Native Perennials
As a part of the Old Town Strip project to spruce up the main street in Old Town Helena, the Helena Beautification Board installed 13 different varieties of native perennials in April 2017. A total of 108 native perennials were planted that will give the street front a multitude of colors and blooms from Spring through Fall. Each of the varieties of plants are listed below along with details and pictures.
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LOCATIONS
Old Town (left side) - Planted 2017
Blackfoot Daisy
(Melampodium leucanthum)
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Round and low to the ground with continuous flowering from Spring through Summer, the Blackfoot Daisy is a great native perennial. A lot of the times the Blackfoot Daisy can be mistaken as a white Zinnia as they look almost identical. The flowers produced consist of 8 to 10 elegant white petals all surrounding a bright yellow disk in the center. Blackfoot Daisies make a great plant to use as ground cover that will be able to withstand the Alabama heat.
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DETAILS
Height - 1 ft | Width - 1 to 3 ft | Full Sun | Spring though Summer | Flower - White
Blazing Star
(Liatris spicata)
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Unforgettable! Once you get a glimpse of Blazing Star, you will never be able to forget the beauty it displays. Shooting out of the green grass like base are vibrant purple flower spikes. This native perennial loves full sun and heat. Not only does the Blazing Star display amazing color, but also is known for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
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DETAILS
Height - 3 to 4 ft | Width - 3 to 6 ft | Full Sun | Summer | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Purple | Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds
Flower Color - Purple | Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds
Cut-leaf Coneflower
(Rudbeckia nitida)
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Long bright yellow flower petals topped with a center brown cone, the Cut-leaf Coneflower demands your attention by the grandiose size. This tall native perennial will give your garden or yard a great show piece with over 8 weeks of blooms. The drooping daisy like yellow petals will produce a bloom that is 4 inches wide. Not only is it a sight to see in itself, but will also attract birds and butterflies.
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DETAILS
Height - 5 to 6 ft | Width - 2 to 3 ft | Full to Partial Sun | Mid Summer to Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Yellow | Blooms - Repeatedly with brown cones
Flower Color - Yellow | Blooms - Repeatedly with brown cones
Heliopsis Summer Nights
(Heliopsis helianthoides)
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Also known as False Sunflower, Summer Nights brings the look of a sunflower but with less care involved. The golden bronze petals and purple stems this native perennial is a beauty for any garden as it blooms from June through August. Summer Nights grows in a clump formation that allows your to divide them every few years giving you more of this amazing plant to replant or share.
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DETAILS
Height - 3 ft | Width - 2 to 3 ft | Full to Partial Sun | Mid Summer | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Golden Orange | Blooms have a Orange/Red center
Flower Color - Golden Orange | Blooms have a Orange/Red center
Ironweed
(Vernonia lettermannii)
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You will never catch Ironweed slouching in your garden. This native perennial gets its name due to the sturdiness of the flower stems. The brilliant purple flowers shoot up into the sky like a torch. If you are looking for a Fall bloomer, the Ironweed makes a great addition to any garden.
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DETAILS
Height - 3 ft | Width - 3 ft | Full Sun | Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Purple | Extremely Hardy
Flower Color - Purple | Extremely Hardy
Joe Pye Weed
(Eutrochium fistulosum)
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Domed shape pink flower clusters and the top of each stem gives the Joe Pye Weed another common name of Trumpet Weed. This native perennial is a great plant to place in areas that receives runoff water or doesn't drain well. Not only will you love the look of the Joe Pye Weed, but so will pollinators and butterflies.
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DETAILS
Height - 5 to 8 ft | Width - 3 to 4 ft | Full to Partial Sun | July and August | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Pink | Blooms - Makes a great cut flower
Flower Color - Pink | Blooms - Makes a great cut flower
White Swan
Purple Coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea)
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White rays of petals stream down from the greenish brown cones giving this coneflower beauty anywhere it is planted. This native perennial has a long smooth stem that makes this plant great cut flower for any arrangement. When White Swan is planted be ready for profuse blooming from late spring until the end of summer.
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DETAILS
Height - 2 ft | Width - 1 to 2 ft | Full to Partial Sun | Late Spring to Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - White | Blooms - Repeatedly with brown cones
Flower Color - White | Blooms - Repeatedly with brown cones
Salvia Azurea
(Salvia azurea)
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A delicate native perennial, the Salvia Azurea blossoms with light blue flowers making in a great companion in any garden. It also can be call Blue Sage or Pitcher Sage, but no matter what you decide to call it, it will bring beauty to your landscape. The Salvia Azurea will provide you color in early fall as your annuals start to fade away.
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DETAILS
Height - 3 ft | Width - 2 to 3 ft | Full to Partial Sun | August and September | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Light Blue | Pinching dead blooms can promote October blooms
Flower Color - Light Blue | Pinching dead blooms can promote October blooms
Salvia Cathedral
(Salvia farinacea)
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Eight colors to choose from, Salvia Cathedral makes a great native perennial to any landscape. The Salvia Cathedral is compact in size compared to other Salvia, but don't mistake that with the amount of color that the blooms will punch with. The height typically will only reach about 12 inches allowing it to make a great plant for planters too.
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DETAILS
Height - 1 ft | Width - 1 ft | Full to Partial Sun | Summer to Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Purple and Blue | Available in multiple colors
Flower Color - Purple and Blue | Available in multiple colors
Salvia Furman's Red
(Salvia greggii)
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Deep red blooms give this native perennial it's name sake and glory. Salvia Furman's Red is one of, if not, the most cold hardy of Salvia allowing it to bloom all the way from early spring to fall. With a shrub like structure and the beautiful red blooms that attracts butterflies and birds, the Salvia Furman's Red is a great way to give your landscape some color pop.
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DETAILS
Height - 3 ft | Width - 2 ft | Full to Partial Sun | Spring to Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Deep Red | Makes great ground cover
Flower Color - Deep Red | Makes great ground cover
Salvia Hot Lips
(Salvia microphylla)
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A white base and brilliant red tips make the blooms of Salvia Hot Lips a native perennial that stands out anywhere it is planted. Red ends of the bloom resembles the look of red lipstick. As the summer nights start to get warmer the Salvia Hot Lips can produce flowers that are either all white or all red as well.
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DETAILS
Height - 3 ft | Width - 2 ft | Full to Partial Sun | Spring to Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Red and White | Blooms - Two toned
Flower Color - Red and White | Blooms - Two toned
Stokes Aster
(Stokesia laevis)
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Three inch wide fluffy blue/purple flowers held on sturdy stems, Stokes Aster makes a great flower to enjoy outside or in as part of an arrangement. Also known as "Peachie's Pick", this native perennial is a lower growing plant that packs a punch in color. All summer long, the blooms of Stokes Aster can be enjoyed by all.
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DETAILS
Height - 12 to 18 inches | Width - 12 to 18 inches | Full to Partial Sun | Summer to Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Blueish Purple | Attracts Butterflies
Flower Color - Blueish Purple | Attracts Butterflies
Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod
(Solidago rugosa)
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Like fireworks spraying out into the air, Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod also goes by the name Fireworks. Electric yellow colored shafts come shooting out of the clump like bush to perform a beautiful display of color come late summer. For roughly two weeks you can be mesmerized by the show that this native perennial displays. If you are looking for a late season bloomer, Winkleleaf Goldenrod should be a great addition.
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DETAILS
Height - 3 to 6 ft | Width - 3 ft | Full to Partial Sun | Late Summer to Fall | Low maintenance
Flower Color - Yellow | Blooms - Sprays of flowering spikes
Flower Color - Yellow | Blooms - Sprays of flowering spikes
HOW TO PLANT
Find your Location - Make sure your find a good place that will get full to mostly full sun each day.
Plant It - Make sure you dig your planting hole as deep as the container it comes in is tall.
Water it In - Grab your watering can, hose or even a cup; whatever it takes to start getting some fresh water on your newest additions. Water your native perennial each day to ensure they last their blooming season.
ENJOY - With a little care, your native perennials will be a sight to behold.
**Growing Tip**
We suggest a very simple soil mix of top soil and composted cow manure. This mix will provide a great environment for your new native perennial to thrive.
Plant It - Make sure you dig your planting hole as deep as the container it comes in is tall.
Water it In - Grab your watering can, hose or even a cup; whatever it takes to start getting some fresh water on your newest additions. Water your native perennial each day to ensure they last their blooming season.
ENJOY - With a little care, your native perennials will be a sight to behold.
**Growing Tip**
We suggest a very simple soil mix of top soil and composted cow manure. This mix will provide a great environment for your new native perennial to thrive.
The Helena Beautification Board is an appointed board of the Helena City Council. The Board believes that people and places are profoundly connected and thriving communities are rooted in individual responsibility and action. They host a variety of opportunities for the community to come together and serve each year. Events are posted on the Helena Beautiful Facebook page and announced via Twitter at @TweetHomeHelena.