The Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois
Landscaping with native plants
Because many prairie plants are beautiful in themselves, they are often cultivated in gardens. In fact, many herbaceous perennial borders throughout the world contain numerous species native to prairies. Examples include:
- Queen-of-the-prairie ((Filipendula
rubra)
- Cone-flowers
(Echinacea
pallida and
E.
purpurea)
- Obedient plant
(Physostegia
virginiana)
- Sunflowers (Helianthus species)
- Blazing stars (Liatris species)
- Goldenrods
(Solidago
species)
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).
As part of the modern "green" or ecological movement, many persons want to use native plants in their home landscapes. This is too complex a topic to cover in this present article, but there are numerous books and magazine/journal articles on this subject. These are available at various libraries. See the following table outlining various attributes for growing prairie plants in a landscaped setting.
Below are a sampling of links to mailorder sources for prairie plants and seeds*
- Links for Using Native Plants in the Landscape
- Prairie nurseries list from Grand Prairie Friends of Illinois
- Native plants & seeds - Cyndi's Catalog of Garden Catalogs
*Disclaimer: The listing of companies or individuals in this web site does not represent an endorsement of these organizations or their products by the author, the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Prairie Research Institute, nor the University of Illinois.
< Where to See Prairies Prairie Restoration >