Established in 1999 by biology professor Dr. Paul Olexia, the Dow Wildflower Sanctuary provides an urban, living laboratory to feed curiosity, educate, and invite exploration. Over the years, more than 50 species of plants native to Michigan have been added to and are thriving on this hillside (see photos below). These plants are adapted to local conditions and help sustain a diversity of pollinators, herbivores and seed consumers. The sanctuary is used as an educational space for K classes and as a showcase for alternative, sustainable landscaping.
The Wildflower Sanctuary is located on the east side of the Dow Science Center, beside the stairs leading to the tennis courts. We invite you to drop by and explore!
For more information on native plants, see the Resource section at the bottom of this page.
Wildflower Picture Gallery
All plants are organized roughly by color.
Butterfly Milkweed
Latin Name: Asclepias tuberosa
Family: Apocynaceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Indian Grass
Latin Name: Sorghastrum nutans
Family: Poaceae
Bloom Time: September-February
Wild Senna
Latin Name: Cassia hebecarpa
Family: Caesalpiniaceae
Bloom Time: July-August
Lance-Leafed Coreopsis
Latin Name: Coreopsis lanceolata
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: May-August
Praire Coreopsis
Latin Name: Coreopsis palmata
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: June-August
Tall Coreopsis
Latin Name: Coreopsis tripteris
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Blanket Flower
Latin Name: Gaillardia aristata
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Downy Sunflower
Latin Name: Heliantus mollis
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: August-September
Western Sunflower
Latin Name: Heliantus occidentalis
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Yellow Coneflower
Latin Name: Ratibida pinnata
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: June-August
Black-Eyed Susan
Latin Name: Rudbeckia hirta
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: June-September
Brown-Eyed Susan
Latin Name: Rudbeckia triloba
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-October
Roundleaf Groundsel
Latin Name: Packera obovata
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: April-June
Rosin Weed
Latin Name: Silphium integrifolium
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Compass Plant
Latin Name: Silphium laciniatum
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Cup Plant
Latin Name: Silphium perfoliatum
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Praire Dock
Latin Name: Silphium terebinthinaceum
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Early Goldenrod
Latin Name: Solidago juncea
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-August
Stiff Goldenrod
Latin Name: Solidago rigida
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: August-September
Meadow Rue
Latin Name: Thalictrum aquilegiifolium
Family: Ranunculaceae
Bloom Time: May-July
Golden Alexanders
Latin Name: Zizia aurea
Family: Apiaceae
Bloom Time: May-June
Yellow Giant Hyssop
Latin Name: Agastache nepetoides
Family: Lamiaceae
Bloom Time: July-October
Prickly Pear Cactus
Latin Name: Opuntia humifusa
Family: Cactaceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Round-Headed Bushclover
Latin Name: Lespideza capitata
Family: Fabaceae
Bloom Time: August-September
Blue Flax
Latin Name: Linum perenne
Family: Linaceae
Bloom Time: May-June
Leadplant
Latin Name: Amorpha canescens
Family: Fabaceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Lupine
Latin Name: Lupinus perennis
Family: Fabaceae
Bloom Time: May-June
Hoary Vervain
Latin Name: Vebena stricta
Family: Verbenaceae
Bloom Time: May-September
Ohio Spiderwort
Latin Name: Tradescantia ohiensis
Family: Commelinaceae
Bloom Time: June
New England Aster
Latin Name: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: August-October
Wild Bergamont
Latin Name: Monarda fistulosa
Family: Lamiaceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Cylindrical Blazing Star
Latin Name: Liatris cylindracea
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Rough Blazing Star
Latin Name: Liatris aspera
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: July-October
Purple Coneflower
Latin Name: Echinacea purpurea
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Large Beardtongue
Latin Name: Penstemon grandiflorus
Family: Plantaginaceae
Bloom Time: May-June
Hairy Beardtongue
Latin Name: Penstemon hirsutus
Family: Plantaginaceae
Bloom Time: May-June
Illinois Bundleflower
Latin Name: Desmanthus illinoensis
Family: Fabaceae
Bloom Time: June
Culvers Root
Latin Name: Veroniocastrum virginicum
Family: Plantaginaceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Praire Phlox
Latin Name: Phlox bifida
Family: Polemoniaceae
Bloom Time: May
Foxglove Beardtongue
Latin Name: Penstemon digitalis
Family: Plantaginaceae
Bloom Time: April-June
Wild Quinine
Latin Name: Parthenium integrifolium
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: May-August
False Boneset
Latin Name: Brickellia eupatoroides
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: August-September
Rattlesnake Master
Latin Name: Eryngium yuccafolium
Family: Apiaceae
Bloom Time: July-September
Ox-Eye Daisy
Latin Name: Leucanthemum vulgare
Family: Asteraceae
Bloom Time: June
White Wild Indigo
Latin Name: Baptisia lactea
Family: Fabaceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Thimbleweed
Latin Name: Anemone cylindrica
Family: Ranunculaceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Goat’s Rue
Latin Name: Tephrosia virgniana
Family: Fabaceae
Bloom Time: May-August
Praire Dropseed
Latin Name: Sporobolus heterolepis
Family: Poaceae
Bloom Time: August-October
Buffalo Grass
Latin Name: Bouteloua dactyloides
Family: Poaceae
Bloom Time: June-August
Common Milkweed
Latin Name: Asclepias syriaca
Family: Apocynaceae
Bloom Time: June-July
Little Bluestem
Latin Name: Andropogon scoparius
Family: Poaceae
Bloom Time: August-February
Big Bluestem
Latin Name: Andropogon gerardii
Family: Poaceae
Bloom Time: September-February
Resources
For more information or questions about the Dow Wildflower Sanctuary, contact Dr. Ann Fraser at afraser@kzoo.edu.
Many of the photos of plants were obtained from the Prairie Nursery website, a commercial nursery that has a wealth of online learning resources on native plants. For more information about the flowers located within the Wildflower Sanctuary, an in-depth database is currently being developed.
To learn more about Michigan native plants, how to grow them, and their importance for sustaining biodiversity, check out these sites:
Kalamazoo Area chapter of Wild Ones is a local volunteer organization that promotes native landscapes through education, advocacy, and collaborative action.
The Missouri Botanical Gardens website has a database of over 7500 plant species
Wild Ones Native Garden Designs design plans for native gardens in Michigan and beyond.
The University of Michigan’s Herbarium website has in-depth information and maps of native Michigan plant species
Kalamazoo’s own Hidden Savannah Nursery, which sells and has information on native Michigan plants
The Homegrown National Park is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks.