Recommended Species for the Eastern Great Plains Perennials for Sun ground hugging mat; all benefit from a summer or late winter pruning. Agastache – Agastache rupestris – rose/orange/purple tubular blooms create a lovely sunset effect above silvery hyssop-scented foliage from summer-fall; best in hot, sunny areas in poor soil; desert-type needing low humidity and open exposure; 18-24” h. Alyssum , hardy – Alyssum spp. – small silvery leaves on 8” mounds; bright yellow flowers cover plants in May; plant in full sun with a well-drained soil; excellent for the rock garden and cascading over stone walls. Aster – Aster spp. – easy to grow for the fall garden; combine well with grasses; pinch stems in early summer for compact habit; ‘Bluebird' ( A. laevis ) and prairie asters prefer drier soils; ‘Woods' ( A. x dumosus ) is clean, compact, mildew and rust resistant. Aster, aromatic – Aster oblongifolius – mounded form with narrow leaves covered with sky blue flowers in fall; native to dry, upland prairies; looks great Amsonia or bluestar – Amsonia spp. – easy with little bluestem and goldenrods; to grow with light blue star-like flowers spreads by rhizomes; 2' high; pinch in atop thin stems growing to 3' h. in spring; early summer to prevent flopping; bluestar ( A. tabernaemontana ) tolerates ‘October Skies' is nice. wet sites, has willow-like leaf; shining bluestar (A. illustris ) tolerates drought, Aster, ‘My Antonia' – Aster fendleri – pure has glossy leaf; threadleaf bluestar ( A. white flowers with yellow centers in fall ciliata ) has narrow leaf turns yellow in on 12” plants with glossy dark green fall. leaves; pinch in late spring to encourage compact habit and more flowers; tough as Artemisia – Artemisia spp. – soft, gray nails. foliage a must for the hot, sunny border; must have a well-drained site to perform Bachelor Button , perennial – Centaurea best; fringed sage ( A. frigida ) is an 18” spp. – prefers full sun and good drainage; native similar to ‘Silver Mound' ( A. 18-24” tall; knapweed ( C. dealbata ) has schmidtiana ); ‘Sea Foam' ( A. versicolor ) deeply fringed lavender to pink flowers gives a frothy appearance; ‘Silver and mountain bluet ( C. montana ) has Brocade' ( A. stelleriana ) forms a dense deep blue flowers with a reddish-tinged center; blooms in late spring to early Butterfly Plant – Buddleja davidii – summer; shear after blooming to remove shrubby plants with long panicles of seed for new flush of growth. fragrant lavender-blue, white, pink, or purple flowers in summer; cut woody Basket-of-Gold – Aurinia saxatilis – nice stems to the ground in spring; late to gray-green mounds of foliage to 15”; break dormancy in spring. clusters of bright yellow flowers in early spring; requires full sun and good Candytuft – Iberis sempervirens – drainage; shear back half after flowering. attractive dark evergreen, needle-like leaves; nice ground cover to 15”; a profusion of cute 4-petaled white flowerheads in spring; prune in spring and after flowering for new growth; ‘Autumn Snow' blooms on a 12” plant in spring and fall; ‘Compacta' is a 4-6” dwarf. Blanket Flower – Gaillardia x grandiflora – coarsely toothed, gray-green leaves; 3- 4” solitary flowers of yellow and maroon; seedheads form lovely red spheres; nice dwarf selections; prefers well-drained soil; can be short lived, allow to reseed. Boltonia – Boltonia asteroides – blue-green Caryopteris – Caryopteris x clandonensis – bushy plants with topped with white attractive narrow gray-green foliage on daisy-like flowers in early fall; woody, shrub-like plants; may die back ‘Snowbank' is an excellent 4' selection; to the ground in winter; cut back hard in ‘Pink Beauty' has soft pink flowers; full spring to new growth; 1-2” blue flower sun and deep, organic soils are best; easy clusters with long showy stamens along to grow and combines well with Russian upper stems in late summer to fall; easy sage and Autumn Joy sedum. to grow; often referred to as blue-mist spirea, although it is not a true spirea. Broomflower , winged – Genista sagittalis – mat forming plant with dark evergreen, Catmint – Nepeta spp. – spreading mass of winged stems to 8” tall and 2' wide; dark green to grayish green foliage, golden-yellow flowers in tips of stems in spiked blue flowers bloom mid to late summer; grows well in poor dry or well- summer; leaves are aromatic when drained soils; slow growing but worth the crushed; cut back when flowers fade to wait. encourage another flush; ‘Walker's Low' (N. x faassenii ) is a compact mound 10- 12” with long flowering stems; ‘Sweet Dream' ( N. subsessilis ) has large, two- ground covers with finely hairy, silvery tone soft pink flowers on 18” stems. leaves; ‘Alpine Snow' ( E. compositus ) has sparkling white blooms on 6” stems, Daisy , shasta – Leucanthemum spp. – hardy needs sharp drainage; E. aurantiacus has perennial forming dense colonies once large copper-orange blooms on 15” established; white flowers with yellow stems. centers borne on individual 1-3' stems from June-July; leaves are evergreen; Gaura or apple blossom grass – Gaura ‘Snow Lady' is a 10” dwarf; ‘Crazy lindheimeri – loose sprays of airy white Daisy' has fully double creamy white or pink flowers held above 2-4' stems, flowers. said to represent butterflies; blooms in late summer, profusely in cool nights of autumn; prefers rich, well-drained soils. Dianthus hybrids – Dianthus spp. – compact, sun-loving plants; blooming late spring to early summer usually in shades of white to red with a spicy fragrance; easy to grow when provided great drainage; ‘Prairie Pink' has large double bright pink flowers on 18” stems, blooms all season; ‘First Love' has flowers changing from pure white to deep rose from April-frost. Flax , blue – Linum perenne – azure blue Geranium , hardy – Geranium spp. – flowers emerge in spring on 18” wiry dependable workhorse; use massed as a stems and needle-like leaves, making the groundcover or accent; prefers wet or dry blooms appear to be floating from a soils in full sun to part shade; shear back distance; prune back after flowering; will by half after flowering to promote a new not return if winter drainage is poor; flush of growth; foliage often has ‘Lewisii' is a light blue native flax; excellent fall color remaining semi- ‘Album' is white flowered. evergreen in winter; ‘Biokovo' has delicate pink flowers; ‘Bevan's Variety' Fleabane – Erigeron spp. – daisy-like has deep magenta flowers; ‘Johnson's flowers with many, slender petals of Blue' is long blooming with bright blue white, blue or pink; many excellent flowers; ‘Album' has snow white flowers. Jupiter's Beard – Centranthus ruber – schoenoprasum ) has attractive deep pink small, coral red flowers are domed above ball-like flowers in spring, growing 12- upright stems growing 1-3' h.; grows well 18” h.; ‘Cowlick' ( A. senescens ssp. in a wide soil range, especially useful in glaucum ) has mauve flowers in fall, rocky crevices where soil is limited; growing 6-12” h. shear back by half after flowering to promote a new flush of growth; ‘Albus' has white flowers. Knautia – Knautia macedonica – dark purple to dark red scabiosa-like flowers from July to frost attracts butterflies and is wonderful for cutting; short lived in heavy, wet soils; pinch in spring to promote compact growth; 2-3' h.; ‘Mars Midget' is a 16” dwarf with ruby-red flowers; ‘Melton Pastels' blooms a variety of pink, red, salmon, and light blues on 4' tall plants. Lamb's Ear – Stachys byzantina – 6” h. mats of velvety white, woolly leaves; can spread aggressively, but can be controlled by dividing; fuzzy flower spikes with small pink flowers arrive in late spring, can be removed as they develop; ‘Silver Carpet' is a non-flowering variety. Mullein – Verbascum spp. – large leaves form basal rosettes of dark green or silvery, woolly leaves; grows upright 2-6' Penstemon hybrids – Penstemon spp. – h.; dense clusters of 1” yellow flowers beautiful summer blooming perennials with dark reddish-purple eyes; blooms with erect flower spikes; tubular flowers second year then dies, allow to reseed; and showy seed heads; allow to reseed to ‘Jackie' is a 16-18” dwarf with pale perpetuate in the garden; needs well- peachy-pink flowers; ‘Violetta' has dark drained, dry soils; shell-leaf penstemon purple flowers on a 3' plant; ‘White (P. grandiflorus ) is a 2-4' native with Bride' has snow white flowers on a 2' light pink, purple or white flowers; hairy plant. penstemon ( P. hirsutus ) is a 8” dwarf covered with long-lasting violet flowers, Onion , ornamental – Allium spp. – clumps fuzzy all over! of grasslike leaves topped by rounded or nodding flower heads; blooms spring- Peony – Paeonia spp. – 2-3'h. herbaceous fall; grows best in full sun with any well- shrub; large single or double flowers drained garden soil; especially nice in bloom purple, red, pink, white, or yellow rock gardens; ‘Forescate' ( A. in late spring; thrives in a wide soil range; top dress in late fall; ‘Sarah Bernhardt' ( P. lactiflora ) has late blooming, fragrant, deep pink double flowers on 35” stems; ‘Anemoniflora' ( P. officinalis ) has single red flowers with large centers filled with orange-yellow stamens on 14” stems. Phlox , garden – Phlox spp. – panicles of flowers in various colors top this plant mid-late summer; upright plant growing up to 3-4' h.; requires well-drained, fertile Plumbago or leadwort – Ceratostigma soil; avoid top watering plants during hot, plumbaginoides – deep blue flowers humid months; deadhead after flowering cluster at the tip of 12” stems that creep for repeat blooming; ‘Alpha' ( P. through the garden; foliage turns orange maculata ) is a mildew-resistant variety in fall and dies back to the ground each with bright rose flowers, ‘David' ( P. winter; new growth emerges in late paniculata ) has fragrant snow white spring; prefers sunny, well-drained areas, flower heads, also highly mildew- will tolerate dry areas, won't tolerate dry resistant.