The leaves have a bluish cast in the summer, with finely-textured, pink-tinged, branched flower seed heads that hover over the foliage like a cloud. Leaves turn a bright yellow in the fall.
One of our few native host plants for the Monarch butterfly. Grows naturally in swamps and wet meadows but also grows well in the garden and grows well in poorly drained clay soil. Has a pleasing scent when in bloom.
A highly ornamental bunchgrass with fine-textured foliage that forms dense mounds with slender blue-green stems. It becomes striking mahogany-red in the fall with white, shining seed tufts. Drought tolerant, it performs best in full sun. Also, is a host plant to several butterfly species (skippers) including the common wood nymph.
When mass planted, it is an effective ornamental grass owing to its reddish-purple inflorescence (seed head). The plant turns brown in fall. Found in a variety of habitats including old fields, prairies, open woods, and roadsides. It is tolerant of road salt.
A beautiful warm-season grass with striking form and coloring. It has erect broad blue-green leaves and tall, plume-like, soft, golden-brown seed heads. This showy perennial’s fall color is deep orange to purple.
A warm season, low-growing bunchgrass which produces striking plumage in the summer. The inflorescence appears as hazy, reddish-purple clouds. Often used for erosion control owing to its fibrous, deep roots. Drought tolerant and low maintenance.
Clump-forming perennial grass with fibrous roots. A decorative green fading to cream panicle (flower array) emerges from a sheath. Grows in forest edges, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes.
Upright, multi stemmed, warm season, shrubby perennial with showy bright yellow flowers. Prefers dry, sunny locations in gravel, sandy or well-drained loamy soils. It has a high tolerance to acidic soils. Once established it is a long lived, hardy plant with few problems and requires little maintenance.
Broomsedge is a primary native meadow grass in our region. Drought tolerant, it requires little care and is virtually disease and pest free. Seeds along the stems are striking in fall and winter when the fine hairs of the seeds catch the sunlight. Supports the Common Wood-Nymph and Skipper butterflies.
A warm season, perennial bunchgrass with blue-green stems. Once established, has excellent drought tolerance and is easy to maintain. Seed, nesting and shelter for wildlife especially for ground nesters and birds of prey.