Quick Navigation

About Us

Education & Events

Ways to Give & Membership

Preservation

Shop

Learn

Scott Leddy , a home ground - restoration practician well get laid among natural scientist in the Midwest , has devoted the majority of his sprightliness ( more than three decades ) to restoring the bluffs and prairies surrounding Rushford , Minnesota , part of the Driftless Area of the Midwest .

It ’s draining , metre - intensive employment — think tree remotion and controlled burning — but he will cursorily order you it is well worth the recollective hours and strong-arm exertion .

Many small orange flowers in clusters surrounded by their stems' foliage

Andrena sp. (mining bee) on Dutchman’s breeches; photo by Scott Leddy.

“ plant a pocket-sized prairie or touch on a timberland and , more significantly , maintaining the instinctive areas that we have is vital because our native habitats have been virtually all but eliminated , ” says Scott , who recently shared several of his stunning photograph of pollinator with Seed Savers Exchange for issue here and in ourmembermagazine , The Heritage Farm Companion . “ plant life diverseness now impacts pollinator copiousness and variety , and that ’s what has driven me to spend so much of my life restoring these beautiful place . ”

Prairie Varieties

Scott also shared the following tilt of his favorite pollinator flora for Northeastern Iowa , but many of these natives have a distribution that goes well beyond this realm and could be incorporated into a prairie planting or a garden to aid reinforcement pollinator home ground .

The scientific names may seem daunting at first , but they aid nurseryman to identify the correct species , whereas common public figure are not as claim and can relate to more than one metal money .

The list runs through the season phenologically to bring home the bacon rosiness over a long season and thereby support pollinators that need food sources and home ground throughout the season .

A close up of a large mining bee on a white flower

Andrena sp. (mining bee) on Dutchman’s breeches; photo by Scott Leddy.

When to Plant

According to Scott , the good meter to plant seed of these species if you are undertake to reconstruct a prairie habitat is the fall , and it is all important to fix the site well . In any setting within the area — a garden , a back thou or containers — these flora will allow a aboriginal planting that will be of interest to aboriginal pollinator .

Recommendations

Confirm which varieties are safe for your state / region by claver the USDA National Invasive Species Information Center .

Resource Tip :   Localextensionagencies can provide listing of ideal plants for your realm and climate .

1 . Wood betony — Pedicularis canadensis

A close up of a brown/gold butterfly with many white spots on its wings, perched on top of some little orange flowers

Great spangled fritillary butterfly onbutterfly milkweed; photo by Scott Leddy.

2 . eatable valerian — Valerian edulis

3 . Wild indigo : White wild indigo — Baptisia albaand Cream wild indigo — Baptisia bracteata

4 . Milkweeds : Asclepias tuberosa , Asclepias verticillata , Asclepias incarnata

A close up of a dark-colored bee on top of a purple flower with spiky petals

Epeolus Sp. Bee on Dwarf blazing star; Photo by Scott Leddy.

5 . Golden horse parsley : Zizia aptera(for dry mesic sites ) andZizia auria(for mesic and moist sites )

6 . Indian paintbrush : Castilleja coccinea(for dry mesic sites )

7 . Prairie phlox : Phlox pilosa(for mesic and dry mesic sites )

A close up of a milkweed plant with a green stem and a plume of many small, pink-colored flowers

Asclepias incarnata,Red milkweed

8 . Wild lupin : Lupinus perennis(for dry mesic sites )

9 . raging geranium : Geranium maculatum(for mesic site and forest edge )

10 . Ragwort : Pakera aurea(for dry mesic sites ) andPakera platensis ( for dry mesic site )

Many lupine flower stems with green leaves and many small blue flowers up the stem

Lupinus perennis,Prairie lupine

11 . Anemone : Anemone patens(for teetotal mesic sites),Anemone cylindrica(for dry mesic sites , andAnemone caroliniana(for dry sites )

12 . Spiderwort : Tradescantia bracteata(for teetotal mesic ) andTradescantia ohiensis(for mesic site )

13 . Black- and Brown - eyed Susans : Rudbeckia hirta(for ironic mesic sites ) andRudbeckia triloba ( for mesic site and timber edge )

A close up of a yellow ‘Black-Eyed Susan’ flower with a dark center, with more flowers out of focus in the background

Rudbeckia hirta,Black-Eyed Susan

14 . Prairie coreopsis : Coreopsis palmata(for mesic and dry mesic land site )

15 . Beardtongue or Penstemon : Penstemondigitalis(for mesic sit ) orPenstemongrandiflorus(for dry mesic sites )

16 . Mountain mint : Pycnanthemunvirginianum(for dry mesic and mesic sites )

A close up of a gold-colored butterfly with several brown spots with white outlines on its wings, perched on a cluster of tiny white-blush colored flowers

Hickory hairstreak butterfly on New Jersey tea; photo by Scott Leddy.

17 . Vervain , Verbenahastata(for dry mesic or disturbed sites),Verbenastricta(for moist sites )

18 . Blazing whiz : Liatriscylindracea(for wry mesic sites),Liatrisaspera(for dry mesic sites ) , andLiatrisligulistylis(for mesic web site )

19 . Prairie loosetrife : Lysimachiaquadriflora(for dry mesic and mesic sites )

A group of small purple flowers with spiky petals and long, green, leafy stems

Dalea purpurea,Purple Prairie Clover

20 . New Jersey afternoon tea : Ceanothusamericanus(for dry mesic and mesic sites )

21 . track works : Amorphacanescens(for dry mesic and mesic sites )

22 . Lobelia : Lobeliaspicata(for teetotal mesic web site ) andLobeliasiphilitica(for mesic land site )

A orange monarch butterfly perched on a pink flower in a garden of pink flowers

Aster novae-angliae,New Englad Aster

23 . orbit plant : Silphiumlaciniatum(for dry mesic and mesic website )

24 . Ironweed : Vernoniafasciculata

25 . Yellow coneflower : Ratibidapinnata(for dry mesic sites ) andRatibidacolumnifera ( for dry mesic web site )

26 . Bee balm : Monardapunctata(for dry mesic sites ) andMonarda fistulosa(for mesic sites )

27 . Prairie clover : Daleapurpurea(for teetotal mesic site ) andDaleaalba(for dry mesic and mesic sites )

28 . Wild Allium cepa : Alliumstellatum(for juiceless mesic and mesic situation ) andAlliumcernuum(for dry mesic and mesic sites )

29 . Prairie and pasture roses : Rosa arkansana ( for juiceless mesic website ) and Rosa carolina ( for mesic site ) , andRosablanda(for dry mesic land site )

30 . campanula : Campanularotundifolia(for wry mesic site ) andCampanulaamericana(for mesic bound )

31 . Prairie Lily : Liliumphiladelphicumvarandinum(for ironic mesic and mesic sites )

32 . rattler maestro : Eryngiumyuccifolium

33 . Sunflower : HelianthuslaetiflorusandHelianthus occidentalis

34 . Gentian : GentianaalbaandGentiana andrewsii

35 . Aster : Asterazureus , Aster laevis , andAster novae - angliae

36 . Goldenrod : Solidagoptarmicoides , Solidago

Prairie Seeds from Seed Savers Exchange

Prairie Seed Mixes

Formulated for Seed Savers Exchange by our neighbour at Shooting Star Native Seeds .

Confirm the change in each commixture are dependable for your state / part by visiting the USDA National Invasive Species Information CenterAquatic PlantsorTerrestrial flora

Individual Prairie Varieties

Originally published April 12 , 2018 . Updated February 12 , 2025 .

Keep Exploring

When you make a leverage from Seed Savers Exchange , you aid fulfill our nonprofit commission to protect our food and garden heritage . Do even more honorable by making a donation to facilitate us preserve and divvy up even more heirloom varieties !

3094 North Winn RoadDecorah , Iowa 52101(563 ) 382 - 5990

right of first publication © 2025 Seed Savers Exchange . Images on this internet site are protected by copyright — unauthorized use is not tolerate .

Seed Savers Exchange is a tax - exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organisation dedicated to the preservation of heirloom seeds .