Kansas Prairie Wildflowers
Wild flowers have grown across the Kansas prairie and the Great Plains of North America since the start of time. Dots of color from the prairie plants wave with the green sea of grass during spring and summer. Their seed pods turn color in the fall and disperse their seeds to start another cycle of colorful and useful flowers.
Uses
Native Americans used some of these special prairie plants for food and medicinal use. Use these guides to find there past and present uses.
Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie
Identification
There are lots of good Internet sites that identify prairie wildflowers. I prefer the guides that start with divisions by flower colors with good photos for visual identification. When walking the prairie, it’s best to have a wildflowers and grass guide book along for quick reference.
Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
This site features more than 1,800 photos of some 450 species of forbs, grasses, sedges, rushes, and woody plants that grow in the state.
USDA Plant Database
Excellent source of plants that grow in the Great Plains.
Prairie Sites
Kansas has several large tracts of native prairie that have never been disturbed. Here are sites that have natives wildflowers available to see, and information about these state holdings.
Kansas State Parks
Locations of state parks you can roam to see and photograph prairie wildflowers and native wildlife.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve protects a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie, one of the most complicated and diverse ecosystems in the world. Take a virtual tour of the preserve and see how fire and grazing actually help stimulate the growth of prairie plants.
Konza Prairie Preserve
Konza Prairie Biological Station, owned by the Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University, encompasses about 8,600 acres (3,500 hectares) of native tallgrass prairie. Operated as a field research station and preserve, this outdoor laboratory for the study of tallgrass prairie ecosystems is open to scientists and students throughout the world.
The Nature Conservancy in Kansas
The Nature Conservancy works with communities, businesses, and members to protect the special places that define the Kansas landscape, including tallgrass prairies. Find out about the Flint Hills Initiative—and see how you can help—at this website.
GeoKansas: Kansas Geological Survey
More than 250 million years ago, shallow seas covered much of Kansas, depositing the limestone, shale, and flint that form the Flint Hills. Visit this site to learn about the geology of the area—and why it’s better suited to ranching than to farming.
Flint Hills Scenic Byway
Stretching nearly 50 miles (80 kilometers), between Council Grove and Cassoday, the Flint Hills Scenic Byway (K-177) offers panoramic views of the tallgrass prairie.
Where to Buy Prairie Wildflower Plants & Seeds
There are many specialty farms that specialize in selling wildflowers. Here’s just a few links for you to start with.
Information
Kansas Nataive Plant Society
This group’s website features information, identification group walks and plant and seed sources.