Five Sisters Garden Kit:
It is ideal for an open sunny space for tall plants.
Approximate Garden Size:
Design Tips:
- Prepare your garden site (follow the link for details)
- Partial shade and moist soil are ideal conditions for this grouping
- Group plants of the same species together
- Consider the height of each plant—position taller plants at the back and shorter plants at the front.
- Plant 1-1.5 feet apart; approx. plot size 3' x 5' or 3' x 4'
Kit Contents:
5 varieties, 10 total plants. Details for each variety are listed below and all plants are pictured to the left on your screen in this order:
2- Black-Eyed Susan (perennial)/Orange Cone Flower
2- Boneset
2- Joe Pye, Pink
2- New England Aster
2- Showy Goldenrod
Black-Eyed Susan/ Orange Cone Flower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: Up to 3'
Bloom Time: June through October
Bloom Color: Yellow to orange
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts: Beneficial native bees, butterflies, and birds; seeds for birds in fall/winter
Pollinator Benefit: Larval host to Gorgone Checkerspot, Bordered Patch butterfly; good nectar source, Special value to native bees. A Powerhouse plant that supports 49 different species!
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Sun Exposure - Full, Partial, Shade
Soil Moisture - Medium to Wet
Height - Up to 6'--usually shorter
Bloom time - July - October
Bloom Color - White
Deer Resistant - High
Attracts - Butterflies, native bees, birds
Pollinator Benefit - Good nectar source into fall; Xerces Society ratings: Special Value to Native Bees (Recognized by pollination ecologists as attracting large numbers of native bees.) Supports Conservation Biological Control (A plant that attracts predatory or parasitoid insects that prey upon pest insects.)
Joe Pye Pink (Eutrochium maculatum)
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil: Clay, Sand, Loam
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium-Wet
Height: 4'–6'
Bloom Time: July–September
Bloom Color: Pink
Host: Great Tiger Moth, Three-Lined Flower Moth
Attracts: Butterflies, bees, birds
Pollinator benefit: Great for native bees; generous nectar for all nectaring insects
New England Aster (Symphiotrichum novae-angliae)
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Wet, Moist, Medium-Dry
Height: 5ft
Bloom Time: August - October
Bloom Color: Purple
Resistant to: Deer, Drought
Attracts: Bees, butterflies, birds
Pollinator benefit: Larval Host Plant for Checkerspot butterfly and various moths, late season nectar producer for all nectaring insects; Xerces Society identifies this plant as having special value for native bees, bumblebees and honey bees.
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry, Medium
Soil Type: Loam, Sand
Height: 1'-3'
Bloom Time: August, September, October
Bloom Color: Yellow
Resistance: Deer
Attracts: Butterflies, native bees, birds
Pollinator Benefit: Late season nectar source; value to native bees for pollen and nesting materials; migrating Monarchs