PrairieFlowers06

Prairie Wildflowers: 

Prairie Wildflowers Evelyn Howell March 2006

Spring Flowers: 

Spring Flowers

Anemone patens (Pasque Flower): 

Anemone patens (Pasque Flower) Ranunculaceae, the Buttercup Family Height: 4”-10” Color: Pale purple/blue to white Flowering Time: March to April Habitat: Full sun. Dry soils. Rate of Spread: Slow Propagation: Seed: Harvest in May. Plant immediately after harvest or sow in flats and transplant seedlings the following spring. Vegetative: Divide late summer or fall. Miscellaneous: Blooms from seed after second year. Best with low competition

Dodecatheon meadia (Shooting Star): 

Dodecatheon meadia (Shooting Star) Primulaceae, the Primrose Family Height: 1/2-2' Color: Pink/white/lavender petals, yellow center with black circles Flowering Time: May to June Habitat: Full sun. Moist or dry soils. Rate of Spread: Slow Propagation: Seed: Collect Aug.-Oct. Cold treatment 40 F for 2 months; germination > with length of cold up to 4 months. Sow spring or fall. Vegetative: Divide crowns easily late summer or fall, root cuttings early spring. Miscellaneous: Blooms from seed third or fourth year or later. Vegetative propagules may flower first year, usually 2 years to bloom. Seedlings very delicate.

Geum triflorum (Prairie Smoke): 

Geum triflorum (Prairie Smoke) Rosaceae, the Rose Family Height: 1/2-2' Color: Pink/white/lavender petals, yellow center with black circles Flowering Time: May to June Habitat: Full sun. Moist or dry soils. Rate of Spread: Slow Propagation: Seed: Collect Aug.-Oct. Cold treatment 40 F for 2 months; germination > with length of cold up to 4 months. Sow spring or fall. Vegetative: Divide crowns easily late summer or fall, root cuttings early spring. Miscellaneous: Blooms from seed third or fourth year or later. Vegetative propagules may flower first year, usually 2 years to bloom.

Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders): 

Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders) Apiaceae, the Carrot Family Height: 1- 2’ Color: Yellow Flowering Time: May to June Habitat: Full sun to partial shade. Moist or wet soils (Z. aurea), moist to dry soils (Z. aptera). Rate of Spread: Medium fast Propagation: Seed: Collect Sept. Does best when seed sown immediately. Vegetative: Divide in spring. Miscellaneous: Blooms from seed second year.

Summer Flowers: 

Summer Flowers

Amorpha canescens (Lead Plant): 

Amorpha canescens (Lead Plant) Fabaceae, the Bean Family Height: 1 and 1/ 2 to 3' Color: Flowers violet to gray with orange stamens. Flowering Time: June to July Habitat: Full sun to partial shade. Dry soils. Rate of Spread: Slow, plants get very old, bush-like when not burned. Propagation: Seed: Easy to germinate, plant spring or fall. Vegetative: Difficult to transplant because of long root. Plant fall or early spring. Miscellaneous: Several years before bloom from seed.

Baptisia alba (Wild Indigo): 

Baptisia alba (Wild Indigo) Fabaceae, the Bean Family Height: 2-4' Color: Flowers white with purple splotches Flowering Time: June Habitat: Moderate light. Mesic to moist soils. Rate of Spread: Slow Propagation: Seed: Collect Sept.-Oct. Clean seeds to avoid insect damage. 3-month stratification, scarification increases germination. Darker seeds germinate better than yellow seeds. Plant spring. Vegetative: Division in fall, but difficult. Transplant seedlings at two years in spring. Miscellaneous: Formerly Baptisia leucantha

Echinacea pallida (Pale Purple Coneflower): 

Echinacea pallida (Pale Purple Coneflower) Asteraceae, the Aster Family Height: 3-5' Color: Purple flowers, very showy, petals droop. Flowering Time: July Habitat: Best in full sun, will have poor blooms in partial shade. Rate of Spread: Moderate. Will self-seed in sun exposed bare soils. Propagation: Seed: Collect mid-September through October. Vegetative: Use plants grown from seed in pots; has large, deep taproot. Miscellaneous: Not nearly so aggressive as E. purpurea; less tolerant of shade.

Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master): 

Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master) Apiaceae, the Carrot family Height: 3-4' Color: White ball of flowers, spiny green fruit ball. Flowering Time: July to August Habitat: Moist to dry soils. Sun to partial shade. Rate of Spread: Potentially rapid. Propagation: Seed: Easy to germinate, plant spring or fall. Vegetative: division in fall or spring; root cuttings easy. Miscellaneous: Can be aggressive.

Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge): 

Euphorbia corollata (Flowering Spurge) Euphorbiaceae, the Spurge Family Height: 2-3' Color: Flowers white. Flowering Time: June to mid-September. Habitat: Full sun to partial shade. Dry to moist soils. Rate of Spread: Propagation: Seed: Easy to germinate, plant spring or fall. Collect in early September. Vegetative: Easy to divide and transplant.

Liatris pychnostachya (Prairie Gayfeather): 

Liatris pychnostachya (Prairie Gayfeather) Asteraceae, the Aster Family Height: 1 1/2-5' Color: Purple flowers Flowering Time: Late July to September Habitat: Moderate to full sun. Mesic to dry soils. Rate of Spread: Moderate to fast, once established. Propagation: Seed: Collect early Oct. Store room temp. Dry or wet stratification. Sow spring, fall Vegetative: By corm. Plant spring, fall.

Monarda fistulosa (Bee Balm): 

Monarda fistulosa (Bee Balm) Lamiaceae, the Mint Family Height: 1 1/2-3' Color: Flowers pale lilac to pink-purple, very showy. Flowering Time: July to August. Habitat: Full sun to half shade. Dry, mesic, wet soils. Rate of Spread: Fast, forms clumps. Propagation: Seed: Sow spring, fall. Vegetative: Division of colonies early spring, fall. Miscellaneous: Good for early stages of planting.

Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower): 

Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower) Asteraceae, the Aster Family Height: 1 1/2-5' Color: Flowers yellow, gray center. Flowering Time: June to August. Habitat: Moderate light, dry-mesic soils. Rate of Spread: Slow with gradual turnover of individuals. Propagation: Seed: Very easy, fast, only stratification necessary. Sow spring, fall. Miscellaneous: Good for early stages of planting. Blooms second year.

Fall Flowers: 

Fall Flowers

Aster sericeous (Silky Aster): 

Aster sericeous (Silky Aster) Asteraceae, the Aster Family Height: 1-3' Color: Flowers deep violet to rose purple. Flowering Time: September to October Habitat: Full sun to partial shade. Dry to mesic soils. Rate of Spread: Moderate, readily self-sows. Propagation: Seed: Easy to germinate, plant spring or fall. Vegetative: Divide in spring or fall Miscellaneous: Foliage whitened with silvery hairs.

Solidago speciosa (Showy Goldenrod): 

Solidago speciosa (Showy Goldenrod) Asteraceae, the Aster Family Height: 2-6' Color: Flowers yellow. Flowering Time: August to October Habitat: Full sun to partial shade. Dry soils. Rate of Spread: Rapid, can be aggressive without competition Propagation: Seed: Easy to germinate, plant spring or fall. Vegetative: Easy to divide Miscellaneous: Very attractive. Often on sandy soils.

Grasses (Poaceae, the Grass Family): 

Grasses (Poaceae, the Grass Family)

Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluesetm): 

Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluesetm) Height: Foliage: 2 1/2-3' Flowers: 7-12" Color: Flowers reddish Flowering time: August to September Habitat: Full sun; seedlings tolerate shade. Dry to mesic soils. Rate of Spread: Moderate; more rapid with early spring fires. Propagation: Seed: Collection time: late Sept., early Oct.; planting time: late fall or late spring. Vegetative: Planting time late spring. Miscellaneous: Rapid growth from seed. Shoot up to 18” first year, roots 2' to 4'. Can produce viable seed first year. Renews growth mid-April. Rhizomes survive many years. Fire favors growth and flowers.

Bouteloua curtipendula (Side Oats Grama Grass): 

Bouteloua curtipendula (Side Oats Grama Grass) Height: 2-3' Color: Red/orange Flowering Time: June to September Habitat: Full sun, slight shade tolerance. Dry, sandy soil. Rate of Spread: Spreads as a sod, though when grown from seed appears as a clump. Propagation: Seed: Collect early Oct. to Nov. Drops readily when dry. Easily germinated. Vegetative: Plant spring. Miscellaneous: Often blooms and sets seed first year. Seed set often low. Plants tolerate moderate grazing and trampling.

Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem Grass): 

Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem Grass) Height: 1-4' Color: Red Flowering Time: Mid-July to August Habitat: Full sun. Dry to mesic soil. Rate of Spread: 1-2" expansion of crown per year. Propagation: Seed: Collection time: Sept. to Nov. Damp stratification yields 2x greater germination; pre-chill at 5 C for 2 weeks. Germination requires light. 10-30% germination requires 2-4 weeks. Vegetative: By separation of tillers. Planting Time: Seed April in greenhouse or May in field. Plants, March to June in field. Miscellaneous: If seed in 6" rows, 30" apart, use 6 to 8 lbs./acre. Rhizomes survive many years. Forms clumps or sod.

Sorghastrum nutans (Indian Grass): 

Sorghastrum nutans (Indian Grass) Height: 4-8' Color: Yellow-brown Flowering Time: August to September Habitat: Slight shade tolerance; full sun. Mesic soils Will grow on sand. Rate of Spread: Fast. Will shade out little plants. Propagation: Seed: Collect Sept. to Oct. Dry storage effective. 15-25% germination 2-4 weeks. Plant April-May. Vegetative: Plant spring. Miscellaneous: Increases under occasional flooding. Seedlings drought tolerant. Produces viable seed first year.

Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed): 

Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed) Height: 2-3' Color: Golden-brown Flowering Time: August to September. Flowers scented. Habitat: Full sun; Dry to wet-mesic soils. Rate of Spread: Crown expansion rapid after second growing season. Slow first year. Remains as bunch grass, may form small colonies. Propagation: Collect September. Dry storage effective. Plant May/June. Miscellaneous: Seed expensive. Germinates easily but seedling quiet sensitive to sun, drought, and competition. Suggest starting in greenhouses and transplanting out second growing season.

Ferns: 

Ferns

Slide26: 

Onoclea sensibilis Height: up to 3 feet Habitat: Wet prairie, marshes Spreads by rhizomes

Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern): 

Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern) Height: 2-5 feet Habitat: wet soil -- along streams and lakeshores, in bogs, and in wet meadows

Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern): 

Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern) Height: 1 foot to 18 inches Habitat: Marsh, Wet Prairies