17 Types Of Wildflowers Every Home Gardener Should Know - Types Of Gardening

Are all wildflowers native? According to Iowa State University, there is a clear distinction between the two: native plants were present in an area before humans settled there, while wildflowers are native or exotic (introduced) plants that can grow, reproduce, and establish without human intervention. or develop. Also, wildflowers are herbaceous plants, which means they are not woody, but their stems die every year.

Many flowers are thought to have come from overseas to North America. And many of the plants that make up the wildflower mix are very hardy types of plants. For the benefit of birds and pollinators, choose rich or pollinated wildflowers without crowding out native flowers.

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1. Bee Raft ( Monarda didyma )

With one of the brightest red flowers, this native bee grows 2 to 4 feet tall. Mint leaves and aroma appear along with 3-4 inch red flowers. Melissa is light tolerant and will grow in part shade to full sun, blooming from mid-summer to early fall. It attracts all three pollinators, hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 9
Suitability: As it prefers humid conditions, this plant is a good choice for hot or humid gardens.

2. Black-eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia hirta )

One of the two most common wildflowers in the US (the other is the annual sunflower), black-eyed Susan grows 1 to 3 feet tall with soft lance-shaped leaves. The cone-shaped buds are dark brown, not black, and are surrounded by yellow flowers that are 2 to 4 inches in diameter. The plant is home to the emerald ash borer and silver-checked moth, and also provides seed for birds such as the goldfinch.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 10
Best for : Whether a short-lived biennial or perennial, this sun-loving plant has a wide variety of seeds that can light up woodlands for years.

3. Cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis )

This long-lived native grows 3 to 4 feet tall, with spiky leaves and five-lobed red flowers, each one inch long. Prefers part shade but tolerates full sun in cool climates and will do from July to September. This wild species is not so invasive that some non-invasive gardeners find it difficult to grow, but the bright colors of the flowers attract hummingbirds, so it is worth the effort!

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 9
Suitability: A swamp plant in itself, this cardinal feels at home in a swamp or rain garden.

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4. Oenothera dioecious

The common night primrose has an unusual domestication method: it opens its flowers suddenly at dusk and closes them again in the morning. It is biennial for its 1- to 3-inch flowers that smell like lemons and attract moths, but naturally grow to resemble a perennial flower. If it produces only one leaf in the first year, it will be 3 to 5 meters tall in the second year and bloom from early summer to early autumn.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 4 through 8
Best for: Blooming in full sun or partial shade , yellow wildflowers can be invasive in gardens, but are suitable for rock gardens and wildflowers.

5. Asclepius the Syrian

Many wildflowers are important to the endangered monarch butterfly, the caterpillars drink the white "milk" (sap), Euphorbia typically grows 3 to 5 feet tall with fragrant pink to purple spherical heads. It blooms most of the summer and then produces fruit full of seeds. Arranged in a complex overlapping pattern like fish scales, the seeds eventually break free and float. The plant is not only for floating seeds and butterflies, but for future generations to enjoy both.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 9
Best for: This "grass" grows well in full sun, attracting butterflies to wildflower meadows and encouraging monarch butterfly populations.

6. Purple Echinacea (Echincisa purpurea )

Perhaps best known for its native purple flowers for medicinal properties and 4-inch daisy-like flowers, the cone grows 2 to 4 feet tall. The flowers are usually drooping, with dark orange-brown eyes pointing upwards. A perennial plant with oblong leaves, coneflower blooms from mid-summer to mid-autumn. The plant attracts beneficial soldier beetles that eat other non-beneficial insects, as well as brush beetles that feed on the seeds.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 9
Best for : Echinacea is usually the hardiest of wildflowers, able to withstand heat and drought.

7. Fiddler's Tooth ( Erythronium americanum )

Named for their bulbous shape, scalloped violets are often called trout lilies because of their red-green cut leaves. These spring wildflowers bloom before the trees bloom. They produce 1-inch to 1-inch long yellow flowers, usually no larger than 8 inches. These fast-growing plants die back in early summer, but they can provide the all-important early pollination bees and temporary ground cover that attracts bees and trees.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 8
Better : Grow these wonderful "lilies" in a woodland garden or under dry trees.

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8. Violet Gate ( Viola Syria )

One of the smallest wildflowers with heart-shaped leaves less than 8 inches tall. Unfortunately, this native violet has no scent. However, it is easily planted to create a dense ground cover in the yard or wherever you want to plant it, adorned with ½- to ¾-inch purple flowers in spring. However, remember that self-seeding is not a shrinking mindset, but a growing one, just like your lawn will keep replanting!

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 7
Best for : This wild flower, also called the common blue violet, is an ideal ground cover in a woodland garden or under trees.

9. Gentianopsis crinitis

One of the few true blue flowers, this rare native mustard grows 8 to 32 inches tall. From late summer to mid-autumn, it produces four-petalled blue flowers that create a striking contrast to the warm colors of fall foliage. Note that the plant is two years old and has few seeds in the first year. It is one of the most difficult flowers to grow, although it is common in the mountainous areas of the eastern states.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 6
Best: This mustard prefers a moist location with alkaline soil to partial shade.

10. Giant Vernonia

Giant Ironstone has dark green leaves and typically reaches a height of 3 to 5 feet but can grow up to 12 feet in good conditions. Attracting bees and butterflies, this native deep purple lavender has woolly, aster-like color that appears in flat clusters at the top of the plant in summer or early fall. Each bouquet has 10 to 30 flowers. As the name suggests, they are hardy plants that can be invasive.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 5 through 8
Best for : The dark purple ironstone is especially stunning on a sunny edge or in a moist field of wildflowers.

11. Joe Pye Weed ( Eutrochium purpureum )

Joe P is a local giant with a height of 3 to 9 meters and is one of the few flower names that have a true name. It grows in conditions similar to iron and is often mixed with it. However, its late summer or autumn panicles are more popular, light purple and rich in flower nectar, which serve as butterfly "bait". The leaves of the plant have a vanilla scent, and the plant needs a moist place, especially in sweet, non-acidic soil. It can still be found under the old name Eupatorium purpureum.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 4 through 8
Suitability : This plant is suitable for the back of a border or a field that does not dry out with wildflowers.

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12. New England Aster ( Symphyotrichum novae-angliae )

Another tall wildflower is the New England aster. It grows 3 to 7 feet tall with turpentine-scented leaves and 2-inch yellow-medium purple flowers that appear in late summer and fall. (Similar to the New York aster, but with softer leaves.) The New England type attracts the pearl butterfly (that is, feeds on the larvae) and bees with its nectar, attracts birds with its seeds, and beautifies people with its flowers. .

USDA plant hardiness zones : 4 through 8
Suitability: Due to its tolerance to wet soil , this plant grows well in rain gardens and sunny woodlands.

13. Daisy ( Leucanthemum vulgare )

One of the most popular wildflowers in the United States, chamomile is not native to this country, but was introduced from Europe. But the "love me" plant liked the new place so much that it settled there as if it had always lived here. 1 to 3 feet tall with lobed leaves, 1 to 3 inch flowers with yellow centers and white flowers that appear in late spring to late summer. It's cruel to be considered a weed by farmers who don't like it.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 8
The best : If you know it's going to take root, you can plant this daisy in a woodland setting instead of in your flower bed.

14. Field mustard ( Eustoma grandiflorum )

Although related to mustard, it is a biennial wildflower in the Southwest with purple, broad gray-green leaves and 1- to 3-inch cuboid flowers. It is usually grown as an annual in gardens, so it takes 5-6 months from seed to flower, and if conditions are not right, it can go back to two years of growth. However, sometimes the dark purple flowers remain among the most beautiful in the field.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 8 through 10
Best: Prairie mustard prefers well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7, so it does best in a container where conditions are maintained.

15. Trillium grandiflorum

Among the most unique white wildflowers, this trillium is 1 to 1.5 meters tall and looks like a robin with flowers in mid-late spring, three overlapping white flowers on three broad green bracts. Perhaps not surprisingly, the flowers are usually about 3 inches across! They usually turn pink. When buying these plants, make sure they are not collected from the wild, which can be harmful to native plants.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 4 through 8
Best of all: these woody plants grow in forest gardens.

16. Canadian Aquilegia ( Aquilegia canadensis )

This columbine grows nicely to 4 feet tall, has three-sided leaves and 1- to 2-inch-long yellow petals, red sepals, and striped flowers with spores. Very attractive to hummingbirds, it usually blooms in late spring to early summer, just in time to feed on those that fly to the roof. It also provides food for butterfly larvae in the reservoir. Despite its common name, this watershed belongs to areas east of the Rocky Mountains as well as to Canada.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 8
Suitability : Suitable for woodland gardens or flower beds in partial shade, this container is very versatile.

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17. Yarrow ( Achillea millefolium )

Introduced to the Americas during colonial times, possibly as a medicinal herb to stop bleeding, escaped yarrow has become established and now grows 1 to 3 feet tall across much of North America. Attractive to butterflies and bees, the wild form produces fragrant leaves and flat clusters of small white or pink flowers suitable for drying from mid-summer to early fall. It is resistant to deer and drought, but can withstand "shallow" when cared for.

USDA plant hardiness zones : 3 through 9
Best for: Yarrow grows in dry, sunny areas such as wildflowers.

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