Scientific name

Common name

Height (ft)

MO
native

Zone

Bloom color

Bloom time

Sun

Water

Notes

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Bluestar

2-3

Yes

3-9

Blue

Mid to late spring

F-P

A

Tolerates some drought; when grown in part shade, may require staking or pruning

Anemone canadensis

Meadow anemone

1-2

Yes

3-9

White

Late spring to mid summer

F-P

A-W

Ground cover for moist areas in part shade; may be invasive

Asclepias incarnata

Swamp milkweed

4-5

Yes

3-6

White, pink, mauve

Summer

F

A-W

Tolerates average garden conditions; good for low wet areas

Aster ericoides

Heath aster

1-3

Yes

3-10

White with yellow center

Late summer to mid fall

F

D-A

Tolerates drought; daisy-like flowers attract butterflies

Aster novae-angliae

New England aster

3-6

Yes

4-8

Deep purple-pink

Late summer to mid fall

F

A

Pinch plants back until mid July

Baptisia australis

Blue false indigo

3-4

No

3-9

Blue

Mid to late spring

F-P

D-A

Tolerates drought; slow-growing and long-lived; seed pods good for dried flower arrangements

Baptisia leucantha

White false indigo

3-5

Yes

5-8

White

Late spring to early summer

F

D-A

Tolerates part shade; slow-growing and long-lived

Boltonia asteroides

Boltonia

5-6

Yes

3-10

White, lilac, pink or purple with yellow centers

Summer to mid fall

F

A

Cultivars may require less staking than
species; tolerates moderately dry soil

Butomus umbellatus

Flowering rush

2-3

No

5-11

Rose pink

Late summer

F

W

Good around bodies of water or in boggy soil; leaves are bronze when young

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

Plumbago

0.75-1.0

No

5-9

Deep blue

Early summer to mid fall

F-P

A

Good ground cover; does better with afternoon shade in hot summer climates

Chelone  obliqua

Turtlehead

2-3

Yes

3-9

Rosy purple, pink, white

Late summer to mid fall

F-P

A-W

May need pruning or support if grown in too much shade; mulch to help retain soil moisture

Convallaria majalis

Lily of the valley

0.5-1.0

No

3-8

White

Mid spring

P-S

A

Fragrant flowers; thin rhizomes when flowering decreases

Coreopsis tripteris

Tall tickseed

2-8

Yes

3-8

Yellow with brown center

Mid summer to early fall

F

D-A

Deadhead to encourage more flowers and control self-seeding; crown rot may be a problem if clay drains poorly

Desmodium canadense

Canada tick trefoil

2-5

Yes

3-6

Rose-purple to lavender

Summer

F-P

A

May grow quite large; attracts bees and butterflies

Dicentra cucullaria

Dutchman’s breeches

0.5-1

Yes

3-7

White to pink

Early spring

P-S

A

Soil should not be wet in winter; goes dormant by summer

Dodecatheon media

Shooting star

0.75-1.5

Yes

4-8

White, pink, purple

Late spring

P-S

A

Avoid wet soils in winter; best in part shade

Echinacea purpurea

Purple coneflower

2-5

Yes

3-8

Purplish pink

Late spring to fall

F-P

D-A

Tolerates dry conditions; attracts goldfinches

Eryngium yuccifolium

Rattlesnake master

4-5

Yes

3-8

Greenish white

Early summer to early fall

F

D-A

Flowers are tightly packed in one-inch balls; good for native plant gardens or naturalized areas

Eupatorium maculatum

Joe Pye weed

4-6

No

5-10

Pink

Mid to late summer

F

A-W

Prefers soil that does not dry out; flowers attract butterflies

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset

4-6

Yes

3-8

White

Late summer to early fall

F-P

A-W

Needs consistent moisture as leaves may scorch if soil dries out; good late bloomer

Filipendula rubra

Queen of the prairie

6-8

Yes

3-8

Pale pink

Early to mid summer

F-P

A-W

Intolerant of drought; unusual fragrant leaves

Gentiana andrewsii

Bottle gentian

1-2

Yes

3-7

Dark blue

Late summer to mid fall

P

A

Best in moist cool soil; bottle-shaped flowers remain closed

Geranium sanguineum

Hardy geranium

0.75-1.5

No

4-8

Pink to reddish purple

Late spring to mid summer

F-P

A

Tolerates some drought; foliage often turns red in fall

Hedera helix

English ivy

0.5-90

No

4-9

Greenish white

Fall

P-S

A

Habit ranges from ground cover to vine; tolerates full sun in cooler climates

Helenium autumnale

Sneezeweed

3-5

Yes

3-8

Yellow rays with brown to black center

Late summer to fall

F

A-W

Cut back in early July to reduce need for staking; not for dry soils

Helianthus salicifolius

Willow-leaved sunflower

5-8

Yes

4-9

Yellow rays with dark brown center

Late summer to fall

F

A

Taller with fewer flowers if grown in shade; good cut flower

Heliopsis helianthoides

Oxeye

2-6

Yes

3-9

Orange-yellow with brown centers

Late spring to mid fall

F

D-A

Grow cultivars to avoid aggressive seed dispersal of species; tolerates shade but may need staking

Hemerocallis fulva

Day lily

1-6

No

3-9

Yellow, orange, rusty red, and many variations

Spring to fall

F-P

A

Part shade for pastels; fairly drought tolerant

Hosta lancifolia

Narrow-leaved hosta

0.75-1

No

3-8

Violet

Late summer to early fall

P-S

A

Soil must stay moist if grown in hot summer areas; dense foliage

Iris sibirica

Siberian iris

2-4

Yes

3-9

Blue-violet

Late spring to early summer

F-P

A-W

Best in very moist soil but tolerates dry soil; many cultivars available

Ins virginica var. shrevei

Southern blue flag

1.5-2

Yes

5-9

Violet-blue with yellow and white

Late spring to early summer

F

W

For moist areas such as water gardens but will grow in borders if moisture is sufficient

Liatris pycnostachya

Prairie blazing star

2-5

Yes

3-9

Lilac-purple

Summer

F

D-A

Tolerates heat and drought; avoid wet soil in winter

Liatris spicata

Blazing star

3-6

Yes

3-8

Pink-purple

Late summer to early fall

F

A

Tolerates heat and drought; avoid wet soil in winter; good cut flower

Liriope spicata

Lily turf

0.75-1.5

No

4-10

Lavender to white

Late summer

F-P

A

Ground cover; spreads quickly

Lobelia siphilitica

Great lobelia

2-3

Yes

4-9

Blue

Mid summer to early fall

F-P

A-W

Needs constant moisture; best in part shade in hot climates

Monarda didyma

Beebalm

2-4

No

4-9

Scarlet, violet, white, or pink

Early to mid summer

F-P

A

Avoid overly dry soil; culinary herb used for tea and salads; attracts bees and butterflies

Monarda fistulosa

Wild bergamot

2-4

Yes

3-9

Pink to lavender

Summer

F-P

D-A

Tolerates some drought; attracts bees and butterflies

Oenothera macrocarpa

Missouri evening primrose

0.75-1

Yes

3-7

Yellow

Late spring to early fall

F

D-A

Tolerates dry or poor soil; soil should be well-drained; formerly known as Oenothera missouriensis

Oenothera tetragona

Sundrops

1-2

Yes

4-8

Light yellow

Late spring to late summer

F

A

Will need staking if grown in shade; drought tolerant

Pachysandra terminalis

Japanese pachysandra

0.5-1

No

5-9

White

Early spring

P-S

A

Good ground cover under shallowly rooted trees; too much sun bleaches leaves

Parthenium integrifolium

American feverfew

2-4

Yes

4-8

White

Late spring to mid summer

F

D-A

Best in native garden or naturalized areas; also known as wild quinine

Penstemon digitalis

Penstemon

3-5

Yes

3-8

White

Late spring to early summer

F

D-A

Avoid wet soil; tolerates high heat and humidity

Perovskia atriplicifolia

Russian sage

3-5

No

5-9

Lavender-blue

Summer to mid fall

F

D-A

Tolerates drought; plants grown in shade will sprawl or flop over

Petalostemum purpureum

Purple prairie clover

1-3

Yes

3-8

Rose-purple to crimson

Mid to late summer

F

D-A

Tolerates drought when established; flowers bloom in a ring around flower head from bottom to top

Phlox divaricata

Woodland phlox

0.75-1

Yes

3-8

Rose-lavender, violet-blue

Spring

P-S

A

Should not dry out or get too much sun; light summer mulch is beneficial

Phlox paniculata

Perennial phlox

2-4

Yes

4-8

White, pink red, purple, orange, lilac

Summer to early fall

F-P

A

Plant resistant cultivar or promote good air circulation to avoid mildew; summer mulch beneficial

Phlox pilosa var. ozarkana

Ozark prairie phlox

1-2

Yes

4-9

Rose

Spring to mid summer

F

D

Tolerates dry soil better than other phlox; resists powdery mildew

Physostegia virginiana

Obedient plant

3-4

Yes

3-9

Pink, white

Summer to early fall

F

A

Good for naturalizing; may need staking; good cut flower

Pycnanthemum flexuosum

Slender mountain mint

2-3

Yes

4-8

White

Mid to late summer

F-P

D-A

Fragrant; for herb garden, border or naturalized area

Ratibida pinnata

Gray-headed
coneflower

3-5

Yes

3-8

Yellow

Summer

F

D

Drought resistant; long bloom period

Rudbeckia fulgida

Coneflower

2-3

3-9

Yellow, orange

Mid summer to fall

F

D-A

Tolerates heat and humidity; good cut flower

Rudbeckia subtomentosa

Sweet coneflower

3-5

Yes

4-8

Yellow with brownish purple centers

Summer to mid fall

F-P

A-W

Long-lasting flowers; also known as sweet coneflower

Scutellaria incana

Skullcap

2-3

Yes

5-8

Blue

Mid summer to mid fall

F-P

D-A

Best in naturalized settings; prefers dryish soil

Sedum spectabile

Showy stonecrop

1.5-2

No

3-10

Pink, red, white

Late summer

F-P

D-A

Prune to ½ height in mid July to reduce need for support; attracts bees and butterflies

Senna marilandica

Wild senna

3-6

Yes

4-9

Yellow

Summer

F

A

Used to be known as Cassia marilandica; tolerates heat and humidity

Sllphium perfoliatum

Cup plant

4-8

Yes

3-9

Yellow

Mid summer to early fall

F-P

A-W

Water held in “cups” formed by junction of leaf and stem attracts birds and butterflies; seeds eaten by goldfinches

Silphium terebinthinaceum

Prairie dock

3-10

Yes

4-8

Yellow

Mid summer to mid fall

F

A

Good for rear of border or naturalizing; flowers resemble sunflowers

Solidago species and cultivars

Goldenrod

1.5-5

Yes/No

5-9

Yellow to gold

Late summer to mid fall

F-P

D-A

Attracts butterflies and bees; seeds eaten by birds

Symphytum officinale

Comfrey

2-3

No

5-10

White, pink, mauve

Late spring to summer

F-P

A

Has bell-shaped flowers and large hairy leaves; medicinal herb no longer recommended for internal use

Tradescantia virginiana

Spiderwort

1.5-3

Yes

4-9

Blue to violet-blue, rarely rose to white

Late spring to mid fall

P-S

A

Cut back almost to the ground after flowering to encourage new growth; may self-seed

Vernonia novaboracensis

lronweed

4-6

No

5-9

Purple

Late summer to fall

F

A-W

For naturalized area or background of borders; control self-seeding tendencies by removing spent flowerheads

Viola sororia

Wooly blue violet

0.5-0.75

Yes

3-7

White, blue

Early spring

F-P

A

Best massed or as small-scale ground cover; self-seeds freely

Waldsteinia fragarioides

Barren strawberry

0.25-0.5

Yes

4-7

Yellow

Spring

F-P

A

Best as ground cover; foliage is evergreen but may bronze up in cold winters