Prairie Grasses and Wildflowers
The following is a guide to some of the prairie plant species that can be found in the restored Uhler Prairie and Coneflower Prairie in the Arboretum.
- Plant Family
- Period of blooming
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) L.
- Blooms June - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Fragrant Giant Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
- Blooms July - August
- Mint Family (Lamiaceae)
Prairie Onion (Allium stellatum)
- Blooms July - August
- Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)
- Blooms June - July
- Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
- Blooms July - September
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Windflower or Thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica)
- Blooms May - June
- Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Pussy Toes (Antennaria neglecta)
- Blooms April - June
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) L.
- Blooms May - June
- Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Prairie Sage (Artemisia ludoviciana)
- Blooms July - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) L.
- Blooms June – August
- Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) L.
- Blooms June - August
- Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) L.
- Blooms June - August
- Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)
Heath Aster (Aster ericoides) L.
- Blooms August - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Smooth Blue Aster (Aster laevis) L.
- Blooms August - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Aromatic Aster (Aster oblongifolium)
- Blooms September - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
White Upland Aster (Aster ptarmicoides)
- Blooms August - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Silky Aster (Aster sericeus)
- Blooms August - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Canada Milk Vetch (Astragalus canadensis) L.
- Blooms July - August
- Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Ground Plum (Astragalus crassicarpus)
- Blooms May - June
- Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Side Oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
- Blooms July - September
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Hairy Grama (Bouteloua hirsuta)
- Blooms May - June
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Prairie Brome (Bromus kalmii)
- Blooms June - August
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) L.
- Blooms July - August
- Campanula Family (Campanulaceae)
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) L.
- Blooms May - July
- Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae)
Golden Aster (Chrysopsis villosa)
- Blooms July - August
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Prairie Coreopsis or Stiff Tickseed (Coreopsis palmata)
- Blooms June - August
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida)
- Blooms June - September
- Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)
- Blooms June - September
- Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Prairie Larkspur (Delphinium virescens)
- Blooms May - June
- Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)
Canada Wild Rye (Elymus canadensis) L.
- Blooms July - September
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale) L.
- Blooms June - August
- Bedstraw Family (Rubiaceae)
White Prairie Gentian (Gentiana flavida)
- Blooms August - September
- Gentian Family (Gentianaceae)
Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)
- Blooms April - June
- Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Frostweed (Helianthemum bicknellii)
- Blooms July - August
- Rock-rose Family (Cistaceae)
Stiff Sunflower (Helianthus laetiflorus)
- Blooms July - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Ox-eye (Heliopsis helianthoides) L.
- Blooms June - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)
- Blooms May - June
- Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)
Path Rush (Juncus tenuis)
- Blooms May - September
- Rush Family (Juncaceae)
June Grass (Koeleria macrantha)
- Blooms June - July
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Round-headed Bush Clover (Lespedeza capitata)
- Blooms August - September
- Pea Family (Fabaceae)
Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera)
- Blooms July - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Dotted Blazing Star (Liatris punctata)
- Blooms September - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)
- Blooms August - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) L.
- Blooms July - September
- Bluebell Family (Campanulaceae)
Pale Lobelia (Lobelia spicata)
- Blooms June - August
- Bluebell Family (Campanulaceae)
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) L.
- Blooms July - September
- Mint Family (Lamiaceae)
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) L.
- Blooms August - October
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Lilac Penstemon (Penstemon gracilis)
- Blooms May - July
- Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae)
Prairie Phlox (Phlox pilosa) L.
- Blooms April - June
- Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae)
Prairie Cinquefoil (Potentilla arguta)
- Blooms June - July
- Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Sweet Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium)
- Blooms August - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
- Blooms June - August
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Prairie Rose (Rosa arkansana)
- Blooms June - August
- Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) L.
- Blooms June - September
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Prairie Groundsel (Senecio plattensis)
- Blooms May - June
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Prairie Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre)
- Blooms May - July
- Iris Family (Iridaceae)
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) L.
- Blooms August – October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)
- Blooms August - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida) L.
- Blooms August - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
- Blooms August - October
- Aster Family (Asteraceae)
Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
- Blooms August - October
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
- Blooms August - October
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Porcupine Grass (Stipa spartea)
- Blooms May - June
- Grass Family (Poaceae)
Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta)
- Blooms June - September
- Verbena Family (Verbenaceae)
Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
- Blooms July - September
- Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae)
Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
- Blooms May - June
- Carrot Family (Apiaceae)
* All photos taken at Gustavus by Bob Dunlap, Arboretum Naturalist unless otherwise noted.