Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Tuesday - March 17, 2009

From: Wichita, KS
Region: Midwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Plants for northern exposure in Wichita, KS
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

What are good plants for the north side of the house with acidic soil in Zone 6, Wichita, KS?

ANSWER:

The north side of a structure is often considered to be subject to more shade, although you didn't specify that. Since you also didn't specify if you were interested in shrubs or herbaceous flowering plants, we will find a selection that will do well in part shade (2 to 6 hours or of sun a day) or shade (less thans 2 hours of sun a day). We will go to Recommended Species, click on Kansas on the map, and select first for "herb" (herbaceous flowering plants) under Habit, shade or part shade under Light Requirement, and then "shrub" with the same light requirements. You can repeat this process, putting in different light requirements as well as soil moisture, or searching for vines, ferns or grasses. When you follow a plant link to the page on the individual plant, you can check for soil type (as we will), propagation and links to other sources in information on the plant.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center recommends only plants native to North America and to the areas in which the plant grows naturally. Plants grown in their native area will require less fertilizer, water or maintenance to flourish.

HERBS

Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)

Campanulastrum americanum (American bellflower)

Coreopsis palmata (stiff tickseed)

Echinacea angustifolia (blacksamson echinacea)

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)

Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia)

Ratibida pinnata (pinnate prairie coneflower)

Viola sororia (common blue violet)

SHRUBS

Amelanchier arborea (common serviceberry)

Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush)