prairie flowers

OK, I don't know where I should post this, but here goes. I have a prairie hillside that I am starting to put sometimes invasive or very drought resistant perennials into. Too a walk through it today (DH mowed a path) and found a few things that I'd like to identify and discuss as to whether I want to keep it or not, etc.
1. I just love the look of this. It is about 4+ feet tall and has yellow flowers about 2 inches in diameter. The foliage is very neat and green. I will definiately be keeping it, but does anyone know what it is?

2. This is some sort of milkweed, but I didn't see any cats or butterflies on it. Should I save as much as I can? Do you know what the name of this milkweed is?

I'll try the pic again.

3. Don't know what this is......there are only a few. Only about 10-12" tall. Is it a keeper?

Guess I got the camera a little too close on the last one, very blurry.

3. I've seen this before, but don't know what it is. It isn't in full bloom yet. I'm looking at the stuff that has a big head of purplish flowers.

4. Then there are some of these. I guess a type of black-eyed susan????

I'm excited about incorporating this area into my flower garden. I intend to mow areas around the flowers I want to save. I have added some new stuff like red and purple beebalm, obedient plant, phlox, and even a peony. These plants never get watered except when I plant anything. Some have dried up, but I'm hoping they will come back next year and be hardier. Does anyone have an area like this? Any suggestions on what I should try to plant? If I till little areas, do you think I could try winter sowing some things?
Thanks for any discussion. Ruth

I am prety sure #1 is a helianthus or heliopsis. The pictures for maximiliian sunflower didn't jive - I thought that was it. #4 is BES yes.

Well here I would say Bee Balm, Echinacea, Phlox, Black Eyed Susan and Milk weed. Although I would suggest watering the first year to establish them after that they are weeds. Oh yes, Loosetrife. Gooseneck is my fav but the purple one too.

dovebydesign: I'm not sure what you mean by "watering them the first year to establish then and after that they are weeds." To me weeds means something undesirable, or do you just mean that they can take care of themselves. I haven't watered any of these and don't intend to.

:) I think one mans weed is another mans wildflower!!! I have flowers that farmers consider weeds and spray for, then I guess that is what I mean. I usually always water the first year to promote deep root growth and a healthy established plant. But that is just me. I water once a week and leave it on for 5 -6 hours. Promoting deep root growth is my goal. But I am no expert. Just an obsessive gardener.

Hope that clears my ramblings up. I think if you do not water, some may live and some may die and that is ok too.

Sounds like your wildflower area is a neat idea. I like the native flowers because they will survive and do better when our weather is'nt so great. I like coreopsis lancelota but they can be invasive over time. Maybe you can get some seeds and put them in your wildflower area. There are so many wildflowers to choose from and looks like some are growing on your area right now. I like wildflowers and enjoyed doing some work with them in some college classes years ago. I love to see there different blooms and enjoy learning about them too.
dovebydesign is right : What many call weeds are acually wildflowers and growing in the right areas they are simply beautiful to look at. Someday I hope to go to the Konza Prairie Area located in Kansas in the spring or early summer to see all the native wildflowers blooming.

Cuckoo

Hey, Cuckoo!! What have you been up to lately? Haven't seen you on here for awhile.

In a lot of places the purple loosestrife is considered an noxious or invasive weed and you aren't allowed to plant it. I don't think you're supposed to plant it in Iowa...

I think you are correct ticker; it is already on my "no plant" list.

yes, I think it can be an invasive some places. I am not sure about Indiana. I see it here alot?

Is that what the big purple flowers are? Purple loosestrife? I have some growing in my yard and there is lots and lots of it along roadsides around here right now.

I did notice butterflies on them, though.

Are you sure you aren't thinking of the purple phlox you see on so many roadsides?

If I had to guess # 1, I'd say is a Silphium species, possibly Silphium integrifolium (rosin weed). #2 Asclepis verticillata (whirled milkweed) and #3 Tradescantia virginiana (virginia spiderwort) #4 Asclepis syriaca (common milkweed) #5 Rudbeckia subtomentosa (sweet black-eyed susan). If you're going for a prairie look, I'd try and find indigenous IA prairie plants. Liatris, Asclepias tuberosa, Monarda fistulosa, Dalea purpurea, Echinacea pallida, Aster novae angliae, Radibida pinnata, Vernonia fasciculata, Thalictrum dasycarpum, Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans.....etc etc. I would stay far far away from either gooseneck or purple loosestrife. Purple loosestrife especially as it's on the Federal Invasive and Noxious Weed list and prohibited for sale in many states. IL is one of the states, so it wouldn't be surprising to hear that IA is another. Also please understand there's a huge difference between a garden thug and a plant being invasive.

Here's a good site about going native in IA
http://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/mgmt/planting_guide.htm

Gee, I mention I hang out here, don't mention this thread and here you are. LOL!

Great info by the way. I will have a native area next year also......I hope. lol.

Hey pep! I saw it on the newest posts and it was about prairie flowers and since that's the only kind of flowers I have, I thought I'd see what it was. Got a problem with that Missy??? LOL!!

LOL!! Nope, not atal. Just thought it was funny. Still do actually. LOL

See??? I just said the exact thing that you did!!! Too funny!!! Go read your d-mail dear.........lol

Just did. LOL

And again??

LOL. And again, and again, and again.......

terryr: Thanks for the info and I will be looking up all those you listed. ruth

Have fun Ruth and keep us posted about what you find!