| Scientific Name | Aruncus dioicus | Asclepias syriaca | Aster laevis | Aster lateriflorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | goats beard | common milkweed | smooth aster | calico aster |
| Height | 3-6' | 2-6' | 2-4' | 1-5' |
| Bloom Time | spring | summer | summer/autumn | summer/autumn |
| Flower Color | white | violet-pink | violet | white |
| Habitat | moist, fertile woods, ravines | roadsides, waste places | meadows, open woods and roadsides | meadows, open woodlands |
| Features | Showy, spikes of flowers. Tolerates poor drainage and shade. Large spread. *(bf) | Interesting pods and 2" clusters of flowers; downy leaves. Favorite of the monarch butterfly. Aggressive. *(bf-1) | Bright green, smooth foliage and attractive flowers; requires well-drained soils. *(bf) | Tiny attractive foliage turns coppery in late summer; flowers turn purple as they mature. *(bf) |
| Availability | trade | specialty dealers | trade | specialty dealers |
| Scientific Name | Astragalus canadensis | Baptisia australis | Baptisia leucantha | Campanula americana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | Canada milk vetch | blue false indigo | Atlantic white indigo | tall bellflower |
| Height | 2-4' | 2-5' | 3-5' | 2-6' |
| Bloom Time | summer | spring | spring/summer | summer |
| Flower Color | yellow | blue | white | blue |
| Habitat | meadows | prairies, waste places, open woods | prairies, waste places, open woods | woods, wood borders, roadsides |
| Features | Resembles lupine in shape and flower, dark green leaves attractive. Requires well-drained soils. | Pea-like flowers, gray-green leaves, black pods in fall. Easy to grow, but slow to establish. Do not disturb in the wild!! | Similar to B. australis with blue-green foliage. Grows best in full sun and dry, infertile soil. Also slow to establish. | Bell-shaped flowers in a 1-2' long cluster. Does well in full sun or light shade. Annual or biennial. |
| Availability | specialty dealers | trade | specialty dealers | specialty dealers |
| Scientific Name | Delphinium exaltatum | Desmodium canadense | Echinacea purpurea | Epilobium angustifolium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | tall larkspur | Canada tick-trefoil | purple coneflower | fireweed |
| Height | 4-6' | 3-5' | 3-4' | 2-6' |
| Bloom Time | spring | summer | summer | summer |
| Flower Color | violet/blue | pink | violet | pink |
| Habitat | fertile woods, calcareous soils | moist, open woods or wood borders | prairies | recently cleared land--especially by fire |
| Features | Deep green leaves; several spurred flowers in a spike. Do not disturb in the wild. | Long terminal clusters of flowers; fruit pods stick to animals or clothing. Aggressive grower in any soil type. *(w) | Drought resistant and attractive. Best in a well-drained soil. | Flowers in showy loose spikes. Spreads quickly in dry or moist soil. Do not disturb in the wild!! |
| Availability | specialty dealers | specialty dealers | trade | specialty dealers |
| Scientific Name | Eryngium yuccifolium | Eupatorium fistulosum | Eupatorium maculatum | Eupatorium perfoliatum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | rattlesnake master | hollow Joe-Pye weed | spotted Joe-Pye weed | common boneset |
| Height | 2-6' | 2-6' | 2-6' | 2-4' |
| Bloom Time | summer | summer | summer | Su-autumn |
| Flower Color | green-white | pink/violet | pink/violet | white |
| Habitat | prairies, open woods | bottomlands, acidic soils, moist meadows | moist meadows, open woods, water margins | open woods, moist meadows, water margins |
| Features | Thistle-like flower heads develop bluish tint; foliage resembles yucca. Tolerates moist or dry soil. Do not disturb in the wild. | Full sun or partial shade; hollow stem and fuzzy terminal flower clusters. *(bf) *(be) | Purple, spotted stem supports large clusters of fuzzy flower heads. *(be) *(bf) | Fuzzy flower heads in 4-5" flat clusters. *(bf) |
| Availability | specialty dealers | specialty dealers | trade | trade |
| Scientific Name | Eupatorium purpureum | Filipendula rubra | Helianthus mollis | Heliopsis helianthoides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | sweet Joe-Pye weed | queen-of-the-prairie | downy sunflower | ox-eye sunflower |
| Height | 2-6' | 3-6' | 3-5' | 4-5' |
| Bloom Time | summer | spring-summer | summer | summer |
| Flower Color | pink | pink | yellow | yellow |
| Habitat | moist meadows and hillsides, open woods | moist prairies and meadows, water margins | infertile, dry prairies | prairies, woodlands |
| Features | Green stem, fuzzy pink flowers; foliage smells like vanilla when crushed. *(bf) | Large, feathery clusters of small fragrant flowers. Requires moisture; easily grown at streamsides or pond margins. | Downy hairs cover stems supporting many bright flowers. Spreads slowly. *(bd) | Does not spread by rhizomes; good sunflower plant for small spaces. Does well on any soil. |
| Availability | trade | trade | specialty dealers | trade |
| Scientific Name | Lespedeza capitata | Liatris aspera | Liatris spicata | Lilium superbum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | roundheaded bushclover | rough blazing star | dense blazing star | Turk's cap lily |
| Height | 2-5' | 2-4' | 1-6' | 3-6' |
| Bloom Time | summer | summer-autumn | summer | summer |
| Flower Color | white | violet | violet | orange-red |
| Habitat | infertile prairies | meadows or prairies, open woods | moist, slightly acidic soils, bottomlands | moist or wet meadows or woods, swamps |
| Features | Nitrogen-fixing plant, turns deep bronze in autumn. Grows in any well-drained soil. | Round flower clusters arranged in a loose spike. Best in sandy soils. *(bf) *(bd) | Flowers on 1' long spike; feathery appearance. Requires full sun. Do not overfertilize. *(bf) | Impressive 2.5" flowers. Best in moist, humusy soils; full sun or light shade. Spreads. Do not disturb in the wild. *(bf) |
| Availability | specialty dealers | specialty dealers | trade | specialty dealers |
| Scientific Name | Lobelia cardinalis | Lobelia siphilitica | Monarda didyma | Monarda fistulosa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | cardinal flower | great blue lobelia | beebalm | wild bergamot |
| Height | 2-4' | 1-4' | 2-5' | 2-4' |
| Bloom Time | summer | summer | summer | summer |
| Flower Color | red | blue | red | violet |
| Habitat | moist sites, marshes, water margins | fertile, moist bottomland woods and meadows, swamps | moist woods, water margins | dry meadows, wood borders; calcareous soils |
| Features | Many brilliant red tubular flowers. Use mulch to help retain moisture. Best in partial shade. *(hb) | Showy, bright flowers in a loose spike. Short-lived perennial; prefers partial shade and constant moisture. *(hb) | Aromatic; butterfly garden essential. Does best in moist, sunny areas. Whorls of bright tubular flowers. *(be) *(bf) *(hb) | Similar to M. didyma, but tolerates dry soils and has paler flowers. *(be) *(bf) *(hb) |
| Availability | trade | trade | trade | trade |
| Scientific Name | Oenothera biennis | Penstemon digitalis | Physostegia virginiana | Polygonatum canaliculatum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | evening primrose | smooth penstemon | obedient plant | large Solomon's seal |
| Height | 2-5' | 2-3' | 1-4' | 3-5' |
| Bloom Time | spring-summer | summer | summer/autumn | spring |
| Flower Color | yellow | white | pink | white |
| Habitat | dry fields, roadsides | meadows or wood borders | moist, open woods or prairies, swamps | moist woods or wood borders |
| Features | Large flower is lemon-scented; biennial--flowers in second year. | Showy flowers in tiered clusters around the stem. Best in full sun or light shade. | Paired flowers resemble snapdragons. Does well in moist, acidic soils in full sun; tolerates low fertility soils. Can be invasive. *(bf) | Can grow up to 7' tall and forms patches. Attractive foliage turns golden in autumn with dark blue berries. Best in shady, moist soil. |
| Availability | trade | specialty dealers | trade | specialty dealers |
| Scientific Name | Ratibida pinnata | Solidago ohioensis | Solidago rigida | Solidago speciosa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | yellow prairie coneflower | Ohio goldenrod | stiff goldenrod | showy goldenrod |
| Height | 4-5' | 2-4' | 3-5' | 2-6' |
| Bloom Time | summer | summer/autumn | summer/autumn | summer/autumn |
| Flower Color | yellow | yellow | yellow | yellow |
| Habitat | dry woods or prairies | prairies, open woods | prairies, open woods | dry prairies, open woods |
| Features | Yellow flowers with gray centers that mature to brown. Grows well in dry or moist soils, including clays. | Does best in fertile soils. Has spreading and attractive flower heads and lush foliage. Do not disturb in the wild. *(bf) | Flowers in a dense, flat-topped cluster. Does well on any soil, from dry sand to moist clay. Not aggressive. *(bf) *(bd) | Flowers in a dense, pyramid--very showy. Does well on dry sands or loams. *(bf) |
| Availability | specialty dealers | specialty dealers | specialty dealers | specialty dealers |
| Scientific Name | Tradescantia ohiensis | Verbena stricta | Verbena hastata | Veronica virginica (or Veronicastrum virginicum) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Name | Ohio spiderwort | hoary vervain | blue vervain | culver's root |
| Height | 2-4' | 2-6' | 2-6' | 3-6' |
| Bloom Time | spring-summer | summer | summer | summer |
| Flower Color | violet | violet | blue | white |
| Habitat | wood borders, meadows, roadsides | dry clearings | moist open woods or roadsides, water margins | moist, fertile thickets and meadows |
| Features | Showy and interesting flowers open only in the morning and then wilt. Flowers may also be pink or blue. | Drought resistant, even in dry, sandy soils. Slender spike flowers are long-lasting. | Numerous stiff, pencil-like spikes of flowers bloom in second year. Wetland plant. | Small, tubular flowers on a dense spike-like cluster. Leaves whorled and triangular. |
| Availability | specialty dealers | specialty dealers | specialty dealers | specialty dealers |
KEY: = RED denotes plant is toxic to humans. Features: *(x) = a food or cover benefit for...*(bf) = butterflies, *(bf-l) = butterfly larvae, *(w) = wildlife; *(bd) = songbirds; *(be) honeybees; *(hb) = hummingbirds. "Do not disturb in the wild." = plant is endangered (!!), threatened (!), or potentially threatened (.)