Allium cernuum, commonly known as nodding onion, is a perennial wildflower native to North America, characterized by its unique downward-facing clusters of pink or white flowers and edible bulb and greens. It is often used in gardens for its ornamental qualities and is valued for its strong onion flavor in cooking.  (2 inch pot/$4)

Aquilegia canadensis is a native spring wildflower which occurs in rocky woods, slopes, ledges and open areas throughout the State. Features drooping, bell-like, 1-2", red and yellow flowers (red sepals, yellow-limbed petals, 5 distinctive red spurs and a mass of bushy yellow stamens). Delicate, biternate foliage is somewhat suggestive of meadow rue (Thalictrum) and remains attractive throughout the summer as long as soils are kept moist. Flowers are quite attractive to hummingbirds.  (2 inch pot/$4)

Asarum canadense, commonly called wild ginger, is a native spring wildflower which occurs in rich woods and wooded slopes throughout the State. Basically a stemless plant which features two downy, heart-shaped to kidney-shaped, handsomely veined, dark green, basal leaves (to 6" wide). Cup-shaped, purplish brown flowers (1" wide) appear in spring on short, ground-level stems arising from the crotch between the two basal leaves. Flowers are quite attractive on close inspection, but bloom singly on or near the ground and are usually hidden from view by the foliage.  (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Asclepias exaltata, commonly called poke milkweed, is a herbaceous perennial native to forest openings and edges in the northeastern United States, Great Lakes region, parts of the northern Midwest, and south through the Appalachian Mountains to far northern Georgia and Alabama. Mature plants will reach 4-6' tall and spread to fill a 2-4' area. The oppositely arranged, broadly lanceolate to ovate foliage will reach around 3-8" long and 1-3" wide. The upright stems are topped with loose, terminal umbels of small, green and white flowers in from early to mid-summer.  (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Asclepias incarnata, commonly called swamp milkweed, is an erect, clump-forming, native plant which is commonly found in swamps, river bottomlands and wet meadows throughout the State. It typically grows 3-4' tall (less frequently to 5') on branching stems. Small, fragrant, pink to mauve flowers (1/4" wide), each with five reflexed petals and an elevated central crown, appear in tight clusters (umbels) at the stem ends in summer. Flowers are uncommonly white. Narrow, lance-shaped, taper-pointed leaves are 3-6" long. Stems exude a toxic milky sap when cut. Flowers are followed by attractive seed pods (to 4" long) which split open when ripe releasing silky-haired seeds easily carried by the wind. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds as a nectar source. In addition, swamp milkweed is a food source for the larval stage of monarch butterflies.   (2 inch pot/$4_

Asclepias tuberosa, commonly called butterfly weed, is a tuberous rooted, native perennial which occurs in dry/rocky open woods, glades, prairies, fields and roadsides throughout the State (Steyermark). It typically grows in a clump to 1-2.5' tall and features clusters (umbels) of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers atop upright to reclining, hairy stems with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Unlike many of the other milkweeds, this species does not have milky-sapped stems. Flowers give way to prominent, spindle-shaped seed pods (3-6" long) which split open when ripe releasing numerous silky-tailed seeds for dispersal by the wind. Seed pods are valued in dried flower arrangements. Long bloom period from late spring throughout the summer. Flowers are a nectar source for hummingbirds, butterflies and many other pollinators, and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae (caterpillars).   (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Baptisia australis, commonly called blue wild indigo, is an upright perennial which typically grows 3-4' tall and occurs in rich woods, thickets and along streambanks from Pennsylvania south to North Carolina and Tennessee. It features purple, lupine-like flowers in erect racemes (to 12") atop flower spikes extending well above a foliage mound of clover-like, trifoliate, bluish-green leaves (leaflets to 2" long). Blooms in spring. Flowers give way to inflated seed pods (to 2.5" long) which turn charcoal black when ripe and have considerable ornamental interest. Seeds rattle around in the blackened pods which were once popularly used by children as rattles. Stems with seed pods are valued additions to dried flower arrangements.   (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Chelone is Greek for tortoise referring to the white or pinkish white flowers that resemble the head of a turtle.  Glabra  means smooth or hairless like the stems and leaves of this plant.  They grow from 2-4’ tall and bloom from August to September.  Turtlehead is native to Iosco and surrounding counties in Michigan.

This plant prefers wet to moist soils in full to mostly sun. The blooms are pollinated by bumblebees, which have the size and strength to pry open the bloom and reach the nectar inside. White Turtlehead is an important nectar and host plant for the beautiful Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly.  It is also an important late season nectar source for hummingbirds.

Baltimore Checkerspots lay their eggs (in groups of 100-700) on the leaves in early summer. When the eggs hatch in three weeks later, the larvae feed communally in a silken nest until early August, then remain dormant until October, when they descend to the ground and construct hibernating webs of leaves and other debris. After overwintering, they begin feeding again in the spring and pupate in May.  Turtlehead is a low maintenance, easy to grow native perennial.  (2 inch pot/$4)

Purple Coneflower is easily grown, plants with showy daisy like flowers with spiny center cones.  They grow best in average, dry to medium soil in full sun to part shade.  They rebloom without deadheading and reseed if seed-heads are left in place.  Echinacea are a favorite nectar source of pollinators including bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.   The large seed heads, if left, attract Goldfinches.  They have a deep taproot and once established they are long lived, highly adaptable, and low maintenance.

Native Americans valued Echinacea for its medicinal value.  Echinacea are still recognized for numerous health benefits and widely used in supplements and herbal teas. (2 inch pot/$4)

Wild Geranium is a stunning shade loving plant with bright lavender flowers and attractive dark green foliage.  It prefers shade but will grow in full sun.  It is a long lived plant that spreads forming stunning clumps that work well as a groundcover.  It is low maintenance and not invasive.  Bees and butterflies find it irresistible.  After blooming, distinctive fruit capsules resembling a cranes head form.  As the bill dries, it catapults the seeds away from the parent plant driving the seed into the soil where it can germinate.  The plants were used by Native Americans to treat diarrhea and open sores or wounds.  Wild Geranium is native to Michigan including Iosco and surrounding counties.  (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Geum triflorum is a North American native prairie plant. Perhaps its most distinguishing feature is not the reddish pink to purplish, nodding, globular flowers that bloom in late spring, but the fruiting heads which follow. As the flower fades and the seeds begin to form, the styles elongate (to 2" long) to form upright, feathery gray tails which collectively resemble a plume or feather duster, all of which has given rise to a large number of regional descriptive common names for this plant such as torch flower, long-plumed purple avens, prairie smoke, lion's beard and old man's whiskers. The feathery seed tails act as sails in aiding dispersal of the seeds. A soft, hairy plant growing typically to 16" tall with fern-like, pinnately divided, green leaves (7-19 leaflets). Spreads by rhizomes and can be naturalized to form an interesting ground cover. Native Americans once boiled the roots to produce a root tea that was used medicinally for a variety of purposes such as wound applications and sore throat treatments. (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Rose mallow is the native cousin of the hibiscus you’ll find at big-box stores. With flowers as large as dinner plates in shades of pink, red, and white, it’s a showstopper that also happens to be a pollinator powerhouse. Unlike its tropical relative, rose mallow is hardy, perennial, and comes back year after year. Plant it once, and it will reward you with towering stems and weeks of giant blooms.  (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Giant St. John’s Wort, is the largest-flowered native member of the Hypericum genus in North America, and it delivers a spectacular summer display that few native shrubs can match. Growing 2 to 6 feet tall in shaded to partly-shaded moist settings, it produces enormous golden-yellow flowers — up to 2 inches across — that appear in glowing contrast against its rich, dark green, stalkless leaves. This combination of large, bright flowers with dark, lustrous foliage is precisely what makes Great St. John’s Wort such a memorable and valuable plant for native gardens in the upper Midwest and northeastern United States. (2 inch pot/$4)

Northern Blazing Star is a native perennial with rosy purple spikey flowers on 3’ – 4’ unbranched stems with narrow, long leaves.  These plants are drought, heat, and humidity tolerant growing best in sunny sites with average, dry and sandy or rocky soils.  They will flop if the soil is too rich or moist.   Blooming from late summer through fall makes them a great late season nectar source for bees and butterflies.  It is not unusual to see them covered with Monarch butterflies.  Liatris scariosa has widely spaced and larger flowerheads than most Blazing Stars. (2 inch pot/$4)

Northern Blazing Star is a native perennial with rosy purple spikey flowers on 3’ – 4’ unbranched stems with narrow, long leaves.  These plants are drought, heat, and humidity tolerant growing best in sunny sites with average, dry and sandy or rocky soils.  They will flop if the soil is too rich or moist.   Blooming from late summer through fall makes them a great late season nectar source for bees and butterflies.  It is not unusual to see them covered with Monarch butterflies.  Liatris scariosa has widely spaced and larger flowerheads than most Blazing Stars. (2 inch pot/$4)

Marsh Blazing Star is a must have in any pollinator garden or perennial border.  It is especially stunning in masses.  The rose/purple, closely set flower heads are arranged in long, dense spikes blooming from the top down with grass-like foliage.  A summer blooming plant that is 3’ – 4’ tall it prefers moist fertile soil.  A nectar source for bees and butterflies this plant is also deer resistant with seeds that attract Goldfinches. (2 inch pot/$4)

Starry Solomon's Seal is very easy to grow.  It is rhizomatous and spreads readily in many sun and soil situations, between 1-2' per year.  Attractive leaves, flowers and green berries with maroon stripes that eventually turn bright red give the plant 3-season interest. (Quart container/$12)

Penstemon digitalis, commonly called foxglove beardtongue or tall white beardtongue, is a clump-forming, Missouri-native perennial which typically grows 3-5' tall and occurs in prairies, fields, wood margins, open woods and along railroad tracks. Features white, two-lipped, tubular flowers (to 1.25" long) borne in panicles atop erect, rigid stems. Flowers bloom mid-spring to early summer and are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Basal leaves are elliptic and stem leaves are lance-shaped to oblong.   (2 inch pot/$4)

Hairy beardtongue is a compact, flowering, herbaceous perennial in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae) native to the dry woods and rocky fields of eastern Canada and the United States. The plant is characterized by its erect, hairy stems, and usually, several stems can be found growing from the same rhizome. The plant boasts open, stalked clusters of lavender to violet, trumpet-shaped flowers with whitish lips that blossom from May to July. The Beardtongues are a very large, taxonomically complex group and separating the species is often difficult. The hirsutus species is readily distinguished, however, by the downy nature of the stem. The common and scientific names refer to the tufted sterile stamen.   (2 inch pot/$4)

Blue phlox is a native herbaceous perennial wildflower in the Polemoniaceae family that may grow 6 to 12 inches high.  Clumping or spreading horizontally it is often found growing on the forest floors in eastern North America.  

Plant in partial to full shade in moist high organic material well-drained soils.  The leaves are opposite with a smooth margin. Fine hairs extend from the leaf margin. The stem is both hairy and sticky. Rose, lavender or violet-blue fragrant flowers first mature in spring and continue into early summer. (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Prairie Phlox is an incredibly fragrant perennial with bright to pale pink flowers blooming from May through July.  It prefers full to part sun growing to a height of 1’ – 2’  It is easy care, drought and pest tolerant.  Deer and rabbits usually avoid Prairie Phlox but butterflies and hummingbirds love it.  If it is happy it will spread nicely and fill in around other plants. (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Jacob’s Ladder is an early blooming woodland plant with both beautiful foliage and lovely delicate blue flowers.  It prefers light shade or dappled sun blooming from late April through May to a height of 1-1 ½’.  The common name refers to lacey oval leaflets arranged on upright stems like the rungs of a ladder.  The flowers are an important early source of pollen and nectar for native bees and butterflies. New flowers open every day providing a new supply daily,   Deer & rabbits find Jacob’s Ladder unpalatable.. (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Green-Head Coneflower is a herbaceous perennial that grows 3 to 10 feet tall with a tall and lanky appearance, although it may only reach half that height when cultivated. 

The plant prefers moist soil but grows well in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade and is often found in woods, meadows, streambanks, and roadside ditches. The plant tolerates hot, humid summers, but can spread aggressively by underground rhizomes.

Butterflies are attracted to nectar from the blooms and songbirds, especially American Goldfinches, eat the seed in the fall. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own.  (2 inch pot/$4)

These blue (to a blue-violet) flowers are on branching stems with grass-like foliage. However, this plant is not a grass but is in the iris family. The stiff, upright, sword-shaped leaves form into a fan shape, very similar to other plants in the iris family. These leaves are typically narrower than the leaves of an iris, making it look more like a grass. After the flowers have bloomed, it would be hard to pick out this plant when growing along with other grassy plants.  

Growing from rhizomes, this plant likes moist to average soil and is generally found in moist meadows, marshes, low woods, damp open woods, on stream banks and slopes. Planting is groups will provide curb appeal.  (2.5 inch pot/$6)

Bluestem Goldenrod is a Wildlflower in the Asteraceae family. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows 3 feet tall with showy clusters of yellow flowers that hug greenish-purple stems in the summer and early fall. In recent times goldenrods have been blamed for hay fever, but its irritating symptoms are actually caused by ragweed (Ambrosia species), whose pollen is airborn when goldenrod is in flower.  This speices does not spread as rapidly or aggressively as some other goldenrods.  It works well planted in a native garden, cottage, butterfly, or woodland garden. (2 inch pot/$4)

New England Aster is a herbaceous perennial that may grow 3 to 7 feet tall. The leaves are alternate, rough, and hairy. The leaves have a smooth margin. The stem is fuzzy. Large, purple flowers with a yellow center mature from August to October. The herb produces a dry seed (achene) that matures in the late fall.

Showy deep pink-purple flowers are attractive to wildlife including bees and butterflies and also make great cut flowers for arrangements. Tolerates clay soil and makes a great addition to a rain garden. Plants can be cut to the ground after flowering to promote strong new growth.  Good air circulation will help prevent foliar diseases. (2 inch pot/$4)

Thalictrum dasycarpum, commonly known as Tall Meadow Rue, Purple Meadow Rue, or Hairy-fruited Meadow Rue, is a graceful native perennial wildflower that adds vertical drama and delicate texture to prairies, meadows, and naturalistic gardens across central and eastern North America. This member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family is distinguished by its impressive height, reaching 3 to 5 feet tall, and its ethereal clusters of tiny, fluffy flowers that create a cloud-like display above finely divided compound leaves. (2 inch pot/$4)

Foamflower is a small, delicate, native herbaceous perennial native to the Eastern Seaboad. It is a member of the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae). It is found naturally in moist forests, coves and well-drained bottomlands. 

Foamflower is best grown in shade, from dappled shade to full shade. It is not tolerant of drought conditions and needs moist, neutral or slightly acidic, humus-rich soils. Damaged foliage can be cut back at the beginning of the growing season and will be replaced with fresh, unblemished leaves.  (2.5 inch pot/$6)

The lead plant is a deciduous semi-shrub in the legume family (Fabaceae) native to central North America, typically found growing in well-drained open spaces such as sandy flats and valleys, hillsides, streambanks, woodlands, glades, and prairies. 

The lead plant grows 1 to 3 feet tall and spreads 2 to 2.5 feet. It does best in full sun in sandy or rocky, well-drained soil but is not too particular about soil type. It is drought-tolerant, and as a legume, it fixes nitrogen in the soil.  If grown in a shady location, it will sprawl along the ground towards a sunnier area. Its roots can reach depths up to 4 feet and sometimes deeper, helping the plant to survive wildfires. It needs to be protected from deer, rabbits and other herbivores.  

Its tiny purple flowers are grouped in showy terminal spikes.  The leaves and stems are covered with short, dense hairs.  This covering gives a gray tint to the leaves, making the plant appear as if it had been dusted with lead, hence the common name. It was once believed that the plant indicated there was lead in the ground.  (Gallon container/$20)

Pawpaw is a deciduous, native, understory tree in the pawpaw family (Annonaceae). Its common name is probably a modification of the Spanish papaya. It is native to eastern North America, where it grows in deep shade to full sunlight in moist, nutrient-rich forests. It will tolerate occasional wet or moist conditions but prefers good drainage and acidic soil. The species epithet is Latin and means "three-lobed," referring to the fruits, which may have one to five lobes, each of which ripens as a separate berry.

Pawpaws are most fruitful in full sun, although they will also grow in dappled sun or partial shade. They like moisture-retentive soils but not permanently wet soil. Once established, they look after themselves with little or no effort from the gardener. Gallon container/$25)