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Canadian Columbine
Herbaceous perennial reaching 30-60 cm tall. Features delicate, compound leaves and distinctive red and yellow flowers with backward-projecting spurs, blooming spring to early summer. Prefers moist, well-drained soils and partial shade, but tolerates full sun in cooler climates. Attracts hummingbirds and long-tongued insects. Self-seeds readily in favorable conditions. Suitable for woodland gardens, rock gardens, and cottage gardens. Hybridizes easily with other columbine species.
Read MorePlantain-leaved Pussytoes
Mat-forming perennial reaching 8-15 cm tall. Features basal rosettes of woolly, gray-green leaves and upright stems bearing clusters of white to gray flower heads. Prefers well-drained, poor soils and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Important early season nectar source. Excellent for rock gardens and green roofs.
Read MoreSpreading Dogbane
Herbaceous perennial growing 60-150 cm tall with opposite, oval leaves. Produces small, pink to white bell-shaped flowers from early to mid-summer. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Drought-tolerant once established. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. All parts contain toxic cardiac glycosides. Used historically for fiber and medicine. Suitable for meadows, woodland edges, and naturalized areas. Spreads by both seeds and rhizomes, can be aggressive in ideal conditions.
Read MoreCanada Anemone
Rhizomatous perennial reaching 30-60 cm tall. Features palmately-lobed basal leaves and solitary white flowers with yellow centers, blooming late spring to early summer. Prefers moist, rich soils and partial shade to full sun. Spreads aggressively by rhizomes, forming dense groundcover. Suitable for woodland gardens, naturalized areas, and along streams or ponds. Provides early season nectar for pollinators. Can be invasive in ideal conditions, best used in contained areas or where spreading is desired.
Read MoreBig Bluestem
Tall, warm-season perennial bunchgrass and state grass of Illinois. Grows 4-8 feet tall forming blue-green clumps through short rhizomes. Deep root system extends 8-15 feet, making it extremely drought tolerant. Distinctive blue-green foliage turns bronze-orange in fall. Produces reddish-purple flowering heads in late summer. Slow to establish but very long-lived once mature. Essential component of tallgrass prairie ecosystems.
Read MorePearly Everlasting
Herbaceous perennial growing 30-90 cm tall with woolly, gray-green leaves. Produces clusters of small, papery white flowers with yellow centers from mid-summer to early fall. Prefers well-drained, poor to average soils and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Attractive to butterflies and valuable as a nectar source. Used in dried flower arrangements and as a garden cut flower. Suitable for rock gardens, meadows, and xeriscaping. Spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding.
Read MoreSmooth Serviceberry
Deciduous shrub or small tree reaching 4.5-9 m tall with smooth gray bark. Produces pendulous clusters of white flowers in early spring before leaves emerge. Edible purple fruits ripen in early summer. Leaves emerge with reddish-bronze color, turning dark green, then orange to red in fall. Prefers moist, well-drained soils but adaptable to various conditions. Tolerates partial shade to full sun. Excellent for multi-season interest, wildlife value, and natural landscaping.
Read MoreShadblow Serviceberry
Deciduous shrub or small tree growing 4.5-7.5 m tall. Produces white, five-petaled flowers in early spring, followed by edible purple-black berries in early summer. Features oval leaves that emerge with bronze tints, turning dark green in summer and orange-red in fall. Prefers moist, well-drained soils but adaptable to various conditions. Tolerates partial shade to full sun. Provides early season food for pollinators and birds. Suitable for naturalized areas, woodland gardens, and multi-season interest in landscapes.
Read MoreNodding Onion
Perennial wildflower growing in clumps, reaching 30-60 cm in height. Features slender, grass-like leaves and distinctive nodding flower heads with small, bell-shaped pink to lavender flowers. Blooms in mid to late summer, attracting various pollinators. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade, tolerating drought once established. Entire plant is edible with mild onion flavor. Used in rock gardens, prairie plantings, and as low-maintenance perennial in sunny borders. Naturalizes easily in suitable conditions.
Read MoreYellow Giant Hyssop
Herbaceous perennial reaching 120-240 cm tall. Features coarse, toothed leaves and dense spikes of small, greenish-yellow flowers. Prefers rich, well-drained soils and partial shade to full sun. Attracts numerous pollinators, especially bumblebees. Suitable for back of borders and naturalized areas.
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