Tall Meadow Perennials
Aesclepias incarnata (Rose,Swamp Milkweed)
Dimensions: 4' x 2.5'
Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Period: June–August
Light: Full Sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet-med
Propagation: Seed requires 30 days cold, moist stratification.
Larva/Animals Hosted: Monarch butterfly
Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster)
Dimensions: 5' x 2-3'
Bloom Color: Purple/Fuschia
Bloom Period: August-October
Light: Sun to partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Wet-dry/med
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Aster umbellatus/Doellingeria umbellata
(Flat-topped white Aster)
Dimensions: 5'
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Full-partial sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet-med. Slightly acidic.
Comments: Looks best in colonies. Aggressive. Requires little care but benefits from wintercover. Rhizomatus.
Baptisia alba
Dimensions: 4' x 4'
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: June-July
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet-med. Dry.
Propagation: Seed requires 10 days of cold, moist stratification and then inoculation with beneficial bacteria. Seedlings grow slowly the first two years.
Comments: Nitrogen fixer.
Baptisia australis
Dimensions: 4' x 4'
Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Period: May-July
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet-med. Dry.
Propaga Seed requires 10 days of cold, moist stratification and then inoculation with beneficial bacteria. Seedlings grow slowly the first two years.
Comments: Nitrogen fixer.
Boltonia asteroides
Dimensions: 4-6' x 3'
Bloom Color: White with yellow center
Bloom Period: August-October
Light: Full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet-wet/med
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Coreopsis tripteris
(Tall Tickseed, Tall Coreopsis)
Dimensions: 7' x 2'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: July-August
Light: Full sun-partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Wet/med to dry/med.
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Comments: Aggressive.
Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master)
Dimensions: 4' x 3'
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet/med to dry/med.
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Eupatorium/Eutrocium fistulosum
Dimensions: 6'
Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Full sun-full shade
Moisture/Soil: Wet to wet/med.
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Eupatorium/Eutrocium maculatum
(Joe Pye weed)
Dimensions: 5'
Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Period: June-August
Light: Full sun-partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Wet to wet/med.
Propagation: Seed requires 30 days cold, moist stratification.
Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed)
Dimensions: 4'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: August-October
Light: Full to part
Moisture/Soil: Wet to wet/med.
Comments: Seeds do not require pretreatment. Easy from seed.
Helianthus Maximiliani
(Maximilian Sunflower)
Dimensions: 6-8' x 2-4'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: August-September
Light: Full to part
Moisture/Soil: Wet/med to dry/med.
Propagation: Nutlets usually mature 2-3 weeks after flowering. To beat finches to the seeds, secure a small bag around seeds heads after the flowers fade. Air-dry collected seed heads, separate nutlets from chaff, and store in sealed, refrigerated containers. Seed requires 30 days cold, moist stratification.
Comments: Aggressive.
Heliopsis helianthoides
(Oxeye sunflower, Early Sunflower)
Dimensions: 5' x 1.5-3'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Full to part
Moisture/Soil: Wet/med to dry/med.
Propagation: Easily propagated by seed in fall or early spring. Seed requires 30 days cold, moist stratification.
Comments: aggressive but short-lived perennial..
Inula helenium (elecampane))
Dimensions: 5-7' x 2-3'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Full to part
Moisture/Soil: Medium, well-drained soil.
Liatris pycnostachya (Prairie Blazing Star)
Dimensions: 4' x 12-18"
Bloom Color: Fuchsia
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet to medium.
Propagation: Seeds require scarification (lightly nick with knife, use rock tumbler or boiling water) and moist stratification (3 months at 40 degrees).
Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)
Dimensions: 4'
Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet-wet/medium.
Propagation: Store dried, cleaned seed in a sealed, refrigerated container up to three years.Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Monarda didyma (bee balm)
Dimensions: 4' x 2-3'
Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Period: July-August
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet-medium. Rich, moisture-retentive soils.
Propagation: Increase by division of mature clumps in the spring ; or sow seed. Also propagated by root division. Info about stratification NA.
Comments: Can get aggressive under optimum conditions, but not as bad as other members of the mint family such as peppermint, spearmint, or lemon balm..
Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower)
Dimensions: 5'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: July - September
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Medium-dry / medium.
Propagation: Seed requires 30 days cold, moist stratification.
Comments: Aggressive.
Rudbeckia laciniata (Wild Golden Glow)
Dimensions: 7'+
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: July-October
Light: Full sun-pull shade
Moisture/Soil: Wet/medium - medium.
Propagation: Seed requires 30 days cold, moist stratification.
Comments: Aggressive.
Rudbeckia subtomentosa (Sweet Black-Eyed Susan)
Dimensions: 5-6' x 18-36"
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: August-October
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Medium.
Propagation: Seed Treatment: A long cold period is a pre-germination requirement. Seeding should be sparse to allow adequate space for growth.
Silphium perfoliatum (Cup Plant)
Dimensions: 8'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: July-September
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet/medium - medium.
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Solidago speciosa (Showy Goldenrod)
Dimensions: 5'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: August-October
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet/medium - medium.
Propagation: Seeds benefit from 60 days cold, moist stratification, but stratification isn't absolutely necessary.
Vernonia fasciculata (Common Ironweed)
Dimensions: 6' x 1-2'
Bloom Color: Rose Purple
Bloom Period: August
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet/medium - medium.
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Larvae Hosted: Ironweed is a host plant for the American Painted Lady butterfly and is listed by the Xerces Society as having special value to native bees.
Comments: Brief bloom intense purple. Winter interest.
Vernonia gigantea (Giant ironweed)
Dimensions: 5-8' x 3-6'
Bloom Color: Rose Purple
Bloom Period: September-October
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet - medium.
Propagation: Seed requires 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Larvae Hosted: The caterpillars of some moths feed on Ironweed species, including Grammia parthenice (Parthenice Tiger Moth), Perigea xanthioides (Red Groundling), and Papaipema cerussata (Ironweed Borer Moth).
Comments: Brief bloom intense purple. Winter interest.
Veronicastrum virginicum (Culvers Root)
Dimensions: 5' x 2-3'
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: June-August
Light: Partial-full sun
Moisture/Soil: Wet/medium - dry/medium.
Propagation: Most easily propagated by root divisions in late fall or early spring. Each rootstock segment must have a bud. Seeds benefit from 90 days of cold, moist stratification but stratification isn't absolutely necessary.