Native Plant Picker List
American basket flower
(Centaurea americana)
Basket flower is an easy to grow annual that has a long flowering period. Flowers have a cream colored center with bright purple edges and they interestingly close at night. There is an interwoven pattern below the petals, thus the common name. Flowers are produced from May to August.
American Basswood
(Tilia americana)
A tall stately large tree with dark green leaves. In late spring, fragrant yellow flowers provide high quality nectar for bees. Fall color may be deep yellow.
American Beautyberry
(Callicarpa americana)
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.
American Bittersweet
(Celastrus scandens)
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. Both sexes are needed for fruit set.
American Filbert; Hazelnut
(Corylus americana)
A deciduous multi-stemmed shrub with dark green leaves that forms a rounded thicket. In spring, male flowers appear in showy, 2-3 in. long, yellow-brown catkins and female flowers develop as small, reddish, inconspicuous catkins. In July, female flowers mature into egg-shaped, 1/2 in. long, edible nuts which are encased in husklike bracts. Quail, grouse, blue jays, squirrel and deer feed on varaious parts of the plant. Fall color varies from combinations of orange, rose, purplish red, yellow and green to dull yellowish green.
American Holly
(Ilex opaca)
Evergreen tree with a narrow, pyramidal crown and dark green leaves. Female plants produce red berries which ripen in October and persist throughout the winter. Birds are attracted to the fruit.
American Hornbeam
(Carpinus caroliniana)
A small to medium multi-stemmed tree forming wide spreading rounded tops. A subtle beauty often overlooked. Simple toothed leaves are dark green and have variable yellow, orange,red or reddish purple fall color. Beautiful thin, bluish-gray bark that almost 'ripples'as the tree matures. Hence another common name 'Musclewood'.A Missouri Botanical Garden Plant of Merit-
American jointweed
(Polygonella americana)
An attactive, small shrub for a sunny, well-drained position. Masses of small, white to pinkish flowers are produced in many spikes (racemes) from June to Sept. The fruits mature in October. Twigs are light to dark brown with many joints (hence the common name) and appear scaly. A unique plant for a dry site.
American Smoketree
(Cotinus obovatus)
Considered a small tree or a large shrub. Rounded bluish to dark green leaves that turn a spectacular mix of yellow,orange and amber to red and burgundy in fall. Huge pale green clusters of flowerheads with silken hairs, up to 12" across, form the appearance of "smoke" in late spring. Bark is an attractive gray-brown and scaly when mature. Our native Smoketree is much better and easier to grow than its Asian cousins that are more often seen in the trade.
American Snowbell
(Styrax americana)
An unusual spring flowering native shrub. Fragrant white bell-shaped flowers with reflexed petals droop from the branches in late spring. The rounded leaves are dark green, bark is gray to reddish-brown. A shrub of subtle, elegant beauty. No appreciable fall color.
Aromatic Aster
(Aster oblongifolius)
One of the last wildflowers to bloom, this aster is loaded with blue-purple daisylike flowers that persist into late fall. This aster grows into a tidy, compact, self-supporting mound and is a Plants of Merit winner.
Arrow arum
(Peltandra virginica)
An easy to grow, spectacular tropical-looking native plant that is great for containers or small ponds. Large arrowhead leaves are held on 18" stems. Greenish-white spathe and spadix flowers appear in late spring and then form green seedpods that ripen to shiny, metallic black seeds-very attractive! Requires sun or partial shade.
Arrowwood
(Viburnum dentatum)
Flat-topped clusters of white flowers in late spring are followed by blue-black, berry-like fruit, which are very attractive to birds and wildlife. Glossy, dark green leaves turn yellow, orange or red in fall.
Baldcypress
(Taxodium distichum)
A deciduous conifer with a pyramidal form. Medium-fine, needle-like leaves are soft green in summer then turn rusty brown in winter and drop from the tree. Reddish brown fibrous bark. Forms woody knees in shallow water and in wet poorly drained soil. Great choice for heavy clay soils or urban plantings where soil oxygen is low.
Bee Balm
(Monarda bradburiana)
A mint family member with pinkish to whitish, purple-spotted flowers in dense heads at the top of square stems. Each flower head rests on a whorl of showy, purplish, leafy bracts. Flowers attract bees and butterflies when they bloom in May and June. The aromatic gray-green leaves may be used in teas.
Big Bluestem
(Andropogon gerardi)
Columnar upright clumps of green to blue-green leaves in summer. Foliage turns rich orange and copper-red in fall. Flower heads resembling upside down turkey claws appear in late August. They open red and turn darker with age. If left up, the foliage adds interest to the winter landscape and provides cover for wildlife.
Black Cherry
(Prunus serotina)
Dark green leaves in summer, turning a good yellow to red in fall. Beautiful white flowers droop like long tassles from the branches in May. Lots of red fruit ripen to black in September. Gray-black scaly bark that peels is very attractive. Edible fruit can be messy and seedlings can be troublesome in garden situations if not tended. Great food source for birds.
Black Chokeberry
(Aronia melanocarpa melanocarpa)
It is hard to beat the wine red fall color and the black fruit display of this very adaptable shrub! A plant the colonizes due to its ability to sucker. Foliage is deep green and glossy all summer. Clusters of white flowers in spring form the large black fruits in the fall.
Black Cohosh
(Cimifuga racemosa)
Graceful stems (up to 7' tall!) hold spires of fragrant, tiny white flowers in early summer over mounds of green leaves that resemble those of astilbe or ferns. Very showy plant for any shade garden. Also called Black Cohosh or Snakeroot.
Black Gum
(Nyssa sylvatica)
Plants of Merit winner. One of our most beautiful and underused native trees. Rivals anything for fall color displays. Makes an excellent speciman tree, nice and tidy shape. Attractive, glossy, dark green leaves that turn fluorescent yellow, to orange, to scarlet red (most often), to purple colors in fall. Spectacular! Bark is dark gray to almost black, almost alligator-like patterns. Slow to grow, plant young trees in early spring. Deep rooted, so diffucult to transplant when mature. Separate male and female trees. Fruit the size of navey beans ripen to a dark blue in fall and are a favorite food to many birds. Host for the black and white Hebrew Moth.
Black Haw Viburnum
(Viburnum prunifolium)
Flat heads of white flowers in the spring. Birds eat the purple-black fruit in the fall. The edible fruit tastes like raisins. Grow as a round-headed tree or multistemmed shrub. The leaves develop a beautiful red color in fall. Two plants are required for cross pollination and fruit set.
Black oak
(Quercus velutina)
The leaves on this oak are deeply lobed and pointed, like the Red Oaks, but are thicker in substance and more stiff. The young leaves are bright velvety red whilst unfurling and usually deep orange or red in the fall. Bark is almost black on old trees with deep furrows. Tolerant of poor, dry sites.
Black-eyed Susan
(Rudbeckia hirta)
This plant is easy to grow and grows fast to give a bright show of color, but is rather short-lived. Will self seed after blooming,to give another display later in the year. Flowers mid-spring through summer. Large golden yellow flowers with dark brown conical centers are the quintessential Black-eyed Susans of the native 'stars'.
Blackberry; Dewberry; Black Raspberry
(Rubus sp.)
Our native berries are great to have in the landscape. Carefree, pleasant flowers and wild fruit to top our summer ice cream or bake in pies, they remind us of times spent in the country as children. Black raspberry is a very ornamental plant with steely-gray stems and mid-green leaves that are almost white on the undersides. Stems are great in winter. The blackberry leaves and stems are both a refreshing green. The flowers are held in clusters and are of typical Rose family shape and beauty.
Bladdernut
(Staphylea trifolia)
An interesting and useful small understory tree for partially shaded areas. Leaves with three leaflets emerge bright green then turn dark green for great effect in summer. Fall color is pale yellow. Many bell-shaped greenish-white flowers are produced in spring on long nodding 'chains'. The fruit ripens in September to curious inflated capsules that can be 'popped' in the hand. Forms large suckering colonies.
Bloodroot
(Sanguinaria canadensis)
Small woodland plants of extaordinary,simple beauty.These endearing pure white flowers with showy yellow stamens push through the leaves just as they open in early spring. The sepals fall away and the petals open to form a 1 1/4" diameter fragrant flower that lasts one day. The light bluish green leaves, up to 8" wide, have interesting lobed shape. The leaves persist into mid-summer before going dormant.
Blue False Indigo
(Baptisia australis)
Clusters of indigo-blue, pealike flowers followed by interesting blue-black pods. Foliage is blue-green and growth habit is shrublike.
Blue Lobelia
(Lobelia siphilitica)
Stout spikes of two-lipped blue flowers bloom in September and October. May self-seed in optimum growing conditions, forming attractive colonies.
Blue Sage
(Salvia azurea)
These tall plants bloom in late summer with slender spikes of azure-blue flowers. The whorled blooms are densely packed at the end of each flowering stem. Narrow, lance-shaped, gray-green, basal foliage with smaller stem leaves.
Boneset
(Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Dome-shaped clusters of white flowers from July-October. The 8 in. hairy leaves are opposite each other and clasp the stem.
Bottle Gentian
(Gentiana andrewsii)
A prized and beautiful late display of rich indigo blue closed flowers that have the appearance of large bloom flower buds. Bottle Gentian flowers from late summer well into fall. Attractive glossy broad foliage is held close to the sprawling unbranched stems, flowers form in one to three clusters at the end of stems. Flower color changes from wine red through purple to "gentian" blue. The closed flowers have a tiny opening at the tip and are pollinated by bumblebees who push their way into the flowers.
Bur Oak
(Quercus macrocarpa)
A slow-growing, long-lived impressive tree with the largest leaves and acorns of all the oaks. Leaves turn brown or light yellow in the fall and remain on the plant through winter. Trees are weakly pyramidal when young then develop a massive trunk and broad crown with strong branches. Oaks provide food and shelter to a wide range of wildlife.
Bur-Marigold
(Bidens polylepis)
A bright and cheery annual with yellow flowers in late summer which are followed by long, sharp "beggar's ticks" seeds. Flowers are prolific and showy, held high in aster-like flowerheads with 8 or so bright golden yellow flowers per head. Leaves are divided into 5-11 segments giving lots of texture.
Butterfly Milkweed
(Asclepias tuberosa)
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 pollinators.
Butterfly Pea
(Clitoria mariana)
A low, smooth, almost shrublike plant with twisting stems that do not climb. Leaves are compound with 3 leaflets and usually dark green. Beautiful pea-like flowers up to 2 inches long of pale blue-lilac with darker veining are produced from May-September.
Buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Hundreds of ball-shaped, creamy white flowers dangle from the bush in August. Butterflies and insects find the nectar irresistable. The nutlike seeds are eaten by many waterfowl and many types of birds use it as a nesting site. Will grow in bogs.
Canada Wild Rye
(Elymus canadensis)
Showy seedheads with long bristle-like awns(reminiscent of barley)of this cool season grass mature earlier than the warm season grasses-summer-early fall. Awns(hair-like spikes)are up to 2" long, the seedheads often curve outward unlike Virginia Wild Rye which is more upright. Leaves are 1/2"-3/4" wide, clasping to the stem at their bases and taper to long pointed tips. Plants are usually strong clumps.
Cardinal Flower
(Lobelia cardinalis)
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 winner.
Celandine Poppy
(Stylophorum diphyllum)
A wonderful early spring bloomer for the shade garden. Showy yellow flowers are held above lobed, blue-green leaves.
Christmas Fern
(Polystichum acrostichoides)
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 at its crown and is one of the first to emerge in spring.
Cinnamon Fern
(Osmunda cinnamomea)
This tall fern has large medium-green fronds and a stately, gracefully curved, upright habit with separate, showy cinnamon brown fertile fronds that emerge from the center of the crown. The best way to distinguish this fern from the Ostrich Fern is by the fertile fronds that appear in May and mature by mid-June, to the dark green fertile fronds of the Ostrich Fern which do not ripen until July. Also, the pinnae (leaflets) of the Cinnamon fern have tufts of rusty-colored 'wool' at their bases.
Cliff Goldenrod
(Solidago drummondii)
Arching stems are crowded with tiny, bright yellow, daisylike flowers in late summer to fall. Flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators. Basal leaves generally dry up and disappear by flowering time but leaves toward the top of stems remain. This species is primarily clump-forming and does not spread invasively as do some of the other goldenrods.
Cockspur Hawthorn
(Crataegus crus-galli)
The best "armed" of all our hawthorns, with two-inch long thorns! They are very ornamental. A small tree developing a flattened crown with long layered branches. Clusters of white flowers bloom in May and are followed by deep red berries that persist into winter.
Columbine
(Aquilegia canadensis)
Lots of red and yellow nodding flowers for many weeks in spring. A great source of early nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds. Found naturally on rocky ledges and wooded rocky slopes.
Common milkweed
(Asclepias syriaca)
Tall stems with large, light green leaves that are almost stalkless. The summer flowers are a magnet for pollinators of all types. Large, round heads of pinkish-purple, strangely fragrant flowers are held at the tips of the stems. The beauty of the flowers and the incredible activity they generate are captivating. Large seed pods, which form in late summer, disperse fluffy seeds that float through the air in fall. Common milkweed can be a nuisance since it self-seeds prolifically. It is a larval host for the monarch butterfly.
Compass Plant
(Silphium laciniatum)
A tall sturdy plant with large, deeply cut basal leaves that look like huge pinoak leaves. Large, yellow sunflower-like flowers bloom in loose spikes in summer on stiff stems to 9 ft. tall. This plant adds form and texture to the landscape and is a Plants of Merit winner.
Copper Iris
(Iris fulva)
Beardless, crestless deep copper flowers bloom in late spring. Bright green, sword-shaped leaves remain attractive all thorugh the growing season. Flowers attract hummingbirds.
Corkwood
(Leitneria floridana)
An extremely rare suckering shrub found in the bootheel of Missouri-unusual! The longer you get to know this plant, the more you'll appreciate it. Showy catkins(flowers) appear in early spring followed by simple, thick, dark, shiny green leaves with heavy vein patterns. Fall color is yellow with interesting chartreuse, long oval-shaped fruit held close to the stems. Interesting bark has showy lighter colored lenticels (small 'spots'). Extremely light wood hence the name, is less dense than cork. Separate male & female plants. Difficult to find in the trade.
Cream Wild Indigo
(Baptisia bracteata)
Large heads of creamy yellow flowers on drooping stems in late spring give a spectacular show that really stands our from other more upright native plants. Attractive seed pods are fat, black, and finely hairy with pointed tips, up to 2" long.
Crested Iris
(Iris cristata)
Clouds of pretty blue flowers float just above the foliage for two weeks in April or May. Unlike many iris, the foliage is handsome all through the summer.
Cross Vine
(Bignonia capreolata)
A semievergreen, clinging, woody vine that attaches by tendrils and small disks. Will climb trees, adhere to wood and masonry structures or trail along the ground. The leaves are not dense and do not make a solid cover like many vines unless provided with sufficient sun. Clusters of sweetly scented, showy, orange-red, tubular flowers with yellow throats bloom April-June for several weeks. Dark green leaves turn red-purple in winter.
Culver's Root
(Veronicastrum virginicum)
Very distinguished, 6 in. long candlelike spikes of pinkish white flowers bloom on upright plants. Flowers bloom for four to six weeks in late summer. Good cut flower.
Cup Plant
(Silphium perfoliatum)
This plant is distinguished from other Silphiums by its square stems and pairs of cup-forming leaves that hold water after a rain. Soft yellow flowers grow 3 in. in diameter with darker yellow center disks. Plants bloom in summer at the top of stout stems.
Deciduous Holly
(Ilex decidua)
A shrub or small tree producing white flowers in late spring and early summer followed by orange or red berries on female plants. Fruiting requires pollination from a male plant. The berries perist through winter and are an important food source for birds. Bluebirds especially like the fruit. Adaptable to soil but prefers well-drained soil with average moisture.
Devil's Claw
(Proboscidea louisianica)
An unusual annual plant with edible fruit. Flowers are long white-yellowish and mottled with purple, they are almost orchid-like, with long curving beaks. The seedpods can be picked young and pickled (like okra and cucumbers), the pods are 1" thick and 4-6" long and are also great in dried flower arrangements. Leaves are 4-12" wide, large, rounded leaves with a slight point on the tip. A very bold & sriking foliage plant.
Downy Hawthorn
(Crataegus mollis)
An attractive, small native tree with a rounded habit. Showy white 1" flowers in clusters in late April-early May. One of the earliest hawthorns to flower. These, as well as other native hawthorn flowers represent the Missouri state flower. Blossoms are followed by showy, round, red (1/2 -1") fruits in late Aug.-Sept. which fall soon after. Crataegus is Greek for 'flowering thorn', and this beauty is somewhat variable in thorniness. Some are almost thornless. When present, the thorns are 2" long and slender. Bark is grayer than most hawthorns, and deeply fissured. Leaves are medium green and quite downy above and especially below, along the margins.Fall color is yellow to burgundy. One of the most commonly planted species of hawthorn in Missouri.
Downy Phlox
(Phlox pilosa ssp. Ozarkana)
Loose clusters of fragrant, long blooming pink to purple flowers that flower in late spring. Good source of nectar for butterflies. Spread slowly by undergournd stems to form large colonies. This species has escellent resistance to powdery mildew. Companion plants: Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), Wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium), Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Downy Skullcap
(Scutellaria incana)
Large heads of tubular, double-lipped purplish blue flowers bloom mid to late summer. The lower lip has a showy white center and is divided into three lobes, the upper lip is a 'hood'. Held on top of large, square stemmed flower stalks. Leaves are toothed and about six inches long, covered with fine hairs.
Dutchman's Pipe-vine
(Aristolochia tomentosa)
A high-growing woody vine that climbs by twisitng its trunk around a sturdy support, such as a tree. Strongly curved, green-yellow, pipe-shaped flowers bloom May-June. Dark green, heart-shaped leaves grow up to 15 in. long and wide. Young stems and lower surface of leaves are covered with dense white hairs. Interesting brown fruit capsules form in September.
Eastern Blazing Star
(Liatris scariosa)
Shaggy, intensely colored, pink-purple rounded flower heads line tall flower spikes in August and September. Butterflies flock to the flowers for nectar.
Eastern Gama Grass
(Tripsacum dactyloides)
A robust, clump-forming, warm season grass with coarse, arching, narrow, gray-green leaf blades. Orange and purple flower spikes grow 10 in. long and arch above the foliage from May to September. Naturalizes by creeping rhizomes and self-seeding.
Eastern Red Cedar
(Juniperus virginiana)
An upright evergreen with scale-like leaves that have a distinct fragrance when crushed or brushed. Plants are usually densely pyramidal when young and become somewhat pendulous with age. Small berrylike cones form in late summer. These blue fruits are about 1/8 in. across and very attractive. Birds love the fruit and nest in the tree year round.
Eastern Redbud
(Cercis canadensis)
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.
Elderberry
(Sambucus canadensis)
This thicket forming shrub shrub with bright green leaves has large, flat showy clusters of white, fragrant flowers in spring. The flowers are followed by clusters of dark purple to black, berrylike fruits in late summer and fall. The fruit is attractive to birds and mammals and may be used to make jelliy, pie and wine.
False Rue Anemone
(Isopyrum biternatum)
A delicate looking but tough woodland plant that forms large colonies that flower in spring from March-May. Simple five-petalled white flowers rise above basal leaves that resemble columbine leaves. Leaves persist well through the season if sufficient moisture is present.
Fire Pink
(Silene virginica)
Deep red flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds in April and May. A colony of these richly colored flowers is stunning. Fire Pink does not survive well with competition. It is native to mossy rocks in woodlands. Fire Pink looks similar to Royal Catchfly (Silene regia) except it blooms earlier in the season and is shorter.
Flameleaf Sumac
(Rhus copallina)
One of the best sumacs! A large colonizing shrub, best in open areas where it can naturalize. Foliage is dark green, shiny and has 9-21 leaflets with 'wings' between the leaflets. Fall color is impressive, rich red. The 8"x4" flowers are also attractive, greenish yellow in summer. The fruit is crimson-red when it ripens in October. It is important winter food for birds and wildlife.
Flowering Dogwood
(Cornus florida)
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.
Foxglove Beard Tongue
(Penstemon digitalis)
A profusion of tubular white flowers on strong stems in May and June provide nectar for hummingbirds. This handsome plant has attractive seed heads and foliage that turns reddish in fall.
Fragrant Sumac
(Rhus aromatica)
Low, irregular spreading shrub with lower branches that grow horizontally then turn up at the tips. Tends to sucker and root along stems that touch the soil, forming a dense stand. Yellow-green flowers appear before leaves emerge. Clusters of fuzzy red fruit form on female plants August-September and may persist into winter. Many birds and mammals feed on the fruit. Leaves turn bright red-purple in fall.
Fremont's Leather Flower
(Clematis fremontii)
A non-climbing clematis with a shrubby form. Erect stems have leathery green leaves that form dense clumps over time. Foliage is topped with purple to white, bell-shaped flowers May-June. Each flower nods at the end of its own slender stalk. Flowers give way to attractive seed heads.
Fringed Poppy Mallow
(Callirhoe digitata)
Gorgeous 2" magenta flowers with fringed petals, blooms on sprawling stems from mid spring to September. Plant so stems can grow up shrubs or perennials that bloom early to extend the flowering season. Foliage is blueish green deeply dwilded lobes. Stems have a whitish coating that can be rubbed off.
Fringetree
(Chionanthus virginicus)
Shimmering, white frothy flowers blanket this shrub/small tree in May or June. Small, round, bluish olive-like fruit form on female trees in fall and are eaten by many types of birds. Leaves often turn bright yellow in fall. This beauty is a Plants of Merit winner.
Frost Aster
(Aster pilosus)
Late displays of small, white flowers, with yellow centers, on branched stems. Often with a purplish flower rather than the normal white. The flowering branches have a soft, hairy covering. This is a great plant for a big display, if you have the space, and pollinating insects love it. Also known as frost aster, as it provides a good display late in autumn, after several frosts.
Garden Phlox
(Phlox paniculata)
Large heads of fragrant magenta flowers can grow 8 in. across. They are very showy in the landscape when grown in moist soil. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and are good cut flowers.
Glade Coneflower
(Echinacea simulata)
Slender, gracefull flowering stems hold the flowerheads above the tidy clumps of strappy basal foliage. Long lavender pink petals droop from the brown cones, flowers in June and July. Different from the Pale Coneflower in that the Glade Coneflower has orange pollen and the Pale has yellow pollen. Both are sun and drought tolerant.
Goat's Beard
(Aruncus dioicus)
Large wands of frothy, creamy white flowers in June. Tiny brown seed capsules dry and stay on females plants after flowering is finished. Foliage is similar to astilbe but growth habit is shrub like.
Golden Alexander
(Zizia aptera)
The thick, glossy semi-evergreen foliage looks a little like Lenten Rose and provides nice contrast to other native plants. Small yellow flowers in flat heads bloom May-June. The flowers are nice for fresh or dried arrangements. This member of the carrot family is a host plant for the black swallowtail butterfly.
Golden Currant
(Ribes odoratum)
A thornless, loosely-branched, arching shrub with blue-green lobed leaves turning dull yellow in fall. In spring, golden yellow flowers appear and emit a strong, clove-like fragrance. Birds and small animals eat the black, round, berries formed June-August.
Golden Ragwort
(Senecio aureus)
A good semi-evergreen ground cover for moist shady locations. The flat-topped clusters of yellow, daisylike flowers open at the top of sparsely leaved, 12 to 24 in. stems in early spring. Plants spread rapidly and may be aggressive.
Goldie's Fern
(Goldiana goldiana)
A large and vigorous fern with broad fronds up to 3 feet long, bright green in color with scaly, light brown bases. As the fiddlehead (crosiers) unfurl, the scales and fronds are very attractive. A deciduous fern.
Gray Dogwood
(Cornus racemosa)
Dome-shaped clusters of small white flowers May-July give way to clusters of small white berries on short red stalks. Distinctive red flower stems contrast with the white berries. Young branches and twigs are brown to red; older branches are gray. Green leaves turn dusky burgundy in fall. Handsome in fall and winter. A thicket forming shrub that will produce large colonies.
Gray Goldenrod
(Solidago nemoralis)
Arching to upright stems with grayish hairs on stems and leaves give the plant its common name. Heads of densely packed, small yellow flowers are clustered at the ends of stems in late summer.
Gray-head Coneflower
(Ratibida pinnata)
Large yellow flowers with drooping petals surround a brown seed head. Plants bloom profusely all summer. Birds eat the seed if old flowers are left on the plant. Tends to self-seed and spread but looks great in masses. Good for erosion control.
Green Hawthorn
(Crataegus viridis)
Clusters of white flowers in mid-May. Lustrous, medium green foliage turns purple or scarlet in fall. Bright red, persistent fruit color in September. The bark of older trunks often exfoliates to expose an orangish-brown inner bark. Minimal thorns.
Hackberry
(Celtis occidentalis)
A reliable all-purpose shade tree which is pyramidal 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, round, orange-red or purple fleshy fruit that forms September-October.
Heath Aster
(Aster ericoides)
Beautiful, compact plant, which literally is covered in tiny, white flowers in autumn. Its blossoms resemble those of the heath plants of the British moors.This aster is perfectly suited to our climate and spreads by rhizomes to form strong, tight bushes of small leaves.Clumps can get large, especially in good soil.
Indian Cherry
(Rhamnus caroliniana)
Handsome shrub or small tree with dark green leaves and beautiful, sweet, round fruit that turns from red to black. Fruit ripens from August-October. Fall foliage is yellow to orange-yellow and sometimes lasts into winter.
Indian Grass
(Sorghastrum nutans)
Upright clumps, 24-36" tall, of slender, blue-green leaves turn golden yellow in fall. Stiff, vertical flowering stems, topped with 12" long, narrow, light brown flower panicles with yellow stamens, rise well above the foliage in late summer.
Indian Paintbrush
(Castilleja coccinea)
Unmistakeable clusters of red flowers top the 'brushes' of this annual native in spring and summer. The color is actually leafy bracts which last longer than flower petals.
Indian pink
(Spigelia marilandica)
Indian Pink is quietly spectacular, growing in naturally open wood edges and along streams. This perennial is easy to grow and is rated as a "Top 10 Hummingbird Plant". Foliage is glossy green all season. Flowers in late spring to summer with dazzling displays of upright bright crimson tubular flowers that have yellow throats that look like cream-colored stars as they open.
Interrupted Fern
(Osmunda claytoniana)
A quite majestic fern, growing up to 4 feet tall with a graceful vase-shaped habit. It resembles the cinnamon fern except in the way each frond is 'interrupted' in the middle by the fertile area (sporangia) which are greenish-brown and much smaller than the green leaf blades (pinnae) above and below this section. It also has a distinctive yellow or golden-brown fall color. A definite 'conversation' plant!middle by the fertile area (sporangia) which are greenish-brown and much smaller than the green leaf blades (pinnae) above and below this section. It also has a distinctive yellow or golden-brown fall color. A definite 'conversation' plant!
Ironweed
(Vernonia fasciculata)
Large, irridescent, red-violet, flat-topped flower heads on top of tall, strong stalks from mid-summer to fall give a rich display of color. Dark-green, lance-shaped leaves.
Jacob's Ladder
(Polemonium reptans)
Very pretty light blue, bell-shaped flowers in loose clusters appear on sprawling, weak stems in mid- to late spring. The foliage looks fresh and green all through the growing season.
Joe Pye Weed
(Eupatorium purpureum)
Large round heads of vanilla-scented, rosy pink flowers bloom in late summer. Butterflies flock to the flowers. Whorled leaves scale tall sturdy stems making the plant attractive in the landscape even when it is not blooming.
Kentucky Coffeetree
(Gymnocladus dioicus)
Medium to large trees with real character! Upright crown with heavy branches forms picturesque outlines. Tolerant and adaptable to a wide variety of sites, this native tree is a winner. Select male trees if seed pods are not desired. Name was given to this tree because its seed was ground as a coffee substitute for settlers to Kentucky.
Lady Fern
(Athyrium filix-femina)
Bright green, lacy fronds arise gracefully from creeping rhizomes. The newly emerging fronds are beautiful in the spring. Clumps are dense and upright. Vigorous and easy to grow.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
(Coreopsis lanceolata)
Showy, deep yellow flowers on tall stems in May and June. Plants outgrow weeds and hold the soil.
Lead Plant
(Amorpha canescens)
Grows like an herbaceous perennial but takes on shrublike characteristics as it matures. Tight spikes of iridescent purple and orange flowers appear from May-August. Silver-green compound foliage is quite handsome.
Leatherwood
(Dirca palustris)
Leatherwood is a woodland shrub grown horticulturally for hundreds of years as a collector's plant. Palustris means 'growing in a swamp'. This plant is very adaptable to wet soils and woodland-type shade. Small yellow flowers are produced in March & April just before the leaves emerge.The fruit ripens in May and June. Birds love them, so they are gone quick! Leaves are shiny green and a little fuzzy underneath, and are held alternately on the greenish-yellow stems. Some people are allergic to the bark.
Lemon Horsemint
(Monarda citriodora)
This annual plant has candleabra-like white to pinkish-lavender flowerheads in late spring to mid-summer. Leaves are broad at the base of the plants and often in circles (whorls) higher up on the stem. Stems are square in cross section, typical of the mint family. Leaves and stems exude a pleasant citrus-mint fragrance.
Little Bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium)
A small, non-spreading, clump-forming grass with blue-green leaves that turn reddish orange in the fall. Fluffy silver seed heads are ornamental through winter.
Littlehip hawthorn
(Crataegus spathulata)
Very attractive small tree. Leaves are smaller than other Hawthorns and spoon-shaped. Beautiful exfoliating (peeling) bark is gray,orange and brown. Typical clusters of white flowers produce relatively small red fruit that are very showy. Useful small tree that will feed birds & small mammals & provide cover for nesting.
Lizard's Tail
(Saururus cernuus)
Heart-shaped leaves on vertical stems give rise to creamy white flower spikes with drooping tips. The flower spikes are 6 to 8 in. long. When the flowers go to seed the curving spike is covered with grayish nutlets that look similar to a lizard's tail. All parts of the plant smell like citrus.
Marsh Milkweed
(Asclepias incarnata)
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 swamps and wet meadows but also grows well in the garden.
Maximilian Sunflower
(Helianthus maximilianii)
A large and imposing sunflower with tall densely white-hairy stems that produce gray-green drooping leaves up to 12" long and only 2" wide. Typical sunflower like flowers grow 4" wide in clusters at the top of the stems. 10-25 yellow petals surrounding a yellow disc are produced midsummer to fall.
Mayapple
(Podophyllum peltatum)
Umbrellas in the shade garden is a good way to describe this plant. Pairs of large notched leaves, up to 1' wide, are held on 12-18" stalks. Beautifully simple creamy white single flowers dangle under its leaves in spring, a delight to see! The 'apples' which are the seed bodies, form in May. All plant parts are poisonous. A great ground cover plant. Will go dormant in dry situations and in summer. Spreads by runners.
Meadow Phlox
(Phlox maculata)
Mauve-pink flower heads on top of sturdy stems with thick, glossy leaves. The stems are somewhat hairy and sometimes have red mottling. Meadow Phlox blooms earlier than Tall Phlox (Phlox paniculata), has darker green leaves and better mildew resistance. Flowers are fragrant and attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Missouri Black-eyed Susan
(Rudbeckia missouriensis)
Daisylike flowers with yellow petals and black center disks on branched stems. The narrow green leaves are conspicuously hairy. Blooms for many weeks in July and August and is a good cut flower.
Missouri Gooseberry
(Ribes missouriense)
A thorny shrub with multiple trunks and arching branches. Clusters of drooping white flowers April-May. Edible, smooth, purple berries form June through September.
Missouri Primrose
(Oenothera macrocarpa)
A showy, trailing plant with large, yellow, fragrant flowers up to 4 inches across. Plants bloom for a long period from spring through summer.
Mist Flower
(Eupatorium coelestinum)
Our native and perennial version of the annual ageratum of gardens! The flat-topped flower heads have tufty, dense clusters of bright blue-violet flowers. A good show of color from mid summer to early fall. Plants will spread rapidly and aggressively in garden soil.
Nannyberry viburnum
(Viburnum lentago)
A shrub or small tree that flowers in late spring with round topped clusters of creamy-white flowers. The deep blue fruit clusters with whitish coating ripen in late fall. Fruit is glossy when white coating wears off. the oval leaves that come to an abrupt point are soft yellow green turning dark glossy green in summer. Often turns purplish-red in fall. Bark on the trunk is gray to reddish-brown with thin, square plates. The branch bark is gray and smooth except for the raised lenticels (pores, 'spots'). Classified as endangered in Missouri, possibly due to Missouri being on the southern edge of its range. It is more common in states to our north. Important food plant for wildlife in the winter.
Narrow-leaved Glade Fern
(Diplazium pyncocarpum)
A graceful fern for wet areas, forms a clump of fronds which may creep slowly, not a vigorous grower. The fronds are 12"-28" long and 3-10" wide with green stems that are smooth or sparsely hairy, dark, and slightly scaly at their base.
New England Aster
(Aster novae-angliae)
This tall aster produces hundreds of large purple or pinkish flowers with yellow centers in Sept. and Oct. The flowers are a favorite nectar source for migrating monarch butterflies.
New Jersey Tea
(Ceanothus americanus)
A low-growing, compact shrub that's excellent for hot, dry sites. Billows of delicate white flowers form at the end of young branches in May and June. Clusters of small black fruit form in July and August.
Ninebark
(Physocarpus opulifolius)
Clusters of white to pinkish flowers resembling spirea bloom May-June. Birds eat the seed formed in reddish drooping fruit clusters in fall. The bark provides winter interest as it peels away in strips to reveal layers of reddish to light brown inner bark on mature stems. This handsome shrub is a Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit winner.
Northern Sea Oats
(Chasmanthium latifolium)
Upright clumps of bamboolike foliage. Green leaves turn copper in fall and brown in winter. Attractive flat flower spikes hand down from stems. Prefers light shade and damp soil. Can self-sow prolifically.
Ohio Buckeye
(Aesculus glabra)
Large spikes of green-yellow flowers in spring bloom at the same time the bright green leaves unfurl. This is one of the first trees to leaf out and also one of the first to lose its leaves in the fall. Summer leaf color is dark green and fall color is often orange-red. A leathery, spiny fruit capsule splits open to expose the familiar, shiny brown, rounded seed in fall.
Ohio Spiderwort
(Tradescantia ohiensis)
Clusters of blue, one-inch flowers from late May to early July. Can self-seed and become somewhat invasive in ideal growing conditions. Dark, blue-green, arching, grasslike leaves grow in clumps.
Orange Coneflower
(Rudbeckia fulgida)
Yellow petals surround a brown-purple central seed head. Plants bloom from July-September and are good cut flowers. Plants form large clumps after several years, especially in rich loose soil, but are not invasive.
Ostrich Fern
(Matteucia struthiopteris)
Tall fronds unfurl in late April-early May, giving a wonderful canopy of contrast to blooming ephemerals.This large yet elegant vase-shaped fern is very popular & often planted in open shade gardens. The long arching light-medium green leaves are slender at their bases and widen dramatically before their tips, thus its namesake. Spreads widely by underground runners. A deciduous(non-evergreen) fern.
Overcup Oak
(Quercus lyrata)
Overcup oak has large, dark green, lobed leaves that are almost white underneath. Fall color is rich yellow-brown to brown and the leaves fall much earlier than other oaks. The acorns are almost completely hidden by the cap ("cup"). Similar bark to the White Oak, gray and fissured. One of the most flood tolerant oaks. New root pruning & fertilization techniques in nursery production have made oaks easier to transplant and have given them faster growth rates.
Ox-eye Sunflower
(Heliopsis helianthoides)
Golden yellow daisylike flowers bloom for many weeks in summer. The flowers attract butterflies. Song birds enjoy the seed. Good cut flower.
Pagoda Dogwood
(Cornus alternifolia)
Spreading, horizontal, low-branched tree with great horizontal habit. Flat-topped clusters of fragrant, yellowish white flowers in May or June are followed by handsome blue-black berries on red stems. Burgundy foliage in fall. Good alternative to cold-sensitive Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) in northern areas.
Pale Purple Coneflower
(Echinacea pallida)
Tall bare stems are topped lavender pink flowers with cone-shaped brown seed heads June-July. Good fresh cut flower or dried flower. Songbirds eat the seed if old flower heads are not removed.
Parsley Hawthorn
(Crataegus marshallii)
A very ornamental hawthorn, perhaps with the most interesting foliage of all. The common name describes the parsley-like foliage, ruffled and deeply dissect. Pleasant white flowers in spring and beautiful small, oblong bright red berries. Attractive tree with lots of wildlife benefits.
Partridge Pea
(Cassia fasciculata)
A showy annual legume (member of the Bean Family) with beautiful featherlike leaves and simple bright yellow flowers all summer and into fall. The fruit is a small flat pod 1-2 1/2 inches long turning from green to brown when mature. Seeds are eaten by quail and many other birds. Often found in disturbed areas. Grows well on poor ground.
Passion Flower
(Passiflora incarnata)
An exotic flowering vine native to southern Missouri. Climbs by tendrils. The intricately fringed flowers, produced from mid summer to early fall are purplish blue with pink and white parts. Each flower is up to three inches across. The leaves are dark green and deeply lobed. The fruit is egg-shaped, up to 2" long, yellow when ripe, and is edible, having a sweet pulp similar to citrus.
Pasture Rose
(Rosa carolina)
Fragrant, single pink flowers 2 in. across May-June. Does not repeat bloom. Red rose hips in August. Prickly stems and smooth dark green foliage turn reddish in fall. Usually forms a loose groundcover at least twice as wide as tall. Often spreads by suckers to form colonies or thickets in the wild.
Pawpaw
(Asminia triloba)
Multistemmed shrub or small tree with tropical-looking, 6-12" long leaves. Edible, 2-5" yellowish fruit is relished by many birds and small mammals. Plant is larval food of Zebra Swallowtail butterfly. Spreads slowly to form small colonies or thickets.
Pecan
(Carya illinoensis)
A tall straight tree with a symmetrical, broadly oval growth habit. Leaves are yellow-green in summer, eventually turning yellow-brown in fall. Non-showy female flowers are followed by sweet, edible nuts. The nuts are surrounded by a thin brown husk.
Persimmon
(Diospyros virginiana)
October frosts signal the beginning of persimmon season. Persimmon fruit needs frost to ripen. When ripe, they turn orange and taste soemething like an apricot. Trees tend to sucker and form thickets but can be kept in check by mowing.
Pickerel Plant
(Pontederia cordata)
The blue-violet flower spikes of this hardy water plant stand out vividly at the edge of a pond or in a small pool. Plants bloom from June through October. Large stands are very showy. Glossy green lance-shaped leaves grow vertically out of the water.
Pin Oak
(Quercus palustris)
Strongly pyramidal tree with pedulous lower branches. Glossy dark green leaves change to bronze or red in the fall. Dried, brown leaves remain on tree for much of the winter. Light brown acorns form in the fall and provide food for a wide range of animals.
Plains Coreopsis
(Coreopsis tinctoria)
A bright annual that flowers from June to Sept. Lots of very showy yellow flowers with red centers are produced on fairly large branched plants. Central disk is brown. Flowers are usually 1" across. Leaves are deeply divided into narrow leaflets and about 4"long.
Prairie Beard Tongue
(Penstemon tubaeflorus)
Refined spires of tubular white flowers arranged in 'rings', or tight clusters in tiers around the strong, slender stems. Blooms from mid spring to mid summer.The main leaves are well below the flowers. Similar to the Foxglove Beard Tongue, but flower clusters are more narrow.
Prairie Blazing Star
(Liatris pycnostachya)
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.
Prairie Coreopsis
(Coreopsis palmata)
Features soft yellow, daisy-like flowers with flat yellow centers on top of stiff upright stems. Plants bloom from late spring to mid-summer. Spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding.
Prairie Dock
(Silphium terebinthinaceum)
A robust perennial with big bold basal leaves and tall stems which bear round sunflower-like yellow flowers in late summer. The foliage grows 24-36 in. tall, the flower stalks may reach 8 ft. or more. Seedheads attract finches and other songbirds. The foliage and flowers are excellent in flower arrangements.
Prairie Dropseed
(Sporobolus heterolepis)
Very thin, emerald green leaves form a dense arching tuft. Seed heads form in August and give off a distinct aroma. These graceful clumps turn yellow or deep orange in fall. Provides food and cover for wildlife. A 2005 Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit winner.
Prairie Ragwort
(Senecio plattensis)
Bright yellow daisy-like flowers in flat-topped clusters from mid-spring to early summer. Leaves grow fairly low to the ground and often have white cobweb-like hairs on them giving a grayish appearance.
Prairie Willow
(Salix humilis)
Fuzzy flowers open March-May, before leaves emerge. The gray-green leaves are 3/4 in. wide and up to 4 in. long on wandlike branches. Unlike many other moisture-loving willows, this one prefers drier ground. Rabbits and deer eat twigs, leaves and shoots. Bees use the nectar to produce high quality honey. Dense thickets provide good wildlife cover.
Prickly Pear
(Opuntia humifusa (compressa))
A winter hardy, clump-forming, Missouri native cactus. The round-to-oval, flattened, succulent green pads are not leaves but swollen water-storing stem segments. Pads have a few needle-like spines and are covered with numerous tufts of bristles. Showy, bright yellow 2-3 in. flowers with a reddish eye bloom in June and July. Pulpy red fruits ripen in late summer and are edible, most often being used to make candies and jams.
Purple Beard Tongue
(Penstemon cobaea)
Show-stopping spikes of loosely spaced white to violet to deep purple, 2 in. long tubular flowers atop erect stems. Flowers bloom in June and are larger than other penstemon flowers.
Purple Coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea)
Lots of rosy purple flowers with non-drooping petals around a brown cone-shaped seed head.
Purple Poppy Mallow
(Callirhoe involucrata)
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 Plants of Merit winner.
Purple Prairie Clover
(Dalea purpurea)
Lots of conelike heads of purple flowers dance on top of wiry stems in summer. Small dark leaves give the plant a ferny appearance. This nitrogen-fixer is an important component of Midwestern prairies.
Queen of the Prairie
(Filipendula rubra)
A regal beauty with huge showy flowerheads of deep pink sway on strong stems, three to seven feet tall. Blooms in mid summer over dark green, deeply divided foliage-what a sight! Spent flowerheads are also attractive.
Rattlesnake Master
(Eryngium yuccifolium)
Sword-shaped, medium green leaves are topped by clusters of round heads of greenish white flowers resembling thistles. This very distinctive plant is an interesting cut flower and was once used to treat rattlesnake bites.
Red Maple
(Acer rubrum)
Excellent specimen or shade tree for large areas. Habit is pyramidal when young then develops irregularly rounded crown. One of the first trees to color in fall, leaves may be bright yellow, flaming orange or red. Medium to fast growth rate.
Red oak
(Quercus rubra)
A large, statuesque shade tree, long lived with a relatively fast growth rate and good habit. Young leaves are a reddish color as they unfurl.Mature leaves are shiny dark green,deeply lobed and each lobe comes to a distinct point. Fall color is russet-red to bright red. New root pruning & fertilization techniques in nursery production have made oaks easier to transplant and have given them faster growth rates.
River Birch
(Betula nigra)
A vigorous, fast-growing tree with beautiful, exfoliating, multi-colored bark. Can be grown as a single trunk, pyramidal tree or as a multi-stemmed plant. Fall leaf color is yellow.
Rose Mallow
(Hibiscus lasiocarpos)
White or pink flowers with red centers grow 4 to 5 in. across. Flowers open for many weeks in mid-summer. Large fuzzy leaves and a shrublike form give this plant substantial bulk in the landscape. Plants generally break dormancy late in spring so be patient.
Rose Turtlehead
(Chelone obliqua)
Dense spikes of rose-pink flowers are a welcome sight in late summer and early fall. Deep green foliage is handsome all season long.
Rose Verbena
(Glandularia canadensis)
Roseshell Azalea
(Rhododendron prinophyllum (roseum))
A deciduous shrub with many branches and bright pink, funnel-shaped flowers. Flowers bloom in May and have a distinct, clovelike fragrance. Very hardy and more tolerant of high pH than other azaelas. Deer, grouse and several small mammals feed on various parts of the plant.
Rosinweed
(Silphium integrifolium)
Clusters of rounded yellow flowers bloom at the top of stout stems July -August. This is the shortest of all the Silphiums and have textured green leaves that feel like sandpaper. Birds enjoy the seed.
Rough Blazing Star
(Liatris aspera)
Tall stalks of rounded, fluffy, deep rosy purple flowers bloom in September. Most of the flowers open at the same time making it a good cut flower. Butterflies love the nectar. This is one of the last Liatris species to bloom.
Roughleaf Dogwood
(Cornus drummondii)
This tree can be trained (as any good dog can be!) into a nice specimen small tree, or left as a multi-stemmed shrub. Very tough and resilient! Flat clusters of tiny white flowers are blooming by late spring. The foliage is a medium green and rough to the touch, turning a beautiful burgundy in early fall. The summer fruit is white and persists well into winter.
Royal Catchfly
(Silene regia)
Brilliant red, 2 in. flowers bloom June-August providing nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds. The sticky flowers trap small insects, giving the plant its common name. This plant is similar to Fire Pink (Silene virginica) except Royal Catchfly is taller and blooms later in the season. Unlike Fire Pink, Royal Catchfly prefers being planted in a prepared bed with companions. It does best with companion plants like Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, or Missouri Black-eyed Susans to help support it. It naturally occurs on savannahs. A relatively short-lived plant that will self-sow.
Royal Fern
(Osmunda regalis)
A large graceful fern with smooth textured, pale green, 2-3 feet long, divided fronds that change to a brilliant yellow in autumn. A 'regal', stiffly erect habit forms huge clumps when mature.
Rusty Blackhaw
(Viburnum rufidulum)
A deciduous shrub with glossy green, leathery leaves, which can be grown as a shrub or pruned as a small tree. Showy flat clusters of white flowers adorn the plant April-May. Drooping clusters of of blue-black fruit with red stems form in September. Many types of birds and mammals eat the fruit. Leaves turn rich burgundy in fall.
Sand Phlox
(Phlox bifida)
Beautiful pale purple, star-like flowers in spring adorn this low-spreading native that grows in dry areas with shade or sun. Each flower petal has a V-shaped notch on its edge, giving a fringed appearance. Short, pale green, thread-like leaves form thick mats.
Sassafras
(Sassafras albidum)
A medium-sized tree with all-season interest. Clusters of small yellow flowers can almost cover the tree in early spring. The fragrant mitten-shaped leaves are bright green and and occur as left and right handed models! In the fall, colors range from deep orange to scarlet and purple and are hard to beat! Winter interest is the candlelabra-like branching and dark corky bark. Grows naturally as a suckering colony. Host plant for many moths and butterflies.
Sedum
(Sedum ternatum)
Pure white, starlike flowers smother this little sedum for a few weeks every spring. The small green fleshy laves are arranged in whorls of three around the stem. The foliage is often evergreen.
Sensitive Fern
(Onoclea sensibilis)
The name refers to the fact that this fern typically dies back after the first frost. An interesting fern with a broad, triangular overall leaf shape and deeply cut, wavy margins that are smooth (not toothed). The leaf stem is winged and the fronds are upright to arched in habit.
Serviceberry
(Amelanchier arborea)
Tall shrub or small tree bearing clusters of fragrant white flowers in April. 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.
Shagbark hickory
(Carya ovata)
A large tree of great character.The gray to brown bark peels off in thin sections, curling at the ends while staying attached in the middle. The trunks are usually straight, the foliage has 5 leaflets and is deep yellow green casting a beautiful light onto the peeling bark. Fall color is rich yellow and golden brown tones. Produces large, edible hickory nuts.
Sharp-lobed hepatica
(Hepatica acutiloba)
This tough woodland wildflower blooms early (Feb.-April). The long stalks push through last years' foliage to bear 6-10 delicate petals that vary from white to bluish to pink. The yellow stamens form a dome over the petals. After the petals drop the 3-lobed, thick leaves appear. The common name of Liverleaf comes from the liver-like appearance of them. The leaves persist throughout winter.
Shingle oak
(Quercus imbricaria)
The leaves of the this oak are fairly long and narrow and do not have lobes as is typical of the oaks. A relatively fast growing tree with dark green leaves turning gorgeous russet brown and yellow tones in fall. Holds its leaves in winter especially if hit by a hard freeze while still green. Bark is gray-brown with broad, low ridges.Could be the longest lived oad when planted in ornamental conditions. New root pruning & fertilization techniques in nursery production have made oaks easier to transplant and have given them faster growth rates.
Shining Blue Star
(Amsonia illustris)
Rounded spikes of starry, sky blue flowers emerge in spring and last for several weeks. Deep green willowlike leaves turn bright gold in the fall. The plant takes on a substantial rounded form in the garden. Swallowtail butterflies love the nectar.
Shooting Star
(Dodecatheon meadia)
Clusters of white to rose flowers with recurved petals nod on leafless stems in spring. Very compact plants with nice foliage. This plant is a spring ephemeral, meaning the foliage goes dormant in summer.
Showy Goldenrod
(Solidago speciosa)
Very showy clusters of bright yellow flowers on stiff reddish stems with narrow leaves. Clump forming plants bloom in late summer and early fall.
Shrubby St. John's Wort
(Hypericum prolificum)
A dense little shrub with stiff erect stems and blue-green leaves. Very showy, bright yellow 1 in. flowers from June-September. Brown seed pods form in September and remain on the plant all winter. Seed pods can be used in dried floral arrangements. Older gray bark peels back to expose a pale orange interior.
Shumard oak
(Quercus shumardii)
Shumard oak can be considered the southern counterpart to the Northern Red oak. It's a huge bottomland tree. The leaves are glossy deep green,deeply lobed, have pointed tips and usually show good red fall color. Among the first of the oaks to change color each year. The smooth bark is striped.
Sideoats Grama
(Bouteloua curtipendula)
Small reddish orange flowers dangle along one side of slender stems. Narrow leaves form small clumps and turn gold in autumn. Very drought tolerant.
Sky Blue Aster
(Aster oolentangiensis (azureus))
Dozens of blue flowers with yellow centers bloom in fall. The foliage is blue-green and stems are dark. Butterflies love the nectar.
Slender Mountain Mint
(Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (flexuosum))
A profusion of small white flowers bloom mid- to late summer. The flowers are an excellent source of nectar for butterflies. The narrow needlelike foliage is very aromatic and grows in a compact clump. Like many members of the mint family, Mountain Mint may be used in teas.
Smooth Aster
(Aster laevis)
Large, pyramidal heads of bright, sky-blue, flower clusters are held on strong stems in late summer/early fall. A fairly early-blooming aster. Foliage is very attractive, deep blue-green, forming basal clumps. A long-lived aster.
Smooth Sumac
(Rhus glabra)
Compound leaves are shiny dark green on top and almost white on the undersides. Compact clusters of dark red, velvety berries form August-September. The brilliant red fall foliage becomes a focal point in the landscape.
Solomon's Seal
(Polygonatum biflorum)
Small greenish white flowers hang down from arching stems in May. The flowers give way to blue berries later in summer and the foliage turns gold in fall. Plants spread slowly by creeping rhizomes and form handsome stands.
Southern Blue Flag
(Iris virginica var. shrevei)
This moisture-loving iris has fragrant, blue violet flowers with falls crested in yellow and white. Narrow, bright green leaves often lie on the ground or in water.
Southern Prairie Aster
(Aster paludosus)
A spectacular native aster. The two-inch wide flowers feature violet-blue petals with yellow centers held in large clusters on stems that are 2' tall. Not common in the wild, but well worth trying in your landscape. Blooms in late summer to fall, the pollinators love the late blooms.
Spicebush
(Lindera benzoin)
A broad, rounded multistemmed 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 small, brilliant red fruits formed on female plants. A 2005 Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit winner.
Spinulose shield fern
(Carhusiana carhusiana)
A fern with fairly broad and full fronds that are rather upright and semi-evergreeen. The frond stay green well into winter. Lower parts of the fronds are scaly and branched,giving a 'full' effect.
Spring Beauty
(Claytonia virginica)
This appropriately named little gem can be seen blooming statewide from Feb-May in open woods, suburban lawns, valleys and fields. The delicate, starry, 5-petalled pinkish-white flowers have pink veins and stamens. The flowers are loose, open clusters, and open about 5" above fleshy dark green, narrow, lance-shaped basal leaves. Will naturalize and form colonies over time, giving a soft, carpet-like effect. Entire plant goes dormant soon after it blooms. If planted in a lawn, let the leaves go dormant before mowing. Plants will seed freely, although their perennial characteristic is due to their roots, which are small rounded corms. The edible corms taste like water chestnuts.
Squaw-weed
(Senecio obovatus)
Loose umbels of yellow flowers are produced from early April through June on 12" stems. The semievergreen foliage is rounded and serrated along the edges. Plants spread slowly by underground stems. Grows well in dry shade.
Stiff Goldenrod
(Solidago rigida)
Bright, true yellow, flat-topped flowers bloom in late summer and early fall. The flowers provide nectar for butterflies and birds love the seed. This is a handsome, clump-forming goldenrod.
Strawberry Bush
(Euonymus americanus)
An obscure plant until September when the bumpy, scarlet fruit capsules open to show scarlet seeds. Grows as a loose, suckering, understory shrub.
Sugar maple
(Acer saccharum)
One of the finest of any trees for a large shade tree. Fall color is fabulous, the foliage is clean, the branches are strong and it is long lived. Typical maple leaves open after a spectacular display of the pale yellow haze of flowers in spring. The summer foliage color is a medium to dark green. Fall color ranges from bright yellow, burnt orange to red tones. Fruit is the typical maple 'helicopters' which mature in Sept./Oct.
Swamp chestnut oak
(Quercus michauxii)
So many oaks! This oak has leaves similar to a Chestnut tree. They are leathery with the underside covered in soft hairs. Lovely scarlet-red fall color. A large and fairly fast growing oak with scaly bark. Magnificent in old age! Large, sweet acorns loved by wildlife and livestock. Grows naturally in wet areas and can survive continous flooding. New root pruning & fertilization techniques in nursery production have made oaks easier to transplant and have given them faster growth rates.
Sweet Coneflower
(Rudbeckia subtomentosa)
A dazzling display of typical golden yellow flowers with dark brown dome-shaped centers in the middle of summer makes this plant a native superstar! Plants are long-lived and resilient. Flowers in late summer, between the seasons of many other flowers. Foliage is medium green in a tidy basal clump from which the strong, multiples of flowering stems arise.
Sweetgum
(Liquidambar styraciflua)
Deep green glossy leaves are shaped like starfish. Foliage can turn a medley of yellow, orange, purple and red on a single tree. Golfball-size brown fruit with sharp points form in fall.
Switch Grass
(Panicum virgatum)
A clump-forming, columnar, warm season grass that grows 3 ft. tall with flower heads rising 3 ft. above the foliage. Medium green leaves turn yellow, sometimes with orange tints, in autumn, fading to tan in winter. Foliage is topped in mid-summer by finely-textured, pink-tinged, branched flower heads. Flower heads turn beige in fall with the seed plumes persisting well into winter. Birds feed on the seed and plants provide cover for wildlife. Sometimes spreads by rhizomes and seed.
Sycamore
(Platanus occidentalis)
A big tree with large leaves that can grow 9 in. across. A mature tree develops a massive trunk with an open wide-spreading crown. The bark is especially beautiful in winter when large patches of creamy white inner bark are prominent.
Tall Coreopsis
(Coreopsis tripteris)
Large heads of typical bright yellow Tickseed flowers and held up tall on well branched upright plants 2 to 4' but potentially up to 8' in right conditions. A spectacular show from midsummer to early fall. The flowers are 1-2" wide with 6-10 petal like ray flowers with a brown center, the scent is anise. Leaves are deeply divided resembling the been family (Fabaceae) leaf viens have a similar arrangement to the rays of a birds feather. A great plant to use as a backdrop for smaller plants.
Tall Larkspur
(Delphinium exaltatum)
Stately spikes of purplish blue flowers on tall stems bloom in July and August. This first-rate plant brings real grace to any landscape. Handsome shallowly cut foliage forms a nice mound. Butterflies, bees and other pollinators visit the flowers. Excellent cut flower.
Trumpet Creeper
(Campsis radicans)
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. Pinnate leaves are lustrous dark green.
Tulip Poplar
(Lirondendron tulipifera)
A very large & fast growing shade tree. Probably not a good choice for small sites or confined areas. Pyramidal shape when young, round when mature and usually highly branched. Unusual maple-like leaves with the tip cut straight across.Yellow-green-orange tulip-like flowers in early summer are carried high on the branches.Interesting fruits follow that are cone-like & persist through winter. Bright green leaves in summer turning a golden yellow in fall. An aristocratic tree!
Tussock Sedge
(Carex stricta)
Dense mounds of rich green, fine-bladed foliage. Tolerates a wide range of soil moisture and shade. Useful for water gardens
Vernal Witchhazel
(Hamamelis vernalis)
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, and have four strap-like petals that are 1/4"-1/2" long. The petals curl up on very cold days as an adaptive mechanism to protect them from freeze damage and create quite a show against the gray-brown bark, especially on snowy days! Flowers can persist for 3-4 weeks! A hard woody fruit capsule 1/2" long splits down a 2-parted tip in Sept.-Oct.. Seeds are forced or 'shot-out' to a distance of 30'! The seeds and flowers are eaten by turkey and ruffed grouse. Twigs, leaves and bark are the basis of witch hazel extract.
Virgin's Bower
(Clematis virginiana)
Abundant clusters of fragrant creamy white flowers in August and September give way to lots of silky seed heads. Seed heads are only produced on female plants. The foliage is bright green. Plants climb by twisting leaf-stalks around objects. Vines are semi-woody in southern areas but tend to die back to the ground in the north.
Virginia Bluebells
(Mertensia virginica)
Pink flower buds open to sky blue in March and April. Foliage is blue-green. This plant is a spring ephemeral, meaning the foliage goes dormant in summer. Great for naturalizing in a rich, moist woodland environment.
Virginia Creeper
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
A deciduous, climbing woody vine that attached to flat surfaces by tendrils ending in adhesive tips. Leaves composed of five leaflets emerge bronze in spring, mature to dull green in summer and change to purple or crimson-red in autumn. One of the first woody plants to take on fall color. Clusters of small, greenish-white flowers appear in the upper leaf axils in late spring to early summer, but are hidden by the foliage. Honey bees gather pollen from the flowers and birds love the dark blue to black berries that form in summer. Deer, quail, squirrels and wild turkeys feast on other parts of the vine.
Virginia Sweetspire
(Itea virginica)
Shrub with slender upright branches that eventually arch over; usually wider than tall. Very fragrant clusters of drooping creamy white flowers May-June. Dark green leaves turn scarlet and crimson in fall, remaining showy for many weeks.
Wafer Ash
(Ptelea trifoliata)
A large shrub or small tree with a bushy rounded form. Fragrant greenish flowers bloom April-June and provide nectar for bees. Flowers are followed by yellow-green, winged fruits that later turn brown and last through winter.
Wahoo
(Euonymus atropurpureus)
Shrub or small tree most often grown for its attractive red berries and reddish fall color. Small purple flowers in spring are followed by scarlet red fruit in fall which birds enjoy.
Washington Hawthorn
(Crataegus phaenopyrum)
A small rounded tree. The young foliage is purple and matures to shiny dark green. Fall color is orange, red to purplish. Flowers in early summer(the last hawthorn to flower)that produce outstanding glossy red fruit (1/4")that persist all winter.Thorns are 1-3" long.
Water Canna
(Thalia dealbata)
Huge cannalike leaves can grow larger than any other native North American plant except palms. Purple flowers are borne on long wandlike stalks late in summer. The entire plant is dusted with a fine white powder.
Water Lily
(Nymphaea odorata)
This hardy water plant has white fragrant flowers with yellow centers which grow 6 to 12 in. across. Flowers are only open during daylight hours. Round emerald green leaves float at water level. Waterfowl and a number of mammals eat various parts of the plant and the leaves provide good cover for fish.
Western Soapberry
(Sapindus drummondii)
An attractive small native tree with glossy compound leaves and excellent deep yellow-gold fall color. Flowers are showy, creamy-white on upright panicles up to 10" long. The translucent-yellow, grape-like fruit are poisonous. Fruit ripen in October and persist through much of the winter to give this tree many seasons of interest. Fish who eat the seed from fallen fruit are poisoned. Gray 'sculpted' bark gives great winter interest. Not commonly planted, but a great 'almost unknown' native!
Western Sunflower
(Helianthus occidentalis)
Bright yellow flowers on leafless stems in late summer. Birds love the seed.
White False Indigo
(Baptisia alba (leucantha))
Upright spikes of creamy white pealike flowers appear in late spring over blue-gray foliage. Flowers are followed by interesting pods that can be used in dried arrangements. The plant form is shrublike. Takes a few years to establish but it is very long-lived.
White oak
(Quercus alba)
A massive & majestic, long-lived and beautiful oak with year-long interest. A dominant tree in many Missouri woods, with round-lobed leaves and smooth, medium-sized acorns. Foliage color is pinkish-white when emerging, opening to a medium green in summer, brown to various shades of wine red in fall. May hold leaves until early winter. Bark is ash-gray & scaly. A durable and long-lived tree. New root pruning & fertilization techniques in nursery production have made oaks easier to transplant and have given them faster growth rates. A well grown young tree will grow more rapidly.
White Prairie Clover
(Dalea candida)
This member of the legume family is known for its tall, slender, showy upright clump habit, with fine textured green leaves that are larger than the purple prairie clover. The showy clusters of white flowers that appear like 'buttons', opening from the bottom upward. The clumps bloom from June-Sept., often a week later than the purple prairie clover. Seedheads persist for winter interest. Adapts to many soil types and is drought tolerant due to its slender taproots. A true beauty whose blooms are attractive to bees and butterflies!
White Turtlehead
(Chelone glabra)
Creamy white snapdragon like flowers in tight heads at the top of the plant give a fresh display in late summer (August and September). Flowers resemble a turtle's head. Attractive shiny dark green foliage really sets of the flowers and creates a good backdrop for earlier flowering plants. The major host of the Baltimore butterfly- a large black butterfly with white and orange spots.
Whorled milkweed
(Asclepias verticillata)
Clusters of greenish-white flowers appear from late spring through summer, in loose heads over attractive, thread-like foliage. The plants are upright and sparingly branched. Seed pods are narrow, unlike many other milkweeds, and about 3" long. The whorled name refers to the foliage that arises from the stem in a whorl.
Wild Bergamot
(Monarda fistulosa)
Whorls of lavender flowers are excellent nectar sources for hummingbirds and butterflies. The gray-green foliage is aromatic. Long summer bloom period.
Wild Geranium
(Geranium maculatum)
A clump-forming woodland perennial that forms a mound of deeply cut, palmately-lobed, dark green foliage. Features 1 1/4" diameter, medium pink to lilac, saucer-shaped, upturned, 5-petaled flowers in spring for 6-7 weeks.
Wild Ginger
(Asarum canadense)
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.
Wild Hydrangea
(Hydrangea arborescens)
Large clusters of flat, creamy white, flowers open in June and last for many weeks. Plants bloom most of the summer. Pollen-rich flowers attract many insects. Plants form rounded mounds. Flowers can be used in fresh or dried arrangements. Grow in partial shade in rich moist soil. Tolerates deep shade.
Wild Onion
(Allium stellatum)
Delicate showy heads of small deep pink to red flowers, held in perfect globes by a single stem from midsummer to fall. The onion-like leaves appear quite early and typically are gone before flowering time. Grows from small bulbs, all parts smell like onions.
Wild Petunia
(Ruellia humilis)
A native perennial of great character with flowers that will remind you of the annual bedding plant Petunia. Charming, low growing clumps produce light purple tubular flowers from May to Oct. The flowers arise in groups at the leaf axis. The square stems and the leaves are both quite hairy-a natural defense against dry conditions.
Wild Plum
(Prunus americana)
Can be grown as a single trunk tree or multi-stemmed shrub. The pure white, overwhelmingly fragrant flowers are among the first to open in spring. Yellow to red, round, edible fruits, 1" in diameter, are favored by birds.
Wild Quinine
(Parthenium integrifolium)
Woolly-looking, white flowers in broad, flat-topped heads bloom from late spring to late summer. Leaves are aromatic and handsome. Long-petioled basal leaves are much larger than stem leaves and grow in a distinct clump.
Wild Senna
(Senna (Cassia) marilandica)
This erect, shrubby herbaceous perennial is the larval food source for two sulphur butterflies. Clusters of brownish yellow, pealike flowers top unbranched stems in summer. Flowers give way to pendant, pealike seed pods (to 4 in. long) which turn black in fall and ornamental through winter. Feathery, compound, locustlike, dull green leaves.
Wild Sweet William
(Phlox divaricata)
Loose clusters of blue to blue-violet, star-shaped flowers early in spring provide nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. The flowers are sweetly scented.
Willow Oak
(Quercus phellos)
This useful tree is pyramidal in youth then becomes more of an oblong-oval as it matures.Bright green leaves shaped like beefy willow leaves turn yellow, yellow-brown and russet red in fall. Acorns form in late summer and provide food for wildlife. A 2005 Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit winner.
Willow-leaved Sunflower
(Helianthus salicifolius)
Clusters of 2 in. wide, medium yellow sunflowers with dark brown centers bloom on whitish green stems. The narrow, drooping, willowlike pale green leaves are very distinctive. Blooms in late summer or early fall but the gracefull foliage provides interest all through the growing season. Spreads over time to form dense colonies. Good cut flower.
Winterberry Holly
(Ilex verticillata)
A native deciduous (loses its leaves in winter) holly grown for its outstanding berry display. Small to medium size deep green shrubs with yellow fall color and showy red berries that ripen in September & persist sometimes into January. Attractive bark in winter. Often found in wet areas in the wild.
Witch Hazel
(Hamamelis virginiana)
A tall shrub or small tree with yellow, fragrant flowers that open in late fall or early winter. Upright spreading branches form an irregular, rounded crown. The deep, golden yellow fall leaf color can be outstanding and will often show at the same time that the shrub is blooming. Twigs, leaves and bark are the basis of witch hazel extract.
Woodland spiderwort
(Tradescantia ernestiana)
A tough spiderwort for shady areas, blooming late spring into early summer with bright clusters of flowers held above slender stems. Bloom color varies from purple-blues to rose red. The common name refers to the web of hairs at the center of the flower. Each flower lasts for one day although many flowers are produced. Leaves are green with no whitish coating (as other spiderworts often have), long and narrow.
Yellow Coneflower
(Echinacea paradoxa)
Each flower stem produces a single bloom with yellow ray petals around a brown cone-shaped seed head. Very drought tolerant.
Yellow Honeysuckle
(Lonicera flava)
A twining, deciduous woody vine with tubular yellow flowers in whorls at the ends of stems April-May. Round, fleshy, orange to red berries appear in late summer. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to the nectar produced by the flowers while birds and small mammals eat the fruit. Deer browse the stems and leaves.
Yellow Trout Lilly
(Erythornium americanum)
Delicate yellow flowers held 6-12" tall, the petals reflex up (like a cyclamen). a beautiful early spring woodland plant, small and delicate. Flowers are a little larger than its white flowered Trout Lilly cousin. The leaves are large, elliptical with brown splotches that make attractive masses in a shady area, the plants spread by slender runners. Plants go dormant after flowering.
Yellowood
(Cladrastis kentukea)
A very underused native that will fool some into thinking it is an exotic beauty! Medium sized tree, good for small areas, rich pea-green compound leaves with soft golden yellow fall color. The breathtaking, fragrant, creamy-white flowers occur in May on pendulous 8-14" long panicles.Truly a spectacular sight to behold! The bark is very smooth and gray.
Zig-zag iris
(Iris brevicaulis)
A dwarf Iris that is native to wet areas and along streambanks, but will grow well in regular garden soil. The common name comes from the flowering stems that often do not hold the flowers above the foliage (only 5" or so high). The "zig-zags"are often at 45 degree angles with the flowers. Flowers appear in June and are deep bluish-purple with yellow and white crested falls(the petals that hang downward). A great cut flower. Great to use for stream and pond edges. Nice foliage as well.
