Tallgrass Prairie Species Native to Middlesex, Oxford & Perth Counties

The following native tallgrass prairie plant species are known to occur in the counties of Middlesex, Oxford and Perth. Many of them are rare (R) within the counties and in because prairie habitats themselves have become very rare. This species list can be used as a guide for inventory or restoration purposes. See Notes on page 2 for additional references. Updated April 2019. (R) – Rare in the County

Middlesex County

Grasses Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem Bromus kalmii Kalm’s Brome Calamagrostis canadensis Bluejoint Elymus canadensis Canada Wild Rye Hierochloe odorata Sweetgrass (R) Panicum virgatum Switch Grass Schizachryrium scoparium Little Bluestem Sorghastrum nutans Indian Grass Spartina pectinata Prairie Cord Grass Dense Blazingstar (Liatris spicata) Sporobolus asper Rough Dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus Sand Dropseed Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot Parnassia glauca Bluegreen Grass-of-Parnassus Penstemon digitalis Foxglove Beard-tongue Penstemon hirsutus Hairy Beardtongue (R) Polygala senega Seneca-snakeroot Polygala verticillata Whorled Milkwort (R) Prenanthese alba White Lettuce Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Slender-leaved Mountain-mint (R) Pycnanthemum virginanum Virginia Mountain-mint Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) Ranunculus rhomboideus Prairie Buttercup (R) Ratibida pinnata Grey-headed Coneflower (R) Wildflowers Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan Achillea millefolium Yarrow Sisyrinchium mucronatum Narrow-leaved Blue-eyed Grass (R) Amphicarpaea bracteata Hog Peanut Solidago nemoralis Gray Goldenrod Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone Solidago ohioensis Goldenrod (R) Anemone cylindrica Thimbleweed Solidao ridellii Riddell’s Goldenrod (R) Apios americana Groundnut Solidago rigida Stiff Goldenrod Apocynum cannabinum Indian Hemp Symphyotrichum ericoides Heath Aster Asclepias incarnate Swamp Milkweed Symphyotrichum laevis Smooth Aster Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly Milkweed Symphyotrichum novae-angliae New England Aster Campanula aparinoides Marsh Bellflower Symphyotrichum oolentangiensis Sky Blue Aster (R) Cirsium discolor Field Thistle (R) Symphyotrichum pilosus Hairy Aster Desmodium canadense Showy Tick-trefoil Symphyotrichum umbellatus Flat-topped White Aster Euphorbia corollata Flowering Spurge Symphyotrichum urophyllus Arrow-leaved Aster Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry Teucrium canadense Germander (R) Gentiana andrewsii Bottle Gentian Thalictrum dasycarpum Purple Meadow-rue (R) Genianopsis crinita Fringed Gentian Verbena hastata Blue Vervain Helenium autumnale Sneezeweed (R) Vernonia gigantica (altissima) Tall Ironweed (R) Helianthus giganteus Tall Sunflower Helianthus strumosus Pale-leaved Sunflower Heliopsis helianthoides False Sunflower or Ox-eye Hypoxis hirsute Yellow Star-grass (R) Lespedeza capitata Round-headed Bush-clover Lespedeza hirta Hairy Bush-clover Liatris spicata Dense Blazingstar (R) michiganense Michigan Lily Wood Lily (R) Lithospermum canescens Hoary Pucoon (R) Lobelia spicata Pale-spiked Lobelia (R) Lysimachia ciliata Fringed Loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora Prairie Loosestrife (R) Lythrum alatum Winged Loosestrife (R) Butterfly Milkweed Asclepias( tuberosa)

1 Perth County

Grasses Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem Calamagrostis canadensis Canada Bluejoint Hierochloe odorata Sweetgrass Panicum virgatum Switch Grass Spartina pectinata Prairie Cord Grass

Wildflowers Achillea millefolium Yarrow Amphicarpaea bracteata Hog Peanut New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone Apocynum cannabinum Indian Hemp Oxford County Asclepias incarnate Swamp Milkweed Campanula aparinoides Marsh Bellflower Grasses Euphorbia corollata Flowering Spurge Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem Gentiana andrewsii Bottle Gentian Calamagrostis canadensis Canada Bluejoint Helenium autumnale Sneezeweed (R) Elymus canadensis Canada Wild Rye Lilium michiganense Michigan Lily Panicum virgatum Switch Grass Lysimachia ciliata Fringed Loosestrife Schizachryrium scoparium Little Bluestem Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot Penstemon digitalis Foxglove Beard-tongue Wildflowers Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan Achillea millefolium Yarrow Sisyrinchium mucronatum Narrow-leaved Blue-eyed Grass (R) Amphicarpaea bracteata Hog Peanut Solidago nemoralis Gray Goldenrod Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone Solidago rigida Stiff Goldenrod Anemone cylindrical Thimbleweed Symphyotrichum ericoides Heath Aster Apios americana Groundnut Symphyotrichum novae-angliae New England Aster Apocynum cannabinum Indian Hemp Symphyotrichum pilosus Hairy Aster Asclepias incarnate Swamp Milkweed Symphyotrichum umbellatus Flat-topped White Aster Campanula aparinoides Marsh Bellflower Verbena hastata Blue Vervain Cirsium discolor Field Thistle (R) Desmodium canadense Showy Tick-trefoil This information was gathered from the following documents: Euphorbia corollata Flowering Spurge • Planting the Seed: A Guide to Establishing Prairie and Meadow Communities in Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry Southern Ontario. Environment Canada, 2000. Kim Delaney, Paul Morris, Gail Gentiana andrewsii Bottle Gentian Rhynard, Lindsay Rodger and P. Allen Woodliffe. Copies from Tallgrass Ontario Genianopsis crinita Fringed Gentian (www.tallgrassontario.org). Lilium michiganense Michigan Lily • Preliminary Annotated Checklist of the Vascular of Elgin, Middlesex Lysimachia ciliata Fringed Loosestrife and Oxford Counties, Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1991. Compiled by Michael J. Oldham, Dave McLeod, William G. Stewart and Jane Lysimachia quadrifolia Whorled Loosestrife (R) M. Bowles. Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot Parnassia glauca Bluegreen Grass-of-Parnassus Additional information at www.thamesriver.on.ca: Penstemon digitalis Foxglove Beard-tongue • Recommended Native Trees, Shrubs & Vines for Naturalization Projects in the Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan Upper Thames River Watershed Solidago nemoralis Gray Goldenrod • Recommended Native Wildflowers and Grasses for Naturalization Projects in Symphyotrichum ericoides Heath Aster the Upper Thames River Watershed Symphyotrichum novae-angliae New England Aster • Gardening with Native Plants • Aggressive Non-Native Plants Symphyotrichum pilosus Hairy Aster • Southwestern Ontario Nurseries that Sell Native Plants & Seeds Symphyotrichum umbellatus Flat-topped White Aster • Butterfly Larvae Host Food Plants Symphyotrichum urophyllus Arrow-leaved aster Verbena hastata Blue Vervain For information on tallgrass prairies and oak savannas, go to the Tallgrass Ontario website at www.tallgrassontario.org.

Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (519) 451-2800 • [email protected] • www.thamesriver.on.ca

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