

Color:

White/pink

Desc.:  

The graceful noddling of the flower and the grass-like leaves add texture and beauty to any garden or landscape. The flowers are nice for cutting.

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset

Light:

Sun, shade

Moisture:

wet, Medium, Moist

Soil:

S,  L, C

Size:

3-4 feet

Bloom:

Aug-Sept

Color:

White

Desc.:    

A beautiful wetland plant with wonderful green texture and soft, flat topped white flowers. Grows very well with Joe-Pye weed.

Asclepia incarnata

Swamp Milkweed or Red Milkweed

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Moist, Wet

Soil:

S, L, C

Size:

3-5 feet

Bloom Time:

June-July

Color:

Red

Desc.: 

This very showy milkweed prefers moist to wet soils, but will grow in average garden soil.  It is excellent for naturalizing in roadside ditches, detention basins, rain gardens or other wet areas that dry out in summer.  It is a larval and nectar source for Monarch butterflies. 

Liatris spicata

Dense Blazingstar

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Medium, Wet

Soil:

S,L,C

Size:

3-4 feet

Bloom Time:

July-Sept

Color:

Pink

Desc.: 

This butterfly magnet can reach 4 feet tall if planted in rich soil and full sun.  It works wonderfully in a well drained garden.  Attracts butterflies.

Penstemon digitalis

Foxglove beardtongue

Light:

Sun, Pt Shade

Moisture:

Medium-Moist

Soil:

S, L, C

Size:

2-3 feet

Bloom

June

Color:

White

Desc.:   

This plant will grow in a wide range of soils and moisture conditions, but it prefers moist sites.  It is found in the wild along stream banks and in wet prairies.  Its flowers are like snapdragons, typically white with thin lines of purple inside its throat. 

Big Blue Stem

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Dry, Medium, Moist

Soil:

S,L,C

Size:

5-8 feet

Bloom

Aug-Oct

Fall Color:

Bronze-red

Desc.: 

A warm season, clumping member of the tall grass prairie.  A dominant grass found in savannas, oak barrens and oak openings in Oakland County.  It will tolerate any soil except extremely wet ones.  The foliage changes from light to dark green to blue then to deep orange-bronze in fall.  Best planted in mass, but also does well as an individual plant.  Its clumping habit allows wildlife to hide in it throughout the year.  Birds use the grass to build nests in the spring.  Excellent food source and winter interest. The seedhead resembles a turkey foot.

Panicum virgatum

Switch Grass

Light:

Sun

Moisture:

Dry, Moist, Wet

Soil:

S,L,C

Size:

3-6  feet

Bloom Time:

Aug- Sept

Fall Color:

Gold

Desc.: 

This is a very popular prairie grass for both humans and wildlife.  The foliage is lushly blue-green and seed heads somewhat cone-shaped.  The birds devour the seeds.  In winter the display is breathtaking, especially after an ice storm when the spent seedheads and curled leaves glisten.  This grass provides the densest cover for wildlife all season long.