A Green Gateway to Our City
The city of Alma is proud to showcase sustainable urban design with the beautification of Exit 13. This newly transformed area features thoughtfully curated native plant gardens that welcome visitors and locals alike with vibrant displays of flowering perennials, shrubs, and native trees. Designed with both beauty and ecology in mind, the site not only enhances the landscape but also promotes environmental sustainability.
Why Native Plants?
The garden is intentionally filled with native species that are well-suited to our local climate. These plants are drought-resistant, low-maintenance, and provide high ecological value, offering habitat for pollinators like bees and butterflies, as well as birds and other wildlife. Native landscaping reduces the need for supplemental water and chemical fertilizers, making it a model of sustainable design.
A Commitment to Sustainability
This project was created to provide a visually appealing, eco-friendly space while supporting biodiversity and reducing the city’s environmental footprint. The site is designed to thrive with minimal upkeep, making it a practical and beautiful addition to Alma.
Plant Lists
Perennials
- Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
- Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis)
- Ohio Horse Mint (Blephilia ciliata)
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)
- Purple Beardtongue (Penstemon cobaea)
- Prairie Beardtongue (Penstemon tubaeflorus)
- Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)
- Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)
- Aromatic Aster (Symphytrichum oblongifolium)
Grasses
- Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum)
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Shrubs
- Jim Dandy Winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Jim Dandy’)
- Red Sprite Winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’)
- Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana)
- Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)
- Blue Rug Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’)
- Grey Owl Juniper (Juniperus virginiana ‘Grey Owl’)
- Blue Arrow Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Blue Arrow’)
- Diablo Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Monlo’)
- Blue Muffin Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum ‘Christom’)
Trees
- Kay Parris Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’)
- Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
- Dogwood (Cornus florida)
- Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
- Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)
- Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)
- Persimmon (Dispyros virginiana)
- Thornless Honeylocust (Glenditsia triacanthos)
- Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
- Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)
- Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
- Wild Plum (Prunus americana)
- Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata)
- Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana)
- American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
- Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
- Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissima)
- Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
- Shumard’s Oak (Quercus shumardii)
- Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
- Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
- Black Willow (Salix nigra)
- American Basswood (Tillia americana)
- Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)
- American Elm (Ulmus americana)