Native Plants - P
Penstemon gracilis
Lilac-flowered Beardtongue
Figwort family - Scrophulariaceae
Rare in the Edmonton area. Small spikes of beautiful lilac flowers. Doesn’t spread but may self-seed a little.
Bloom time: June
Height: 20 - 40cm (8 - 16”)
Growing conditions: Sun; well-drained sandy soil.
Lilac-flowered Beardtongue
Figwort family - Scrophulariaceae
Rare in the Edmonton area. Small spikes of beautiful lilac flowers. Doesn’t spread but may self-seed a little.
Bloom time: June
Height: 20 - 40cm (8 - 16”)
Growing conditions: Sun; well-drained sandy soil.
Penstemon procerus
Slender Blue Beardtongue
Figwort family - Scrophulariaceae
Now rare in Edmonton. Thrives in cultivation. Will grow upright if crowded; sprawl if given room. Cutting the spent flowers will encourage it to bloom again in August, September. Short-lived perennial, but self-seeds. Natural habitat is damp prairie or damp meadows.
Bloom time: May - June
Height: 15 - 45 cm (6 - 18”)
Growing Conditions: Sun; average soil: prefers extra moisture.
Direct seed in late fall and do not cover - press into the ground. Or cold moist stratify 6-8 weeks. Have a high germination rate, are slow growing, and will bloom the second year.
Slender Blue Beardtongue
Figwort family - Scrophulariaceae
Now rare in Edmonton. Thrives in cultivation. Will grow upright if crowded; sprawl if given room. Cutting the spent flowers will encourage it to bloom again in August, September. Short-lived perennial, but self-seeds. Natural habitat is damp prairie or damp meadows.
Bloom time: May - June
Height: 15 - 45 cm (6 - 18”)
Growing Conditions: Sun; average soil: prefers extra moisture.
Direct seed in late fall and do not cover - press into the ground. Or cold moist stratify 6-8 weeks. Have a high germination rate, are slow growing, and will bloom the second year.
Petalostemon purpureum - Purple Prairie Clover: See Dalea purpurea
Physostegia ledinghamii
False Dragonhead
Mint family - Labiatae
An attractive bushy plant with spikes of rose pink to purple flowers and bright green leaves.
Will spread into a larger clump by means of short unerground rhizomes. Habitat in the wild is shady or sunny areas with a good water supply - ditches, slow-moving streams and sloughs and other wetlands.
Bloom time: Mid to late summer.
Height: 30 - 50 cm (12 - 20")
Growing conditions: Afternoon shade; fertile, reliably moist soil.
False Dragonhead
Mint family - Labiatae
An attractive bushy plant with spikes of rose pink to purple flowers and bright green leaves.
Will spread into a larger clump by means of short unerground rhizomes. Habitat in the wild is shady or sunny areas with a good water supply - ditches, slow-moving streams and sloughs and other wetlands.
Bloom time: Mid to late summer.
Height: 30 - 50 cm (12 - 20")
Growing conditions: Afternoon shade; fertile, reliably moist soil.
Potentilla arguta
White Cinquefoil
Rose family - Rosaceae
White Cinquefoil
Rose family - Rosaceae
Potentilla gracilis
Graceful Cinquefoil
Rose family - Rosaceae
Bushy medium-sized perennial that tends to sprawl. Large palmate leaves and bright yellow flowers that look a little like buttercups. A great plant for a wildflower meadow. Habitat is grasslands, open woods and meadows.
Bloom time: July, August
Height: 40 - 60 cm (16 - 24”)
Growing Conditions: Sun; average soil.
Sow seeds in spring or fall. This species has a taproot, so transplant when very young.
Graceful Cinquefoil
Rose family - Rosaceae
Bushy medium-sized perennial that tends to sprawl. Large palmate leaves and bright yellow flowers that look a little like buttercups. A great plant for a wildflower meadow. Habitat is grasslands, open woods and meadows.
Bloom time: July, August
Height: 40 - 60 cm (16 - 24”)
Growing Conditions: Sun; average soil.
Sow seeds in spring or fall. This species has a taproot, so transplant when very young.
Prosartes trachycarpa = Disporum trachycarpum
Fairy Bells
Lily family - Liliaceae
A woodland plant that you can watch uncoil from the ground in spring, and in a very short time produce the bell-like white flowers and bright green leaves.
The flowers are followed by velvety yellow berries which turn orange and then bright red in late summer.
Bloom time: May, June
Height: 30 - 50 cm (12 - 20")
Growing Conditions: Moist shade or semi-shade; rich soil with lots of organic matter.
Fairy Bells
Lily family - Liliaceae
A woodland plant that you can watch uncoil from the ground in spring, and in a very short time produce the bell-like white flowers and bright green leaves.
The flowers are followed by velvety yellow berries which turn orange and then bright red in late summer.
Bloom time: May, June
Height: 30 - 50 cm (12 - 20")
Growing Conditions: Moist shade or semi-shade; rich soil with lots of organic matter.
Pyrola asarifolia
Common Pink Wintergreen
Wintergreen family - Pyrolaceae
Tiny woodland groundcover. This species is the most common of the Wintergreens. Found in damp undisturbed woods. Round glossy leaves hug the ground and stay evergreen under the snow.
Flowers are small spikes of tiny, delicate pink bells.
Bloom time: June - August.
Height: 10 - 30 cm (4 - 12")
Growing conditions: Moist, compost-rich soil, semi-shade to deep shade.
Common Pink Wintergreen
Wintergreen family - Pyrolaceae
Tiny woodland groundcover. This species is the most common of the Wintergreens. Found in damp undisturbed woods. Round glossy leaves hug the ground and stay evergreen under the snow.
Flowers are small spikes of tiny, delicate pink bells.
Bloom time: June - August.
Height: 10 - 30 cm (4 - 12")
Growing conditions: Moist, compost-rich soil, semi-shade to deep shade.