Late Boneset, Eupatorium serotinum

Late Boneset, Eupatorium serotinum 

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Life Cycle:   Perennial

Sun Exposure:   Full, Partial

Soil Moisture:   Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry

Height:   5 feet

Bloom Time:   August, September, October

Bloom Color:   White

USDA Zones:   3-9

Plant Spacing:   1-3'

Eupatorium serotinum is closely related to Tall Boneset but has several distinguishing characteristics. It tends to grow taller (5' or more), has long-stemmed, coarse-toothed leaves with a single prominent vein running their lengths and the flower heads are denser, with 12-15 blossoms. These small white flowers are popular with a wide variety of bees, flies, butterflies and beetles.The stems of Late Boneset are pubescent and have tiny white hairs running the length of the stem. The foliage is bitter so is not often eaten by deer and other mammals.

Late Boneset prefers full sun or partial shade in medium soils from wet-mesic to dry and blooms in late-summer through fall. Native habitats include black soil prairies, moist meadows, and areas near drainage ditches.  The overall size of the plant is very much dependent on soil moisture levels, and often during a drought, the lower leaves may become discolored or fall off. 

Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum

 Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Life Cycle:   Perennial

Sun Exposure:   Full, Partial

Soil Moisture:   Medium, Medium-Dry

Height:   3 feet

Bloom Time:   June, July, August, September

Bloom Color:   Purple

USDA Zones:   3-6

Plant Spacing:   12-16

Anise Hyssop has flower spikes that burst with a myriad of tiny blooms that span the purple spectrum: from soft lavender to rich violet.  The blossoms pop open in intervals, providing a long nectar season for bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies; this plant is abuzz with pollinators all summer long!  Sturdy and upright, the square stem supports fragrant foliage, which smells like anise or licorice.  The undersides of the leaves are white or light grey and flash and wink whenever the wind blows.  Makes a fantastic addition in sensory gardens.

This plant is easy to grow and often blooms in its first year.  It self-sows readily; the new seedlings are quite hardy and can be transplanted easily.  Once established, Anise Hyssop is drought tolerant.  It is also deer resistant; most mammals dislike the strong scent of the leaves.

Other common names in use: Lavender Hyssop or Blue Giant Hyssop.

Blazing star, Liatris

Planting at IU Bloomington

Blazing star, Liatris

Seeds collected from planting on Indiana University

Bloomington, IN campus

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Family: Asteraceae

Native Range: Eastern United States

Zone: 3 to 8

Height: 2.00 to 4.00 feet

Spread: 0.75 to 1.50 feet

Bloom Time: July to August

Bloom Description: Red-purple

Sun: Full sun

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Suggested Use: Rain Garden

Flower: Showy, Good Cut, Good Dried

Attracts: Birds, Butterflies

Tolerate: Drought, Clay Soil

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Somewhat tolerant of poor soils, but prefers moist, fertile ones and generally performs better in moist soils than most other species of Liatris. Intolerant of wet soils in winter. Tolerant of summer heat and humidity. May be grown from seed, but is slow to establish.

Liatris spicata, commonly called blazing star, dense blazing star or marsh blazing star, is a tall, upright, clump-forming perennial which is native to moist low grounds, meadows and marsh margins. In Missouri, it has only been found in Oregon County on the Arkansas border (Steyermark). It typically grows 2-4' tall in cultivation, but can reach a height of 6' in some parts of its native habitat. Features terminal spikes (6-12" long) of sessile, rounded, fluffy, deep purple flower heads (each to 3/4" across) appearing atop rigid, erect, leafy flower stalks. One or more stalks arise from a basal tuft of narrow, grass-like, medium green leaves (to 12" long). Stem leaves gradually decrease in size toward the top. Blooms in summer. Liatris belongs to the aster family, with each flower head having only fluffy disk flowers (resembling "blazing stars") and no ray flowers. The feathery flower heads of liatris give rise to another common name of gayfeather.

Genus name of unknown origin.

See also L. spicata 'Kobold' which is a popular compact cultivar that is less likely to need staking than the species. (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Lead Plant, Amorpha canescens

 Lead Plant, Amorpha canescens

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Life Cycle:   Perennial

Sun Exposure:   Full, Partial

Soil Moisture:   Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry

Height:   3 feet

Bloom Time:   June, July, August

Bloom Color:   Purple

USDA Zones:   3-8

Plant Spacing:   1-2'

Lead Plant takes several years to mature, but it's well worth the wait!  It blooms in early summer, sending out dusky lavender spikes that erupt from bottom to top with bright purple blossoms.  Each tiny, tubular flower spits out orange stamens, creating a unique and spectacular floral display that floats above delicate-looking, silvery green foliage. 

Amorpha canescens prefers full sun but will tolerate part shade. However, it tends to sprawl and produces fewer flowers in partial or deep shade.  This hardy plant will thrive in any medium to dry soil, unphased by sand, gravel, loam, or clay. Deep roots, sometimes reaching 15 feet into the earth, enable Lead Plant to survive prairie fires and times of drought.  It may die back to the ground after an extremely harsh winter, but will usually recover within a growing season or two. The plant's tough roots made pioneer plowing difficult, causing early Settlers to dub it "Devil's Shoestrings." Other speculative accounts about the common name, Lead Plant, credit the dusty, gray hue of the foliage or an old belief that the plant's presence was an indicator of sub-surface lead ore.

Lead Plant is one of the larval hosts of the Dog Face Sulphur, also known as Southern Dogface. It will also attract abundant bees, butterflies, moths, beetles and other beneficial insects. It is generally deer-resistant once established, but rabbits, deer, and other grazing animals may browse on it during its establishment years, so it may need extra protection early on.

Species of genus Amorpha are legumes. Most legume species harbor beneficial bacteria called rhizobia on their roots. Genus-specific strains of this bacterium called inoculum can aid in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and improve long-term health of native plant communities. Inoculum is naturally-occurring in most soils and additional amendment is usually not needed.

Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea

 Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea 

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Life Cycle: Perennial 

Sun: Exposure Full, Partial 

Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry 

Height: 4 feet 

Bloom Time: July, August, September 

Bloom Color: Purple 

Advantages: Good for pollinators, birds,deer resistant, landscaping 

USDA Zones: 4-8 

Plant Spacing: 18-24" 

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) has a fibrous root system with short woody rhizomes. It is a drought-tolerant perennial that is also deer resistant. Purple Coneflower can be found as far east as Georgia. Plains Indians used the root to treat rattlesnake bites, bee stings, headaches, toothaches, sore throats, and distemper in horses. Coneflowers are still widely used today in pharmaceutical preparations.

The flowers are a golden red to purple and may release a slight fragrance in strong sunlight. They are much-loved by bees and is a host plant for the Ottoe Skipper.  Blooms appear June-September and some Purple Coneflowers may re-bloom in the fall. Echinacea purpurea matures to 4' in height. The preference is full or partial sun, and moist to medium conditions. Growth is best in fertile loam, but the soil can contain some gravel or clay.  

Bradbury's Bee Balm, Monarda bradburiana

 Bradbury's Bee Balm, Monarda bradburiana

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Family: Lamiaceae

Native Range: Southern and central United States

Zone: 5 to 8

Height: 1.00 to 2.00 feet

Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet

Bloom Time: May

Bloom Description: Pink to white with purple

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Dry to medium

Maintenance: Low

Suggested Use: Herb, Naturalize, Rain Garden

Flower: Showy, Fragrant, Good Cut

Leaf: Fragrant

Attracts: Hummingbirds, Butterflies

Tolerate: Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil

Culture

Best grown in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerates somewhat poor soils and some drought. Plants need good air circulation. Deadhead flowers to prolong summer bloom. Tends to self-seed.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Monarda bradburiana, commonly called beebalm, is a common Missouri native perennial which occurs statewide in dryish, acidic soils in open, rocky woods and glade margins. A clump-forming, mint family member that grows typically to 1-2' tall. Tubular, two-lipped, pinkish to whitish, purple-spotted flowers appear in dense, globular, solitary, terminal heads atop square stems. Each flower head is subtended by (rests upon) a whorl of showy, purplish-tinged, leafy bracts. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. The toothed, aromatic, oblong, grayish-green leaves (to 4") may be used in teas. Long summer bloom period. Nomenclature for this plant is somewhat confused because some references assert that this separate species is synonymous with Monarda russeliana.

Genus name honors Nicholas Monardes (1493-1588), physician and botanist of Seville.

Problems

Powdery mildew can be a significant problem with the monardas, particularly in crowded gardens with poor air circulation. This species has mildew resistance, however. Rust can also be a problem.

Uses

Provides color and contrast for the herb garden, wild garden, native plant garden, meadow or naturalized area. May also be used in the perennial border, but probably is best in more informal plantings.

Missouri Botanical Garden

Purple Headed Sneezeweed, Helenium flexuosum

 Purple Headed Sneezeweed, Helenium flexuosum

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Type: Herbaceous perennial 

Family: Asteraceae 

Native Range: Eastern and central United States 

Zone: 5 to 9 

Height: 1.00 to 3.00 feet

Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet 

Bloom Time: August to October

Bloom Description: Yellow rays with brownish-purple center disk 

Sun: Full sun 

Water: Medium to wet 

Maintenance: Medium 

Suggested Use: Rain Garden 

Flower: Showy 

Attracts: Butterflies 

Tolerate: Deer, Wet Soil 

Culture

Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun. Prefers rich, moist soils. Intolerant of dry soils. Avoid overfertilization, which may cause plants to grow too tall. Although not required, plants may be cut back in May-early June to reduce plant height and to encourage branching, thus leading to a more floriferous bloom, healthier foliage and less need for support. Remove spent flowers to encourage additional bloom. Cut back plants by 1/2 after flowering. Divide clumps as needed (every 3-4 years) to maintain vigor.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Helenium flexuosum, commonly called purple-headed sneezeweed, is most easily distinguished from other sneezeweeds by its spherical, brownish-purple center disk. It is an erect, clump-forming perennial that is native to the eastern and midwestern U.S. In Missouri, it typically occurs in moist soils along streams, sink hole ponds, sloughs, ditches, swamps, swampy meadows, upland prairie depressions, pastures and fields, mostly in the central and southern portions of the State south of the Missouri River (Steyermark). This is a single-stemmed plant that branches near the top, typically growing 1-3’ tall. Stem is distinctively winged below. Daisy-like flowers (to 1.5” across) with wedge-shaped, drooping, bright yellow rays (three-lobed at the tips) and prominent, rounded, brownish-purple center disks bloom from summer to fall. Alternate, lance-shaped, dark green basal leaves to 8” long, with shorter sessile stem leaves. Synonymous with H. nudiflorum.

Genus name comes from the Greek name helenion which is the name of a Greek plant which honors Helen of Troy. It is unclear as to the relevance of Helen of Troy to the within genus of plants which are exclusively native to North and South America.

Specific epithet means tortuous or zigzag.

Powdered disk flowers and leaves of the sneezeweeds have in the past been dried and used as snuff, thus giving rise to the common name.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Foliage is susceptible to powdery mildew, leaf spot and rust.

Uses

Borders. Also effective in prairies, meadows, cottage gardens, wild gardens, naturalized areas or in moist soils along bodies of water. A good plant for low spots and other moist areas of the landscape.

Slender mountain mint

 Slender mountain mint, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Consortium of the Midwest Herbaria

Seeds collected Lawrence county, just south of Georgia.

Life Cycle: Perennial

Sun Exposure: Rull, Partial

Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry

Height: 2 feet

Bloom Time: June, July, August, September

Bloom Color: White

Advantages: Pollinator favorite: butterflies, bees, wasps, moths; Bird favorite; deer resident

USDA Zones: 4-9

Plant Spacing: 12-18''

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, also known as Slender or Narrow-leaved Mountain Mint, has clusters of showy white flowers with faint lavendar spots that bloom in mid-to-late summer (July-September). It is best known for the multi-branching habit of stalks with very narrow, almost needle-like, silvery green leaves.  This mint grows to be 2’-4’ tall and spreads rhizomatously to form small colonies. Pycnanthemum species can be aggressive, but they are also easily divided to control their spread. Slender Mountain Mint grows best in full or partial sun and prefers medium soils. Its natural habitat includes upland prairies and dry, rocky, open woods. 

Slender Mountain Mint does have a particularly strong mint aroma, especially when crushed or cut. Bees and butterflies love their flowers.

I collected the seeds very early Spring from a field while going to a local cave, Salts cave. 

Nodding Onion, Allium cernuum

Nodding Onion, Allium cernuum 

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Seeds from Prairie Moon Nursery

Life Cycle:  Perennial
Sun Exposure:  Full, Partial
Soil Moisture:  Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height:  18 inches
Bloom Time:  July, August
Bloom Color:  Purple
Advantages:  Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, bees and birds,  Deer Resistant 
USDA Zones: 3-8
Plant Spacing: 4-8"

Nodding Onion is stunning to have in gardens because of its unique flowers. A ball of star-like flowers forms on each stem, tending to bend downward; hence the name "nodding" onion.  The nodding habit may also protect the nectar from rain.

Native American tribes used the bulbs of Nodding Onion as a treatment for croup, colic, colds and fevers.  Allium cernuum blooms in midsummer, and the flowers are pollinated by small short-tongued bees, such as Halictid bees.  Nodding Onion, like all the Allium species, is deer-resistant.

Allium cernuum grows best in full or partial sun, and moist to medium conditions.  It tends to spread by seed and bulb offshoots.  The flowers are almost white to shades of purple in color and mature plants can reach up to 18" in height.  This plant is easy to grow, and will spread gradually under suitable conditions.

Hoary mountain mint, Pycnanthemum incanum

 Hoary mountain mint, Pycnanthemum incanum

Seeds collected from plants that were transplanted from a property in Northern Monroe Co., north east corner of T9N, R1E

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Lamiaceae
Native Range: Eastern United States
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 3.00 to 4.00 feet
Bloom Time: July to September
Bloom Description: White sometimes tinged with lavender
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Fragrant
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Drought, Erosion, Dry Soil

Culture

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun. A vigorous and sometimes aggressive grower which spreads by long rhizomes. If naturalizing is unwanted, prune roots in spring with a spade to keep clumps from spreading.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Pycnanthemum incanum, commonly called hoary mountain mint, is best distinguished by the hoary/whitish appearance of the upper leaves and bracts beneath the tiered flower clusters. This is an erect, many-branched perennial that typically grows 2-3' tall on square stems. Broad-ovate, toothed leaves (1.5 to 3" long) are hoary beneath. Small, two-lipped, white (sometimes lavender-tinged) flowers with purple spotting on the lower lip bloom in mid to late summer in tiered terminal and upper axillary clusters (to 1.5" wide). All parts of the plant emit a strong, spearmint-like aroma when crushed. Leaves have been used to flavor teas. Flowers are a favorite of butterflies, moths and beneficial predatory wasps.

Genus name comes from Greek pyknos meaning dense and anthos meaning flower for its densely packed flowers.

Specific epithet means hoary.

The common name of mountain mint for this mint family member is somewhat misleading since the plant typically grows in dry open woods, thickets and fields in the eastern United States from Maine to Illinois south to eastern Texas and northern Florida.



Culture

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun. A vigorous and sometimes aggressive grower which spreads by long rhizomes. If naturalizing is unwanted, prune roots in spring with a spade to keep clumps from spreading.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Pycnanthemum incanum, commonly called hoary mountain mint, is best distinguished by the hoary/whitish appearance of the upper leaves and bracts beneath the tiered flower clusters. This is an erect, many-branched perennial that typically grows 2-3' tall on square stems. Broad-ovate, toothed leaves (1.5 to 3" long) are hoary beneath. Small, two-lipped, white (sometimes lavender-tinged) flowers with purple spotting on the lower lip bloom in mid to late summer in tiered terminal and upper axillary clusters (to 1.5" wide). All parts of the plant emit a strong, spearmint-like aroma when crushed. Leaves have been used to flavor teas. Flowers are a favorite of butterflies, moths and beneficial predatory wasps.

Genus name comes from Greek pyknos meaning dense and anthos meaning flower for its densely packed flowers.

Specific epithet means hoary.

The common name of mountain mint for this mint family member is somewhat misleading since the plant typically grows in dry open woods, thickets and fields in the eastern United States from Maine to Illinois south to eastern Texas and northern Florida.

Uses

Best when allowed to spread in naturalized areas, native plant gardens, dry meadows or herb gardens. May be planted in border perimeters as long as spread is monitored.
Best when allowed to spread in naturalized areas, native plant gardens, dry meadows or herb gardens. May be planted in border perimeters as long as spread is monitored

Missouri Botanical Garden

Aromatic Aster, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

 Aromatic Aster, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Seeds from Prairie Moon

Life Cycle: Perennial

Sun Exposure: Full

Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry, Dry

Height: 2 feet

Bloom Time: August, September, October, November

Bloom Color: Purple

Advantages: Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, bees. Bird favorite: seeds, insects: recommended for home landscaping

Disadvantage: Potentially aggressive

USDA Zones: 3-8

Plant Spacing: 12-18''

Aromatic Aster is one of the last Aster species to bloom in the fall.  Enjoy blooms well into October, even into November in some parts of the US. The stiff stems will branch out slowly to create a bush-like appearance and will completely covered in light purple flowers when blooming.  The flowers will turn reddish purple as they

mature.  Despite the name, the flowers have no aroma, but the leaves do when crushed

Aromatic Aster has fibrous roots and spreads via rhizomes. Full sun and drier soils are preferred but average soil is tolerated if it drains well.  Another scientific name in use is Aster oblongifolius.

Rattlesnake Master, Eryngium yuccifolium

Rattlesnake Master, Eryngium yuccifolium

Consortium of Midwest Herbaria

Seeds collected from property

Type: Herbaceous perennialFamily: Apiaceae

Native Range: United States
Zone: 3 to 8
Height: 4.00 to 5.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Description: Greenish-white
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Drought, Erosion, Clay Soil, Dry Soil, 

    Shallow-Rocky Soil

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers dryish, sandy soils. Self-seeds in optimum growing conditions. Plants tend to open up and sprawl if grown in overly fertile soils or in anything less than full sun. This is a taprooted plant which transplants poorly and is best left undisturbed once established.

Eryngium yuccifolium, commonly called rattlesnake-master or button snake-root, is a Missouri native plant which occurs in rocky woods, prairies and glades throughout the State and was a common plant of the tallgrass prairie. Most members of the parsley/carrot family (Apiaceae) have finely cut foliage and flowers in domed umbels. Not so with rattlesnake-master which features basal rosettes of parallel-veined, bristly-edged, sword-shaped, medium green leaves (to 3' long) resembling those of yucca (lily family) and tiny, stemless, greenish-white flowers tightly packed into globular, 1" diameter heads resembling thistles (composite family). Flower heads appear in branched clusters at the top of smooth stiff stems typically rising to 3-4' (less frequently to 5-6') tall from the centers of the rosettes. Flower heads are subtended by whitish, pointed bracts.

Genus name comes from an ancient Greek name used by Theophrastus for a plant which grew in Greece (probably Eryngium campestre) or is a Greek reference to the prickly or spiny nature of plants in this genus.

Specific epithet is in reference to leaves that look like Yucca.

Common name is in reference to a former use of this plant as a treatment for rattlesnake bite. (Missouri Botanical Garden)