Plant Give-Away List

The list below includes an image of each plant with information about light requirements, height, bloom period, moisture requirements, and general notes.

The images below show mature plants. You will be receiving small plants that are primarily developing their root system. They may not bloom this year, but should take off next year and beyond.

Native Prairie Perennial Plants - thrive in open treeless areas

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
​Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 4 ft
Bloom Period: June - August
Moisture Req.: Medium
  • Deer and Rabbit resistant
  • Beneficial to a diverse variety of pollinators including predatory wasps which feed on aphids and stink bugs
  • Host plant for: 
    • Black Swallowtail Butterfly
    • the rare Rattlesnake Master Borer Moth​
  • Strong, dense roots that penetrate deep into the soil making it very drought tolerant
  • Easy to grow and not bothered by pests or disease
  • Beautiful in combination with bright colored prairie flowers
  • Fibers in leaves were used for weaving by Native Americans
  • Spreads by seed but not aggressively
Spider Milkweed (Asclepias viridis)
Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 12 inches
Bloom Period: May - June
Moisture Req.: Medium - Dry
  • Deer resistant
  • Beneficial to bees and butterflies
  • Host plant for 12 species of butterflies & moths including:
    • Monarch Butterflies
    • Unexpected & Delicate Cycnia Moths
    • Milkweed Tussock Moths
    • Area Katydids
  • Has a deep taproot making it very drought tolerant
  • Can spread by seeds if seedpods are not removed
Tall Green Milkweed (Asclepias hirtella)
Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 4 ft
Bloom Period: June - August
Moisture Req.: Medium - Dry
  • Deer resistant
  • Beneficial to numerous pollinators
  • Host plant for 12 species of butterflies & moths including:
    • Monarch butterflies
    • Unexpected & Delicate Cycnia Moths
    • Milkweed Tussock Moths
    • Area Katydids
  • Has a deep taproot making it very drought tolerant
  • Can spread by seeds if seedpods are not removed
Dotted Blazing Star (Liatris punctata) 
Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 2 ft
Bloom Period: August - October
Moisture Req.: Medium - Dry
  • Endangered or threatened in Arkansas
  • Deer resistant, but rabbits enjoy young plants
  • Beneficial to numerous pollinators
  • Important nectar source for lepidoptera
  • Monarch Favorite
  • Host plant for 4 moths including:
    • Blazing Star Clearwing
    • Wavy-Lined Emerald (cool caterpillar!)
  • Critical to the survival of certain skipper butterflies
  • Grows only a few inches tall during its first year while it grows a taproot 3 feet deep. This makes it extremely drought tolerant.
  • Spreads by seed but not aggressively

Native Savanna & Thicket Perennial Plants - thrive in thinly wooded areas & areas dominated by shrubs and vines

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) 
Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 3-5ft
Bloom Period: June - August
Moisture Req.: Medium - Dry
  • Deer resistant
  • Beneficial to many pollinators
  • Host plant for 12 species of butterflies & moths including: 
    • Monarch Butterfly
    • Unexpected & Delicate Cycnia moths
    • Milkweed Tussock Moths
    • Area Katydids
  • Has a deep tap root. Check out this video on common milkweed roots: https://youtu.be/z5XdBxeKkOI
  • Choose location carefully, spreads aggressively by underground runners. Can also spread by seeds if seedpods are not removed. 
 Shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum) 
Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 2-4 ft
Bloom Period: June - July
Moisture Req.: Medium
  • Deer resistant
  • Threatened or Endangered in 2 states
  • This small deciduous, flowering shrub is loved by bumble bees. Watch this video of bees enjoying this plant: https://player.vimeo.com/video/133931621
  • Host plant for 23 species of butterflies and moths including:
    • Gray Hairstreak
    • Wavy-Lined Emerald (cool caterpillar!)
    • Burgundy St. John’s Wort Moth
    • Gray Half-Spot Moth
  • Slow to establish, but extremely easy to grow with a nice compact habit. Highly recommended for home landscaping.
  • The root system is woody and branching. Can spread by seeds. 
Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) 
Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 4 ft
Bloom Period: May - July
Moisture Req.: Medium
  • Deer resistant
  • Threatened or Endangered in Alabama
  • Beneficial to many pollinators (especially queen bees) and birds
  • Host plant for 17 species of butterflies and moths including:
    • Orange Sulfer
    • Frosted Elfin
    • Io Moth (cool caterpillar!)
    • Wild Indigo Duskywing
    • Hoary Edge Skipper
  • Easy to grow, beautiful perennial with a lovely shrub-like habit
  • Choose location wisely! It is slow to establish, but a single clump can expand to 3-4 feet wide. Difficult to move once established due to the tap root which can grow 12 feet deep.
  • A member of the legume family, it fixes nitrogen in the soil 
Eastern Beebalm (Monarda bradburiana) 
Light: Full - Part Sun
Height: 1-2 ft
Bloom Period: June - July
Moisture Req.: Medium
  • ​Deer resistant
  • Beneficial to numerous pollinators, including at least one specialist bee, hummingbird moths and hummingbirds
  • Host plant to 11 species of moths including:
    • Hermit Sphinx Moth
    • Pink-patched Looper Moth
    • Gray Marvel Moth
  • Its leaves have a wonderful minty/oregano smell and, like leaves from other monardas, can be used to make tea.
  • The root system is rhizomatous Dense colonies may form from the rhizomes. Spreads less aggressively than other monardas.
  • Not as susceptible to powdery mildew as other monardas
Calico Beardtongue (Penstemon calycosus)​
​Light: Full - Light Shade
Height: 1-3ft
Bloom Period: June - July
Moisture Req.: Medium 
  • Deer resistant.
  • Beneficial to numerous pollinators, including the specialist Beardtongue Mason Bee, and hummingbirds.
  • Host plant for 10 species of butterflies & moths including:
    • Common Buckeye Butterfly
    • Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
    • Confused Haploa Moth
    • Saunders Sallow (only present where beardtongue is found)
  • Has a deep taproot making it very drought tolerant.
  • Spreads by seed. 

Native Woodland Perennial Plants - thrive under tree canopy

Poke Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata)
​Light: Part Sun - Shade
Height: 5ft
Bloom Period: June
Moisture Req.: Medium 
  • Deer resistant.
  • Listed as Special Concern in Rhode Island.
  • Beneficial to bees and butterflies.
  • Host plant for 12 species of butterflies and moths including:
    • Monarch Butterflies
    • Unexpected and Delicate Cycnia Moths
    • Milkweed Tussock Moths
    • area Katydids
  • Has thick woody taproot that goes several feet deep.
  • Can spread by seeds if seedpods are not removed.
Short’s Aster (Symphyotrichum shortii) ​
​Light: Part Sun - Shade
Height: 3 ft
Bloom Period: August - October
Moisture Req.: Medium
  • Threatened in Minnesota
  • Provides nectar and pollen late in the season for many pollinators including several species of specialist bees
  • A winter food source for several birds and small mammals
  • Host plant for 12 species of butterflies and moths including:
    • Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly
    • Pearl Crescent Butterfly
    • The Asteroid Moth
  • Provides color for your woodland area well into fall
  • The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous. Colonies of plants occasionally develop from rhizomes. Also spreads by seeds.  
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Christ the King Lutheran Church
7393 Dimmick Rd., West Chester, OH  45069
Office: (513) 777-4370