EIU Native Plant Garden

To fully appreciate the tall grass prairie one must visit every two to three weeks, April through October. In late April and early May the prairie violet, star grass, early blooming mints and prairie ragworth start the flower show. A few weeks later the beardstongues, alum root, harebell, false indigos and blue flag iris add their beauty. Early June ushers in the purple and gray-headed coneflowers, blazing stars and lead plant. Midsummer brings the appearance of prairie coreopsis, wild petunias, nodding wild onion, culvers root and the prairie milkweeds. Early fall brings compass plant, prairie dock, big bluestem, Indian grass, obedience plant, little bluestem and panic grass. In September and October the ironweeds, sunflowers, late blooming asters, rough white lettuce add their blooms to this glorious display. The prairie gentians, which start blooming in October, are a spectacular finale to this six month flower show that is the tallgrass prairie.

Many of the tall grass prairie plants included in this garden are well suited for use as landscape plants. Individuals, state and federal agencies, businesses and organizations are becoming aware of this fact and using more native plants as they landscape. Due to this increase demand for native plants, the number of plant nurseries that specialize in native plants or that include a portion of native plant with their typical stock.

We hope that you enjoy your visit and that you will come often. We wish to thank everyone who helped with the establishment of this bit of tall grass prairie.

Nancy Coutant and Janice Coons
Biological Sciences Department