White flowers have four to nine "petals" (sepals) located on an elongate flowering stalk. Fruit elongate (1 to 1 1/2 inches in length). Numerous leaves are roughly divided into three main parts. Occurs on dry soils and open slopes.

This is a fairly low growing native plant which is easily spotted in the late spring growing along roadside prairies and open woods. The gracefully arching, creamy yellow horizontal flower stalks are unmistakable. Leaves and stems are finely hairy. A single stem arises from the ground then becomes multi-branched. Flowers are pea like and borne on stalks running more or less parallel with the ground.

Hummingbirds find this plant irresistable! They feed on nectar produced by clusters of orange-red trumpet-shaped flowers from July-September. This woody vine attaches to any surface with rootlike holdfasts. Lustrous dark green leaves form a good screen. Can be quite aggressive so plant it where it will not compete with other plants.

A very handsome small to medium tree with multiple stems that forms wide, horizontal canopy. Dark green leaves can be yellow, orange, red or purple in fall. Beautiful thin, blue-gray bark. The seed is eaten by songbirds, quail and turkey. Whitetail deer will browse the twigs and foliage. Known as one of the strongest and densest woods of our forests, the wood is used in golf clubs and various handles.

Northern Catalpa is a medium to large, deciduous tree that typically grows with an irregular, open-rounded to narrow-oval crown. It typically occurs along streams, bluff bases and in both low and upland woods.Large, broad oval to oblong leaves are light green to yellow green above and hairy below. Foliage turns an undistinguished yellow in fall. Flowers can be a real showstopper, however. Bell-shaped, orchid-like, white flowers (to 2" long) with purple and yellow inner spotting appear in panicles in late spring. Flowers are followed by long, slender, green seedpods (12-22" long). The seedpods mature in fall to dark brown and then split open lengthwise to release the seeds within. Seedpods give rise to the common name of cigar tree. Bark of mature trees is fissured, prominently ridged and pale gray-brown.

A slow-growing, compact shrub that's excellent for hot, dry sites and for atttracting wildlife. Billows of delicate white flowers in May and June attract butterflies, insects and hummingbirds. Clusters of small black fruit form in July and August.

An excellent, medium sized specimen tree, with light green compound leaves turning gold in fall. Spectacular 8-14" long panicles of fragrant, creamy-white flowers bloom in May and hang down from the branches. The bark is very smooth and gray. This is an underused, beautiful native tree.

A small tree developing a flattened crown with long horizontal branches. Clusters of white flowers bloom for 10 days and are followed by deep red berries that persist into late fall or winter. The fruit is great for wildlife food and the 2-inch thorns provide great protective cover. Great for a protective barrier planting. The hawthorn is the state flower of Missouri.

Best grown in moist, rich, acidic, well-drained soils in part shade. Dislikes hot nights. If left undisturbed, plants in optimum growing conditions will naturalize over time into large clumps. Typically grows one to two feet tall. The name comes from its tight clusters of tubular (bottle-shaped), deep blue flowers which never open. Flower clusters appear at the tops of the stems or in the upper leaf axils in late summer to early autumn. Ovate, lance-shaped leaves to four inches long have parallel veins.

This interesting species can be found throughout the southeastern United States. The plant is easy to identify becasue of its pom-pom inflorescences, prickly stems, and sensitive leaflets. The leaflets fold together immediately after being disturbed and usually unfold about 3-5 minutes later. Widespread and abundant from May through September, on roadsides and in open fields.

The blue-violet flower spikes of this hardy water plant stand out at the edge of a pond or in a small pool from June through October. Large stands make a very showy statement. Glossy green, lance-shaped leaves grow vertically out of the water.