The native plant bed goes out in a blaze of glory as cooler weather arrives in the Midwest

Goldenrod

Ohio Goldenrod Solidago ohioensis Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay  Moisture: Medium,Moist  Height: 3'-4'  Bloom Time: Aug-Sep  Color: yellow  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 4  Spacing: 18"   Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) is the largest of the goldenrod flowers. The compact form misrepresents the exuberant late season floral display. The foliage is superb, with lush, lance-like leaves radiating out from the base. Excellent for moist clay, it also thrives in good garden soil. Hardy to Zones 4 - 5

Goldenrod

Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 3'-5'  Bloom Time: Aug-Sep  Color: yellow  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 4  Spacing: 1'   A Monarch Favorite, Stiff Goldenrod, Solidago rigida, is a widely adaptable and thrives in even the most inhospitable soils, from clay to dry sand. The stems serve as perches for songbirds, and the seeds are an important late season bird food. The dried heads are lovely in arrangements. Hardy to Zones 3-9

Obedient Plant

Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay  Moisture: Medium,Moist  Height: 1'-2'  Bloom Time: Aug-Sep  Color: pink  Root: Rhizome  Zone: 4  Spacing: 1'   The Obediant Plant (Physostegia virginiana) makes a great groundcover for damp soils. This showy member of the mint family thrives in moist soil and creeps rapidly by rhizomes to keep weeds at bay. An excellent groundcover for wet areas that are difficult to mow, plant it with Great Blue Lobelia for a great late summer color combination. Hardy to Zones 3 - 9.

Sky Blue Aster

Sky Blue Aster Aster azureus* Sun: Full,Partial  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 2'-3'  Bloom Time: Aug-Oct  Color: blue  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 3  Spacing: 1'   Aster azureus is bright and showy from late August into October when it is covered with brilliant blue blooms. Combine Sky Blue Aster with the White Aster or Showy Goldenrod for a fabulous fall show! Thrives in almost any soil, from dry sand to moist loam, in full sun to light shade. Hardy to Zones 3 - 8.

New England Aster (top left)

New England Aster Aster novae-angliae* Sun: Full,Partial  Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay  Moisture: Medium,Moist  Height: 3'-6'  Bloom Time: Aug-Oct  Color: pink,blue  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 4  Spacing: 1'-18"   Tall and majestic, the New Englad Aster's deep blue, purple, and sometimes pink flowers are highlights of the late season landscape. Aster novae-angliae is a critical fall nectar source for butterflies, especially Monarchs as they stock up for their long migration to Mexico. Zones 3 - 7. Heath Aster Heath Aster Aster ericoides* Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 1'-3'  Bloom Time: Aug-Oct  Color: white  Root: Rhizome  Zone: 3  Spacing: 1'   Not only does Heath Aster produce a blizzard of bright white flowers in late summer and early fall, it will thrive on the driest sandy and gravelly soils. Creeping slowly by rhizomes to form small "bushes," Aster ericoides is one of our longest lived Asters. Plant with Sky Blue Aster and Smooth Aster for a great fall show. Hardy to Zones 3 - 9.

Anise hyssop

Lavender Hyssop  Agastache foeniculum Sun: Full,Partial  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 1'-3'  Bloom Time: Jul-Sep  Color: purple  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 4  Spacing: 1'   Also known as Anise Hyssop, the crushed leaves have a fragrance of mint and licorice. The bright purple flowers and textured foliage make this an excellent choice for sunny prairies, open oak woodlands, and savannas. Biennial, it self-sows readily on open soil. Hardy to Zones 2 - 6. Bottle Gentian Bottle Gentian Gentiana andrewsii Sun: Full,Partial  Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay  Moisture: Moist,Wet  Height: 1'-2'  Bloom Time: Aug-Oct  Color: blue  Root: Zone: 3  Spacing: 1'   Bottle Gentian has deep blue flowers never actually open, giving them their bottle-like appearance. The blooms are pollinated exclusively by bumblebees, which pry open the flowers to gain entry into the inner sanctum. Bottle Gentian are slow-growing but long-lived and require little care once established. Blooming late into the fall, Gentiana andrewsii seems impervious to the effects of Jack Frost. Hardy to Zones 3 - 6

Little Bluestem

Little Bluestem Plant Schizachyrium scoparium* Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 2'-3'  Bloom Time: Aug-Oct  Color: crimson-red  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 4  Spacing: 1'   Incomparable Fall Color! The blue-green foliage provides a great backdrop for prairie flowers in summer, and then turns a striking crimson in fall. A patch of Little Bluestem waving in the wind is truly a wondrous sight, resembling ocean waves. A clump former, it combines nicely with prairie flowers. Excels in dry sandy soils. Not recommended for heavy clay or damp soils. Zones 3 - 10

Little Bluestem Plant

Schizachyrium scoparium*

Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 2'-3'  Bloom Time: Aug-Oct  Color: crimson-red  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 4  Spacing: 1'

Incomparable Fall Color! The blue-green foliage provides a great backdrop for prairie flowers in summer, and then turns a striking crimson in fall. A patch of Little Bluestem waving in the wind is truly a wondrous sight, resembling ocean waves. A clump former, it combines nicely with prairie flowers. Excels in dry sandy soils. Not recommended for heavy clay or damp soils. Zones 3 - 10

  

Sun:	Full
Soil:	Sand,Loam
Moisture:	Dry,Medium
Height:	2'-3'
Bloom Time:	Aug-Oct
Color:	crimson-red
Root:	Fibrous
Zone:	4
Spacing:	1'

Sun:

Full 

Soil:

Sand,Loam 

Moisture:

Dry,Medium 

Height:

2'-3' 

Bloom Time:

Aug-Oct 

Color:

crimson-red 

Root:

Fibrous 

Zone:

4 

Spacing:

1'  

Vernal Witchhazel

Vernal Witchhazel 

Hamamelis vernalis

Size of Leaves: Medium

Exposure/ Light Requirements:  Full Sun / Partial Sun/Shade

Hardiness Zone:	5 - 8
Mature Height:	6-10 Feet
Mature Width:	6-12 Feet
Features:	Fragrant flowers (ranging from red to yellow) with narrow petals, in early spring (as early as March); autumn color is yellow.
Culture:	Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil is best, but tolerates wet sites; tolerates alkaline soils.
Mature Form:	Rounded to slightly broad rounded.
Soil Conditions:	Dry Moist, Well-Drained Wet
Tolerance:	Alkaline Soil Dry Sites Salt Soil Compaction Wet Sites Wind
Uses:	Barrier Border Foundation Hedge Massing Naturalizing Screen Specimen
Foliage Color:	Green
Fall Foliage Color:	Yellow

Glossy Black Chokeberry

Black Chokeberry 

Aronia melanocarpa

Flowers of Black Chokeberry

Size:  Small

Exposure/ Light Requirements:  Full Sun / Partial Sun/Shade

Hardiness Zone:	3 - 8
Mature Height:	3-6 Feet
Mature Width:	3-6 Feet
Features:	Clusters of small, white flowers in mid-spring; small, round dark purple to black fruit in late summer and autumn; autumn color is red.

Mature Form:	Multi-stemmed with suckers; stems are upright and the shrub tends to form broad thickets.
Soil Conditions:	Dry Moist, Well-Drained Wet
Tolerance:	Dry Sites Salt Soil Compaction Wet Sites Wind
Uses:	Massing Naturalizing
Foliage Color:	Green
Fall Foliage Color:	Purple Red
Additional No	Chokeberry fruit are very astringent and will not be eaten by birds, so they are ornamental through much of winter. Staghorn Sumac Staghorn Sumac  Rhus typhina Hardiness Zone: 4 - 8  Mature Height: 15-25 Feet Mature Width: 15-25 Feet Features: Dense, upright clusters of yellow green flowers in early to mid-summer; upright clusters of red, hairy fruit (on female plants only) in late summer, persisting into winter; autumn color is yellow, orange and red. Culture: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil is best, but tolerates dryness; prefers acid soils, but tolerates slightly alkaline soils. Cultivars: 'Laciniata'- Leaflets are deeply cut. Mature Form: Broad spreading due to suckering. Native To: United States (and Illinois) Soil Conditions: Dry Moist, Well-Drained Wet Tolerance: Alkaline Soil Dry Sites Salt Uses: Barrier Border Foundation Hedge Massing Naturalizing Screen Specimen Foliage Color: Green Fall Foliage Color: Orange Red Yellow Additional Notes: Male and female flowers on separate plants. Fruit will be produced only if a male plant is available to pollinate the females. White Oak in fall (on right) White Oak  Quercus alba Hardiness Zone: 4 - 8   Mature Height: 50-75 Feet Features: Purplish red fall color; form. Culture: Full sun; moist, well drained soil; prefers slightly acid soil pH. Mature Form: Broad rounded Soil Conditions: Moist, Well-Drained Tolerance: Salt Wind Uses: Shade Specimen Foliage Color: Green Fall Foliage Color: Purple Red Additional Notes: Very difficult to transplant due to deep taproot.