New Mexico Natives

Aromatic Aster, also known as Aster oblongifolius or Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, is a hardy native perennial with a dense, bushy habit. Abundant lavender-purple flowers with yellow centers bloom in autumn, providing valuable late-season nectar for pollinators. The foliage releases a pleasant fragrance when brushed. Well suited to borders and native plantings, this compact aster thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and becomes drought tolerant once established.

Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata), also called dotted horsemint, is a North American native perennial with stacked flower whorls, yellow-spotted blooms, and showy pink to lavender bracts. Its aromatic foliage and long midsummer-to-fall display add distinctive color and texture to meadows, pollinator gardens, and cut-flower plantings. Plants thrive in full sun and lean, well-drained soil, becoming drought tolerant once established. Nectar-rich flowers welcome native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects, while deer resistance and low-maintenance growth make this variety an easy habitat-building choice.

Asclepias incarnata ‘Ice Ballet’, often called White Swamp Milkweed, is a selected form of the native Swamp Milkweed long found along wetlands, marsh edges, and moist prairies across North America, where it has served for generations as an essential host plant for monarch caterpillars. This cultivar stands out for its showy clusters of pure white, vanilla-scented flowers that bloom in midsummer, contrasting beautifully with its upright stems and narrow, deep-green leaves.

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!

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.

Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) is a native perennial with slender spikes of blue-violet flowers from summer into early fall. It performs best in moist soil in full sun to partial light and fits naturally into rain gardens, wet meadows, and pond edges. The flowers support butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects, and the tall stems are suitable for cutting. Established plants commonly reach about 4 feet tall.

Lemon Mint Bee Balm grow beautiful lavender blooms that make wonderful cut flowers. Citrus scented blooms offer fragrance and beauty. The blooms and leaves are both edible. Native to the U.S. Also known as lemon bee balm, purple horsemint, and lemon mint. If grown in a pollinator garden Lemon Mint will attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Spotted Joe Pye Weed, is a distinctive perennial native to North America's moist meadows and woodlands. Named after Joe Pye, a Native American herbalist, this plant has a rich history in traditional medicine. It is recognized for its tall, elegant growth, typically reaching heights of 4 to 6 feet, and its unique spotted stems that give it its common name.

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.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is an eastern North American perennial prized for vivid red flower spikes from midsummer into fall. It grows best in consistently moist soil in full sun to partial light and is well suited to rain gardens, pond edges, and wet meadows. The tubular flowers are especially attractive to hummingbirds and also draw butterflies and bees. Mature plants commonly reach 3 to 5 feet tall.

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.

The Poppy Formula Mix is a beautiful blend of bright, multicolored blooms that will grow all throughout the United States. This mix grows well in hot or cold regions (annual) and is easy to establish. Its foliage is beautiful and its flowers close at night and open in the morning.

The Poppy Ballerina Mix is an unique variety of California Poppy that flowers crimped petals in shades of orange, yellow, rose, white and scarlet. This variety grows to be 8-14 inches tall. The Ballerina Mix is usually considered a hardy annual, as it can be a short-lived perennial in zones 8-10.

Indian Steel is a clump-forming perennial grass with an upright, open habit typically growing upwards of 5' tall. Under the right circumstances it can be 7-8' tall. Features slender (1/2" wide), blue-green leaf blades (8-12" long) which turn yellow in fall and retain some gold color throughout the winter.

Gloriosa daisies, also known as Rudbeckia hirta 'Gloriosa,' are a vibrant and dynamic variety of the traditional Black-eyed Susan, renowned for their striking appearance and robust growth. Originating from North America, these daisies have been cultivated since the 18th century and have become a staple in gardens for their cheerful and resilient nature. Gloriosa daisies are characterized by their large, radiant blooms with a distinctive color gradient, featuring fiery, orange to red petals with a dark, central cone.

The California Poppy is a bright orange wildflower that is the most known poppy variety and will grow well throughout the United States. This poppy's foliage is absolutely beautiful and has flowers that close at night and open in the morning. Despite it's name, the California Poppy, grows well in hot or cold regions (annual) and is easy to establish.

This flower mixture is for pollinator conservation in the western United States and southwest Canada. The eastern planting boundary would be a line straight south from the eastern borders of North and South Dakota. It contains a balanced blend of native annuals and perennials that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season.

Mexican Hat Ratibida, also known as Ratibida columnifera, is a striking perennial flower native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. This plant, often referred to as the "Mexican Hat" due to its distinctive flower shape, has a rich history in native gardens and landscapes. The plant is characterized by its unique, cone-shaped flowers with reddish-brown, drooping petals that resemble a sombrero hat, which contrast beautifully with its bright yellow center.

The Plains Coreopsis is an annual native that forms clusters of stunning bi-colored blooms of deep red that turn into a bright yellow. This variety makes for a great cut flower and can be grown anywhere in the United States. Plains is deer resistant and easy to grow.

The Whorled Asclepias is a beautiful brilliant white flower that will grow anywhere and bees, butterflies and hummingbirds love it! This Butterfly Weed variety is native to the Midwest but can grow almost anywhere is the USA and provides nectar to many pollinators. This easy to grow, attractive perennial blooms mid to late summer and will spread easily without thinning.

The Victoria Salvia is a large, beautiful violet-blue blooming flower on compact plants that will definitely be sure to catch your eye! The spiky blooms spread to 14" inches across. The Victoria is a favorite for being best for color intensity and duration of blooms.

, 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.

June Grass, also called Prairie Junegrass and formerly Koeleria cristata, flowers early in North American upland prairies. Silvery-green seed plumes turn tan by midsummer, giving dry plantings fine texture. Birds can feed on the small seeds and use the tufted grass for cover. Choose full sun and lean, sandy or gravelly soil.

Nodding Onion brings the history of wild edible onions to North American meadows and open woods; its bulbs and leaves have been used like chives. Hooked stems carry pink to lavender flower clusters that hang downward, allowing bees to reach nectar while hovering below. The onion scent helps deter deer, and bulbs slowly form new offsets. Grow this perennial in sun or light shade and medium to moist, well-drained soil.

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is a tall native perennial covered with purple to pink flowers and golden centers in late summer and fall. It grows best in full sun to partial light with moist, well-drained soil and works well in meadows, rain gardens, and pollinator borders. The late flowers supply nectar for bees, butterflies, and migrating monarchs. Mature plants commonly reach 3 to 6 feet tall.

Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata) is a native perennial ground cover with bright wine-purple, cup-shaped flowers. It thrives in full sun and dry, well-drained soil, making it a strong choice for rock gardens, borders, and water-wise plantings. The trailing stems form a low mat and bloom from summer into early fall. Its flowers provide forage for bees and other pollinators.

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a native North American prairie grass with a rich history as a foundational species in tallgrass ecosystems, valued for its resilience and ecological benefits. It features fine-textured, upright blue-green blades that turn striking shades of red, orange, and bronze in the fall, reaching about 2–4 feet tall. Adapted to a wide range of soils, it thrives in full sun with minimal water or fertilizer once established, making it ideal for xeriscaping and low-maintenance landscapes.

The Upright Prairie Coneflower is a beautiful meadow wildflower that produces an abundance of beautiful, vibrant yellow petals. This breathtaking variety is known for growing wild in the plains states. The Prairie Coneflower gets its name for its yellow petals surrounding tall cones. This flowering plant produces light-green foliage that creates a beautiful backdrop for the textured blooms.

The New Mexico Blend combines annual and perennial wildflowers selected for sunny ornamental planting in the western and southwestern United States. Its current component profile features Indian Blanket, Prairie Coneflower, Annual Baby’s Breath, and Blue Flax. Use this Southwest mixture below about 7,000 feet; higher New Mexico sites are better matched to a Mountain mixture. 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.

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 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.