Illinois Natives

Hirtella Asclepias, more commonly known as Hirtella Milkweed or sometimes grouped under Asclepias hirtella and Tall Green Milkweed, is a native prairie species historically found across the central United States in moist to moderately dry meadows, savannas, and open grasslands. It is recognized for its tall, slender stems topped with rounded clusters of pale green to yellow-green flowers that attract a wide variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and monarch caterpillars.

The Illinois Blend combines annual and perennial wildflowers selected for ornamental planting in the Midwestern United States. Its current component profile features New England Aster, Purple Coneflower, Shasta Daisy, and Black-Eyed Susan. Illinois prairie conditions and cold winters are represented by a mix balancing quick annual color with returning perennials. The mixture contains both native species and non-native flowers adapted to the region, creating varied colors, heights and bloom periods. Sow in a sunny, prepared, weed-free seedbed and keep the surface consistently moist while seedlings establish.

A tropical appearance bloom that can thrive in cooler locations (zone 5 and above). Produces beautifully stunning white and crimson flowers. Hibiscus moscheutos plants prefer wet areas in the wild, but can also be grown in a well-watered garden.

The Sneezeweed Helenium produces a numerous amount of beautiful, large, daisy-like yellow flowers that bloom in the late summer and early autumn! Despite its common name, this variety presents no problems for most allergy sufferers.

The Eastern Pollinator Blend is a wildflower mixture for pollinator conservation in the eastern United States and southeast Canada. The western planting boundary would be a line straight south from the eastern borders of North and South Dakota. This mix contains a balanced blend of native annuals and perennials that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season. If you have specific mix requirements for pollinator conservation projects, please contact us regarding a custom mix for your area. Plant at 5 oz. per 1,000 sq.ft. or 7-14 lbs. per acre.

The Indiangrass is a warm-season bunchgrass that is native to central and eastern North America and provides cover and food for wildlife. This grass can reach up to seven feet tall and is a common species of the Tallgrass Prairie. The beautiful, plume-like seed heads are very ornamental making them excellent for prairie and conservation mixtures.

The Sahara Rudbeckia has a beautiful bloom of caramel, red and pink - perfect for a fall bouquet since it will flower into mid to late autumn! It tolerates heat well and thrives in full Sun. Grown as a half-hardy annual, the Sahara performs well in most soil types. This delightful flower not only is an attention grabber for people, but for butterflies as well. Make sure to deadhead faded flowers regularly to encourage more blooms.

Despite its name, the Swamp Asclepias is one of the most vibrant and beautifully colored milkweeds around for the home gardens! This Butterfly Weed's red blooms are beautiful and will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. This perennial thrives in zones 3-8 and will produces its willowy foliage and cherry-red blooms that can be enjoyed all summer long!

The Marmalade Rudbeckia is a dwarf variety that has large, golden-orange flowers that will bloom from summer to early fall! This flower grows to be two feet tall, and flowers are up to five inches across. It is a versatile plant that can be used in flower beds, borders, cutting gardens and large containers.

The Showy Asclepias is just like its name, a beautiful showy plant that is an excellent nectar sources for butterflies and hummingbirds! This Butterfly Weed variety is similar to Common Milkweed, but its pinkish-purple flowers have longer petals that taper more and are covered with fine hairs. The Showy Asclepias will attract butterflies and hummingbirds, especially Queen and Monarch butterflies. This plant is aggressive and should be thinned every year.

Indian Summer Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia hirta), an award-winning variety of Black-Eyed Susan, is cherished for its brilliant, long-lasting blooms and adaptability in the garden. First popularized in the late 20th century, this hardy annual or short-lived perennial produces extra-large daisy-like flowers—often 6–9 inches across—with golden-yellow petals surrounding dark chocolate-brown centers. Plants grow 3–4 feet tall with sturdy, branching stems, making them excellent for borders, pollinator gardens, and cut flower arrangements.

, historically thriving in dry prairies, foothills, and rangelands where its exceptionally deep root system—often reaching several feet down—helped it endure drought and grazing. This species is known for its compact stature and dense spikes of bright purple, “dotted” flower clusters spaced neatly along the stem, each rich in nectar and highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and especially migrating monarchs.

Goldsturm Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’) is an award-winning perennial introduced in the mid-20th century and celebrated for its long-lasting, golden-yellow daisy-like blooms with dark brown centers. Native to North America, this variety grows 24–36 inches tall and 18–24 inches wide, creating bold displays in borders, meadows, and pollinator gardens. Easy to grow from seed, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, tolerating heat, drought, and poor soils once established.

Dwarf Blazing Star (Liatris cylindracea) is a petite, drought-hardy species native to the dry prairies, glades, and rocky outcrops of the central and eastern United States, where its deep taproot allowed it to persist through challenging conditions. Unlike the taller prairie Liatris types, L. cylindracea stays low and compact, often producing short, sturdy flower spikes lined with cylindrical clusters of vivid purple blooms that open from the top down and draw in bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) is a classic North American prairie perennial long valued by Indigenous peoples and early settlers, and today it remains a signature species of tallgrass prairies and restoration plantings. It produces tall, upright spikes crowded with vivid purple, nectar-rich flowers that bloom from the top down, drawing in butterflies, bees, and especially monarchs in late summer.

These are by far our favorite Rudbeckia flower. These provide a prolific amount of flowers that excellent for cut flower use. Once cut, these flowers will stay fresh and look great for weeks! The long narrow petals of the Chim Chiminee Rudbeckia give off beautiful fall shades of bronze, gold, red and burnt orange. This variety is perfect for any garden or vase as it is an outstanding cut flower!

The long-lasting blooms of the Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia brings beautiful, rich shades of crimson to any garden or bouquet! The giant red blooms attract butterflies and bees all summer long, and songbirds in the early fall. The Cherry Brandy thrives in the sun and is able to stand up to heat and humidity, making it easy to care for. It is a perennial, therefore it will reseed itself around the garden, perpetuating from year to year! Make sure to deadhead the faded flowers in order to prolong the flowering season.

Button Blazing Star (Liatris aspera) is a native wildflower of the central and eastern United States, historically found in dry prairies, savannas, and open woodlands where its tough, deep-rooted nature helped it thrive in harsh conditions. It is known for its thick, sturdy stems topped with rounded, button-like clusters of rosy-purple flowers that open irregularly along the spike, creating a charming, textural look that pollinators—especially bees and butterflies—love.

The Gayfeather Liatris is an excellent variety at attracting butterflies, bees and hummingbirds and matures to 4' in wet to mesic soil conditions. Like many Liatris species, when it begins to bloom it starts at the top and works its way down. This is an excellent Liatris species to plant in wet-medium prairies and perennial gardens and it makes to be a perfect cut flower.

The Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia is a wonderful, stiff upright flower that is stunning and will definitely grab your attention. This variety is an annual or short lived perennial native to the eastern United States. The Black Eyed Susan is probably the most common of all American wildflowers. The characteristic brown, domed center is surrounded by bright yellow ray florets that thrives in most soils in full sun. The Black Eyed Susan is a true sunshine worshiper that forgives neglect.

The Common Asclepias, also known as Butterfly Weed or Common Milkweed, is the only plant that Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on! This variety provides an abundant food source for Monarchs, but have been declining in the recent years due in part to suburban development and the increased efficiency of herbicides. The Common Asclepias spreads readily by seed and underground rhizomes and its taproot can withstand drought. This Butterfly Weed is one of the easiest and fastest to establish of the Milkweeds. Enjoy watching beautiful Monarchs visit on a daily basis!

The Buffalo Grass is a warm-season grass that is the predominant component of the shortgrass prairies of the Great Plains. Once established, it is extremely drought tolerant and tough. It can be used as a xeriscape lawn grass for water conservation, and it is a common component in range mixtures. White Tailed Deer, Bison and Prairie Dogs utilize it for forage, and it is a larval host for the Green Skipper. Plants are stoloniferous and can invade flower beds if an edging or barrier is not used.

Splitbeard bluestem is a native warm season, perennial bunchgrass. The plants usually begin growth in April and reach a mature height of 2 to 4 feet. The leaves can be glaucous, glabrous, or loosely villous. The leaf sheaths are villous and often purplish in appearance.

Purple Love Grass grows low to the ground in dense tufts, 8-18" tall. In late summer the fine-textured, stiff inflorescence appears like reddish-purple clouds hovering at ground level. Eventually this inflorescence breaks off and floats around like a tumbleweed.

The Wild Bergamot Monarda is the best bee balm for dry locations and produces beautiful violet blooms that have a wonderful scent! This variety has great mid-summer blooms, later than any other Monardas. The Wild Bergamot will attract a large amount of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds!

The Big Bluestem is a warm season ornamental grass that actively grows during the summer when soil temperatures are warm but is beautiful all year round. This variety is a big plant, getting over six feet tall in most situations! In a landscape, the Big Bluestem can be used as an accent. This ornamental grass has a great fall color in the range of gold and pink.

Asclepias viridis, commonly known as Spider Milkweed or Green Milkweed, is a native North American species with a long ecological history tied to grasslands and prairies of the central and southern United States. Its distinctive greenish-white flowers arranged in rounded clusters give it a spider-like appearance, attracting a wide array of pollinators, especially butterflies, and serving as an essential host plant for monarch caterpillars.

The Butterfly Asclepias is sun-loving, easy to grow and blooms brilliant, vibrant orange colored blooms that will attract may pollinators to the garden. This stunning variety and can reach 2' feet tall. Sow in early January for first year blooms.