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Prairie Blazing Star is a Wisconsin native perennial with dense spikes of pink flowers in mid-summer. A critical plant in all native gardens, it supports many pollinators, especially Monarchs, later in the season.
Rough Blazing Star is a staple in any pollinator garden, attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects in droves. Rose-purple flower spikes bloom from late summer through fall, later than other Liatris, extending the availability of pollen and nectar. Rough Blazing Star, a Wisconsin native perennial, is perfect for borders, meadows, and rock or pollinator gardens.
Showy Blazing Star is a must-have in any garden, attracting flocks of Monarch butterflies and beneficial insects. A Wisconsin native perennial that blooms from August through September, Showy Blazing Star is critical to the survival of Monarchs, as they power up for their migration south.
Dense Blazing Star is a Wisconsin native perennial featuring tall stalks that explode with tufts of purple flowers that bloom from August into September. With more flowers per head than other Liatris, Dense Blazing Star is sure to attract pollinators and is great in moist soils.
Native Pollinators Did you know the phrase “the bee’s knees” originally described something tiny and insignificant? Since then it has evolved to mean something outstanding. And in August, I find nothing more outstanding than the sight of native pollinators in the landscape. One of the basics of plant life is […]
Butterflyweed, with its intense orange flowers, draws in pollinators and is a larval host plant for Monarch butterflies. Slow to emerge in spring, they are a staple in any native or pollinator garden.
My son, Jack loved to grab, throw, and chew on books when he was one year old. He also adored books being read aloud to him. I was reading him “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle and it occurred to me that we often overlook these juvenile versions of […]
Fall Blooming Plants for the Pollinators Using fall blooming plants in the landscape will give insects an extra boost for late-season and winter. These days, insect population decline has more attention than ever. The most popular of which is the Monarch Butterfly. There is also frequent news over the Honeybee […]
Deer Resistant Plants, Buck Rub & Protection Deer resistant plants is a very common topic in Wisconsin, especially in fall. It\’s often an initial question on new landscape projects of all sizes. Deer resistant, repellent, deterrent, and deer proof can all be used synonymously with the topic. Ultimately, fencing is […]
Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii Description & Overview A monarch of the native prairie grasses! Big Bluestem forms large clumps with blue-green to silvery-blue foliage that changes to attractive shades of bronze and reddish-copper with the first frost. In late August purplish flower spikes emerge producing distinctive three-parted seed heads. A […]
Wisconsin Natives At Johnson’s Nursery, we love our native plants. They fill unique roles in our landscapes, are adapted to our soils and climate, and have co-evolved with our other Wisconsin native species to create the mosaic of diversity that is Wisconsin. In addition to their special use by wildlife, […]
Prairie Dropseed is a warm season, clump-forming Wisconsin native prairie grass. It has emerald-green foliage with airy, popcorn scented seed heads.
American Gold Rush Rudbeckia Rudbeckia x ‘American Gold Rush’ PP28,498 Description & Overview Bright yellow flowering and foliar disease resistant this hybrid nativar thrives in full sun and average soil conditions. Tolerant of both hot and humid summer months, American Gold Rush Rudbeckia is naturally compact fitting well into a […]
Blackhawks Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ PP27,949 Description & Overview Blackhawks Big Bluestem is an upright selection of our native Big Bluestem characterized by its vertical habit, dark green foliage with purple-red tips in late summer, and deep purple fall color. In winter, the sturdy stems turn tan. Blackhawks is […]
Bigtooth Aspen Populus grandidentata Description & Overview Bigtooth Aspen is one of, if not the fastest-growing native trees in Wisconsin. It’s an early colonizer of prairies and woodland edges but prefers drier sites than its cousin, Quaking Aspen. Named for the large teeth on leaves that shimmer in a summer […]
How to Build a Bird Garden in Wisconsin Build a Bird Garden in Wisconsinno-repeat;center top;;auto0px Watching backyard birds is relaxing, entertaining, and educational. Seeing a bright red cardinal in the middle of winter is uplifting. A visit from a ruby-throated hummingbird outside the breakfast nook can be a great way […]
Stiff Coreopsis Coreopsis palmata Description & Overview Stiff Coreopsis can handle many soil types and all the heat while gifting us with pretty, long-lasting yellow flowers in late summer followed by orange to purple foliage in the fall. This perennial is a hardy, reliable Wisconsin native that butterflies (and many […]
Pale Purple Coneflower is a Wisconsin native perennial with large, daisy-like flowers with drooping pale-rose petals. Great for pollinators including bees and butterflies.
Little Bluestem is a Wisconsin native clump-forming grass blue-green foliage. In fall the foliage changes to a flaming orange or striking red, topped by fluffy silver seed stalks. Great for massing or naturalizing.
Leadplant Amorpha canescens Description & Overview A Wisconsin native prairie plant, this wily perennial loves full sun. This is a resilient plant with a long taproot which makes it drought tolerant and great for an area with sandy, dry soil. The blue/purple flower racemes in later summer last up to […]
Blue Giant Hyssop is a Wisconsin native perennial commonly found in drier prairies and upland forests. Leaves and flowers are fragrant, similar to licorice. Great nectar source for bees, butterflies, and their allies. The aromatic leaves can be used to make herbal teas or jellies. Seeds can be added to cookies or muffins.
American Pasqueflower, with its striking blue-violet-white flowers, is one of the first plants to bloom in spring, providing much-needed food for pollinators. Synonymous with Pulsatilla patens, American Pasqueflower is native to Wisconsin and does best in dry areas such as rock gardens or prairie settings.
Whorled Milkweed is a Wisconsin native perennial that blooms later than most other milkweeds, extending nourishment options for pollinators well into fall. Clusters of small, white flowers appear, followed by interesting pods that split open to release silky-covered seeds. Whorled Milkweed is an excellent food source for the larvae of Monarch Butterflies as well as short- and long-tongued bees.
Wild Senna, a Wisconsin native perennial, displays a profusion of bright yellow pea-like flowers in summer, attracting tons of pollinators. Feathery leaves provide excellent foliage interest throughout the season while seed pods add winter interest, and provide food for birds.
Eastern Red Cedar is a Wisconsin native conifer with a dense columnar to pyramidal shape and fragrant grayish-green to bluish-green foliage. Excellent for roadside plantings as they handle heat, dryness, and road salt. The female Eastern Red Cedar produces small silvery-blue berries that songbirds and wildlife covet, particularly Cedar Waxwings.
Hoary Vervain is a stunner in the garden with blue-purple flower spikes that bloom from the bottom to the top from May into September. A Wisconsin native perennial, Hoary Vervain attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and pollinators continuously throughout the season. Wonderful for borders, prairies, native gardens, or anywhere height and texture is needed.
Eastern Prickly Pear is an unusual Wisconsin native perennial. A clump-forming cactus, with stunning, large yellow-peach flowers that bloom from June to July, followed by attractive, bright red edible fruits.
How to Attract Monarch Butterflies to Your Yard With the addition of the Monarch butterfly to the Red List of Threatened Species and categorized as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), many people have asked us how they can help this beloved creature. While they face […]