Tall plants in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden & Bird Sanctuary

From Tall to Tallest in the Summer Garden

Adapted from an article by Cary George

cary george

Web links on a plant's name will take you to a page of photos and information about that plant.

The Prairie Garden begins it's spectacular show of color in June with False Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis (L.) R. Br.), (near right photo), perhaps the most asked-about early blooming prairie plant. Often mistaken for the indigo plant from which indigo dye is made, this bushy legume is actually an introduction to Minnesota. Recently, I’ve planted many White False Indigo (Baptisia alba (L) Vent.) (far right photo). While not as vigorous as blue indigo, this native indigo gives a nice contrast. Both have seed pods that rattle - a favorite of kids visiting the Garden.
		Three of the tallest composite sunflowers are Prairie Dock (Prairie Rosinweed), Cup Plant and Compass Plant. Prairie Dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum Jacq.) has a flower stalk that can reach over ten feet and has large egg-shaped basal leaves. It may be the tallest plant in the Garden. Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is a distinctive plant because of its thick square stem and opposite leaves that actually form a rather deep cup that holds water and attracts birds. Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum L.) is named for its leaves whose edges are always oriented within ten degrees of true north and south. Early pioneers used this characteristic to find their way on cloudy days. All three Silphiums are a favorite of beef cattle and buffalo. Therefore, they’ve declined in native prairies where grazing has taken place. At Eloise Butler they add a dramatic accent in height, surpassing even the tallest grasses.
Above: The height of Prairie Dock towers over these visitors. Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) is a late bloomer that has colonized a portion of the southern-most hillside of the prairie. It, of course, has a delicious edible tuber that can be boiled or roasted like a potato. This tall composite sunflower has spread from cultivation, and home gardeners would be wise to use caution in their planting decisions. Everyone asks about the asparagus, that is so conspicuous in its growing spears in the spring. Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.), while not a native, is harmless enough and provides a wispy, fern-like presence to the Garden if mischievous visitors don't snap the spears off early in the year.
		Cup Plant	Compass Plant
		Below left: Jerusalem Artichoke. Photo ©Ted Bodner, USDA Plants Database	Below Right: Tall Asparagus in the fall after leaf drop, with red berries visible

Two tall plants not mentioned by Cary are Prairie Dogbane (Indian Hemp), Apocynum cannabinum L. and Tall Meadow Rue, Thalictrum dasycarpum Fisch & Ave-Lall. Both reach heights of up to six feet and are conspicuous in early summer.
Below: Prairie Dogbane in flower in late June		Below: Tall Meadow Rue in flower in late June.


The regal beauty of native lilies, in my opinion, is equal to our wild orchids. One is a species of the open woodland: Wood Lily (Lilium philadelphicum L.). Three lilies are in the Prairie Garden: Canada Lily (Lilium canadense L.) is a spotted yellow lily that grows to 5 feet. The Turk’s-cap Lily (Lilium superbum L.) is an orange-red lily that grows to 8 feet. Its nodding flower head is shaped somewhat like a turban. This is the largest native lily and it can have 40 or so flowers per plant. Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense L. - see Turk's Cap) is almost indistinguishable from Turk’s-cap except for its lack of a green star in the center of the flower. These lilies, much like the lady’s-slippers, are a photographers favorite and care must be taken to not trample other wildflowers in an attempt to get a perfect photo.

Canada Lily	Turk's-cap Lily	Gardener Cary George above with the Turk's-cap Lilies


Cary George was Gardener at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden from 1987 through 2003. Cary was the fourth person to be charge of the Garden since its founding.
This page was adapted from an article originally published in The Fringed Gentian™, Summer 2000, Vol. 48 No. 3. Certain plant names have been modified to updated usage standards and some additional material has been added.
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