A native plant is one that grows wild here on its own. Every species in the Missouri Native Series grows wild in Missouri; the Missouri Department of Conservation lists each one in its field guide. That’s the whole idea behind the series: twelve plants that already belong in Missouri gardens.
Why grow natives
They feed the local food web. Many insects can only raise their young on certain plants. Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed. Black swallowtail caterpillars feed on Golden Alexanders. Pearl crescent butterflies use New England Aster, and checkerspot butterflies use Black-eyed Susan. Adult butterflies, native bees and hummingbirds drink the nectar, and birds eat the seed.
They’re built for Missouri. Once established, many in the series handle heat, drought and poor soil. Swamp Milkweed thrives in heavy, poorly drained clay. Butterfly Milkweed and Lanceleaf Coreopsis like hot, dry ground.
They come back. Most of the series are perennials. Black-eyed Susan and Lanceleaf Coreopsis are shorter-lived but reseed, so a patch carries on.
They grow from seed. Seed is the gentle way to bring a wildflower home. The Missouri Department of Conservation notes that wild coneflowers have suffered from illegal root-digging. Growing from seed leaves wild plants where they are.
Sleep, creep, leap
Native perennials grown from seed follow a pattern gardeners call “sleep, creep, leap.” Purdue University’s Landscape Report describes it this way:
- Year 1, sleep: Limited growth above ground. The plant is putting its energy into roots.
- Year 2, creep: More leaves and stems, and some flowers.
- Year 3, leap: Plants may reach full size, with more blooms and more toughness.
So a small plant in year one isn’t a failure. It’s a root system getting ready. A few in the series are faster (Black-eyed Susan often blooms its first summer), and a few are slower (Rough Blazing Star can take 2–5 years to bloom from seed).
What matters most
- Right plant, right place. Match each species to your sun and soil. Our sun and soil guide sorts the series for you.
- Sow at the right time. Most of the series needs a winter chill. Follow the postmark on each packet, or see our winter sowing guide.
- Water while roots establish. Purdue notes irrigation matters during long dry periods while root systems develop. After that, most of the series handles dry spells.
- Weed in the early years. Pull weeds around young seedlings so they get the light.
- Mark what you sowed. Native seedlings look unfamiliar at first, and some, like Butterfly Milkweed, come up late in spring.
Leave the stems and seed heads
At season’s end, resist the urge to tidy everything:
- Seed heads feed birds. Goldfinches eat Purple Coneflower seed as it ripens and through winter. Wild turkeys eat New England Aster seed.
- Stems shelter insects. Prairie Moon notes that leaving stems standing over winter gives pollinators forage and cover, and NC State Extension notes stem-nesting bees use the dead stems of Wild Bergamot.
Cut things back in late winter or early spring if you like a tidier look, before new growth starts.
Deer, rabbits and other visitors
Some of the series is browsed more than others. Butterfly, Swamp and Common Milkweed, Ozark Coneflower, Wild Bergamot and Golden Alexanders are generally listed as deer resistant. Rough Blazing Star is not: rabbits, woodchucks and deer eat the leaves, and voles eat the rootstocks. Protect young plants where animals are heavy.
A word on milkweed safety
Milkweeds are toxic if eaten, and their sap can irritate skin and eyes. Keep pets and livestock from grazing them. More in our monarchs and milkweed guide.
Sources: Missouri Department of Conservation Field Guide (each species; purple coneflower root-digging; blazing star browsers; New England aster); Purdue Landscape Report, “Establishing a Native Perennial Garden: Understanding the ‘Sleep, Creep, Leap’ Pattern” (May 1, 2026); Grow Native!; Prairie Moon Nursery; NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; ASPCA Animal Poison Control. Full links in our sources list.