I first created this site back in 1998 to document the wild plants that I encountered. But it has grown into a clearinghouse of information on landscaping, backyard birds, butterfly gardening, plant identification and making paper from plant fiber. After leaving Kansas, I thought of deleting the site. But realize it has a wealth of information that people rely upon.
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ID Guide Plant Lists
Use these quicklinks to browse the groups of plants. A list of plants is provided that meet each definition.
Woody plants
These are plants that always produce woody above ground growth. They are our trees, shrubs and woody vines.
- Trees Trees are woody perennial plants, usually with a single trunk, relatively tall
- Shrubs Shrubs are woody perennial plants with multiple stems, generally shorter than a tree.
- Vines Vines are either woody or herbaceous plants that climb or sprawl.
Herbaceous plants
These are plants that only produce herbaceous above ground growth. Forbs are herbaceous non-grass-like plants. Generally they are considered broadleaf plants.
- Grasses and Grass-like Grasses are herbaceous plants with narrow leaves originating at the base of the plant. Grasses are graminoids.
- Perennial Forbs Perennials are herbaceous plants that live three or more years
- Biennial Forbs Biennials are herbaceous plants that live two years, flowering the second
- Annual Forbs Annuals are herbaceous plants that live only one year
Special Plant Lists
Trees and Srubs
Grasses and Grass-like Plants
Herbaceous Wildflowers
- Milkweeds (Asclepias)
- Asters (Aster)
- Tickclovers (Desmodium)
- Sunflowers (Helianthus)
- Goldenrods (Solidago)
- Gayfeathers (Liatris)
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