NATIVE

PERENNIALS

FOR YOUR

GARDEN!

AREN’T THOSE “WEEDS”?

MN Native wildflowers are species that were present here before settlement.

These plants are important to the life cycles of many birds and insects.

Culturally important plants.

Many are now grown as cultivars.

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Adapted to our MN climate!

Provide food, shelter, etc to our native wildlife.

Most are drought tolerant and disease resistant.

Resistant to weedy and invasive plants.

Don’t require fertilizer or watering once established.

BENEFITS OF NATIVE PLANTS

FLOWERS VERSUS GRASSESWHY NOT USE BOTH?

Flowers provide: •Mainly aesthetic reasons•Color•Eye appeal•Food source-habitat•Low maintenance-little watering or weeding•Deep root system

GRASSESARE GREAT FOR…

•Adding privacy: large groups create great coverage•Create color and contrast next to forbs in gardens•Add texture to beds: plant several different types

HOW MUCH WORK ARE THEY?

More work in the beginning, but don’t require much maintenance after established.

Sounds like a good idea!

MANICURED LOOK

WILD LOOK

WILD LOOK

WILD LOOK

Vigorous: Don’t need a lot of care.

Prolific: Spread easily to fill in areas.

Lots of color

Hardy: Hard to kill them!

TOP “NO FAIL” MN NATIVES

COLUMBINE (HONEYSUCKLE)

Exposure:

Aquilegia canadensis

Height: 2-3’

5’5”

Very tolerant of many different site situations.

Columbine attracts hummingbirds and is great for a woodland or semi-shaded garden.

Enjoys dry rocky slopes!

Plants will reseed!

BLACK-EYED SUSAN

Short-lived perennial (also considered an annual and biennial)

Reseeds itself and has a nice long season of bloom.

It is a work horse of a plant for controlling erosion and is very useful in restoration projects!

Makes a nice cut flower, attracts butterflies and is resistant to deer!

Exposure:

Rudbeckia hirta

Height: 1-3’

5’5”

SWAMP MILKWEED

Exposure:

Asclepias incarnata

Height: 3-4’

5’5”

Main food sources for the larval stage of the Monarch butterfly.

No doubt, you will view the full life cycle of this butterfly on this plant!

Flowers are lusciously fragrant!!!

BUTTERFLY WEED

Exposure:

Asclepias tuberosa

Height: 1-2’

5’5”

Showy orange flowers in mid-summer.

Interesting and attractive seed pods late summer and into fall.

These plants like a sandier well-drained soil.

Major source of food for the larval stage of the Monarch butterfly!

NEW ENGLAND ASTER

Exposure:

Aster nova-angliae

Height: 3-5’

5’5”

Excellent restoration plant for shoreline, moist meadows and large rain gardens.

Very showy in the fall.

Needs some room!

Petals can be many different shades of pink, blue, lavender, or white

Most widely cultivated aster.

NEW ENGLAND ASTER

Exposure:

Aster nova-angliae

Height: 3-5’

5’5”

Excellent restoration plant for shoreline, moist meadows and large rain gardens.

Very showy in the fall.

Needs some room!

Petals can be many different shades of pink, blue, lavender, or white

Most widely cultivated aster.

FIREWEED

Exposure:

Epilobium angustifolium

5’5”

Very showy and beautiful spires of lavender to pink flowers.

However, these rhizomatous plants can be aggressive and that should be kept in mind when planting.

Excellent for restoration purposes where there is competition and environmental factors to keep them in check.

Fireweed is very attractive to bees and butterflies .

Height: 2-6’

PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER

Exposure:

Dalea purpurea, Petalostemum purpureum

5’5”

The flowers are attractive butterflies and bees.

The plants grow well on sandy, gravelly soils or mesic and garden soils.

Beautiful in bouquets!Height: 1-2’

SAW-TOOTH SUNFLOWER

Exposure:

Helianthus grosseserratus

5’5”

A very showy tall sunflower!

Good for attracting beneficial Insects including many types of bees.

Plants have aggressive rhizomes and are good for large restoration projects or single species plot-type plantings. Height: 3-10’

BLAZING STAR

Exposure:

Liatris sp.

5’5”

Many different subspecies.

Attractive to birds and butterflies.

Make an excellent cut or dried flower. Flowers hold there color nicely when dried properly.

Often called a "Monarch magnet" this flower attracts these butterflies like no other! Height: 2-4’

VIRGINIA BLUEBELLS

Exposure:

Mertensia virginica

5’5”

Height: 1-2’

Virginia Bluebells are a very welcome colorful show in the spring!

Flower buds turn from pink to lavender even to almost blue....

They are a lovely addition to the woodland garden or a naturalized open woodland setting.

These flowers are very attractive to pollinating insects, hummingbirds and butterflies!

WILD BERGAMOT

Exposure:

Monarda fistulosa

5’5”

Height: 2-4’

Native to the upland prairie, although grows in a variety of situations.

It's flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.

Flowers are nice in bouquets.

Give this plant plenty of room.

They are best in large garden situations or borders and restoration projects.

RELIABLE GRASSES,

SEDGES, AND FERNS

SWITHGRASSPANICUM VIRGATUM

Height: 4-5’

Moisture:Dry

Sun:Full-Partial

Switch Grass is a Decorative Grass in beds, does best if planted 2 feet apart in groups of 3.

BIG BLUESTEMANDROPOGON GERARDII

Height:4-7’

Moisture: Dry-moist

Sun:Full-part shade

Big Bluestem is liked by many due to it’s ‘filler’ characteristics. Plant in groups of 3 or 5.

LITTLE BLUESTEM

Height: 2-3’

Moisture:Dry-Moist

Sun:Full

Little Bluestem’s popularity is owed to its bright turquoise color, it is a great contrast to surrounding grasses and flowers.

PRAIRIE DROPSEEDSPOROBOLUS HETEROLEPIS

Height: 2-3’

Moisture:Adaptable

Sun:Full

The lime green color and soft blades of Prairie Dropseed make it perfect as a space filler. It stays in compact clusters, giving a ‘manicured’ look to a garden and is often used in groups of 7-9.

LEAFY SATIN GRASSMUHLENBERGIA MEXICANA

Height: 1-2’

Moisture:Adaptable

Sun:Full-Shade

The changing color of the grass blades add color to a garden. Leafy satin grass is best planted in groups of 3 to 5 plants along borders.

PATH RUSHJUNCUS TENUIS

Height: 2”-2’

Moisture:Dry-Moist

Sun:Adaptable

Most rushes and sedges are moisture dependent limiting its use in landscaping beds. The Path Rush’s adaptability and texture, it is a perfect plant for home use.

TUSSOCK SEDGECAREX STRICTA

Height: 1-4’

Moisture:Wet-Moist

Sun:Full-partial

The Tussock Sedge is great in rain gardens or ‘dips’ in your yard due to it’s tolerance of wet conditions.

SENSITIVE FERNONOCLEA SENSIBIL IS

Height: 1-2’

Moisture:Wet - Dry

Sun:Full - Shade

This fern works great as ground cover in all types of conditions. Interesting foliage and great for woodland gardens.

OSTRICH FERNMATTEUCCIA STRUTHIOPTERIS

Height: 2-6’

Moisture:Moist

Sun:Full - Shade

This fern can be aggressive and is best used to form colonies and ground cover.

Adam HjelmEducation Coordinator

adam@srwdmn.org524 Fourth Street SouthSauk Centre MN 56378Office (320) 352 2231