We evaluate elasticity analysis of different life stage contributions to population growth (l) as a method to guide management application for restorations of two federal threatened plant species with contrasting life history strategies. Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) is a short-lived monocarpic herb endemic to western Great Lakes sand dunes where it colonizes successional habitats and requires frequent cohort replacement to maintain populations. Mead’s milkweed (Asclepias meadii) is a long-lived iteroparous herb of late-successional midwestern tallgrass prairie and glades, with infrequent natural reproduction. Long-term demographic monitoring data were used to develop matrix models for a natural population and a restoration of Pitcher’s thistle and for two restorations of Mead’s milkweed. We grouped elasticities into those representing combined effects of changes to growth (G), stasis and retrogression (L) and fecundity (F) on l. Although most C. pitcheri matrices had G/L/F elasticity ratios expected for semelparous plants, several were more similar to those expected for iteroparous herbs, whereas ratios for A. meadii were similar to those expected for late-successional plants. For C. pitcheri l tends to increase with increasing F in both the natural and restored populations, suggesting that we should be able to increase l by increasing recruitment. For A. meadii L and G had much stronger effects on l than F, suggesting that restoration management should focus on growth and stasis rather than increasing reproduction, which seems applicable because of the time required for flowering, expected longevity, and apparently low fecundity of this species. Because of its short life span and rapid cohort development, C. pitcheri provided useful transitions for each stage, and demographic data from a natural population strengthened interpretation of elasticities. Interpretation of A. meadii elasticities supported a logical management need to increase growth despite limitations due to slow growth, low fecundity and lack of data from natural populations.

Key words: Asclepias meadii, Cirsium pitcheri, elasticity analysis, restoration