Native Plants & Why They Matter
Native plants play a vital role in supporting local ecosystems. They’ve evolved alongside our region’s wildlife, offering essential food and habitat for birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects.
Native Species In Stock:
Stocking tubules, 1 gallon, & 3 gallon containers. Call for Availability
Andropogon virginicus – Broomsedge
Description: A warm-season bunchgrass with upright, broom-like stems that turn golden-bronze in fall and persist through winter. Grows 2–4 feet tall with fine-textured foliage and fluffy seed heads.
Best Use / Benefit: Excellent for naturalizing meadows and poor soils. Provides winter interest, supports native grassland ecosystems, and offers cover for wildlife. Extremely drought-tolerant once established.
Aquilegia canadensis – Wild Columbine
Description: A delicate, woodland perennial with nodding red-and-yellow bell-shaped flowers that bloom in spring. Grows 1–3 feet tall with airy foliage that resembles maidenhair fern.
Best Use / Benefit: A favorite of hummingbirds and early pollinators. Ideal for shady borders, woodland gardens, or naturalized native plantings. Tolerates dry shade and self-seeds gently.
Asclepias incarnata – Swamp Milkweed
Description: A tall, clump-forming perennial with fragrant clusters of pink flowers that bloom mid to late summer. Grows 3–5 feet tall and prefers moist to wet soils.
Best Use / Benefit: One of the best plants for supporting monarch butterflies—both as a nectar source and larval host. Great for rain gardens, wet meadows, pond edges, and other moisture-retentive areas. Deer-resistant and highly attractive to pollinators.
Bouteloua curtipendula – Sideoats Grama
Description: A clump-forming warm-season grass with distinctive oat-like seed spikes that dangle from one side of the stem. Blue-green foliage turns golden in fall. Typically grows 1.5–2.5 feet tall.
Best Use / Benefit: Excellent for erosion control, dry slopes, and prairie restoration. Attracts butterflies and provides forage for wildlife. Tolerates drought, poor soils, and heat.
Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ – Blonde Ambition Blue Grama
Description: A standout selection of native Blue Grama grass with chartreuse seed heads that age to blonde and stand upright well into winter. Grows 18–36 inches tall with fine blue-green foliage.
Best Use / Benefit: Striking ornamental grass for modern landscapes, native gardens, and xeriscaping. Tolerates drought and poor soils, while offering strong seasonal interest and support for grassland pollinators.
Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ - Feather Reed Grass
Description: Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass is a refined, upright ornamental grass with narrow, vertical growth and early-blooming tan-pink flower plumes that age to golden straw. Grows 3–5 feet tall and maintains a tidy form year-round.
Best Use / Benefit: Ideal for modern borders, rain gardens, and naturalistic plantings. Though technically a hybrid, it’s often used alongside natives for its structure, reliability, and minimal maintenance. Wet soil & rough terrain tolerant.
Carex pensylvanica – Pennsylvania Sedge
Description: A fine-textured, low-growing sedge that spreads gently by rhizomes to form soft, grassy mats. Grows 6–12 inches tall and thrives in dry shade, making it a popular lawn alternative.
Best Use / Benefit: Perfect for woodland gardens, under trees, or anywhere turfgrass struggles. Supports native insects, requires no mowing, and thrives in dry, sandy, or acidic soils common in our region.
Carex stricta – Tussock Sedge
Description: A bold, clumping sedge with upright, arching green blades that form noticeable “tussocks” or mounds. Grows 2–3 feet tall and prefers moist to wet soils, often found along streambanks and low meadows.
Best Use / Benefit: Excellent for rain gardens, wetland edges, and restoring moist habitats. It helps stabilize soil, supports native pollinators, and provides cover for amphibians and birds. Thrives in full sun to part shade.
Coreopsis tinctoria – Plains Coreopsis
Description: A cheerful, upright annual or short-lived perennial with daisy-like yellow flowers and striking maroon centers. Blooms heavily from early summer through fall and grows 2–4 feet tall.
Best Use / Benefit: Excellent for pollinator gardens, naturalized meadows, and cut flower beds. Thrives in poor soils and dry conditions, attracts bees and butterflies, and self-seeds readily for easy naturalization.
Echinacea pallida – Pale Purple Coneflower
Description: A striking prairie perennial with drooping pale-pink to lavender petals and a prominent coppery cone. Typically grows 2–4 feet tall and blooms from early to mid-summer.
Best Use / Benefit: Loved by bees, butterflies, and songbirds. A standout in pollinator gardens, meadows, and naturalized plantings. Drought-tolerant and adaptable to a range of well-drained soils. Adds soft, airy movement to native borders.
Eupatorium fistulosum – Joe Pye Weed
Description: A tall, stately native perennial with domed clusters of mauve-pink flowers atop hollow stems. Grows 4–7 feet tall and blooms midsummer to early fall. Prefers moist soils and full sun to part shade.
Best Use / Benefit: A powerhouse pollinator plant, especially for butterflies and native bees. Ideal for rain gardens, naturalized borders, and pond edges. Its height makes it a dramatic anchor in native meadow-style plantings.
Monarda didyma – Scarlet Beebalm
Description: A bold, aromatic perennial with vivid scarlet-red, tubular flowers that bloom mid to late summer. Grows 2–4 feet tall with dark green, mint-scented foliage. Spreads gradually by rhizomes.
Best Use / Benefit: A magnet for hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees. Great for pollinator gardens, moist borders, and wildflower meadows. Deer-resistant and thrives in rich, well-drained soil with consistent moisture.
Panicum virgatum – Switch Grass
Description: A tall, upright warm-season grass with airy, pink-tinged flower panicles and attractive blue-green foliage that turns golden yellow in fall. Typically reaches 3–6 feet tall.
Best Use / Benefit: Highly adaptable and excellent for erosion control, stormwater management, and wildlife habitat. Ideal in rain gardens, meadows, and mass plantings. Provides winter cover for birds and seeds for songbirds. Very drought- and flood-tolerant once established.
Pycnanthemum virginianum – Virginia Mountain Mint
Description: A vigorous, clump-forming perennial with narrow green leaves and dense clusters of white, sometimes speckled, flowers that bloom midsummer into fall. Grows 2–3 feet tall and emits a strong minty aroma when touched.
Best Use / Benefit: One of the top pollinator plants—absolutely swarming with native bees and beneficial insects. Perfect for meadows, pollinator gardens, and herbal plantings. Deer-resistant and adaptable to a range of soils.
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Prairie Blues’ – Prairie Blues Little Bluestem
Description: A refined cultivar of the native Little Bluestem, known for its powdery blue foliage that turns rich shades of copper, red, and burgundy in fall. Upright habit reaching 3–4 feet tall with fluffy seed heads in late summer.
Best Use / Benefit: Perfect for dry, sunny sites, prairie gardens, and naturalized plantings. Provides food and nesting material for birds and supports native skipper butterflies. Drought-tolerant and deer-resistant with four-season appeal.
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ – Little Bluestem
Description: A compact, upright cultivar of Little Bluestem with sturdy stems and intense blue-green foliage that turns fiery shades of red, orange, and purple in fall. Grows 3–4 feet tall and resists flopping.
Best Use / Benefit: Great for formal native plantings, tough urban sites, and naturalized meadows. Provides food and habitat for birds and butterflies. Drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, and visually striking year-round.
Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ – Golden Fleece Goldenrod
Description: A compact goldenrod cultivar with dense clusters of bright yellow flowers atop arching stems in late summer to early fall. Grows 1–2 feet tall with tidy, deep green foliage.
Best Use / Benefit: A late-season pollinator magnet that adds a splash of color when most plants are fading. Great for borders, native gardens, and small spaces. Deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and does not spread aggressively like some wild goldenrods.
Sorghastrum nutans – Indian Grass
Description: A tall, graceful warm-season grass with upright blue-green blades and golden, plume-like flower heads that appear in late summer. Fall color ranges from copper to bronze. Grows 4–6 feet tall.
Best Use / Benefit: A keystone species in prairie and meadow restorations. Supports birds and pollinators, thrives in dry or sandy soils, and provides year-round habitat structure. Excellent for large-scale plantings, wildlife gardens, and soil stabilization.