Many have edible or medicinal properties. You may wish to research the various uses of prairie wildflowers when choosing those you will grow. Native peoples have used prairie plants for thousands of years. Your choice of plants may also be influenced by those prairie wildflowers that grow seeds and fruit that will attract birds and other wildlife to your garden. Many gardeners grow prairie wildflowers specifically to attract butterflies to their gardens.
Butterflies favour specific prairie wildflowers to lay their eggs or as a nectar food source.
Another factor when choosing your plants is height. Spring wildflowers tend to grow close to the ground while summer wildflowers generally grow much taller. Later blooming wildflowers must grow tall to compete for sunlight with the grasses. When designing your prairie wildflower garden you may wish to place the taller species of wildflowers towards the back. You may also wish to use the taller species of grasses as background plants in your prairie wildflower garden.