Several species begin reaching for 7-8 feet and will probably achieve 9-10 feet by the end of the season. This is the month when the sunflower family makes its final push to maximize its views in the prairie.

Masses of Liatris pycnostachya (Kansas gayfeather) bloom all month long. They usually reach their maximum bloom around the 10^th of the month, and an extraordinary view is available at many locations in the Cajun Prairie Restoration Project in Eunice, where there are some 50,000 stems blooming in 2015.

 

 

Liatris elegans (Pinkscale gayfeather) starts up near the end of the month and maxes in October. Pinkscale gayfeather is the last to bloom among the blazing stars. It blooms in late September into October. It was rare in the remnant prairies, and it does not persist in our gardens. I recall it as being common in sandy areas in the piney woods.The goldenrods (Solidago spp.) explode into bloom. Solidago odora (Sweet goldenrod) makes an excellent licorice-tasting tea.

 

 

Bidens aristosa (Beggar’s ticks or Beggarticks) gets up to 10 feet tall and forms masses in early succession and disturbed areas during most of September. The plants persist for 5-10 years in an area, although they are annuals. Their dissected leaves permit identification as they closely resemble another early succession species, Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp sunflower), a perennial sunflower that has linear leaves and blooms as October begins in the Cajun Prairie.

 

 

 

Many other large blooming plants are evident among the tall grasses, including Giant ironweed, Tall tickseed, and numerous goldenrods.

 

 

 

The ‘Asters’ begin blooming. Boltonia spp. (Doll’s daisies), Pityopsis graminifolia (Grass-leaf goldenaster, Chrysopsis mariana (Maryland goldenaster), Symphyotrichum praealtum (Willow aster), Symphyotrichum concolor (Eastern silvery aster) and many others dot the landscape.

 

Many other bloomers reach their maximum in September including Pycnanthemum albescens (White-leaf mountain mint) and Physostegia virginiana var. praemorsa (Obedient plant).

 

 

 

The large grasses are in full bloom in September, including Andropogon gerardi (Big bluestem), Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern gama grass) and Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass or Yellow Indian grass).

 

 

 

 

What was blooming in the Cajun Prairie Gardens on September 1, 2015?

1. Silphium laciniatum
2. Silphium gracile
3. Gaura lindheimeri
4. Rudbeckia hirta
5. Coreopsis tinctoria
6. Ruellia spp.
7. Euphorbia corallata
8. Conoclinium coelestinum
9. Tephrosia onobrychoides
10. Rudbeckia hirta
11. Eryngium yuccifolium
12. Ipomoea spp.
13. Chamescrista fasciculata
14. Passiflora incarnata
15. Canna spp.
16. Coreopsis tripteris
17. Helianthus mollis
18. Liatris acedota
19. *Liatris pycnostachya
20. Liatris squarrosa
21. Arnoglossum ovatum
22. Manfreda virginica
23. Salvia azurea
24. Hydrolea ovata
25. Rhexia mariana
26. Lythrum lineare
27. Galactea volubilis
28. Gaillardia aestivalis
29. Helenium spp.
30. Strophlostyles sp.
31. Centrosema virginianum
32. Rudbeckia subtomentosa
33. Gaura longiflora
34. Pycnanthemum albescens
35. Vernonia gigantea
36. Monarda punctata
37. Physostegia virginiana var. praemorsa
38. *Eupatorium spp.
39. *Boltonia spp.
40. *Agalinis spp.
41. *Bidens aristosa
42. *Strophlostyles umbellata
43. *Euthamia spp.
44. *Pluchea spp.
45. *Aster spp.
46. *Symphyotrichum concolor
47. *Pitiopsis graminifolia
48. *Chrysopsis mariana

*first blooms appear

Posted by M. F. Vidrine (021716) (malcolmvidrine@yahoo.com)