Ozark witch hazel is an interesting specimen because it blooms from January to April. Its bright reds and yellows will add a splash of color and texture to your garden in winter. This native shrub can grow tall (up to 10 feet) or stay lower to the ground if you prune it regularly, depending on how you choose to use the plant in your landscape.

Even for a native plant, Ozark witch hazel is tough. It’s deer-resistant and tolerates a range of different soil textures and sun conditions. Ozark witch hazel spreads easily on its own through root suckers. If you want to prevent spreading, simply remove the root suckers.

• Plant type: Shrub
• Hardiness zones: 4a-8b 
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Water needs: Medium
• Soil: Rocky, sandy, loamy, clay
• Duration: Perennial
• Mature height: 6-10 feet

7. Prairie coreopsis (coreopsis palmata)

Prairie coreopsis, a species of tickseed, is a quintessential Missouri wildflower. You’ll see these tiny, butter-yellow, sunflower-like flowers all over, and they will thrive in your garden, too. They tolerate extreme heat, drought, poor soils, and interference from deer.

Because they grow here so easily, prairie coreopsis flowers also spread like wildfire through self-seeding. Want to keep them contained and prevent spreading? All you have to do is deadhead (remove) flower stalks as soon as they die off. You also can cut back the plants in summer if you fail to prevent spreading prematurely.

• Plant type: Flower
• Hardiness zones: 3a-8b 
• Sun: Full sun
• Water needs: Low to medium 
• Soil: Sandy, loamy, chalky
• Duration: Perennial
• Mature height: 1 ½ – 2 ½ feet

8. Purple coneflower (echinacea purpurea)

Purple coneflowers are extremely popular for home gardens in prairie states like Missouri because these colorful, showy flowers are especially easy to take care of. And not only do they look great, they also attract and benefit local wildlife such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. They’re a perfect plant for native pollinator gardens.

The flowers look like light purple daisies, and they bloom all through summer. Beware that newly planted coneflower can sometimes take up to two years to bloom for the first time. If you just planted them this spring and they don’t bloom in summer, that’s perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. You’ll just have to exercise patience.

• Plant type: Flower
• Hardiness zones: 3a-8b  
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Water needs: Medium
• Soil: Sandy
• Duration: Perennial
• Mature height: 2-5 feet

9. Purple poppy mallow (callirhoe involucrata)

Another name for purple poppy mallow is winecup because of the deep purple color and cupped shape of the flowers. Sometimes, the flowers also can be pink or white. The plants themselves spread along the ground to form a mat of foliage, and the vivid flowers stand out beautifully against that backdrop.

Because the plant spreads, it can do well in a hanging basket or trailing down a wall or post. It also would look great in a wildflower garden with flowers and leaves of contrasting colors and textures.

• Plant type: Flower
• Hardiness zones: 3a-8b 
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Water needs: Medium
• Soil: Rocky, sandy, loamy, clay
• Duration: Perennial
• Mature height: Up to 1 foot

10. Showy goldenrod (solidago speciosa)

Goldenrods are beautiful and interesting to look at, with long stems covered in leaves and clusters of tiny, golden yellow flowers that grow in an upright, column-like clump. As the name suggests, the showy goldenrod is one of the brightest, most visually impactful species. Even when you plant them in a wildflower garden alongside other colorful blooms, showy goldenrods are sure to stand out.

Another thing that makes showy goldenrods special is that they bloom in August and September when most other flowers are dormant. Beware that these flowers can spread aggressively, so you may need to prune them regularly if you want to keep them contained in a small area.

• Plant type: Flower
• Hardiness zones: 3a-8b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Water needs: Low to medium
• Soil: Rocky, clay
• Duration: Perennial
• Mature height: 1-5 feet

11. Sky blue aster (aster azureus or Symphyotrichum oolentangiense)

You can go to the next page to read the rest of this article