Bloom Boxes are curated by Extension Master Gardeners for a specific purpose or condition. We have plantings for bloom, for beginners, for heat/drought tolerance, for hummingbirds, for butterflies, and for smaller, well-behaved natives. Boxes consist of five species of plants (three of each species) for a total of 15 plants for $60. They can be ordered on line, pre-paid with a credit card, from May 1st through 8am on May 29th. Plants will be delivered on May 30th, the day of the sale, and can be picked up from 9am to 2pm at the open pavilion at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. As always, sometimes plants don’t produce, and we may substitute.
Bloom Baby Bloom for blooms
Each of these plants bloom their heads off for two to three months and will provide your garden with blooms from April to September. Plant them in medium soil moisture in sun to part shade and get ready to enjoy!
| Scientific name | Common name | Light | Moisture | Color | Bloom time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blephilia ciliata | Ohio horsemint | sun/p shade | med/dry | blue/purple | May-Aug |
| Packera obovata | Roundleaf ragwort | sun/p shade | med/wet | yellow | Apr-June |
| Penstemon digitalis | Foxglove beardtongue | sun | med/dry | white | Apr-June |
| Phlox paniculata | Garden phlox | sun/p shade | med | pink/purple | July-Sept |
| Scutellaria incana | Hoary skullcap | sun/p shade | med/dry | blue | July-Sept |
Easy Does It for beginners
Easy as pie, these hardy natives aren’t finicky and are a sure hit. Plant them in sun in medium to dry soil for blooms from May to September. A great start to any new native garden!
| Scientific name | Common name | Light | Moisture | Color | Bloom time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baptisia australis v. minor | Blue indigo | sun/p shade | dry | blue | May-June |
| Coreopsis lanceolata | Sand coreopsis | sun | med/dry | yellow | May-June |
| Echinacea paradoxa | Yellow coneflower | sun | med/dry | yellow | June-Aug |
| Liatris punctata | Dotted blazng star | sun | med | pink/purple | Aug-Oct |
| Rudbeckia hirta | Black-eyed Susan | sun | med | yellow | June-Sept |
Sensational Sizzlers for heat and drought tolerance
No sweat here! Once established (water the first year), these plants can tolerate and thrive in Kansas’ hot dry summers. Plant in full sun in medium to dry soil. Your garden will have blooms all summer long from May to October.
| Scientific name | Common name | Light | Moisture | Color | Bloom time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amorpha canescens | Leadplant | sun | dry | purple | July-Sept |
| Eragrostis spectabilis | Purple love grass | sun | med/dry | reddish purple | July-Aug |
| Geum triflorum | Prairie smoke | sun | dry | pink/purple | May-June |
| Liatris aspera | Rough blazing star | sun | dry | purple | Aug-Oct |
| Phemeranthus calycinus | Rock pink | sun | med/dry | fuschia | July |
Humming Along for hummingbirds
Feed your hummingbirds naturally from April to September with these red and pink bloomers. Plant in sun to part shade in medium soil moisture, and your garden with be the buzz of the neighborhood!
| Scientific name | Common name | Light | Moisture | Color | Bloom time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lobelia cardinalis | Cardinal flower | sun/p shade | med/wet | red | June-Sept |
| Monarda didyma | Scarlet bee balm | sun/p shade | med/wet | red | July-Aug |
| Penstemon cobaea | Purple penstemon | sun | med/dry | pink | May |
| Phlox glaberrima | Marsh phlox | sun/p shade | med | pink/purple | Apr-May |
| Physostegia virginiana | Priarie obedient plant | sun | med | pink white | June-Sept |
Milkweed ‘n Feed for butterflies
Give caterpillars something to munch on, and butterflies something to sip on with these plants grown without harmful neonicotinoids. Plant in sun in medium to dry soil for blooms from May to October. Watch as your garden metamorphoses
into a butterfly oasis!
| Scientific name | Common name | Light | Moisture | Color | Bloom time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asclepias speciosa | Showy milkweed | sun | med/dry | purple/rose | May-June |
| Asclepias tuberosa | Butterfly milkweed | sun | med/dry | orange | June-Aug |
| Asclepias verticillata | Whorled milkweed | sun/p shade | med/dry | white | June-Sept |
| Ruellia humilis | Wild petunia | sun/p shade | med/dry | lavender | May-Oct |
| Zizia aurea | Golden alexanders | sun/p shade | med | yellow | May-June |
Short ‘n Sweet for shorter, well-behaved plants
No fighting allowed! These smaller natives play nicely and spread more slowly. They perform wonderfully in smaller gardens or in the front of beds. They range in height from half a foot to two feet when in bloom. Plant in medium to dry soil in sun for lovely blooms from April to October.
| Scientific name | Common name | Light | Moisture | Color | Bloom time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anemone virginiana | Tall amenone | sun/p shade | med/dry | white | Apr-May |
| Iris cristata | Dwarf crested iris | sun/p shade | dry | purple | Apr-May |
| Oenothera macrocarpa | Missouri evening primrose | sun | med/dry | yellow | May-Aug |
| Phlox pilosa | Sand prairie phlox | sun | med | pink lavendar | May-July |
| Symphyothichum seiceum | Silky aster | sun | med/dry | lavender/yellow | Aug-Oct |