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Water Wise Plants

Perennials


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ANEMONE Anemone sylvestris
Bloom Color:White Part SunShade
Bloom Time:May
Height:18"
Spread:24-36"
Remarks:Native, vigorous spreader.
ARTEMISIA Artemisia species
Bloom Color:White, very small Full Sun
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:12-36"
Spread:18-36"
Remarks:Beautiful silver foliage. Many types available.
ASTER Aster species
Bloom Color:White, purple, pink Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-September
Height:12-24"
Spread:18-36"
Remarks:Prairie asters are very drought tolerant. Pinch back stems in early summer for compact habit.
BABY'S BREATH Gypsophila paniculata
Bloom Color:White Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:36"
Spread:36"
Remarks:Dwarf cultivar available, great for cut flowers
BASKET-OF-GOLD Aurinia saxitillis
Bloom Color:Gold-yellow Full Sun
Bloom Time:May
Height:18"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Shear after blooming.
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BEEBALM Monarda didyma
Bloom Color:Red, pink, purple Full SunPart SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-September
Height:18-36"
Spread:24-36"
Remarks:Dwarf varieties available. Can be very vigorous in growth.
BERGENIA Bergenia cordifolia
Bloom Color:Rose pink Part SunShade
Bloom Time:April-May
Height:15"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Glossy, semi evergreen leaves with blooms in spring.
BLACK-EYED SUSAN Rudbeckia species
Bloom Color:Yellow, gold Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:18-24"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Native, daisy-like flowers are great for cutting.
BLANKET FLOWER Gaillardia species
Bloom Color:Crimson red with yellow accents Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:June-August
Height:16-24"
Spread:16-24"
Remarks:Very drought tolerant. Provide good drainage.
BLUE FALSE INDIGO Baptisia australis
Bloom Color:Indigo blue Full Sun
Bloom Time:May-June
Height:36"
Spread:36"
Remarks:Native prairie plant. Dwarf variety available.
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BOLTONIA, FALSE CHAMOMILE Boltonia asteroides
Bloom Color:White, pale pink Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:August-October
Height:36"
Spread:36-42"
Remarks:Great fall color. Shear back in early summer to prevent from falling over.
BUTTERFLY MILKWEED Asclepias tuberosa
Bloom Color:Orange Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July
Height:18-24"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Native prairie plant with clusters of orange flowers.
CANDYTUFT Iberis sempervirens
Bloom Color:White Full Sun
Bloom Time:May
Height:15"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Shear after blooming.
CARNATION, PINKS Dianthus species
Bloom Color:Pink shades, purple, rose Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:June-August
Height:6-18"
Spread:12-24"
Remarks:Nice blue-green foliage and flowers for cutting.
CATMINT Nepeta species
Bloom Color:Lavender blue Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-August
Height:12"-18"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Easy to grow and drought tolerant. Blooms persist all season if faded flowers are cut back.
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COLUMBINE Aquilegia species
Bloom Color:Blue, purple, red, pink, yellow Blue, purple Full SunShadeAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-July
Height:12-24"
Spread:12-24"
Remarks:Versatile plant for sun or shade.
CONEFLOWER Echinacea species
Bloom Color:White, pink, purple Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:18-24"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Drought tolerant native plant.
CONEFLOWER, MEXICAN HAT Ratibida
Bloom Color:Yellow Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:24-36"
Spread:24-36"
Remarks:Native plant with showy blooms.
CORAL BELLS Heuchera species
Bloom Color:Red, pink Part SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:8-12"
Spread:12-18"
Remarks:Leaf colors range from purple to marbled greens. Nice stems of tubular flowers.
CRANESBILL Geranium species
Bloom Color:Blue, rose, pink, white, pale pink, magenta Full SunPart SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-September
Height:12-24"
Spread:12-36"
Remarks:Hardy, dependable plant for any area. Showy blooms. Many sizes and colors.
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DAYLILY Hemerocallis species
Bloom Color:Yellow, pink, red and more Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:June-September
Height:18"-36"
Spread:24"-36"
Remarks:Many cultivars are repeat bloomers.
FLAX, GOLDEN Linum flavum
Bloom Color:Yellow Full Sun
Bloom Time:June- July
Height:12"-24"
Spread:12"-24"
Remarks:Dislikes heavy clay soil. Amend soil with gravel.
GAYFEATHER Liatris species
Bloom Color:Purple, white Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-September
Height:18"-24"
Spread:18"-24"
Remarks:Attractive spiked blooms.
GOLDENROD Solidago species
Bloom Color:Golden yellow Full Sun
Bloom Time:August-September
Height:18-36"
Spread:18-36"
Remarks:Easy to grow, compact hybrids available.
HOSTA Hosta species
Bloom Color:White, lavender Part SunShade
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:12-40"
Spread:12-40"
Remarks:Many varieties. Drought tolerant once established.
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IRIS Iris species
Bloom Color:Purple, blue, white, pink, yellow Full Sun
Bloom Time:May-June
Height:12-36"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Drought tolerant and tough. Do not bury rhizomatous root too deep for risk of rotting.
LAMB'S EAR Stachys byzantina
Bloom Color:Pale pink (small) Full Sun
Bloom Time:July
Height:12-18"
Spread:18-36"
Remarks:Great fuzzy silver foliage. Is a vigorous grower that thrives in poor, dry soils.
LEADPLANT Amorpha canescens
Bloom Color:Lavender blue Full Sun
Bloom Time:June-July
Height:24-36"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Tough native shrub-like plant.
LENTEN ROSE Helleborus orientalis
Bloom Color:White, rose, purple Shade
Bloom Time:April-May
Height:18"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Leathery leaves and nice early spring blooms.
MEADOW SAGE, SALVIA Salvia x sylvestris
Bloom Color:Dark purple, violet Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-October
Height:18-24"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Showy spikes of flowers. Shear back all spent flowers to get continual blooms.
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OZARK SUNDROPS, EVENING PRIMROSE Oenothera macrocarpa
Bloom Color:Yellow Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-July
Height:6-12"
Spread:24"
Remarks:Large, cup shaped flowers on this native plant. Exceptional drought tolerance.
PENSTEMON, BEARDTONGUE Penstemon species
Bloom Color:Red, purple, rose, white, pink Full Sun
Bloom Time:June-July
Height:12-36"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Showy tubular flowers on long stems. Needs well drained soils
PEONY Paeonia lactiflora
Bloom Color:Many Full Sun
Bloom Time:May-June
Height:36"
Spread:36-48"
Remarks:Fragrant, showy spring blooms. Drought tolerant once established.
PINCUSHION FLOWER Scabiosa columbaria
Bloom Color:Lavender blue Full SunPart SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-September
Height:12-18"
Spread:12-18"
Remarks:Showy flowers set on long, tubular stems. Semievergreen foliage.
PITCHER SAGE Salvia azurea
Bloom Color:Blue-violet Full Sun
Bloom Time:late July-early September
Height:36-48"
Spread:36"
Remarks:Native prairie plant. Exceptional drought tolerance.
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POPPY MALLOW, WINECUPS Callirhoe involucrata, Callirhoe alcaeoides
Bloom Color:Bright rose-purple, white Full Sun
Bloom Time:June-August
Height:12"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Native groundcover. Excellent drought tolerance.
PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER Dalea purpurea
Bloom Color:Purple Full Sun
Bloom Time:June-July
Height:12-18"
Spread:12-18"
Remarks:Native prairie plant with round purple flower heads. Needs excellent drainage.
PUSSYTOES Antennaria species
Bloom Color:White Full Sun
Bloom Time:June
Height:6"
Spread:12"
Remarks:Flower resembles cat's paw.
RATTLESNAKE MASTER Eryngium yuccafolium
Bloom Color:White Full Sun
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:24
Spread:18"
Remarks:Yucca-like foliage topped with rounded blooms.
ROCK CRESS Arabis caucasia
Bloom Color:White Full Sun
Bloom Time:May-June
Height:6"
Spread:12-18"
Remarks:Variegated foliage available
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RUSSIAN SAGE Perovskia atriplicifolia
Bloom Color:Lavender Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-September
Height:36-48"
Spread:36"
Remarks:Delicate silver-gray foliage with spikes of blooms. Exceptional drought tolerance.
SEA LAVENDER Limonium latifolium
Bloom Color:Lavender Full Sun
Bloom Time:June
Height:18"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Easy to grow. Provide good drainage. Nice cut flowers.
SEDUM Sedum species
Bloom Color:Pink, salmon, yellow, white Full Sun
Bloom Time:July-October
Height:3-18"
Spread:12-36"
Remarks:Many types available from ground covers to tall varieties.
SKULLCAP Scutellaria species
Bloom Color:Purple Full Sun
Bloom Time:June-August
Height:10-12"
Spread:12-18"
Remarks:Native variety 'Smoky Hills' is very drought tolerant. Shear back after blooms fade for second flush.
SNEEZEWEED, HELEN'S FLOWER Helenium autumnale
Bloom Color:Yellow, orange, red Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:August-September
Height:24-36"
Spread:24"
Remarks:Native plant. Good with ornamental grasses.
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SNOW IN SUMMER Cerastium tomentosum
Bloom Color:White Full Sun
Bloom Time:May-June
Height:8"
Spread:12"
Remarks:Silvery leaves forms carpet.
STOKE'S ASTER Stokesia laevis
Bloom Color:Blue, purple, white Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:July-August
Height:12-18"
Spread:18"
Remarks:Showy blooms. Needs soil that drains well.
THYME Thymus species
Bloom Color:White, lavender Full Sun
Bloom Time:June-July
Height:3-6"
Spread:12-24"
Remarks:Use as ground cover or between paving stones.
TICKSEED Coreopsis species
Bloom Color:Lemon-yellow, gold Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-September
Height:12-36"
Spread:12-36"
Remarks:Cut off spent blooms for continuous color.
VERONICA Veronica species
Bloom Color:Purple, blue, white, rose Full SunPart SunAttracts Butterflies
Bloom Time:May-August
Height:2-24"
Spread:12-24"
Remarks:Many types available from ground covers to upright varieties. Moderately drought tolerant.
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VINCA Vinca minor
Bloom Color:Lavender Full SunPart Sun
Bloom Time:May-June
Height:3-6"
Spread:36" +
Remarks:Easy to grow groundcover.
YARROW Achillea species
Bloom Color:Yellow, gold, red, rose, orange, pink, white
Bloom Time:June-September Full SunAttracts Butterflies
Height:12-24"
Spread:18-24"
Remarks:Exceptional drought tolerance. Some species are native. Cut back faded flowers to promote more blooms. Vigorous grower.
YUCCA, SOAPWEED Yucca glauca, Yucca filamentosa
Bloom Color:Creamy white Full Sun
Bloom Time:June-August
Height:36"
Spread:36"
Remarks:Spiny foliage not a good choice for high traffic areas. Yucca glauca is native to central U.S. Extremely drought tolerant.
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Water Wise Plants