Native Plant Photo of the Week: Silky Aster

Silky Aster ~ Symphyotrichum sericeum (Aster sericeus)

Silky aster is aptly named for its silvery leaves and soft lavender flowers. It's one of my favorite asters.

This year it is flowering a little earlier than usual - normally in early September. It makes a great companion to prairie grasses.

Native Plant Photo of the Week: Little Bluestem

Little Bluestem ~ Schizachyrium scoparium

Little bluestem is one of my favorite grasses. This is a shorter prairie grass reaching about 3 feet in height. The grass blades on this plant can vary from a steel blue gray color to light green. It turns a wonderful rusty gold color in the fall.

I wanted an abstract image of this grass that still captured the coloration between the nodes which alternates from a light pink to the blue gray. This node coloration is the same in Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii).

Native Plant Photo of the Week: Dotted Mint

Dotted Mint ~ Monarda punctata

This is a great native plant for dry sunny locations. It reminds me of a pineapple with the top leaves pointing upwards.

The flowers bloom from bottom upwards and each 'layer' opens the tubular spotted yellow flowers arranged around the flower stem. The leaves are a light pink-white color and this also helps it stand out from surrounding plants. It also glows in the late evening or under moonlight.

Blue mud daubers and other wasps especially like nectaring on this plant's flowers.

Native Plant Photo of the Week: Wild Petunia

Wild Petunia ~ Ruellia humilis

This showy prairie plant has been flowering non-stop since I planted it in my yard in a sunny, dry location. The flowers last for only one day but it has been blooming continuously since June.

Native Plant Photo of the Week: Side Oats Grama

Side Oats Grama ~ Bouteloua curtipendula

The side oats grama is just starting to flower in my yard. It's a wonderful prairie grass for dry soils and a sunny location.

The photo shows the florets which hang from one side of the seed stalk. The seed stalks emerge and grow upwards then often relax and arch sideways.

Native Plant Photo of the Week: Whorled Milkweed

Whorled Milkweed ~ Asclepias verticillata

This photo was taken at a local park in a dry short grass prairie remnant that has a significant amount of whorled milkweed. It is one of the lesser known milkweeds but equally as beautiful.