Page 48 - MNLGA Free State Winter 2023_WEB

GROWING WITH EDUCATION (Continued) in shades of gold, orange and mahogany’ and ‘Indian
Summer,’ which has fuzzy leaves and produces 6–9-inch
Heliopsis helianthoides, or Oxeye sunflower, is similar to the
flowers. ‘Cherry Brandy’ has dark cherry red flowers, ‘Denver
true sunflower. The plants thrive in moist to dry well drained
Daisy’ with a large mahogany red eye surrounded by bright
soils in full sun. The Oxeye sunflower is a clump forming
yellow ray flowers and ‘Irish Spring’ that produces a green
upright short-lived perennial that reaches heights of 3-4
eye surrounded by dark yellow ray petals. ‘Moreno’ which
feet and blooms with 2-3-inch-wide flowers. The light-yellow
has a deep purple eye surrounded by Mahogany red ray
brown fertile central cone is surrounded by yellow-orange
petals, ’Prairie Sun’ with a green eye and orange tipped with
sterile rays, and the plants bloom from June through
sunny yellow ray petals, and ‘Sonora’ which produces large
September. Blooming flowers attract butterflies and other
5–6-inch flowers with a deep chocolate eye surrounded by a
pollinators, the Red Admiral, gold and black crescents and
mahogany red ring tipped with dark yellow ray petals.
the soft orange and brown common ringlet butterflies love
the nectar, while sweat bees, small carpenter bees and Rudbeckia triloba or Brown-Eyed Susan thrives as a short-
bumble bees collect pollen. Native songbirds feast on the lived perennial in full sun and sandy or loamy moist soils.
small seeds in the autumn, adding color and movement Once established the plants are drought and heat tolerant.
in the landscape. Dead heading or removing the spent Plants grow from a dark green basal rosette of leaves to
flowers tend to encourage the plants to continue to bloom 3-5 feet tall and 1-1 ½ feet wide with the upper leaves having
later in the season. The 3-6-inch-long toothed leaves are 3 lobes. Plants spread freely with self-seeding. The 2–3-
attached to the strong stiff stems in an opposite pattern. inch golden yellow notched petals surround a dark brown
There are a number of cultivars including ‘Fire Twister’ which eye and flowers bloom from July to September. Pollinators
has darker leaves and deep orange ray petals. ‘Light of including many native bees, wasps, and butterflies which
Loddon’ has bright yellow semi-double 3-inch flowers while feast on the nectar. There are 2 cultivars, ‘Prairie Glow’, a
‘Lorraine Sunshine’ has yellow flowers and white with green compact plant growing only 2-3 feet tall and 1-1 ½ feet wide,
veined foliage. ‘Burning Hearts’ has deep red petals tipped its multi branched habit provides lots of flowers with bright
with bright yellow, and ‘Sunstruck’, a compact plant with a red petals tipped with sunny yellow surrounding a dark
bright yellow ray flower surrounding yellow to orange cones. brown eye. The second cultivar, ’Blackjack Gold’ has good
‘Tuscan Sun’ is a dwarf cultivar, growing only 15-20 inches tall disease resistance, and a profusion of 2-inch vibrant golden
with 2-inch yellow petals around an orange gold eye, and yellow flowers with dark brown eyes.
‘Prairie Sunset’ which grows 3-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, Liatris spicata or Blazing Star thrives in full sun with moist but
has purple stems and purple veined leaves, with a deep well drained soils. The plants grow in upright unbranched
yellow brown eye and dark red petal ring tipped by bright clumps, reaching heights of 2 - 4 feet, with one or more
yellow tips. stalks growing from the base of the plants. The dark
Rudbeckia hirta, or Black-Eyed Susan, can be a biennial green grass-like foliage grows 6 - 12 inches long, gradually
or a short-lived perennial that blooms the first year when growing shorter as the leaves grow up the flower stalk.
planted by seeds. The plants thrive in full sun and moist The bright purple to pink stemless flowers bloom from the
but well drained soils, growing 2-3 feet tall and spreading top downwards in tight clusters along the 6–12-inch flower
1-2 feet wide. The flowers have a dark chocolate brown stalk. Each flower has 4-10 disks florets, each 1/3 -1/2 inches
to black center cone surrounded by bright golden yellow across and bloom July to August. These tiny flowers attract
ray flowers, expanding up to 3 inches across. These sunny black swallowtail, tiger swallowtail, monarch, clouded
flowers bloom from June to late September and sometimes Sulphur, painted ladies, red admiral and skipper butterflies,
even into October. Dead heading will encourage the plants honeybees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, mason bees,
to continue to bloom. Like many short-lived perennials, the leafcutter bees, sweat bees, digger bees, leaf cutting bees
Black-Eyed Susan will benefit from a moderate amount and hoverfly, which feast on the nectar. The larva of the
of balanced fertilizer, and if the spent flowers are not cut Liatris Flower Moth will feast on both flowers and seeds while
back the plants will self-seed into the landscape. Some of the Liatris Borer Moth will borer into the flower stalks and eat
the colorful cultivars include ‘Autumn Colors’ with bicolored the leaves. Songbirds, like our native goldfinches, enjoy the
ray petals in shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown seeds in the autumn. Some great cultivars include ‘Kobold’,
with a brown eye, ‘Cappuccino’ with 3-4-inch-wide flowers a compact cultivar with bright deep purple flowers and

48 WINTER 2023 • Free State News