The first brightly variegated bullrush we know, 'Stars and Stripes' takes a rugged, native wetland plant and elevates it to a striking ornamental plant.

Its strap-like leaves have bright yellow centers and, come July, flower clusters emerge in a fireworks pattern. Best of all, the cultivar is perfect for places where water pools for a while. Think catchments in commercial developments, homes with directed runoff, or public spaces that drench and dry out. As a native, it provides food for pollinating moths, butterflies, and birds, and is naturally deer resistant and pest free.

This wild fire pink (that’s the common name) is special because the cultivar transforms a short-lived, finicky wildflower into reliable garden drama, with excellent landscape longevity and superior vigor. Found in Alabama, it is actually hardy to zone 4 and thrives in rocky, sandy, or clay soils.

Liatris 'Butterfly Magnet' functions as the ultimate biological radar beacon for monarch butterflies. 

Introduced by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, the plant blooms primarily in late summer (July and August), synchronizing with the weeks when monarch populations are gearing up for their massive annual migration south. Blooms provide a vital, high-efficiency fueling station when nutrition is needed most. It’s common to see dozens of monarchs completely blanketing a single stand, outcompeting asclepias or echinacea. A unique feature of liatris: flowers open from the top of the spike downward, the reverse of many vertical perennials.