July 09, 2025
Shaw Local
NewsSportsBearseNewspaperObituariesNewsletterWeekend PlansEvent Calendar

Down the Garden Path: Gardening with native wildflowers

By Karly Tumminello, University of Illinois Extension
Rudbeckia hirta, commonly called black-eyed Susan, is a perennial plant.

Rudbeckia hirta, commonly called black-eyed Susan, is a perennial plant. (Shaw Local News Network file photo)

Native plants can be incorporated into any garden setting and offer beautiful, stunning colors and interest. Once established, many are drought-tolerant, disease-resistant and require very little maintenance. Incorporating native wildflowers into your garden helps support local wildlife and pollinators by providing shelter, nectar, pollen, nesting materials and seeds.

Finding the right plant for your location’s unique needs is key. Also, paying attention to bloom times allows you to have a cascade of flowers throughout the entire growing season. Let’s learn a little about some interesting native flowers to spark your interest and inspire you to head to your local native plant sale this season.

Yearning for yellow?

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) offers stunning golden yellow blooms with a dark brown dome-shaped center. They bloom from June through October, attracting a wide variety of pollinators. They are a short-lived perennial but grow readily from seed.

Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) are wonderful for spring color. Their bright sunny yellow umbrella-like blooms are out from April to June. This is an especially helpful nectar and pollen source for early-season pollinators. They can be a bit aggressive in a garden setting, so remove the spent flower heads to prevent them from multiplying.

Prairie Coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) is common throughout Illinois. They grow to a height of about 2 feet. Their sunny yellow blooms flourish from June through August and attract many pollinators.

Pleasantly purple

Blazing-star (Liatris spp.) is a stunning Illinois native with tall spikes of purple flowers. They bloom from July into late fall, adding a pop of purple color to any garden. They are drought-tolerant and can reach heights of 5 feet.

Great blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) and its periwinkle-colored spike of blooms are wonderful for attracting pollinators and hummingbirds. They flower from July into October and need moist soils to thrive. They top out at about 3 feet tall.

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) produces a bushy, flower-filled burst of color. Their daisy-like flowers with purple petals and a yellow-orange center welcome many butterflies and other pollinators. They bloom from August well into the early winter until the first heavy frost sets in.

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is common in Illinois and is a wonderful addition to any hummingbird or butterfly garden. They produce dense clusters of lilac-colored tubular flowers. As with other members of the mint family, they have square stems, aromatic oils and spread easily.

Looking for the right white?

Although a white goldenrod might sound like an oxymoron, upland white goldenrod (Solidago ptarmicoides) produces a sweet white flower and is better behaved in a garden than some of its yellow counterparts. Small white daisy-like flowers top a 1- to 2-foot stalk, blooming from June through September.

Joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium purpureum) produces large clusters of fuzzy pale pink to white flowerheads. They bloom from June well into October and are a very important resource for late-season pollinators.

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is a wild, desert-looking plant that grows throughout Illinois. It has tiny white flowers that emerge from a spiky sphere. They add interest and intrigue to any garden, with heights of 3 to 5 feet, and peak blooms are July and August.

Add a dazzle of red

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) produces an absolutely stunning display of showy red blooms. They bloom from July to October. Beloved by hummingbirds, butterflies, moths and bees, this plant likes to be in moist soil that does not fully dry out.

Eastern red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) has nodding, bell-like flowers with distinctive red and yellow tubular blooms. Hummingbirds, moths and butterflies love this showstopper flower, which blooms from March through July.

For more information, check out these helpful resources:

  • extension.illinois.edu/flowers/wildflowers
  • dnr.illinois.gov/education/fygmain.html
  • wildflower.org/plants-main

Karly Tumminello is a certified Master Naturalist volunteer with University of Illinois Extension serving DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties.