The easiest way to succeed with natives is to put each one where it wants to grow. Look at your spot for a day: how many hours of direct sun does it get, and what happens after a hard rain? Then use the table and picks below.
The series at a glance
| No. | Species | Light | Moisture | Soil notes | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purple Coneflower | Sun to part shade | Average to dry | Most soils, including clay | 2–4 ft |
| 2 | Ozark Coneflower | Full sun; light shade OK | Dry to average | Well-drained, rocky, limestone | 2–3 ft |
| 3 | Black-eyed Susan | Full sun; light shade OK | Dry to average | Any soil that isn’t wet | 1–3 ft |
| 4 | Butterfly Milkweed | Full sun | Dry to average | Well-drained; deep taproot | 1½–2 ft |
| 5 | Swamp Milkweed | Sun to light shade | Average to wet | Thrives in poorly drained clay | 3–5 ft |
| 6 | Common Milkweed | Full sun | Dry to average | Adaptable; spreads by roots | 3–5 ft |
| 7 | Wild Bergamot | Sun to light shade | Dry to average | Sand to clay; tolerates black walnut | 2–4 ft |
| 8 | Lanceleaf Coreopsis | Full sun | Dry to average | Poor, sandy or rocky | 16–24 in |
| 9 | Rough Blazing Star | Full sun | Dry to average | Must drain well | 2–4 ft |
| 10 | New England Aster | Sun to light shade | Average to moist | Fertile; clay is fine | 3–5 ft |
| 11 | Missouri Evening Primrose | Full sun | Dry | Rocky or gravelly; fast drainage | 8–12 in |
| 12 | Golden Alexanders | Sun to part shade | Average to moist | Wide range, including clay | 1½–2½ ft |
“Full sun” means 6 or more hours of direct sun a day. “Part shade” means about 2 to 6 hours.
Picks for common Missouri yards
Hot, dry and sunny (a south-facing slope, a strip by the driveway, a rocky bed) Nos. 2 Ozark Coneflower, 4 Butterfly Milkweed, 8 Lanceleaf Coreopsis, 9 Rough Blazing Star and 11 Missouri Evening Primrose.
Heavy clay Nos. 1 Purple Coneflower, 5 Swamp Milkweed, 10 New England Aster and 12 Golden Alexanders. Black-eyed Susan and Wild Bergamot also grow in clay that doesn’t stay wet.
Wet in spring (a low spot, a rain garden, a downspout) Nos. 5 Swamp Milkweed and 10 New England Aster, with 12 Golden Alexanders on the edges.
Part shade (an east-facing bed, a woodland edge) Nos. 12 Golden Alexanders and 1 Purple Coneflower, plus 7 Wild Bergamot and 10 New England Aster where there’s still a few hours of sun.
A small bed or the front of a border Nos. 11 Missouri Evening Primrose, 8 Lanceleaf Coreopsis and 4 Butterfly Milkweed stay low. Add 3 Black-eyed Susan for quick color.
A meadow or big open space No. 6 Common Milkweed, which spreads to fill it, with 3 Black-eyed Susan, 7 Wild Bergamot and 10 New England Aster.
Lots of deer Lean on the ones listed as deer resistant: Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 12. Protect No. 9 Rough Blazing Star and No. 10 New England Aster while they’re young.
Plan for height
- Front (under 2 ft): 11, 8, 4
- Middle (2–3 ft): 2, 3, 12, plus 1, 7 and 9 (which can reach 4 ft)
- Back (3–5 ft): 5, 6, 10
Plan for a long season
Choose a few from each bloom season and something will be flowering from April into October:
- Spring: No. 12 Golden Alexanders (April–June)
- Early summer: Nos. 2, 8 and 11 (from May)
- Midsummer: Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
- Late summer into fall: No. 9 Rough Blazing Star (August–October) and No. 10 New England Aster (September–October)
Sources: Light, moisture, soil and height for each species come from our species data, which cites Grow Native!, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, NC State Extension and Prairie Moon Nursery. Light definitions follow NC State Extension. Full links in our sources list.