Wildflower Wednesday--Late Bloomers

By late summer, when many plants are past their peak, numerous prairie natives reach their zenith. In my garden, wildflowers of the shortgrass prairie and wet prairie are still putting on a colorful show.

Lobelias are going strong, both the cardinal flower (L. cardinalis)


and great blue lobelia (L. siphilitica).

Recently I saw a hummingbird at the cardinal flower, which was the cause of great excitement! I didn't think anything as cool as a hummingbird would come anywhere near the Suburban Wasteland, but lo and behold there was one feasting in my rain garden! Of course there is no photographic evidence; I just stood in shock for about 20 seconds until it flew away. But that was good enough for me! Both of these lobelias prefer wet soil, including periodic flood conditions, and they tolerate partial shade. They're native to swampy prairies and savannas, such as those that flourished here in the northern Illinois clay prior to settlement.

OK, moving on...

Goldenrods are starting to bloom, such as zig-zag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

and elm-leaved goldenrod (S. ulmifolia),


the latter which grows well in the shade with big-leaved aster (Eurybia macrophylla).


A lazily late-blooming liatris (L. aspera) is mixing its fuzzy purple blooms with tall coreopsis (C. tripteris)


which even by itself is as cheerful as a black-eyed susan or sunflower.


My Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum) is well on its way to becoming frilly masses of tannish seeds, but it's still covered in pollinators (enlarge to see the bumblebee)

and other visitors.


The shortgrass prairie still has weeks to go before it settles down for late fall and winter, with grasses and the Plants Formerly Known as Asters still gearing up for their final flowering.

For more wildflowers blooming this Wednesday, see Gail and Clay and Limestone!

Garden All-Stars

Having just passed the halfway point of the season, it's still too early to start talking about the MVP, but the all-stars of this year's garden have made their presence felt.


Without a doubt, this coleus is a starter on the team of elites. Started from seed in mid-winter, this vibrantly colored annual has been making a splash since it sprouted. Its coloration is unpredictable because these plants came from random seeds all grown together. But the purples, magentas, chartreuses, and shades of green have provided kaleidoscopic interest all year. The plants are growing so vigorously that they're engulfing the spearmint buried in the center of this container. (Please excuse the chew holes, most likely from earwigs.)


(I know this shot is blurry, but it gives you a sense of the variegation in the individual plants. And all from a 99-cent pack of seeds!)

Another definite all-star, and strong contender for rookie of the year, is the group of obedient plants (Physostegia virginiana).

While most of my first-year plants are just getting acclimated to the big leagues, these moisture-loving guys have flourished in this year's soggy conditions. Consequently, all four of them are blooming, and those in the rain garden are the only blooms of the year in this new garden.

(These pictures don't really do the flowers justice. They are a light lavender, shading to purple at the edges of the petals, with little flecks of dark purple inside the tubular-shaped flowers. You can get a closer look by clicking on any of the pictures.)

Giving the Physostegias a run for the money in the ROY race is this big-leaved aster (Eurybia macrophylla), whose performance has only improved since its feature in my last Bloom Day post.

(I think the juxtaposition between the dainty flowers and disproportionately large leaves is very amusing!)

(Here is a slightly blurry look at the flowers that gives you a better sense of their light purple coloring than my Bloom Day picture.)


It's no surprise to see Joe Pye back on the all-star team, where he's been for the last three years. At a robust 5' tall, Joe is really hitting his stride and enjoying the fewer japanese beetles this year because they usually feast on his foliage.

(This plant is lovely not even in full bloom yet.)

Of course, we can't leave out the plants whose first-half performances will be remembered for the rest of the season. The peonies are certainly all-stars, and the Canadian columbines had another great year. As I just mentioned in that same Bloom Day post (see link above), the flowers have just now petered out after a spectacular spring performance.
(Somehow I missed getting pictures of these pink peonies at their peak. Here they were slightly ragged, but still vibrantly colorful.)


Who will be this year's MVP? And what plants will make a late push to grab a spot on the all-star team? Will the smooth blue asters overcome some foliage issues for a strong fall performance? The tall coreopsis is late to bloom, but will it match previous years' activity? Stay tuned!