Native Kansas Perennials for Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Hello, again!
Per·en·ni·al adjective - from the Latin perennis ‘lasting the year through’ (of a plant) living for several years.
It tends to be a bit confusing: Annual or Perennial? Which grows only 1 year, or 2 or more years? To add to the confusion, many annuals often self-seed, returning yearly on their own. I’ll explain it. Generally, an annual is a plant that starts from seed in the spring, grows, and then develops flowers. The flower matures, produces a fruit and seed, and when winter comes, the plant dies. The next year, the seeds sprout, and the cycle starts all over again.
Perennial plants germinate in the fall, grow in the spring, then produce flowers, fruit, and seed. When a killing freeze arrives, instead of dying, the plant goes dormant until spring, when the cycle starts over again. Naturally, there are many exceptions (hardy annuals, tender perennials, biennials), all great topics for another e-news.
Many of our best-performing perennial plants in the landscape are native plants to our region. Some are straight out of the Flint Hills, while others have been improved upon by breeders to produce new colors, plant forms, and longer blooming. I think plant breeders like to hybridize in the lab, just as nature does. Looking at the same species in nature, we find slight differences in plants naturally.
Many of our native perennials are great pollinator plants and are a vital part of our ecosystem. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all feed on not only the foliage of perennials in the garden but also their nectar as they migrate through our landscapes. With June being National Pollinator Month, it’s the perfect time to highlight these plants. They bloom for most of the season, are drought-tolerant, for sun or shade, and will attract bees, butterflies, moths, caterpillars, hummingbirds, and countless other pollinators to your garden.
Here are a few of my favorite perennials that perform well in our area:
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) - My favorite plant in the garden. It produces orange/red flowers from June through fall, grows ~ 18” tall, and thrives in dry locations. Additionally, it provides nectar for Monarchs and is the only food their caterpillars eat.
Plains Coreopsis or Tickseed (Coreopsis tinctora) - With its bold mostly yellow flowers, this low-growing native is a great border plant for sunny locations and covers Kansas roadsides in a sea of yellow throughout the summer. Remove spent flowers, and this plant will bloom until frost.
Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum) - These small plants now have many options beyond what our grandparents grew. Double or single flowers and tight, compact plants make this a versatile favorite to grow all summer long.
May Night Salvia (Salvia nemorosa) - I often refer to this plant as ‘Improved May Night’ with all of the new early-summer varieties that rebloom with deadheading.
Coneflower (Echinacea) - This ubiquitous Kansas native now has many colors, from the common purple to yellows, oranges, and reds. Loving the full sun and our native soil, it’s a clear winner for perennial borders as it naturalizes well.
Bee Balm (Monarda) - This low-maintenance native is naturally deer and rabbit-resistant and an early summer bloomer. Its aromatic foliage attracts butterflies and hummingbirds all season long.
The Pocket Guide to Kansas Flint Hills Wildflowers and Grasses is a great resource to identify even more native wildflowers in Kansas and the Flint Hills. This guide, along with over a dozen others, is available as a free download or for pickup at the Great Plains Nature Center (29th Street North and Woodlawn). This publication, along with the others, makes a great educational companion for your next adventure into our Kansas plains and woodlands.
Another group of plants for our landscapes is edibles. Whether it’s the colorful leaves of Swiss Chard and many lettuces or broccoli and cabbage with their textured foliage, many options can work together to create interest in your garden or landscape.
For perennial edibles, we have many options:
Strawberry plants make a great ground cover. I’ve also enjoyed our bush tart cherries. The “Romance” varieties (Romeo, Juliet, and Carmine Jewel) provide an abundance of pie cherries that can be picked from the ground in late May. With their early white blooms in the spring, they are a must in the landscape as a specimen plant or multiple plants and can create a 6’ screen.
Asparagus can also create a perennial screen that will provide fresh asparagus for years to come. They are famously hardy, returning yearly for 15-30 years!
New this year is our collection of small hardy perennial edibles for the garden and landscape. This includes 3 varieties of hardy Figs, from zone 6 Chicago Hardy to zone 7 Brown Turkey. With some winter mulching, I’ve successfully grown these for several years.
We have many Rubus varieties, including several varieties of blackberries and red or gold raspberries. These plants are great ramblers that are a delight in the garden.
Victoria rhubarb also makes a great show in the garden, much like hosta, but with the option for a delicious strawberry rhubarb pie!
As a bonus, all of our Strawberries and Unique Edibles (including Blackberries, Raspberries, Figs, and more) are 30% OFF, now through June 18th.
Your friend in the garden,
Marty Johnson
Owner - Johnson's Garden Centers
