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Among the very first plants to bloom in the spring! The pasque flower first emerges as fuzzy spirals from the ground. The native Americans called them “ears of the earth.” Upon the cold barren landscape of early spring, the pasque flowers were the earth’s first attempts to listen for the sounds of warmer days. In…
Pale-spike lobelia is a subtle yet lovely addition to a diverse native planting. Growing up to 2 feet tall, this upright plant features delicate white flowers that bloom in late June. The crisp, sharp lines of the flowers stand out beautifully against the surrounding foliage and just beg you to lean in for a closer…
Viola pedatifida is lovely early-season violet that can be found in drier open prairies. Not to be confused with Viola sororia (common blue violet), which spreads vigorously by both rhizome and seed, prairie violet makes a nice early season edge plant for smaller plantings that on the drier end of the spectrum. It can be…
Sky-blue aster is a graceful near cousin of smooth blue aster, being differentiated, upon closer inspection, by its relatively rough feeling leaves. Near the base, these leaves take on a pleasant heart shaped appearance. It can also be differentiated by the light and airy stems that its buds eventually form on, compared to the relatively…
Blue grama is a unique short statured grass native to dry prairies of Minnesota. If you’re feeling a little silly you might call it “eyebrow grass,” as the seed heads look like a bunch of little eyebrows nodding in the breeze. Blue grama is a clump forming grass that is an attractive compliment to shorter…
Downy gentian (sometimes called prairie gentian) is a hidden gem in the world of native prairie flowers. It’s the kind of flower that is spoken of in hushed tones by the botanical crowd, its locations shared only with those deemed ready to approach it with the proper respect. Unlike other native gentians, the downy gentian…
Golden Alexanders are an excellent native garden species that should feature in almost any native planting. Much like penstemons, golden alexanders bloom relatively early. They occupy a niche between the early spring when flowers like the pasque flower and prairie smoke are blooming and early summer when the bulk of native prairie flowers begin blooming….
Large-flowered beardtongue is one of five species of penstemons native to Minnesota. Of those species, it is one of three found within our growing region alongside white beardtongue (Penstemon albidus) and slender beardtongue (Penstemon gracilis). Like white and slender beardtongue, large-flowered beardtongue prefers relatively dry, well draining sites. It has the most robust stature of…
Slender beardtongue is one of five species of penstemons native to Minnesota. Of those species, it is one of three found within our growing region alongside white beardtongue (Penstemon albidus) and large-flowered beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus). Like white and large-flowered beardtongue, slender beardtongue prefers relatively dry, well draining sites. Its growth habit is the most delicate…
Wild bergamot, also called bee balm and spotted horsemint, is a common, early-successional prairie plant with several wonderful characteristics. When in bloom, its little firecracker-style blossoms are almost continuously visited by bees. I can hardly form an image of these flowers in my head without a bee rummaging through its petals! Just as the bees…
Narrow-leaved purple coneflower is the only purple coneflower native to Minnesota. It is seldom found in the nursery trade, unlike the eastern coneflower and pale purple coneflower. Narrow-leaved purple coneflower is a showy resident of dry sandy prairies. It begins blooming in late June and attracts many different types of pollinators. It grows from a…
Downy phlox, also called prairie phlox, is a colorful early-season beauty! Being one of the few flowers blooming this time of year and owing to its vibrant color, downy phlox really stands out. Collecting seed for this plant is tricky. Once ripe, the small capsules burst open and the seed disperses. It is also difficult…