Mistflower ~ favorite fall wildflower, long-lasting blooms

You can't fool the flowers. The day and night time temperatures remain those of a Southern summer but the native plants that are programmed to bloom and to set berries announce that autumn has arrived. One of the showiest that blooms in fall is the narrow-leaved swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius).

Dramatic it is, with its daisy-like golden flowers on plants that can grow to be 7-feet high. Given sun, water and room to grow, swamp sunflower will spread, making it a good choice for an area that can be left natural and require little care. When the flowering has finished, the seedpods, if left in place, will provide food for seed-eating birds.

As the autumn leaves fall from the trees, those gardeners whose yards with some natural landscaping find that clean up chores are less. Leaves can be left where they land to provide all of the nourishment that native plants need to grow and to form colonies. And wildflowers and vines that quickly spread make a thick barrier against weeds and other undesirable plants. ...read more