Short Meadow Perennials

Aster (Symphyotrichum) ericoides (Heath Aster)

Dimensions: 2' x 1-2'
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: August-October
Light: Full sun-partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Med-dry. Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Does well in sandy or clay soils. Generally tolerates poor soils and drought.
Propagation: Rhizomatous. Seed viability low. Propagate by division of mature plants which produce numerous, easily-separated rhizomes. Divide in late fall or early spring.
Larva/Animals Hosted: Pearl Crescent butterfly.
Comments: Typically occurs in open rocky woods, prairies and along roads and railroads.

Aster (Symphyotrichum) oblongifolius (Aromatic Aster)

Dimensions: 2' x 12-18"
Bloom Color: Pale purple
Bloom Period: August-October
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Med-dry. Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Does well in sandy or clay soils. Generally tolerates poor soils and drought.
Propagation: Sow seeds, 5/8 deep, outside in fall or provide cold stratification. Also propagated by softwood cuttings taken in late spring.
Comments: The plant may open up if it gets too top heavy so it is a good idea to keep it thick by pruning it back by no more than half in June. Native to the great plains and east to north central PA.

Blephilia ciliata (Downy Wood Mint)

Dimensions: 1'
Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Period: June-July
Light: Full sun-partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Med-dry. Average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils.
Propagation: Seeds require 60 days cold, moist stratification. easy to propagate by division.
Comments: Originally native to the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic states. Occurs in dryish open woods and thickets, clearings, fields and roadsides.

Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold)

Dimensions: 1-1.5' x 1-1.5'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: April-June
Light: Full sun-shade
Moisture/Soil: Wet. Shallow water at the margins of a pond or water garden or in wet, muddy, humus-rich, boggy soil.
Propagation: Rhizomatous. Sow fresh seeds immediately upon ripening. Seedlings flower 3rd year after germination. Reproduces rapidly by division.

Chrysogonium virginianum (Goldenstar/Green and Gold)

Dimensions: 6-12" x 9-18"
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: May–October
Light: Part–full shade
Moisture/Soil: Med-wet. average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade.
Propagation: Best propagated by division. Seed germination is uneven but some seeds, sown when the soil has reached 70 degrees will germinate. Divisions should be made in the fall or late winter.
Comments: Ground cover for woodland gardens, native plant gardens or naturalized areas. Edging for woodland paths. Also may be used in shaded areas of border fronts or rock gardens.

Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved coneflower)

Dimensions: 2' x .75-1.5'
Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Period: June–July
Light: Full sun
Moisture/Soil: Med/dry-dry. poor-average, dry to medium, well-drained soils.
Propagation: Seeds best sown outdoors in fall. requires 90 days of cold, moist stratification.
Comments: Native to upland dry prairie areas in the Great Plains, W. MN to Sask. & MT, south to TX & NM. very similar to E. pallida which grows east of its range.

Fragraria virginiana

Dimensions: 0.25' - 0.75'
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Period: April–May
Light: Full sun-part shade
Moisture/Soil: Fertile, moist to dry-mesic, well-drained. Prefers rich, sandy loams.
Larvae Hosted: Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus).

Monarda bradburiana (Bradbury's Monarda)

Dimensions: 2' x 1-1.5'
Bloom Color: Light purple
Bloom Period: June-July
Light: Full sun-partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Medium-dry/medium. Best grown in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerates somewhat poor soils and some drought.
Propagation: Seeds require 60 days cold, moist stratification.
Comments: Native to the central midwest, including Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, western KY, and western TN. Plants need good air circulation. Deadhead flowers to prolong summer bloom. Tends to self-seed.

Monarda punctata (spotted bee balm)

Dimensions: 1.5-2' x .75-1'
Bloom Color: Yellow with purple spots
Bloom Period: June-July
Light: Full sun-shade
Moisture/Soil: Best in sandy soils with consistent moisture. Tolerates somewhat poor soils and drought.
Propagation: Easily propagated from untreated seed sown in fall or stratified seed sown in spring..
Comments: Native to portions of the upper midwest, SW, SE, and northeast, including the Champlain Valley. Typically occurs in dryish soils on prairies, sandy areas and coastal plains. Short lived perennial that self seeds readily in bare soil.

Oenothera pilosella (Prairie Sundrops)

Dimensions: 2' x 2'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: June-July
Light: Full sun
Moisture/Soil: Medium-wet. average, medium to wet soils in full sun.Prefers slightly acidic, clay soils.
Comments: Tolerates poor soils, light shade and some drought. Mat-forming plant which occurs in prairies, fields, wet uplands, wet grassy areas and along roads and railroads

Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort)

Dimensions: .5-2.5' x .5-1.5'
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Period: April–May
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Medium-wet. Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils.
Propagation: Freely self-seeds and is easily grown from seed.
Comments: Blooms well in shady locations. somewhat weedy perennial valued for its ability to thrive in moist shady locations, naturalize rapidly and produce a long and profuse spring bloom.

Penstemon smallii (Small's penstemon)

Dimensions: 2-2.5'
Bloom Color: Dark Pink
Bloom Period: May–June
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Moisture/Soil: Light, moist, well-drained soil or sandy and rocky. Acidic preferred.
Propagation: Sow seeds immediately outdoors. Most will wait to germinate until spring. Stem cuttings taken after flowering. Division in fall or spring.
Comments: Native Distribution is mountains of NC &TN to AL. Native Habitat is wood margins; exposed or shaded cliffs & banks. Short-lived, so resow seed every 2 or 3 years for a continuous population.

Phlox stolonifera (Creeping Phlox)

Dimensions: .5-1'x .75-1'
Bloom Color: Purple Violet
Bloom Period: July-Sept
Light: Full sun to shade
Moisture/Soil: Medium. humus-y, medium moisture, well-drained.
Propagation: Propagated by seed, by softwood cuttings taken in late spring and stuck in sand, or by spring division.
Comments: Spreading, mat-forming phlox. native to wooded areas and stream banks in the Appalachian Mountains.