A Prairie-Style Pollinator Garden

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 Royal Catchfly is a rare Midwest native known for its brilliant red flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies like the Black Swallowtail. Typically growing 3-4 feet tall, it thrives in medium, loamy soil. An excellent choice for sunny garden beds, pair it with other prairie flowers and grasses to provide support and keep the plants upright. 

This perennial herbaceous plant reaches up to 3 feet in height and features a bushy appearance due to its frequent branching. The green or reddish stems are strongly four-angled with scattered white hairs along the ridges. Opposite leaves, up to 2.5 inches long, are narrowly lanceolate or linear and have smooth margins. These sessile leaves are 0.25 to 0.5 inches wide.

When the foliage is damaged, it releases a strong mint scent. At the ends of the upper stems, numerous flattened clusters of small white flowers with purple dots can be found 

 Bee Balm, also known as Wild Bergamot, is renowned for its beauty and fragrance, making it a classic choice for flower gardens. It excels at attracting beneficial butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, making it an essential addition to any garden.

 Purple Coneflower blooms abundantly for up to two months from mid to late summer, with occasional re-blooming in the fall. Ideal for both small gardens and large prairie meadows, its striking flowers are a favorite nectar source for butterflies, bees, and various other pollinators, including hummingbirds. 

 Hollow Joe Pye's flowers attract honeybees, bumblebees, and other long-tongued bees, as well as butterflies, skippers, and moths. Mammals tend to avoid this plant due to its bitter taste, consuming it only when no other options are available.

 The Common Milkweed is the species most people envision when they hear the word 'milkweed.' This tall, prominent plant often forms large colonies and produces clusters of pink to purplish flowers with a pleasant fragrance. 

 Ratibida pinnata, commonly known as Yellow Coneflower, is native to prairies and savannas across the Midwest. This tall, slender plant features rough leaves and stems and has a cheerful, airy appearance. Its daisy-like flowers showcase soft yellow petals that sway in the breeze. The central disk, or cone, begins green and turns brown as it matures.

Amazingly resilient, this classic prairie flower blooms abundantly from early summer to early fall and can withstand heat, drought, and flooding.  

 Plains coreopsis, also known as tickseed, is a slender flowering plant that grows 1-2 feet tall and features pinnately compound foliage. It is recognized for its abundant small yellow flowers, which are marked with maroon near the center. The plant has numerous smooth, slightly angled branches that hold showy, daisy-like flower heads with yellow petals surrounding a reddish-purple central disk. The yellow petals have distinct notch-tipped ends. 

 Eryngium yuccifolium, commonly known as rattlesnake master, button eryngo, or button snake-root, is a perennial herb in the parsley family. It is native to the tallgrass prairies of central and eastern North America. 

 Prairie Dropseed is a favored native grass for prairie gardens, bringing a touch of elegance to any landscape. In late summer, its flowering panicles, tinged with pink and brown, float above the tufted grass on slender stems. The blooms emit a unique fragrance with notes of coriander. In the fall, the foliage transforms into stunning hues of gold.