Natural landscapes including meadows and butterfly gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Purple thistle is a thorny plant - be very careful when handling. , Wildlife, The seeds are rich in oil, an important food source for seed-eating birds. , Habitat, Coastal plain, edges of salt marshes, pinewoods, prairies and disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns Larval host to little metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis) and painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies. N

Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds that consume the fruit include mockingbirds, thrashers, warblers, cardinals, titmice, and chickadees.  Fruits also eaten by mammals. , Habitat, Swamps, wet woods, seep slopes, by swamps, creek swamps. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for the spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon). Both native and non-native viburnums (Viburnum spp.) attract a wide rang

This can be a love-it-or-hate-it plant.  It is robust and can cover a large area.  Consider where you are going to plant it, and avoid planting in are , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can be aggressive. This is not a plant for small places. , Wildlife, The seeds of this wildflower are consumed by the Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, and probably other waterfowl. (Illinois Wildfllowers).  Bea , Habitat, Ponds, lakes, rivers still or slow moving water in areas not subject to substantial wave action. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage The flowers are cross-pollinated by bees which collect pollen for their larvae.  Two bee species  th

Shoreline stabilizer or plant as cover in a pond. Can tolerate wide water level fluctuations. Frequently used in marsh restoration and wetland creatio , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Has deep, aggressive rhizomes and is difficult to control in a garden setting once established but highly valuable if used for stabilization or marsh , Wildlife, Provides cover for small fish and aquatic invertebrates. Seeds eaten by some birds and small animals. , Habitat, Basin marsh (maidencane marsh), ponds, streams, sloughs, swamps, wet disturbed sites, sandhill. This species may become domininant in wetlands with , Did You Know?, Larval host for clouded skipper (Lerema accius) and Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan) butterflies.

The inflorescence consists of a few long-stalked flowers with 6 tepals and many bulblets that tend to sprout in place. The first leaf from the bulblet , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Ruderal, especially roadside ditches. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Pollinated by bees and other insects.

Screen along the edge of swamps. Primarily used for restoration. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits. , Habitat, Shrub-tree bogs, bayheads, swamps, especially with Cyrilla racemiflora. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Choose a species that grows naturally in your area. Wildflower garden. Rarely grown, mostly small wildflowers. Plant near the front of the garden s , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Mostly in open, relatively dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers The primary pollinator is bees, including bumblebees,  though at least for some species, flies and beetles visit some Crocanthemum spec

Wet garden. Rain garden. Shade tree for wet areas and along wetland edges. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Slow growing. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and smal mammals. , Habitat, Floodplain forests , swamps, usually in water. , Did You Know?, Fall color Visited by bees and valued by commercial bee keepers as a source of exceptionally sweet honey.  Also said to be wind pollinated.

Range includes most of eastern and central north Ameria west to the prairie region and north into southeastern Canada.  The southern range limit is in , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Rich woods, calcareous hammocks (in FL) but frequently in acid soils elsewhere. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees -- only butterflies and long-tongued bees can reach the nectar but other insects are attracted to the flo