This native perennial is easily recognized by its unique branching flower spikes that resemble a multi-armed candelabra. Tiny, vibrant violet-blue flowers bloom in succession from the bottom up in the July heat. Unlike many garden perennials that shy away from "wet feet," Verbena hastata thrives in moist-to-wet soils, making it an invaluable choice for rain gardens, pond edges, or that low-lying corner of the yard where other plants struggle.

Plant Profile

• Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade

• Water Needs Moderate to High; standing water is not tolerated, but it prefers consistently moist soil.

• Soil Type Moist to wet; Can tolerate Muck, Clay, Loam or Sand.

• Mature Height 4 - 6 feet

• Deer Resistance Moderate to High

• Bloom Time July – September

• Bloom Color ‍ ‍ Blue

• Plant Spacing 18 – 24 inches

Plant Characteristics

• Vertical Interest: Its tall, slender habit adds height without adding bulk, allowing it to weave beautifully between other plants.

• Naturalizes Easily: A biennial plant that is a wonderful self-seeder. It also will slowly spread through rhizomes allowing it to fill in gaps over time, but it will not compete well with more aggressive vegetation.

• Color: The violet-blue flower spikes can bloom for up to 2 months.

Wildlife Benefits

• Butterfly Magnet: A vital nectar source for a wide array of butterflies, including Swallowtails, Fritillaries, and Skippers.

• Native Bee Support: Blue vervain attracts a variety of different native bees.

• Songbird Food: In the fall, the slender spikes produce tiny seeds that are a favorite for finches, and sparrows.

Pro Tip: Because Blue Vervain grows quite tall and narrow, plant it in clusters of three or more. This creates a stunning "haze" of purple-blue color that is much more impactful than a single specimen, and it provides extra support for the stems in windy areas.

A true standout in the wetland or meadow garden. This hardy native perennial is instantly recognizable by its unique foliage. In late summer, the plant is topped with large, fuzzy clusters of fragrant, creamy-white blossoms. These flat-topped flower heads create a soft, cloud-like effect in the landscape, providing a nice contrast to the purples and golds of late-season asters and goldenrods.

Plant Profile

• Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade

• Water Needs Moderate to High; prefers consistently moist to wet soil.

• Soil Type Needed Thrives in moist Muck, Clay, or Loam; tolerates "wet feet."

• Mature Height 3 – 5 feet

• Deer Resistance High

• Bloom Time July – September

• Bloom Color‍ ‍ White

• Plant Spacing 1 – 2 feet

Plant Characteristics

• Unique Architecture: The "perfoliate" leaves provide a structural look that adds instant character to your garden beds. The pairs of textured, lance-shaped leaves are fused at the base, making it look as though the sturdy stem is growing right through the center of a single long leaf.

• Wet Spot Solution: It is an excellent choice for rain gardens or areas with poor drainage where other perennials might struggle with root rot.

• Late Summer Glow: While other plants are winding down, Boneset hits its peak, keeping your garden looking lush and full of life well into September.

Wildlife Benefits

• Pollinator Super-Plant: Boneset is legendary for the sheer volume of insects it supports. It is a favorite of honeybees, native sweat bees, and beneficial wasps.

• Nectar Source: A vital late-season fuel stop for migrating Monarchs and other varieties of butterflies and moths.

• Late Season seed source: Goldfinches, chickadees, sparrows and juncos will feed on the fall seed heads.

Just like the goldenrod, this plant is a "bridge" species—but while the goldenrod bridges the seasons, the Evening Primrose bridges day and night! While most flowers wake up with the sun, this native waits for the twilight. It features bowl-shaped yellow blossoms that unfurl in late afternoon and evening.

Plant Profile

• Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade

• Water Needs Low to Medium; very drought-tolerant

• Soil Type Adaptable; prefers Sandy, Rocky, or Lean soil

• Mature Height 4 – 6 feet

• Deer Resistance Moderate

• Bloom Time July – October

• Bloom Color‍ ‍ Yellow

• Plant Spacing 1 – 2 feet

Plant Characteristics

• Long Bloom Time: It is one of the last natives blooming into late fall.

• Hardy & Resilient: It thrives in "neglected" areas where other plants struggle. It is highly resistant to pests and can handle poor, dry soils with ease.

Wildlife Benefits

• Polinators: Although labeled as a weed by some, it is a very important native plant with a long bloom time. It benefits many different kinds of bees, nectaring moths, butterfiles, and caterpillars.

• The "Night Shift": The flowers attract sphinx moths (hawk moths), which are nocturnal.

• Hummingbirds: Though they open late, the flowers stay open long enough for hummingbirds to visit them for a breakfast snack in the early morning.

Garden Note: Common Evening Primrose is a prolific self-seeder. Because it is a biennial, it relies on dropping seeds to ensure a new generation blooms every year. If you want to limit its spread, simply snip off the seed pods after the flowering season is finished!

This towering native perennial is famous for its deeply lobed, sandpaper-like leaves that traditionally orient themselves North and South to avoid the intense midday sun—giving the plant its iconic name.Rising on sturdy, sap-filled stalks, its cheerful, sunflower-like yellow blooms provide a vertical element that can be seen from across the yard.

It is a slow-growing "anchor" species that invests its early years into developing a massive taproot that can reach up to 15 feet deep. This incredible root system makes it virtually bulletproof against drought and extreme heat, allowing it to remain lush and vibrant even when the rest of the garden is parched.

Plant Profile

• Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade

• Water Needs Low to Medium; exceptionally drought-tolerant

• Soil Type Loam, Sand

• Mature Height 5 – 8 feet

• Deer Resistance High

• Bloom Time June – September

• Bloom Color Yellow

• Plant Spacing 3 – 5 feet

Plant Characteristics

• Height: Given rich soil, compass plants can reach upwards of 8 feet in height making it a natural focal point or a stunning "back of the border" screen.

• Living Compass: The large basal leaves align with the Earth’s magnetic poles to maximize water use in the leaves and increase CO2 gain.

• Centuries-Long Life: This is a "legacy plant." Once established, a single Compass Plant can live for up to 100 years, becoming a permanent fixture of your home's ecosystem.

Wildlife Benefits

• Pollinators: The resin-rich flowers are a favorite of bees, and butterflies.

• Birds: Seeds are a high-energy food source for goldfinches and other songbirds throughout the fall and a favorite perching spot.

Pro Tip: Patience is a virtue with the Compass Plant! Because it spends its first few seasons focused on growing that legendary 15-foot taproot, it may only produce a small cluster of leaves at first. Don't be fooled—it is building the foundation for a lifetime of beauty. Due to this taproot, it is very difficult to move once planted, so choose its "forever home" in a sunny spot with plenty of vertical room to grow.

This stately native perennial is beloved for its unique, candelabra-like flower spikes that bloom in a soft white to pale lavender. Unlike the shaggy look of some prairie plants, Culver’s Root has deep green leaves arranged in tidy, horizontal "whirls" around the stem, providing beautiful texture even before the flowers appear. This plant is the perfect "bridge" for your garden, thriving in that sweet spot between moist and well-drained soils.

Plant Profile

• Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade

• Water Needs Medium; likes moist, well drained soil

• Soil Type Needed Muck, Loam, Clay, or Moist Sand

• Mature Height 4 – 6 feet

• Deer Resistance High

• Bloom Time June – August

• Bloom Color White

• Plant Spacing 2 – 3 feet

Plant Characteristics

• Candelabra Blooms: Each main flower spike is surrounded by smaller secondary spikes, extending the bloom time and creating a multi-tiered "candelabra" effect.

• Formal Structure: The unique "whorled" leaf pattern (growing in circles around the stem) gives the plant a clean, geometric look that fits beautifully in modern or formal landscapes.

• Non-Aggressive: It is a well-behaved clump-former, meaning it stays exactly where you plant it and won't try to take over the rest of your garden.

Wildlife Benefits

• Bees & Butterflies: It is a vital nectar source for butterflies and a variety of bees.

Pro Tip: Culver’s Root is a true "sun-seeker." While it can handle partial shade, its stems are sturdiest and its flower spikes are most upright when it receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. If you are planting it in a more shaded spot, consider placing it near a fence or sturdier neighbors like Joe Pye Weed for a little extra support. To encourage the best display, keep the soil mulch-covered to retain the moisture this "cool-season" beauty loves!

This native is named for the soft, silvery-gray "down" or fuzz that covers its stems and foliage, giving the entire plant a frosty-blue tint. When the mid-summer heat arrives, it erupts in a cheerful display of multi-flowered stalks topped with bright, 2-inch golden-yellow blooms.

What sets the Downy Sunflower apart is its incredible versatility. It is one of the few sunflowers that stays at a manageable height. It is a rugged survivor that handles the hottest, driest corners of your yard with ease, maintaining its silver-green luster even in the peak of a summer drought.

Plant Profile

• Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Sun

• Water Needs Low to Medium; very drought-tolerant

• Soil Type Poor, drier, Clay, Sand, Rocky, or Well-Drained Loam

• Mature Height 4 - 5 feet

• Deer Resistance High

• Bloom Time August – September

• Bloom Color Yellow

• Plant Spacing 2 – 3 feet

Key Characteristics

• Aggressive Spreader: please consider when picking your planting location. Removal of the seed head before it is ripe is preferable if you do not want to weed seedlings.

• Compact Habit: Unlike the towering 8-foot giants, Downy Sunflower stays relatively short and sturdy, rarely requiring staking or support.

• Prolific Bloomer: Rather than one single flower head, each plant produces numerous branches, resulting in a dense "bouquet" of yellow flowers on every stalk.

Wildlife Benefits

• Nectar: Its late-summer blooms are a vital resource for long-tongued bees, butterflies, and skippers during the hottest months of the year.

• Bird Seed Source: In the fall, the flower heads dry into nutritious "bird feeders." Chickadees and Goldfinches will cling to the stems to feast on the oil-rich seeds.

• Host Plant: It serves as a nursery for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly and several species of moths.

Early Sunflower (often called False Sunflower or Oxeye Sunflower) is a champion of the "pre-autumn" season. While it looks remarkably like a true sunflower, it’s actually a distinct native perennial that is far more manageable and long-lived in a garden setting.

A cheerful, multi-stemmed native that produces a profusion of daisy-like yellow flowers. It is one of the longest-blooming perennials in the summer garden, often starting its show weeks before the rest of the sunflower family.

Plant Profile

• Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade (Best in Full Sun)

• Water Needs Low to Medium; drought-tolerant once established

• Soil Type Adaptable; thrives in Clay, Loam, Sand, or Rocky soil

• Mature Height 3 – 5 feet

• Deer Resistance High

• Bloom Time June – September

• Bloom Color Yellow

• Plant Spacing 1.5 – 3 feet

Key Garden Characteristics

• Prolific Bloomer: Unlike true sunflowers that bloom once, this species is "deadhead friendly"—removing spent flowers will keep the gold coming all summer long.

• Sturdy & Reliable: While it can get tall, its stems are generally stiffer than true sunflowers.However, in very rich soil, it can become "leggy," so it's actually happier in leaner, average soil.

• Clump-Forming: It stays where you put it! Unlike some aggressive spreaders, this species grows in a tidy, non-invasive clump that increases in diameter over time.

Wildlife & Garden Benefits

• Specialist Pollinator Support: It is a critical host for the Holcopasites heliopis bee—a tiny specialist pollinator that relies specifically on this plant.

• Bird Buffet: If you leave the seed heads standing in the fall, they become a favorite snack for goldfinches and other small songbirds.

Pro Tip: Try planting Early sunflower with purple-blooming companions like Blazing Star or Ironweed that would contrast beautifully with all that yellow.