On the wild side: native Mississippi wildflowers are easy-care additions to the home garden.

Blooming along roadsides, in fields and wetlands, and on the forest floor, a vast array of wildflowers call Mississippi home. Many of these flowers are quite common and prolific, but some are rare and endangered. From the wooded hills of the northeastern part of the state to the marshes and savannas of the coastal plains of the south, Mississippi has a diversity of native flora and an abundance of wildflowers that possess a rare and uncommon beauty. And many of these native wildflowers adapt extremely well to the garden at home.

Growing in the wild without much fuss or bother, native plants are usually hardy if planted in suitable habitat. There are wildflowers that are shade tolerant, drought tolerant, and heat tolerant, and wildflowers that flourish in that boggy part of the yard. In fact, wildflowers will often grow and thrive in problem areas and can bring solace to many a perplexed and frustrated gardener.

So many misguided gardeners who have wooded lots envision a lush carpet of grass beneath the canopy of trees, but in actuality this dream of verdant bliss is seldom realized. A natural woodland garden, abloom with native wildflowers, is much more practical and less labor intensive.

In early spring, a woodland garden is at its peak. Beginning with the spring ephemerals that bloom on the forest floor before the trees leaf out and continuing until the first hint of summer, the woodland garden is spectacular. Some easy-to-grow spring ephemerals are bloodroot, woodland phlox, Virginia bluebell, shooting star, Solomon's seal, Jacob's ladder, fire pink, trillium, and foamflower. Do not overlook flowering shrubs such as red buckeye, native azalea, and Virginia sweetspire. Crossvine, Carolina jessamine, coral honeysuckle, and the native American wisteria are excellent choices for festooning an arbor or naturally clambering up a tree.

Later in the season, the oakleaf hydrangea, Indian pink, wild petunia, and bee balm will bloom. In the dog days of August and September, the cardinal flower and great blue lobelia attract a myriad of hummingbirds and butterflies, and the American beauty berry and strawberry bush will produce showy, colorful berries.

Down in the lower forty after a spring deluge, the profane mutterings of an otherwise pious man can often be heard when the riding lawn mower once again becomes mired in the tenacious Mississippi mud. Such is a rite of spring. A bog or swampy area really is no place for heavy equipment, but, ah, wherever there is a bog, there can be wildflowers.

Some native plants that love to have wet feet are buttonbush, pickerel weed, blue flag iris, lizard's tail, jewelweed, mist flower, Joe Pye weed, turtlehead, pitcher plant, and swamp rose mallow. The cardinal flower and great blue lobelia will also tolerate wet conditions.

For a natural bog or constructed water feature, native plants are best. They seldom become invasive and attract wildlife indigenous to the area.

In almost every garden, there are areas beyond the sprinkler system that must tolerate the stifling heat and drought of a Mississippi summer. Again, it might be wise to look to nature for a solution.

Some of Mississippi's wildflowers will bloom under the most austere conditions. In early spring, showy evening primrose, Queen Anne's lace, and ox-eye daisies bloom with abandon along roadsides. Showy evening primrose will even bloom in the cracks in asphalt. In late July and August, when our flowers in the garden look tired and bedraggled, there are wildflowers growing in fields and meadows that seem oblivious to the heat.

Some Mississippi wildflowers that can take the heat are butterfly weed, ironweed, purple coneflower, blazing star, blanket flower, and New England aster. Trumpet creeper and passion vine are two native vines that ramble on in spite of heat and adverse conditions.

Due to habitat loss, wildflowers and native plants are not as plentiful as they once were, and collecting from the wild is discouraged, unless the bulldozers are on the way and it is a rescue operation. Rare and endangered species should be left undisturbed, especially wild orchids. Wild orchids are some of Mississippi's rarest and most beautiful wildflowers, but they are dependent upon a certain fungus in the soil to grow and are seldom transplanted with success.

The good news is that, in recent years, native plants and wildflowers have become quite popular in the landscaping business and with savvy gardeners. Many local plant nurseries and familiar garden catalogs are now selling a variety of wildflowers and native plants. There are also many garden centers throughout the Southeast that specialize in native plants. The Internet, too, is a great source for finding native plants. And do not discount your friends with wildflower gardens, for they are often more than willing to share their passion for wildflowers and a few pass-along plants.

Wildflowers can be grown from seed, and some are easily propagated from cuttings. However, be wary of wildflower seed mixes, which often contain seeds of wildflowers that really do not grow well in Mississippi. For example, bluebonnets are from Texas and poppies are from Afghanistan. The main thing to remember about wildflowers is to plant them in a site that is comparable to their native habitat. Once established, they will require little maintenance.

If pesticide free, a wildflower garden can be a truly magical place where butterflies and birds abound. Hummingbirds will flock to the tubular flowers of red buckeye in early spring, and in late summer, they will find the red car flower irresistible. Butterflies will seek nectar from almost all of the flowering plants, and many of these native plants serve as host plants for caterpillars. The passion vine is the host plant for gulf fritillary butterflies; the milkweed plant is the host plant for monarch butterflies; Queen Anne's lace is the host plant for eastern black swallowtails. It really is exciting when caterpillars start eating your plants, and you will want to share this miracle of nature with a child. It is amazing how wildflowers can change your attitude about gardening.

Wildflowers can enhance almost every garden, but do not ignore those that grow in the wild. Wildflower watching is a great hobby, and it is educational. It gives one an excuse to take a walk in the woods, meander alongside a stream, or explore a vacant lot, Take along a field guide, a sack lunch, and a like-minded wildflower enthusiast. Unlike many states, Mississippi still has tracts of public and private lands where wildflowers can be found in abundance, but this may not always be the case. We must remember that these native plants are part of our natural heritage and should be preserved.

Wildflowers--in the garden or in the wild--are always welcome. Happy wildflower watching.

the wild bunch

Margaret Gratz shares her choices for 10 top Mississippi wildflowers:

1. Passion Vine/Maypop (Passiflora incarnata): This vine can be found along fencerows. The flower is one of the most exotic to bloom in our state. A common vine, it is also the host plant for the gulf fritillary butterfly.

2. Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans): This wildflower grows in rich woods and is easily identified by its distinctive ladder-like foliage. Celestial blue flowers bloom atop foliage.

3. Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica): Indian pink often forms large colonies and will grow in the shade and in moist areas.

4. Showy Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa): When we plant our roadsides with wildflowers, we should sow what grows naturally. Showy evening primrose is a perfect wildflower selection for Mississippi roads. This humble little wildflower is doing its best to keep Mississippi beautiful.

5. Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata): Woodland phlox blooms before the trees leaf out, but it has a wonderful fragrance, and you may smell it before you see it.

6. Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica): Even though the Virginia bluebell is rare in Mississippi, this wildflower adapts well to wooded sites. This is a true spring ephemeral. It blooms early in March, and the plants completely disappear or go dormant by June.

7. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis): The cardinal flower blooms in late summer at the precise time when hummingbirds are in need of a bountiful supply of nectar before migration.

8. Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia): This understory shrub or small tree blooms in March in Mississippi. The red tubular flowers are an important source of nectar for travel-weary hummingbirds as they migrate north. When red buckeye blooms, it is time to get out the hummingbird feeders.

9. Great Blue Lobella (Lobelia siphilitica): These flowers are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, it grows in the same habitat as the cardinal flower.

10. Trillium/Little Sweet Betsy (Trillium cuneatum): Little Sweet Betsy is probably one of the most common trilliums growing in Mississippi. It grows on wooded slopes and along streams.