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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Sunday - October 09, 2005
From: Brentwood, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Native wildflowers and grasses for sunny field in Nashville, TN
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I want to plant wildflowers in a sunny field (old pasture land) in Nashville, Tennessee. I plan on killing the existing weeds and tall grasses with roundup this fall and planting native grasses (what do you recommend). Then next spring we will plant wildflowers in with the new grasses. What wildflowers should I purchase for my area and is there a better time to plant them than Spring. Could you recommend a good book for me to learn as much as I can before starting this large (2 acres) project. Thanks so much!!ANSWER:
A good place to start is in the Native Plant Library where you will find "Wildflower Meadow Gardening", a 3-page PDF file that you can download. It gives you suggestions for starting and maintaining a project such as yours. You might also be interested in "Large Scale Wildflower Planting", a 1-page PDF file on the same page.The next step is to visit the Regional Fastpacks page to find another PDF file, the "Recommended Native Plant Species List" for your area, the Southeast. The list is divided into plant types, e.g., Cacti and Succulents, Ferns, Grasses, etc. For each plant the botanical and common names are listed, the range is listed by state, and comments are included that give the plant size, bloom color and period, habitat and other features. On the same "Fastpacks" page you will find PDF files for "Native Plant and Seed Sources List" and "Native Plant Bibliography". You can also visit the National Suppliers Directory in the Native Plant Information Network to search for nurseries or seed companies that specialize in native plants in your area. You can also access the Native Plant Bibliography and search it by subject.
Some of the shorter grass species on "Southeast Recommended Native Plant Species List" for Tennessee are:
1. Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
2. Gulf muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
3. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
There are taller species of grass on the list, also.
The kind of wildflowers you plant will depend on the nature of your two-acre field--whether it is wet or dry, mostly in sun or in shade. The "Southeast Recommended Native Plant Species List" gives information about the preferred habitat for the plants on the list. For spring flowers you might consider Rose vervain (Glandularia canadensis) and for summer blooms you might consider such standards as Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) or Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). There are many more possibilities listed on the "Southeast Recommended Native Plant Species List", and you can also search for native plants of Tennessee in the Native Plants Database by choosing Combination Search and specifying multiple criteria such as "Bloom Characteristics", "Growth Form", "Growing Conditions", etc. Late winter or early spring planting should work well for most wildflower species, but the seed company should have specific recommendations for each species.
More Wildflowers Questions
Perennials for flower bed in Humble TX
July 28, 2010 - I have a 10 foot by 10 foot flower bed that needs to be replanted and I am located in Houston, TX so what would be some good perennials to plant that are good to grow in this heat? I have been told L...
view the full question and answer
Shade and Drought Tolerant Plants for Idaho Shade
March 18, 2016 - I am looking for plants native to Idaho and/or the surrounding region (zone 6 or 7) that would do well in full shade conditions (adjacent to the north side of our house) and meet several criteria: Max...
view the full question and answer
Plants in bloom in April in Stuart FL
February 24, 2012 - Can you tell me which plants I might reasonably expect to see in bloom in April of this year?
view the full question and answer
How do I preserve bluebonnet seeds for planting in another area?
May 20, 2010 - How do I preserve Bluebonnet pods or seeds for replanting in another location?
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on wildflower guides
December 07, 2004 - Can you recommend a field guide to Texas plants?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |