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Native Plant Program
Gardening with native plants only makes good
sense. Just what is a native plant? A native is a plant that originated in a
particular climate and was not introduced, or a plant that existed within the
state borders prior to the arrival of settlers. These plants generally display
better hardiness, disease and insect resistance and tolerate local weather
extremes. Native plants conserve soil and water because they don't require
fertilizers and pesticides. Native plants also provide habitat and food for
birds and other wildlife.
For more information about natives visit
Grow Native!,
the joint program of the Missouri Department of Conservation and
the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The Grow Native! program helps
protect and restore our state's biodiversity by increasing conservation
awareness of native plants and their effective use.
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divided into three categories
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PERENNIALS
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Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns'
Common Name:
Columbine
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Amsonia illustris 'Shortstack'
Common Name: Shining Blue Star
Rounded spikes of starry, sky blue flowers
emerge in spring and last for several weeks. Deep green willow like leaves
turn bright gold in the fall. Mounding dwarf form- only 10 and 18 in
wide.. Plant Of Merit.
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Asarum canadense |
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Common Name: Wild Ginger |
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ginger is a Missouri native spring wildflower. Asarum
is a deciduous ground cover with soft
green, kidney-shaped leaves and inconspicuous green-brown flowers in the
spring. Forms large colonies in cool moist woodland areas. |
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Asclepias purpurascens
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| Common Name: Purple Milkweed |
| An exceptionally lovely
that has intense
rose pink flowers for several weeks in early to mid summer, followed by
the attractive pods of silky seeds typical of the genus. Very tolerant
of a wide variety of soils and light levels, it is easy to grow.
Tolerates shade, but blooms better in the sun. 2-3 ft. |
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Asclepias incarnata |
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Common name: Marsh or Red Milkweed |
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Sweetly scented clusters of
rose-pink flowers bloom in summer. Butterflies find the faint vanilla
fragrance irresistible and monarch larvae feed on the foliage. Grows
naturally in sunny swamps and wet meadows but also grows well in the
garden. 36 to 48 inches. |
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Asclepias tuberosa
Common Name: Butterfly Milkweed
Lots of bright orange, flat-topped flower
clusters open in early June. Plants bloom for many weeks. Host plant
for the monarch butterfly and a great nectar source for many other
butterflies and pollinator.18-24 in.
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Aruncus dioicus 'Misty Lace'
Common Name: Dwarf Goat's Beard
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Baptisia australis
Common Name: Blue False Indigo
Clusters of indigo-blue, pealike flowers
followed by interesting blue-black pods. Foliage is blue-green and growth
habit is shrub like. Plant of Merit
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Callirhoe involucrata
Common Name: Purple Poppy Mallow
Showy, cup-shaped red-violet flowers bloom from
June through frost. The trailing stems will hang over walls and make an
excellent ground cover. This pretty ground cover is a Plant of Merit.
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Dryopteris x australis |
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Common
Name: Dixie Wood Fern |
| Wood Fern is found in wild populations from Louisiana
to Virginia, but is a superb garden plant as far north as Zone 5. At 3
to 4 ft., it is a formidable addition to the garden. Best used as a
vertical accent in the woodland or shade garden or as a specimen plant. |
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Echinacea
purpurea
Common Name: Purple
Coneflower
Lots of rosy purple flowers with non-drooping petals
around a brown cone-shaped seed head. Very easy to grow. Adapts to many
soil types and grows well in full sun or light shade. |
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Geranium maculatum
Common Name: Wild Geranium
Easy to grow in most shady spots, it flowers in spring with pink or lavender
blooms. Found in open woods, clearings, woods edges and roadsides throughout
the Eastern US. Attracts butterflies. |
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Liatris pycnostachya
Common Name: Prairie Blazing Star
Unbranched stalks bear dense spikes of magenta
flowers in July and August on strong stems. The nectar-rich flowers are a
favorite with butterflies and hummingbirds. Songbirds love the seed.
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Lobelia cardinalis
Common Name: Cardinal Flower
Strong, upright stems bear dozens of brilliant
red flowers in late summer. A favorite source of nectar for hummingbirds.
This striking plant is a Plant of Merit.
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Oenothera macrocarpa
Common Name: Missouri Primrose
A showy, trailing plant with large, yellow,
fragrant flowers up to 4" across. Plants bloom for a long period from
spring through summer. Easily grown in average, dry to medium,
well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates poor and/or limy soils, drought
and some light shade.
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Polystichum acrostichoides
Common Name: Christmas Fern
This beautiful native fern has glossy,
deep-green, lance-shaped fronds that emerge upright, then proceed to arch
gently and eventually 'lay down' to cover the ground as they mature. This
evergreen fern has 'hairy' brown leaf stems and fiddleheads. Plant of
Merit.
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Rudbeckia fulgida 'Henry Eilers
Common Name: Black Eye Susan
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Solidago 'Little Lemon'
Common Name Dwarf Goldenrod
At only 12" tall in bloom, it is a stark contrast
to its taller cousins. In late summer, the well branched foliage is
completely covered with racemes of bright lemon yellow flowers.
'Little Lemon' is easy to grow in any sunny location and can be cut
back after flowering for a second flush of flowers in the fall. |
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TREES & SHRUBS
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Aesculus
Glabra or Ohio Buckeye (Not available spring 2010- too small)
Large spikes of green-yellow
flowers in spring bloom at the same time the bright green leaves unfurl.
Summer leaf color is dark green and fall color is often orange-red. Ohio
Buckeye produces dense shade so don't try to plant directly under it. |
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Albizia or Mimosa
Mimosas grow rapidly. are drought tolerant and highly adaptable to any
conditions. Fragrant hot pink flowers in spring. 20-25 ft. |
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Asimina or Pawpaw
A multi-stemmed shrub or small tree is
a great plant for attracting all kinds of wildlife. Pawpaw's yellowish fruit
is relished by many birds and small mammals. Pawpaw spreads slowly to form
small colonies or thickets, providing good cover for a variety of wildlife |
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Amelanchier canadensis or Shadblow Serviceberry
A large shrub or small tree with slightly
fragrant early white spring flowers. . Flowers give rise to very
flavorful, purple-black, berrylike fruits relished by both songbirds and
people. This lovely tree has colorful fall foliage in a blend of orange,
gold, red and green and is a Plants of Merit winner |
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Amelanchier or Serviceberry 'Robin Hill'
The pink flower buds of 'Robin Hill' serviceberry distinguish it from other
native serviceberry selections. 'Robin Hill' has an upright habit that
makes it a good choice for street plantings or other settings where a small,
attractive tree is desired. Plant of Merit. |
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Callicarpa or American Beautyberry
Small pink blooms in summer are followed by
clusters of brilliant fuschia berries in the fall. Berries color in early
October and remain until they are eaten by birds and small mammals in late
November.
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Carya illinoinensis 'Colby'-Grafted
Colby Pecan
'Colby' is a seed-grown, native cultivar pecan. Provides food and cover for
wildlife Prefers moist soils. Productive and reliable |
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Carya illinoinensis 'Kanza'- Kanza Pecan
'Kanza' was
primarily released for the northern pecan belt because of it superior cold
hardiness and early harvest date. 'Kanza' quality nuts ripen before other
varieties. It provides food and cover for wildlife and prefers moist soils |
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Celtis occidentlis or Hackberry
Hackberry is a reliable, fast-growing, all-purpose shade tree. Hackberry's
pyramidal shape when young then develops a broad crown with ascending
branches. The leaves are medium green. Fall foliage is a soft yellow. Birds
and wildlife relish the small, fleshy fall fruit |
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Chionanthus virginicus or Fringetree
Shimmering, white fringed flowers in May or June. Fringetree leaves often
turn bright yellow in fall. Grow in part sun to shade as a small tree or
shrub. Beautiful as a single specimen or planted in groups. Smaller size is
perfect in garden setting. 12-20ft |
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Cladrastis lutea or Yellowwood
Yellowwood is an excellent, medium-sized specimen tree, with light green
compound leaves turning gold in fall. Spectacular panicles of fragrant,
creamy-white spring flowers. Yellowwood bark is very smooth and gray. This
is an underused, beautiful native tree. 20-30ft. |
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Cercis canadensis or Eastern Redbud
Leafless horizontal branches are smothered in small deep pink flowers in
early spring. Red-purple, pea-shaped seed pods follow the flowers.
Heart-shaped leaves become a quilt of yellow and green in fall.
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Cornus florida or Flowering Dogwood
Small, low-branched tree with spreading horizontal branches. Distinctive
white flowers, 3" in diameter, bloom mid-April to mid-May. Clusters of
glossy red fruit in fall persist into winter and are relished by birds.
Consistent deep red fall leaf color.
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Hamamelis vernalis or Spring Witchhazel
This unique native shrub flowers from late
winter into early spring, when little else is blooming in the landscape.
The fragrant flowers are clustered or solitary, yellow to dark red in
color, This Missouri native grows 6-10 ft. Plant of Merit
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Lindera benzoin or Spicebush
A broad, rounded multi-stemmed shrub covered
with fragrant yellow-green flowers in early spring. The flowers open
before the leaves emerge and are held close to the branches. Aromatic
light green leaves turn deep yellow-gold in fall. Birds feed on the
brilliant red fruits of the female plant. Host plant for the spicebush
swallowtail.
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Quercus bicolor or : Swamp White Oak
Swamp White Oak is a large tree with broad crown. Leaves turn varied shades
in fall from bronze to red. Grows well in wet or dry soils. Slow-growing but
long lived. Food and cover for wildlife |
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Quercus macrocarpa orBur Oak
Bur Oak has the largest acorns and leaves of all the oaks. Slow-growing and
long-lived, it has a magnificent form in old age. Bur Oak leaves turn brown
in fall and remain on the tree all winter. |
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Quercus rubra or Northern Red Oak
Northern Red Oak is a fast-growing, long-lived, statuesque shade tree. Fall
color from russet to bright red. Long-lived and faster growth than other
oaks New foliage begins reddish and matures to shiny green. Food and cover
for wildlife. |
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Quercus shumardii or Shumard Oak
Shumard Oak is a huge, bottomland tree considered the southern counterpart
to the Northern Red Oak. In fall, it shows good red color and it one of the
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GRASSES & VINES
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Panicum 'Cheyenne
Sky' or Red Switch Grass
Ideal for growing in decorative containers,
this hardy Red Switch Grass is a perennial substitute for annual purple
fountain grass. Measuring in at just 3ft
(2ft before blooming), 'Cheyenne Sky' forms a tight, vase-shaped clump of
blue-green foliage that begins turning wine red in early summer.
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Schizachyrium 'Prairie Blues'or Little Bluestem
Little Bluestem is a
native prairie grass that is said to have originated in Missouri. 'Prairie
Blues' is an improved selection. It offers a more consistent grey-blue
foliage color that is quite striking in the garden. The narrow, upright
leaves take on reddish-orange tones in the fall. Fluffy silver seed heads
appear in late summer and last well into fall.
A great choice if you are looking to restore an eroded site, or for a plant
that will grow in hot, dry areas where other plants have a hard time. |
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Schizachyrium scoparium
‘Carousel’ or Little Bluestem
'Carousel' is a dwarf and somewhat mounded selection of little
bluestem. Unique rounded, bowl-shaped habit and superior resistance to
lodging in winter. Its fine green foliage has hints of pink even in the
summer and becomes a kaleidoscope of colors in autumn that includes copper,
pink, orange and tan. 30 in |
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Sporobolus
heterolepis 'Tara' or Prairie Dropseed
Tara's flowers and vase shaped habit are much more upright than the species.
18 to 24 inches, one foot shorter than regular Dropseed. Elegant in
the landscape and small enough for container gardening. Plant of
Merit. |
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Campsis radicans orTrumpet Creeper
Woody vine that attaches to any surface with
rootlike holdfasts. Hummingbirds feed on nectar produced by clusters of
orange-red trumpet-shaped flowers from July-September. Brown seed pods, up
to 6 in. long, form in late summer
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Celastrus scandens or American Bittersweet
A twining woody vine that will grow vertically
or sprawl horizontally over bushes and fences. Hanging clusters of
yellow-orange fruit split open to show bright red-orange seed coats.
Plants are male or female
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