I have Crinum americanum, Deutzia nikko, cardinal flower, sedum lemon ball, little bluestem, goldenrod littlelemon, Aster oblongfolius Raydon's favorite, coneflower, baptisia australis, spirea betulifolia (small), helianthus angustifolius, I am looking for Gillenia trifoliatus -bowman's root Rudbeckia triloba Rudbeckia Henry Millers Scutellaria (any) Geranium sanguineum, maculatum Heliopsis summer nights Mondarda bradburian Heuchera - citronelle, pistachio, or caramel. I am inside the perimeter - dekalb

They're different cultivars...and there are at least two more blue cultivars as well; 'Blue Heaven' AKA MinnBlueA and 'Aldous.' 'Prairie Blues' and 'Aldous' can be successfully grown from seed, while the other two are less cooperative. 'Blue Heaven' AKA MinnBlueA is the tallest and most erect in habit. All 4 are different shades of blue, ranging from blue/green ('Aldous') to steel blue/burgundy ('Blue Heaven').

Yuppers, I have to get after it. It may take me all summer to kill it out. I walked it a couple of days ago and that crapp is all over the hill, except one strip near the crest. Man! It bet it will cost a bundle to spray all that! Needs to be done on a nice hot sunny day. Because of the high amount of oils in Heath Aster, it creates a high fire danger, winter or summer, but especially in summer. You can throw a green branch of it on a burn pile and it explodes into flames that shoot up into the air! Right now, Oklahoma is in a serious drought with statewide fire bans. Lakes drying up. Stock ponds completely dry and winter wheat seeds just laying on top on dry, cracked ground. What few areas have gotten a bit of moisture from two small snowstorms, you can see winter wheat growing, but the plants are stunted and sparsely growing up out of the hard dry ground. Farmers are having to haul in water for their livestock. Wheat prices will surely go up and we will seE it in the supermarkets. May no be any prairie hay to mow this year nor wheat straw either, so prices on that will shoot up, too. Many just took their cattle to market and sold them. Conditions are bad right now here in Okie. The wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres since November. There is one burning just southeast of me right now. I have my own water well that is not fed by groundwater. Ihave been able to water and keep my gardens going around the house, but not up on the meadow. Up there, with all the cedars (juniper trees) and heath asters, plus all the tall, dry prairie grasses, it is a tender box. A lot of dead wood from trees dying from the drought. I started mowing up there this fall in early November and my tractor got two flat tires so I couldn't finish it - No mun, no fun. The flats are actually punctures made by the Heath Asters. The H. aster's stem staubs are like sharp, armoured metal spikes, and when I was mowing they punctured the tractor tires! Just imagine what they could do to your feet? (Grrrrr! Eeee-vil plant!!) It just makes me want to kick it in its aster! BTW, What is GAK? (Good Arse Kicking)?? My goodeness! ~SweetAnnie4u

Last fall, I had about 100 little bluestem plugs (standing ovation) installed on a steep slope right behind my house (see photo). They’re just getting started, and they’re growing at very different rates, some with dozens of blades and about a foot tall, others barely hanging on. Since I may not get very uniform coverage or sizes anyway, I’m thinking of mixing in some other plants for a variety. Erosion control and drought tolerance are my main needs. It’s also a very steep hill (45°) above a retaining wall, and I won’t be climbing up there much to weed. Russian sage and dwarf crape myrtles are a couple of things I’m considering. Any suggestions about things that play well with LBS or particular combinations to avoid?