Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Saturday - July 14, 2007
From: Ocean View, DE
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Perennial native wildflowers in Delaware
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I'd like to plant some perennial wildflowers around a fresh water pond near the beach in southern Delaware. Do you have some suggestions for native species that will grow in full sun? Thank you.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants assumes that the surrounding soil is sandy since you are near the beach and that the immediate area around the pond will be damp most of the time. Some of the species suggested below will do well in the moist areas and others will do better away from the damp soil.Moist soil
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
Oenothera fruticosa (narrowleaf evening-primrose)
Solidago sempervirens (seaside goldenrod)
Drier soil
Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf tickseed)
Echinacea pallida (pale purple coneflower)
Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower)
Lupinus perennis (sundial lupine)
There are also several attractive grass and grass-like species that would do well in full sun and in areas that are moist.
Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)
Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem)
Carex stipata (owlfruit sedge)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (hairawn muhly)
For more choices you can find a list of recommended species for Delaware from our Native Plants Database and you can narrow your search by specificying criteria that are important to you.
More Wildflowers Questions
Flowering Deer Resistant Ground Cover for Dry Rocky Soil: Alabama
March 26, 2012 - My question has been partially answered in the FAQ but I live in Birmingham where the soil is clay and rocky so it's a little different. I want to plant on a rocky slope (small rocks like the size of...
view the full question and answer
Backyard bluebonnets in Georgetown, TX
August 09, 2009 - I am growing bluebonnets in my backyard in Georgetown, TX. Even with the drought, I have had blooms all summer and still have two plants blooming. Is this normal? Thanks for all the work you all do ...
view the full question and answer
Flowering plants for shady garden in Bastrop
July 02, 2010 - We live in Bastrop, 8 miles west of the Historical district. We have a small flower garden in a shady spot around 25 feet from the back patio of our home. We'd like to find out what native plants, f...
view the full question and answer
Making a pollinator garden
August 11, 2014 - Hello, I have a ditch right by my house and I want to turn it into a pollinator garden using native plants. My problem is, right now it's so full of weeds that we have to mow those down so soon. For ...
view the full question and answer
Weeds from neighbor's yard are a problem.
May 11, 2015 - Our neighbor has let his front yard go wild. Many of these native wild plants are very invasive. How can I stop their spreading into our yard? There are too many to try & keep up with pulling them as ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |