GOOD GROWING: Celebrating the Fourth with red, white, and blue native plants

Royal catchfly produces vibrant red flowers during the summer months. (Photo by Ken Johnson, University of Illinois Extension)

By Ken Johnson, University of Illinois Extension, Horticulture Educator
From fireworks and parades to picnics and pool parties, the Fourth of July is filled with celebrations. While gardens may not be the main attraction, they can provide a colorful backdrop to holiday festivities. What better way to celebrate America than by planting red, white, and blue native plants that provide beauty while supporting local pollinators and wildlife?
Native plants with red flowers
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) produces brilliant 2-foot-long red spikes of flowers during the summer months that butterflies and hummingbirds frequently visit. They grow in full sun to part shade and prefer moist soils. They can even tolerate brief periods of flooding, making them good options for rain gardens. They are often short-lived but will readily reseed.
Royal catchfly (Silene regia) grows 3-4 feet tall and produces clusters of 2-inch red flowers during the summer. They grow in full to part sun and medium to dry, well-drained soils.
Scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma) grows 2-4 feet tall and produces tubular, bright red flowers on a 3-4 inch flowerhead that looks similar to a mop-head. It is a member of the mint family and will produce a minty fragrance when crushed; it will also spread. It will grow in full sun to part shade and medium to wet soils.
Native plants with white flowers
Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) has bluish-green foliage that resembles yucca. These plants can grow to 2 to 5 feet tall and produce tightly packed flower heads that are ½-1” across. The round flower heads contain numerous small white flowers surrounded by prickly bracts. They grow best in full sun with slightly moist to dry conditions.
Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) grows 2-4 feet tall and produces flat-topped white blooms from late spring to summer. It grows in full sun and average, dry to medium, well-drained soil.
Common mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) grows in full sun to partial shade in medium to wet soils. It will grow to be 2-3 feet tall, and like many other members of the mint family, it has fragrant foliage and will readily spread. They produce dense clusters of small white flowers that are readily visited by pollinators.
Native plants with blue flowers
Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) produces spikes of bluish flowers in mid-to-late summer. Like cardinal flower, they grow in full sun to part shade, prefer moist soils, and need consistent moisture. It is also relatively short-lived but will readily self-seed.
Blue vervain (Verbena hastata) has an upright growth habit and will grow 2-5 feet tall. They produce spikes of purplish-blue flowers that bloom from the bottom up. They grow in full sun to partial shade in average, medium to wet soils.
Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) is a small (2-3’ tall) shrub with silvery-green compound leaves. They produce 4-8 inch spikes of purple-blue flowers that bloom from the bottom up. They grow best in full sun to partial shade and in well-drained, dry to medium moisture soils.
Good Growing Tip of the Week – Group plants of the same color together rather than alternating single plants. Blocks or drifts of color create a stronger visual effect from a distance.
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