Species Information

Tennessee Coneflower

Echinacea tennesseensis

What makes me special:

My flowers are visited by pollinators
My seeds are eaten by finches.

Warnings:

Not native to East TN.

I will hybridize with other Coneflowers; I am likely to produce hybrid seeds unless no other coneflowers are located within a mile of me.

Virginia Spiderwort

Tradescantia virginiana

What makes me special:

I attract bees and butterflies.

Warnings:

Can sprawl when given adequate moisture

Whorled Milkweed

Asclepias verticillata

What makes me special:

I am a favorite of bees and butterflies and am a host plant for the monarch butterfly larvae.

Warnings:

All parts poisonous to mammals such as dogs, cats and horses.

Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

What makes me special:

I attract bees and butterflies.

I support specialized bees.

Warnings:

Prone to Powdery Mildew in high humidity

Wild Blue Indigo

Baptisia australis

What makes me special:

I am a larval host plant for caterpillars of several skippers, butterflies and moths

Warnings:

I am difficult to transplant once established

Wild Blue Phlox

Phlox divaricata

What makes me special:

I attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

I attract hummingbirds.

Warnings:

Can be prone to pests and disease

Wild Geranium

Geranium maculatum

What makes me special:

I support specialized bees.

I attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

Warnings:

Tends to go dormant in summer

Wild Petunia

Ruellia humilis

What makes me special:

I am attractive to long-tongued bees and butterflies.

I am a larval host plant for the Common Buckeye Butterfly.

Warnings:

Spread vigorously

Readily reseeds

Winged Sumac

Rhus copallinum

What makes me special:

I am an important summer nectar source for bees andn butterflies.
I am a larval host plant for the Red-Banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) and Luna Moth.
My fruits are eaten by songbirds, deer, opossums, wild turkey, and quail.

Warnings:

I am aggressive and can be invasive.

Yellow Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata

What makes me special:

I attract pollinators, especially bees.

I am a larval host plant to Silvery Checkerspot butterfly and some moths.

Warnings:

Rhizomatous; can spread

Very tall; may need staking