Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
5–8 ft tall and it blooms Aug through Oct — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Kansas · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Kansas
Kansas gardens sit in the Great Plains — a landscape of shortgrass and mixedgrass prairie under big open sky. The plants below evolved with that climate (continental, windy, semi-arid west) and are hardy through zones 5–7, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Great Plains
Ecoregion: Flint Hills & mixedgrass prairie
Collections for Kansas
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Kansas. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
42 native species
For bees
42 native species
Butterflies
44 native species
Hummingbirds
8 native species
For birds
23 native species
Deer-resistant
35 native species
Full sun
49 native species
Drought-tolerant
33 native species
Clay soil
39 native species
Rain garden
18 native species
Groundcovers
6 native species
Flowering shrubs
7 native species
Grasses
7 native species
Low-maintenance
26 native species
Fall color
10 native species
Fragrant
9 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Kansas.
A cross-section of the 50 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Native to Kansas and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Sep through Nov and reaches 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Native to Kansas and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jun through Aug and reaches 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
1–2 ft tall and it blooms May through Sep — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 4–10 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
2–3 ft tall and it flowers in Aug and Sep — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
1–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Native to Kansas and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in May and Jun and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
6–16 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 3–7 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
A Kansas native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in Aug and Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
4–7 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
A Kansas native at 1–2.5 ft tall that blooms Jun through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–10.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Native to Kansas and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jul through Sep and reaches 5–8 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
A Kansas native at 15–25 ft tall that flowers in Apr and May, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
A Kansas native at 3–5 ft tall that blooms Jun through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
5–10 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
2–4 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Kansas, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Sourcing
Where to buy Kansas natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.