Native plants in my garden, springtime version

As I have mentioned before, I live on a relatively small corner lot in southwest St. Louis County.  I don’t have nearly the time I wish I had to spend time in the yard, and over time I have lost some of the more exotic plants that I used to have when I had grand visions of a magazine cover garden.  The good news is, I think that I am better off without them!  I have a growing number of Missouri native plants that are thriving, and some of them are real showstoppers.  Appropriately enough, they are thriving in their location and they all seem to be getting by with a depressingly high level of neglect.  Here are some of my favorites.

From a distance, the vernal witch hazel is not much to behold.  But take a moment to examine the showy flowers up close and you can. really appreciate the beauty.  It helps that the small flowers appear after a warm sunny day in late January or February, and persist for a few weeks.  As you can see, my plant holds onto brown leaves most of the winter which adds structure and winter interest, but detracts from the blooms.  I see many plants in the wild that do not have persistent leaves and the flowers are more showy.  Mine grows close to the foundation on the SW side, tolerating the heat and sun very well.

I have two mature redbuds, both strong anchors in my landscape.  The tree in front is the centerpiece of many first day of school, homecoming dance, or graduation day photos for our family.  The one in the back yard serves as a screen between our house and the neighbors, and also a consistent provider of kindling for our fire pit!  When in bloom they are spectacular and signal a welcome return of spring.

The Black-haw viburnum has proven to be a nice addition to our front yard landscape.  The white blooms are showy in May, but they do not last too long.  However, the shiny green leaves are clean and offer interest all summer.  The real show is in the fall when they turn a deep maroon color and persist for longer than most fall color plants.  My plant was slow to grow early on but has grown rapidly the past few years.

Red buckeye is a small shrub or tree with incredibly showy red blooms.  The plant blooms in April or May, and the leaves are showy as they emerge from their large buds.  Some years it loses leaves by late summer, and sometimes they persist, but either way the fall reward is a plethora of shiny “buckeye” nuts that the squirrels and deer usually beat me to.  Hummingbirds love the flowers as well.  Mine is in a dry location but they tolerate moisture nicely and are well suited around a back yard water garden.

Another show-stopper is a Missouri standard flowering dogwood.  The large white flowers have no rival, and the red berries and red fall foliage are a noteworthy bonus.  Mine is a bit temperamental, and I do provide extra care in the way of fungicidal sprays in spring and frequent watering in the summer, but the effort is worth it.  My mom always called them the “Missouri” tree and I was able to get one to grow at her house in Omaha, NE which is pretty far north for this species.  A must for any native Missouri garden.

Not to be confused with the invasive Japanese Honeysuckle, my yellow honeysuckle vine is a sight to behold for a week or two in May.  The blooms are eventually replaced with shiny red berries that the birds quickly gobble up.  No care is required for this hardy plant, and I find that it responds well to heavy pruning if it gets out of line.

The easiest of all is my red columbine that take over any space that I let them.  The showy flowers shine in April and May, and provide a great food source for arriving Hummingbirds.  Once finished blooming, each plant produces hundreds of small shiny black seeds that sprout just about any where.  However, they are easy to transplant or remove if they end up somewhere unwanted.  The foliage wilts back to allow room for late summer bloomers to take center stage.  I wouldn’t be without these native columbines.

The beautiful shining blue star stands 2-3’ tall and the blue blooms are as showy as they come.  Mine is in part shade but gets afternoon sun and almost no extra irrigation and has thrived and even spread a bit.

 

 

My hands down favorite is my white fringe tree planted near the back yard fire pit.  The showy white blooms are fragrant and cover the shrub/small tree for a week or two in May.  When in bloom, it literally stops traffic as people slow to take a look at the unusual tree.  The large green leaves are also interesting, and some years the yellow fall color is nice but often they are a dirty yellow color and not that showy.  The plant appears to be very adaptable to different exposures and moisture levels, and is also readily available at many nurseries.  Studies have shown that the Emerald Ash Borer occasionally attacks the fringe tree, so be aware and monitor for any of those pests and act accordingly.

I still have some plants that are not Missouri natives, but usually only if they provide berries for the birds or an exceptional source of nectar for bees and butterflies.  I would imagine that I will continue to phase most of them out over time as they die off or outgrow their space.  I have many more yet to bloom, so I will offer a follow up post in late summer of all to show off some of them.

For more information on some great native Missouri plants, check out:

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