Butterfly milkweed might be most well known as a larval host plant for the monarch butterfly, but this prairie perennial also draws bees and butterflies to its nectar and is an important food source when other sources are scarce. Grow it from seed or a nursery plant in well-drained soil among other medium-size plants. The vibrant orange flowers emerge in late spring lasting into summer, and the plants reach 1 foot to 2 feet tall and 2 to 2½ feet wide.
Each spring a flush of delicate orange — sometimes red, pink or white — flowers resembling mini hollyhocks covers this inconspicuous shrub, which is 3 feet tall and wide. Butterflies flock to its flowers’ nectar, and irregular blooming happens throughout the rest of the year, depending on the climate.
Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) is commonly reported as invasive in many parts of the country — often far afield from our gardens, out into more natural and wild areas, where birds disperse the seeds. When we look for native alternatives, however, we don’t have to sacrifice burning bush’s gorgeous fall color.
This is definitely a shrub to include in your garden for three seasons of interest.Botanical name: Double Play Big Bang Spiraea 'Tracy'Common name: Double Play Big Bang spirea Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 4 to 9) Water requirement: Low once established Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide Seasonal interest: Spring through fall When to plant: Plant it in well-drained soil in spring or fall.
Botanical name: Ilex verticillata Common names: Winterberry, Michigan holly, coralberry, black alder Origin: Native to the eastern United States. Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees F. Water requirement: Medium to wet soil; adapted to swamps and stream banks Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade. Mature size: 6 to 10 feet tall and wide. Benefits and tolerances: Widely adaptable; suitable for swales, rain gardens, catchment basins or denuded areas with poor soils. Seasonal interest: Late fall through winter When to plant: Early spring to late fall.
The "Downy Service Berry will grow in clay soils and areas with partial shade to those with full sun Water requirement: Well-drained medium to moist soil; can work along ponds and stream banks. Once established, the serviceberry has been known to tolerate drought conditions. Light requirement: Partial to full sun grows 10-25 ft high & 10-15 ft wide
Feed the Birds: Plant berry producers. Bringing in winged creatures can give you much satisfaction, because you can see the fruits of your labor paying off — especially if you garden organically. Speaking of fruits, plant berry-producing shrubs like this arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum, zones 2 to 8) or others, like dogwood, serviceberry, chokecherry and elderberry. These plants are bird magnets, and since songbird populations are on the decline nationally due to pesticide use and habitat loss.
There are a few small trees that have edible berries and grow well in a forest garden. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp, zones 2 to 9) is one of the easiest to grow and is commonly planted as an ornamental because of its profuse white blossoms in springtime. In summer, small fruits with a blueberry-like flavor are produced in abundant quantities. Serviceberries are widely adapted, growing throughout the U.S.
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