In total, we planted over 550 total plants, including fourteen different species. These plants are all perennials and will hopefully continue to grow new shoots every growing season. In addition to that, we will plant thousands of seeds during this upcoming winter, to add grasses and other wildflower species to the prairie. All of these pictures were taken in Wild Wonder Community Prairie. Come visit and look for yourself!
Achillea millefolium – Yarrow is a prolific bloomer and can be easily characterized by their distinctive flat-topped cluster of small pink and white flowers. It attracts a wide variety of animals; it is a good food source for many insects, nesting materials for birds, and even anti-inflammatory medicine for humans! Additionally, Yarrow helps combat soil erosion and is ubiquitous in wildflower gardens and grasslands. This species is widespread and common, and different varieties are native to Asia, Europe, and North America.
Achillea millefolium – Yarrow at the vegetative stage
Achillea millefolium – Yarrow at the early flowering stage
Achillea millefolium – Yarrow at the late flowering stage
Achillea millefolium – Yarrow undergoing senescence
Zizia aurea – Golden Alexanders are adorned with multiple umbels (umbrella-shaped cluster of flowers) that boast a long blooming period. They are easy to grow in a variety of conditions and often do not need a lot of maintenance. As such, they are found in several different habitats. Multiple species directly depend on these plants for survival, and dozens others benefit from its nectar and pollen. In particular, Golden Alexanders are the host plant of the caterpillars of Black Swallowtail and Ozark Swallowtail butterflies. Additionally, Andrena ziziae female bees only eat Zizia aurea pollen. These bees are considered oligolectic: they are specialists and only interact with a single plant species.
Zizia aurea – Golden Alexanders at the vegetative stage
Zizia aurea – Golden Alexanders leaves
Zizia aurea – Golden Alexanders at the fruiting stage
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower is a classic hardy prairie flower that will bloom during the summer and well after most flowers senesce in the Fall. Take caution while handling the flower of this plant because its inflorescence is spiny and can puncture skin! It has well established antibacterial and antiviral properties and was often used topically by Native Americans for centuries to ease wounds, poisonous bites & stings, burns, and much more. It can also be consumed as a herbal tea to boost immune health and combat upper respiratory illness. Nectar, pollen and seed rewards are bountiful for pollinating insects and hungry birds; they are a favorite choice among butterflies and bees.
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower at the vegetative stage
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower at the early flowering stage
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower at the flowering stage
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower pollen reward for pollinators
Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower has showy red flowers with an abundance of nectar that attract many hummingbirds and butterflies. There are only a handful of hummingbird species that are found in Lansing. You’re likely to find the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) in Early May, so look closely at those red flowers! Lobelias often produce the secondary compound “lobeline,” which discourages herbivory.
Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower at the vegetative stage
Lobelia cardinalis – Cardinal Flower at the early flowering stage
Heliopsis helianthoides – False Sunflower look similar to true Sunflowers (Genus: Helianthus). You can tell them apart by looking closely at the petals: False Sunflower has a ray flower that develops into seed while true Sunflowers do not. The ray flowers on False Sunflower will persist for a longer period of time as senescence occurs, but the ray flowers on true Sunflowers fall off rapidly. Holcopasites heliopis is a ground nesting bee that gathers all of its food resources from the False Sunflower, making it a specialist pollinator. These close-knit relationships have evolved over an unfathomable amount of time.
Heliopsis helianthoides – False Sunflower at the early flowering stage
Heliopsis helianthoides – False Sunflower at the flowering stage
Helianthus giganteus – Giant Sunflower is a true sunflower. They can grow up to 13-16 feet! Helianthus species tilt their floral heads toward the Sun during the day, a movement known as heliotropism. Another way to distinguish between False and true sunflowers is by looking carefully at the leaves. Giant Sunflower leaves are longer and more slender than the imposters.
Helianthus giganteus – Giant Sunflower in early bloom
Helianthus giganteus – Giant Sunflower in full Bloom
Solidago caesia – Bluestem Goldenrod is typically the latest bloomer in the garden. It’s cluster of vibrant yellow flowers are usually in full bloom when all other flowers are withering away: late summer or fall. Flowers typically grow along the leaf axils of the stem, with a showy terminal cluster. Over 100 Lepidopteran (butterfly & moths) larvae depend on Goldenrod as a host plant, and over 40 bee specialists depend on it for food. Although they are keystone species in North America, they have become invasive in many parts of the world including Africa, China, Europe, and Japan.
Solidago caesia – Bluestem Goldenrod at the vegetative stage
Solidago caesia – Bluestem Goldenrod at the early blooming stage
Solidago caesia – Bluestem Goldenrod in bloom
Monarda fistulosa – Wild Bergamot or Bee Balm belongs to the Mint family (Lamiaceae). If you rip off a piece of leaf and grind it between your fingers, you’ll release small volatile chemicals that produces a minty aroma. The flowers are edible and offer a subtle spicy taste. It is a honey plant and produces copious amounts of nectar and pollen for its wide variety of pollinator visitors. Especially popular among bees, bumblebees, lepidoptera and hummingbirds, this plant will be sure to attract charismatic fauna to the garden.
Monarda fistulosa – Wild Bergamot at the vegetative stage
Powdery Mildew on Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot)
Phlox pilosa – Prairie Phlox has nectar rewards that are at the bottom of the corolla and are only accessible to butterflies, moths, and long-tongued bumblebees. Other species forage on the pollen that is readily accessible on anthers. This species is highly dependent on pollination because flowers are self-incompatible (it cannot be fertilized by its own pollen). This species is the larval host of the endangered phlox moth (Schinia indiana). This moth has a wonderful purple-red hue on their forewing. A glimpse of this moth in the wild is a rare and special event, since the species is considered critically imperiled.
Phlox pilosa- Prairie Phlox at the vegetative stage
Phlox pilosa- Prairie Phlox at the senesced stage
Phlox pilosa- Prairie Phlox fruit
Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed and Asclepias tuberosa – Butterfly Weed were both planted in Wild Wonder prairie garden. They are considered toxic because their leaves contain cardiac glycoside compounds, yet the species offers food to over 450 different species of insects. Throughout evolutionary time, hundreds of insects developed resistance to these compounds and are able to store them in their tissues. The more milkweed these insects consume, the more toxic they become to other predators. This mechanism protects Monarch butterflies and their larvae from bird predation. In fact, Milkweed is the only host plant of the Monarch butterfly. Help your local Monarch butterfly on their multi-generational migration across thousands of miles by growing Milkweeds in your yard!
Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed at the vegetative stage
Milkweed fruit
Rudbeckia hirta – Black-Eyed Susan grows throughout the entire contiguous United States (48 states) and 10 Canadian provinces. Maryland made it a state flower in 1918. The species name, hirta, is Latin for hairy and refers to the trichomes growing on leaves and stems. Trichomes are a defensive layer against many small insects, and protect against herbivory. They are adaptable and usually flower aggressively, making them common in prairie landscapes.
Rudbeckia hirta – Black-Eyed Susan – We cut the flowers of this plant to stimulate root growth for the it’s first growing season.
Ratibida pinatta – Yellow Coneflower is durable and can survive unfavorable environmental conditions. They were often trampled by bison and were able to withstand it.
Ratibida pinatta – Yellow Coneflower at the vegetative stage
Tiarella cordifolia – Foamflower has a dense cluster of white starry flowers growing on a thin stem. This extravagant display often decorates the space under trees. This species uses a modified underground stem called rhizomes that is able to grow new shoots and also roots.
Tiarella cordifolia – Foamflower at the vegetative stage
Remnants of Wild Wonder Ornamental Community Garden
Hylotelephium spectabile – Ice plant/ Showy Stonecrop at the vegetative stage. This plant was trampled badly by trucks dumping woodchips onto the lot. It is regrowing strong!
Hylotelephium spectabile Blooming in Wild Wonder Ornamental Garden.
Hosta plantaginea – Plantain Lily is another remnant of the Ornamental Garden.
Hosta plantaginea blooming in Wild Wonder Ornamental Garden