prairie wildflowers - for dry to medium soil

YARROW Achillea millifolium

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 90 cm
Bloom Time: June to August
Colour: White

Description: Flat clusters of flowers with fragrant, ferny leaves - Fast growing and drought tolerant - Spreads by roots and seed so useful for difficult areas - Deer and rabbit resistant.

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PINK ONION Allium stellatum

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 15 -30 cm
Bloom Time: August
Colour: pink

Description: Pretty, ball shaped clusters of pink flowers - Fine textured onion type leaves can be used for flavouring - Great for prairie meadows - Reseeds easily. Deer and rabbit resistant.

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PUSSY TOES Antennaria parvifolia

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 5 -15 cm
Bloom Time: May
Colour: White

Description: Small, silvery leaves form a very low groundcover - The flowers are in "pussy toe" clusters - Food plant for American Painted Lady butterfly caterpillars.

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PASTURE SAGE Artemesia frigida

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: August
Colour: yellow

Description: Feathery, silver-grey leaves contrast nicely with other plants - Has a distinct sage fragrance - Can use in stuffing for poultry, fish or game or with rice. Deer and rabbit resistant.

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PRAIRIE SAGE Artemisia ludoviciana

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 -50
Bloom Time: August
Colour: yellow

Description: Silver, lance shaped leaves - Spreads quickly by roots - Used by Native people for smudging ceremonies - Very drought tolerant - Host for American Painted Lady butterfly caterpillars - Deer and rabbit resistant.

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WHORLED MILKWEED Asclepias verticillata

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 20 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: July
Colour: White

Description: Milkweeds are the only plants that Monarch butterfly caterpillars feed on- Fine textured leaves - Spreads by roots but doesn't crowd out other plants because foliage is very fine - Very fragrant - Deer and rabbit resistant.

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HAREBELL Campanula rotundifolia

Sun: Sun or Part Shade
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 20 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: July
Colour: Blue

Description: Graceful and delicate looking plant, often with many flowers per plant - Drought tolerant - Looks great with Avens, Whorled Milkweed, and Little Bluestem – Deer resistant.

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WHITE PRAIRIE CLOVER Dalea candida

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 20 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: July
Colour: White

Description: Fragrant flowers are similar to purple prairie clover - More common in drier areas - Birds and butterflies come for seed and nectar - Good for fresh and dry bouquets - A legume.

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PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER Dalea purpurea

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 20 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: July
Colour: Purple

Description: The glowing purple colour and and unusual flower shape makes this a favourite - Provides nectar for butterflies and seed for birds - Excellent for fresh and dry bouquets - A legume.

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PURPLE CONEFLOWER Echinacea angustifolia

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 45 cm
Bloom Time: July
Colour: pale purple/pink

Description: Roots used medicinally in the past to treat many ailments and boost the immune system - Dry, sandy soil is best - Great cut flower and striking seed heads - Hummingbirds like it - Deer Resistant.

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GAILLARDIA Gaillardia aristata

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 80 cm
Bloom Time: July
Colour: yellow with red centre

Description: Large, showy, yellow flowers provide a colourful display in midsummer - Fast growing - Lives 3-4 years - Good cut flower - Reseeds easily – Deer resistant.

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THREE FLOWERED AVENS Geum triflorum

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 15 - 40 cm
Bloom Time: May/June
Colour: Pink

Description: Excellent ground cover for dry areas - Unusual flowers always get noticed - Feathery pink seedheads called Grandfather's Whiskers or Prairie Smoke - Deer resistant.

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GUMWEED Grindelia squarrosa

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: August/September
Colour: Yellow

Description: A bushy little plant covered with lots of yellow flowers - Lives 2-3 years but reseeds easily in bare soil - Often seen growing along roadsides - Deer Resistant.

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ALUMROOT Heuchera richardsonii

Sun: Sun or Part Shade
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 30 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: June
Colour: beige

Description: A versitile plant for sun or part shade and dry to moist soil - The scalloped evergreen leaves form nice clumps - Nice for borders or for mixing in prairies - Deer Resistant.

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DOTTED BLAZING STAR Liatris punctata

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 20 - 30 cm
Bloom Time: August
Colour: pink

Description: Many dense spikes of flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds Prefers drier areas than the Meadow Blazing Star - Dries well. Deer resistant.

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WILD FLAX Linium lewisii

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 25 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: June
Colour: Blue

Description: Flowers last only a day but new ones open every day for 6 weeks - Everyone loves this plant when they see it - Lives 2 years but reseeds easily.

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WILD BERGAMOT Monarda fistulosa

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 60 - 90 cm
Bloom Time: July
Colour: pink

Description: Large, showy flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds - Spreads to form attractive clumps - Aromatic leaves can be used for tea and seasoning - Deer and rabbit resistant.

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UPLAND WHITE ASTER Oligoneuron album

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 20 - 30 cm
Bloom Time: August
Colour: White

Description: Beautiful, low growing aster - Flowers cover the top of the plant, followed by little tan pompoms of seed. - Combines well with Western Silvery Aster - Deer resistant

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INDIAN BREADROOT Psoralea esculenta

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 15 - 30 cm
Bloom Time: June
Colour: blue

Description: Produces a tuberous, starchy root that was commonly used by native people and settlers in the past - Fuzzy stem, leaves and blue/purple flowers - For dry areas - Limited quantity available.

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CROCUS Pulsatilla patens

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 15 - 20 cm
Bloom Time: April/May
Colour: mauve

Description: Manitoba's provincial flower - A harbinger of spring - The stems and flowers are furry but the leaves are not - Leaves come out after the flowers - Distinctive, feathery seedheads in May.

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CONEFLOWER Ratibida columnifera

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 60 cm
Bloom Time: July/August
Colour: Yellow

Description: Produces masses of beautiful golden flowers for six weeks or more - Fast growing - Lives 2-3 years but reseeds easily - Deer resistant.

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PRAIRIE ROSE Rosa arkansana

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 20 - 40 cm
Bloom Time: June/July
Colour: pink

Description: Fragrant pink flowers may fade to white - Spreads slowly by the roots - Round red rose hips, which can be used for jelly and tea - Beautiful orange-red fall colour.

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BLUE EYED GRASS Sisyrinchium montanum

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 15 - 30 cm
Bloom Time: June
Colour: Blue

Description: Loads of star shaped, bright blue flowers make this plant a showstopper - Not a grass but part of the Iris family - Reseeds easily - Also called Star Grass - Deer Resistant.

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LOW GOLDENROD Solidago missouriensis

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: July/August
Colour: Yellow

Description: The earliest blooming goldenrod - Spreads by roots - Lots of nectar for bees and butterflies - For dry, sandy soil - Very drought tolerant.

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STIFF GOLDENROD Oligoneuron rigidum var.rigidum

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 40 - 75 cm
Bloom Time: August
Colour: Yellow

Description: Butterflies love this beautiful flower for nectar - birds love the seeds too - Thrives in dry to moist soil - Goldenrods DO NOT cause hayfever - Reseeds easily - Deer and rabbit resistant.

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SHOWY GOLDENROD Solidago nemoralis

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: August/September
Colour: Yellow

Description: Very showy, nodding flowers - Goldenrods are important late season nectar sources for butterflies, bees and other insects.

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MANY FLOWERED ASTER Symphyotrichum ericoides

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 20 - 60 cm
Bloom Time: August/September
Colour: White

Description: Masses of tiny flowers cover the branches in late summer - Great with Smooth Aster and Stiff Goldenrod - Reseeds easily - Host for Pearl Crescent butterfly caterpillars.

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SMOOTH ASTER Symphyotrichum laeve var. laeve

Sun: Sun or Part Shade
Moisture: Dry to Moist
Height: 60 - 120 cm
Bloom Time: August/September
Colour: mauve

Description: Abundant flowers add colour to fall landscapes - Adapts easily to a variety of sites from dry to moist and sun to part shade - Food for Pearl Crescent butterfly caterpillars - Reseeds easily.

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WESTERN SILVERY ASTER Symphyotrichum sericeum

Sun: Sun
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Height: 30 - 50 cm
Bloom Time: August
Colour: Violet

Description: Very pretty, mound forming aster covered with flowers - Soft, grey-green leaves - A rare plant found mainly in Bird's Hill Park. - Drought tolerant.

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