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Introduction
Gardening with native plants is
becoming the norm rather than the
exception in Missouri. The benefits
of native landscaping are fueling a
gardening movement that says no
to pesticides and fertilizers and yes
to biodiversity and creating more
sustainable landscapes. Novice and
professional gardeners are turning to
native landscaping to reduce mainte-
nance and promote plant and wildlife
conservation. This manual will show
you how to use native plants to cre-
ate and maintain diverse and beauti-
ful spaces. It describes new ways to
garden lightly on the earth.
Introduction
3
A typical Missouri creek in the Ozarks (left) and rocky glade (right) are homes
to many native plants that are useful in native landscaping.
4
Landscaping with Native Plants
A Gardeners Guide for Missouri
People who have lived in one place for Rain gardens, bioretention and wet-
a time develop images of their home land detention basins are a few best
that create a sense of belonging and management practices in use. They
familiarity. Those who have lived in slow down and absorb rain water, thus
rural Missouri know about flowering reducing the quantity and velocity of
dogwood. For instance, its blossoms stormwater runoff while improving
and berries have made their mark in water quality.
the hearts and thoughts of so many
Missouri residents that it is the state See Chapter Two Rain Gardening
tree. Many people have recognized this and Storm Water Management for
heart-felt connection with nature, and it details on planning, constructing and
often is referred to as sense of place. maintaining rain gardens.
For Beautification
For Educational Opportunities
Wildflowers, flowering vines, shrubs
and trees offer a wide range of colors, Native plant gardens present end-
textures and forms to create dynamic less opportunities for learning about
seasonal displays. Grasses and sedges seasonal cycles, wildlife, and plant
have interesting flowers and seed life cycles. Quiet spaces outside can
heads and yelloworange fall color. be used for art and reading classes.
Shrubs and trees have fall color and Environmental and conservation topics
berries that persist into the winter. are taught best outdoors.
Choosing a wide assortment of plants
Left: Luna moth perched on wood poppy. Right: Sulphur butterfly getting nectar
from a New England aster blossom.
5
Siltation is a main source of water pol- Compared with lawns and mulched
lution. Soil loss can be reduced by tree, shrub and perennial plantings,
using plants with strong, deep roots in landscapes planted with appropriate
place of turf, rock or concrete. Plants native plants require less maintenance.
hold the soil, absorb water and slow They require minimal watering (except
the flow of water over the surface. during establishment and drought peri-
Replacing turf with native plantings is ods) and they need no chemical fertil-
an effective way to help control erosion. izers or pesticides.
Cost comparisons:
This list provides many reasons to
use native plants in a landscape, but Turf
before you begin planting, think about Average turf installation per
what you want the landscape to do acre (seed): $3,000
for you. You may want to reduce time Average turf installation per
and money spent mowing a large acre (sod): $8,000
expanse of turf. Or you may want to Annual turf maintenance per
reduce the expense of installing annu-
acre: $1,000
al flower beds. These numbers put the
Annual turf maintenance
cost of mowing grass and maintaining
for homeowner:$500
standard planting beds into perspec-
tive.
Native Prairie Seeding
Average prairie seeding per
acre: $1,500
Annual prairie maintenance
per acre: $200
The proper handling of stormwater runoff is a significant issue for homeowners, neigh-
borhoods and communities. Left: a rain garden planted with Missouri native plants at the
Missouri Methodist Conference Center in Columbia, Missouri. Right: Missouri Botanical
Garden bioretention best managment practice (BMP) planted with natives in the main
entry parking lot (oak sedge (Carex albicans) in foreground).
7
tration tests when soil is moist, the of this, clay soil has poor drainage
day after a soaking rain or watering. and lower fertility. Clay soils often are
described as being heavy. The charac-
If water drains within an few hours teristic color is reddish or grayish.
the soil is a well-drained sandy or
loamy soil. Select dry-loving native
plants listed on page 32. Silty soil feels smooth and silky but
If it takes 24 hours or more to does not form a ribbon like clay. It
drain, it is a poorly drained clay has particles much smaller than sand.
soil, typical of where native wet- Fertility is slightly higher than sandy
land species thrive. See chapter soil. It drains relatively well and has a
two of this landscaping series: tan color.
Rain Gardening and Storm Water
Management for a list of appropri-
ate plants. Sandy loam soil is considered the
Soils that drain in less than six ideal garden soil for the widest range
hours are considered satisfactory of plants. It is sold as topsoil. The soil
for growing most native plants. color is dark-brown and particle size
varies. It is among the healthiest of
soil types since it is well-draining with
Soil Texture ample air spaces, has good organic
content and fertility and has an abun-
Another way to determine soil type is dant population of beneficial soil
by feeling it with your hands. Hold a organisms.
small wet piece of soil in your hand
and rub it between your thumb and
index finger. Soil Structure
Sandy soil has obvious sand particles Soil structure indicates the effect
that feel and look like sand. It drains soil has on the movement of water,
well because of a large particle size amount of air in the soil and how
that is irregularly shaped. It feels well roots are able to penetrate into
coarse and doesnt compact easily. the soil. It works in conjunction with
This soil type has low fertility because soil texture and is easy to deter-
of its low organic content. Soil color mine. A simple way is to form a ball
typically is light tan. of damp soil in your hand by squeez-
ing it. If you cant make a ball, the
soil is sandy. If it is crumbly and has
Clay soil feels sticky and forms rib- dark color, it is a sandy loam. Clay
bons when forced between your soil remains in a ball. Soil structure
thumb and index finger. It has micro- can be improved with the addition of
scopic, flat-shaped particles. The compost. This increases particle size
shape and size of clay particles con- and encourages beneficial soil-borne
tribute to compaction, with little space organisms.
for air or water movement. Because
10 Landscaping with Native Plants
A Gardeners Guide for Missouri
Low-maintenance native groundcovers are used in simple massed plantings. When fully
mature they suppress weeds and reduce the amount of mulch needed. Left: yellow fox
sedge (Carex annectans) Right: prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)
11
Plants growing in nature give us clues as to where they may be suited in a man-made
landscape like a rain garden. Left is yellow-fruited fox sedge growing in a sunny creek
bottom. Right is cardinal flower growing at the edge of a shady creek.
that tolerate low fertility and poor including prairie, woodland, wetland,
drainage. etc. Regional plant field guides typi-
If your garden is in a low, wet cally describe general plant habitats
area, create a rain garden. in the front of the book. Once you
If whitetail deer are a problem, determine your habitat type(s), begin
select native plants they avoid. selecting appropriate plants. Not all
plant species are available for sale so
See pages 24-34 for detailed lists of it is best to refer to nursery catalogs
plants for various garden conditions. as you select plants by habitat.
Glades
Use a thick layer of compost or wood backfill with topsoil. This eliminates
chips over existing vegetation to air pockets and drought-related
smother it. In smaller gardens, a layer mortality and reduces establishment
of newsprint can be used before mulch- time.
ing. It takes a couple of months for the
vegetation to die. This method works
well for small to medium size gardens. Soil Compaction and Grading
Once undesired vegetation is killed, do
not till in uncomposted leaves, bark or Before grading soil or planting, it is
wood chips as they will cause the new important to contact the Missouri-1 Call
plants to turn yellow or die. System to locate underground utilities.
Call 1-800-DIG-RITE three days before
Put clear plastic over the mowed breaking ground. They will mark under-
vegetation, and sunlight will create ground utilities with colored spray paint
heat that kills the vegetation. However, and flags.
microorganisms in the upper layer of
soil are affected adversely so add com- Avoid compacting soil with heavy
post and earthworm castings to the soil equipment or foot traffic. Compacted
to replenish the microbial populations. soil drains poorly, has low oxygen con-
tent and is difficult to plant in. If soil
Remove sod with a desodding shovel or is compacted, loosen the soil before
machine. The top few inches of roots planting. Severe compaction may
and soil are removed, exposing the require digging deeply with shovels or
underlying soil. in large areas with a mini excavator or
backhoe. This is necessary for proper
drainage. Then till soil to create a loose
Soil Preparation soil that is easy to work with.
Amending soil should be done only Final soil grading typically is done on
under the most difficult circumstances small areas by hand with stiff gar-
because there are native plants that den or grading rakes after tilling. On
tolerate a wide variety of tough soil large areas this is done with a skid-
conditions. steer-mounted tiller or soil conditioner.
During the grading process, tough clods
Severe clay subsoil that is remain- of dirt, clay, rocks, roots and stems
ing after construction should have are raked out and removed. Steep soil
a minimum of 3 inches of topsoil grades require the application of ero-
added and tilled into the surface. sion blankets.
Severely compacted topsoil should
be loostened by hand with a shovel
or with a backhoe or mini-excavator Stabilizing Steep Slopes
for larger areas.
Fertilizing is not normally recom- There are several brands of erosion
mended unless you have clay sub- control blankets available in garden
soil and choose not to add topsoil. centers. They typically are made of
If planting in clay subsoil, remove straw, wood shavings, coconut fiber or
soil unearthed while planting and
16 Landscaping with Native Plants
A Gardeners Guide for Missouri
Planting
Planting Seasons
0
0 10%
2 ft.
10 20%
4 ft.
20% plus
6 ft.
20 ft. length
17
Plant first and then mulch. This Twice-ground leaf compost is rec-
ensures plant roots are in the soil and ommended for mulching perennials
not just in the mulch. and grasses. Shredded hardwood (or
cedar) bark mulch is recommended for
Insert the plant so the potting mix is trees and shrubs. Use these recom-
not exposed to the mulch or air, so mendations to prevent over-mulching
the rootball will not dry out. Cap the or burying plants too deeply in mulch:
potting soil with a thin layer of natural
soil to prevent moisture loss. Deep Cell Plugs....1.5 inches
Quart Pots...........2 inches
When planting in hard clay soil, have Gallon Pots..........2.5 inches
a bucket or wheelbarrow of rich, loos- Tree/Shrubs.........3 inches
ened topsoil handy to backfill planting
holes. Backfilling with hard clay clods Do not incorporate mulch into the
leaves air pockets that lead to des- soil as this leads to poor plant perfor-
sication or plant death. You may have mance and/or death.
good topsoil on your property to bor-
row or you may have to purchase top-
soil from a garden center. Watering New Plantings
If you mulch the planting area before Water new plantings immediately!
planting, do not exceed the mulch Dont wait for rain since weather cant
depths listed below and do not leave be predicted from hour to hour.
soil on top of the mulch as this
encourages weeds. Also be sure that During the first three weeks, water
plant roots are inserted in soil and not plantings every four days for about
in mulch. 60 minutes (the equivelant of about 1
Left: Carefully remove plant from container. If roots are spiraling around inside
the pot, cut the roots to prevent further spiraling. Middle: Remove loose potting
soil from the top of the potting soil ball. Insert plant so the top of the potting soil
is level or just below the top of the topsoil and fill in with loose topsoil. Lightly cap
potting soil with a thin layer of topsoil. Right: Firmly press down plant to remove air
pockets. Cover topsoil with 1-2 inches of mulch and water immediately.
18 Landscaping with Native Plants
A Gardeners Guide for Missouri
Mulching
Shredded hardwood or cedar bark
Mulch gives gardens a clean, tended mulch is also commonly used and
and intentional appearance. Other available. Cedar lasts much longer
benefits include preventing loss of than hardwood but costs more. Once
soil moisture, controlling soil tem- rained on, it tends to bind together
perature and suppressing weeds. and will not migrate. It is recom-
Mulch may be applied from late fall mended for use in rain gardens.
through spring. In areas where you
want to encourage seed germina- River gravel mulch comes in various
tion (woodlands, for example), apply sizes, from pea-sized gravel to three-
mulch after seeds have germinated in inch rock. A medium size of one or
spring and are tall enough to trans- two inches works best in rain gardens
plant. or where storm water will be flowing.
It is heavy to move around.
Never till mulch into topsoil because
mulch is not composted. As it breaks Pine bark chip mulch has large
down it starves plants of nutrients. pieces that migrate on slopes and
Mulch must be fully rotted (black in float. It is recommended for use on
color, the consistancy of sawdust and flat ground.
have no heat) before it can be incor-
porated into topsoil. Natural tree leaves raked up and
reused as mulch save money but do
Twice-ground composted leaf not look clean or intentional in plant-
mulch is one of the more commonly ing beds. They are best used in natu-
used mulches and is readily available ral wooded settings.
from compost suppliers or garden
centers. It is delivered warm or hot Wood chips from a tree chipper are
and has a slight to strong sour smell coarse, uneven and do not look as
because it is not composted com- clean as ground mulches. They work
pletely. This mulch can float so is not well, however, and are economical.
recommended for use near stormwa-
ter flows.
Left: Shredded hardwood bark mulch binds together to resist washing away. Middle:
River gravel mulch will not migrate where water flow is a problem. Right: Wood chip
mulch is inexpensive or often free but migrates and may float away where water flow
occurs.
21
When pruning medium-sized branches, always make a small undercut first (left)
and then finish the cut with an overcut (right). This prevents the bark from tearing
downward when the branch falls.
23
time).
Layout the garden areas and
related elements of the site and
calculate square footage for each
portion individually. This number
helps you predict the number of
plants or materials needed.
Remove weeds and undesirable
growth by hand, with Round-up
(glyphosphate) or by layering
newspaper and covering it with
mulch.
Grade and amend soil if neces-
sary; then mulch if you will not be
Taller, late-summer blooming perenni-
planting right away.
als and grasses may be sheared back by Autumn is the second best time
40-60% in late May to control height and to plant. Perennials and grasses
prevent flopping. can be planted in September and
October. Plant quart size contain-
ers or larger. Trees and shrubs
may be planted from September
through November.
Mulch new plantings immediately
as mulch helps maintain soil mois-
ture and steadies soil tempera-
Typical Garden Schedule ture.
Water new plantings immediately.
Summer and Fall - Year 1
Perennials:
Fall/Winter - Year 2 Amsonia illustris (shining bluestar)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Continue to be vigilant and remove Aster oblongifolius (aromatic aster)
winter weeds as they appear. Baptisia sphaerocarpa (yellow wild indi-
Water newly planted trees and go)
shrubs by hand if winter drought Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppy mal-
occurs. low)
Reapply mulch to thin areas. Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot)
Be careful to not mulch where you Iris fulva (copper iris)
want plants to spread by reseed- Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (slender
mountain mint)
ing. This is the trick to getting
Rudbeckia fulgida (orange coneflower)
woodland plants like wood poppy,
Virginia bluebells, blue-eyed Mary,
Small Flowering Trees and Shrubs:
wild geranium, bloodroot and oth- Amelanchier arborea (serviceberry)
ers to spread. Callicarpa americana (beautyberry)
Cercis canadensis (redbud)
Crataegus viridis (green hawthorn)
Hydrangea arborescens (wild hydrangea)
Ilex verticillata (winterberry holly)
Ribes odoratum (golden currant)
25
Shade
Ferns:
Adiantum pedatum (Maidenhair fern) The 12-inch native groundcover field sedge
(Carex praegracilis) growing in a solid
Athyrium pycnocarpon (silvery spleen-
mass at Shaw Nature Reseve reduces
wort)
maintenance, tolerates poorly drained clay
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
soils and suppresses weeds.
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas
fern)
*Plants that spread rapidly by rhizomes
Grasses and Sedges: and develop into large colonies. These
Carex albicans (oak sedge) species require large areas and contain-
Carex eburnea (ivory sedge) ment.
Carex grayii (bur sedge)
Carex muskingumensis (palm sedge) Shade
Dry woodlands
often have
naturally grow-
ing white oak,
post oak, chin-
quapin oak,
and shagbark
hickory.
31
Dry Soils:
Grasses and Sedges:
Bromus pubescens (woodland brome)
Chasmanthium latifolium (river oats)
Diarrhena obovata (beak grass)
32 Landscaping with Native Plants
A Gardeners Guide for Missouri
Native Vines
Prairie Plants
see Chapter 1: Reconstructing
Tallgrass Prairies
Invasive Plants
see Chapter 3: Control and ID of
Invasive Species
35
P.O. Box 38
Gray Summit, MO 63039
(636) 451-3512
www.shawnature.org