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Red Milkweed Asclepias incarnata Description & Overview Red Milkweed is a fast-growing, wet soil loving, Wisconsin native perennial with beautiful deep pink flowers that attract many insects. The Monarch Butterfly uses it as a host plant. Although it can tolerate moderate moisture and even heavy clay, Red Milkweed, also known […]
Poke Milkweed is a Wisconsin native plant with unusual clusters of pinkish-white flowers that droop elegantly from slender stalks. Fragrant when in bloom, Poke Milkweed attracts many kinds of butterflies, including Monarchs and the Great Spangled Fritillary.
Sullivant’s Milkweed is a Wisconsin native perennial that blooms in late spring into summer. Fragrant, pinkish-white to pinkish-purple, star-shaped flowers attract many pollinators including Eastern Black Swallowtail and Clouded Sulphur butterflies. In autumn, Sullivant’s Milkweed has large seed pods that split open to release silky-covered seeds.
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.
Common Milkweed is native to Wisconsin, blooming in early summer with fragrant, creamy pink flowers sitting atop tall and sturdy stems. Reseeding and spreading easily, Common Milkweed is an extremely important host plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars.
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 […]
Naughty Natives – Part 3: Perennials If you remember from Part 1: Trees and Part 2: Shrubs, we\’re highlighting Wisconsin native plants that have a bad reputation as \”weed plants\” or that they are aggressive. Sometimes the aggressive nature, or undesirable traits, can be an asset rather than a nuisance […]
Battling Buckthorn Wisconsin gardening comes with many obstacles: rabbits, deer, cold winters, and invasive non-native plant species. In the war against invasive plants, one of the worst enemies is Buckthorn, specifically Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and Glossy Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). Many times we’ll be at a customer\’s site and they […]
Choosing Natives You may ask yourself, what is a native plant? Well, simply said (or not so simply) a native plant is one that has occurred naturally, without human help, in a particular place since before European settlements. These plants have existed and evolved over thousands of years in a […]
Getting Wild Getting wild with native plants gains popularity as each year passes. I remember when I first started working at the nursery in 1980. Native Oaks were hard to come by. Few nurseries carried them. Musclewood was a cool little plant that grew down in the woods at the […]
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 […]
Ping Pong™ Buttonbush Cephalanthus ‘Select A Dark Green’ Description & Overview A Johnson’s Nursery origination; J.N. Plant Selections introduction, Ping Pong™ Buttonbush has an upright growing habit and rich, glossy, dark green leaves. Perfectly globular, creamy white inflorescences, similar to small ping pong balls. Wetland shrub that can tolerate periodic […]
While browsing the Wisconsin Native Plant Guide, double click on the page to zoom in/out. ** Download button in upper left corner ** *Hardcopies are available for purchase at our nursery.no-repeat;center top;;auto Shop Johnson\’s Nursery For Wisconsin Native Plants We\’re a third-generation family-owned business who passionately pursues the goal of […]
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) is a native Wisconsin wildflower with bright blue flowers on tall spikes that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Compass Plant, a Wisconsin native perennial, features up to 30 yellow sunflower-like blooms that attract many pollinators. A great addition to any native garden!
Sweet Fern Comptonia peregrina Description & Overview Sweet Fern, despite its name is not actually a fern (or a perennial). Sweet Fern is a Wisconsin native shrub with aromatically pleasing foliage, especially when its leaves are crushed; this poses a great investment for wildlife and landscape use. Great for slopes […]
Common Snowberry is a Wisconsin native deciduous shrub with blue-green foliage and dainty light pink clustered flowers in spring and summer.
Sensitive Fern is a Wisconsin native perennial fern that prefers partial to full shade. Sensitive Fern will mature to 1-2 feet tall and 1.5-2 feet wide.
Redosier Dogwood, or Redtwig Dogwood, is a Wisconsin native shrub is known for its striking red stems and clusters of small white flowers. A boon for birds and pollinators, Redosier Dogwood is a must-have in any landscape!
American Filbert (aka American Hazelnut) is a medium-sized Wisconsin native shrub commonly found on the edges and in the understory of woodlands. This beautiful plant not only provides nuts edible for people, but it supports tons of pollinators and wildlife! A great addition to any edible or pollinator-friendly garden.
Glossy Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa var. elata Description & Overview Glossy Black Chokeberry is a suckering shrub native to Wisconsin with four-season interest. It has fragrant white flower clusters in Spring, brilliant fall color, and large shiny dark berries that persist throughout winter. It provides habitat and food for wildlife […]
Meadowsweet Spiraea alba Description & Overview Meadowsweet is a Wisconsin Native shrub that grows to be 2-4′ tall, thrives in full sun and grows well in wet areas like bogs or along edges of streams. Meadowsweet doesn’t have the typical neat shrub-like structure as it grows in colonies and could […]
Common Winterberry is a Wisconsin native deciduous holly found in moist areas and most noted for its abundant bright red berries. Persisting through winter, songbirds and mammals rely on the fruit to help carry them through to spring.
Nodding Pink Onion Allium cernuum Description & Overview Nodding Pink Onion is a hardy, native North American species with a characteristic drooping flower stalk. As a whole, the plant looks beautiful and delicate. The leaves are light green and grass-like. The flower stalk is long and thin with a droop […]
10 Exciting New Plants in 2021 10 Exciting New Plants in 2021 Another season in the landscape is on the horizon! Now is a great time to trial plants that are new to the market, new to our inventory, or new in a larger quantity. Find a mix of new, […]
Silky Dogwood Cornus amomum Description & Overview Native to Wisconsin’s streambeds and swamps, Silky Dogwood plays an important role in local ecosystems. A great choice for moist or wet areas. This large-to-medium-sized lowland shrub produces spectacular porcelain-blue fruit clusters in late summer which are a favorite of local wildlife. Silky […]
Harlequin Blue Flag Iris Iris versicolor Description & Overview Harlequin Blue Flag Iris is a Wisconsin native, clump-forming iris that you typically encounter in wet prairies, marshes, fens, stream banks, ditches, and shorelines. In May, flower stalks bear 3 to 5 showy, rich violet-blue flowers that are 3″ to 4″ […]
Bladdernut Staphylea trifolia Description & Overview Bladdernut is a highly versatile under-used Wisconsin native shrub that is shade-tolerant, thicket-forming, and provides four-season interest. Bell-shaped white flowers hang from the stems in May. Inflated bladder-like seed capsules follow, persisting through fall and winter. The dark green trifoliate leaves turn a soft […]
Culver’s Root Veronicastrum virginicum Description & Overview White candelabra-like flowers bloom in July, lasting through August. Gray-green, upright foliage adds visual texture and height. Found throughout Wisconsin in moist prairies, savannas, and open woodland edges. Attracts butterflies, bees, wasps, and moths. May also be known as Culver’s-physic, Bowman’s root. Core […]
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 […]
American Elderberry Sambucus canadensis Description & Overview American Elderberry is a large, sprawling, Wisconsin native shrub with bright green leaves, white clusters of fragrant flowers, and juicy, edible black fruits. Elderberry blooms at a time of year when little else is. This native species can tolerate low, wet areas that […]
Buttonbush is a Wisconsin native shrub known for its white, globular ping pong-like flowers, ability to attract wildlife, and being a great native shrub for wet soils.
Speckled Alder is a small, Wisconsin native tree that’s commonly found in wetter soils. It is extremely valuable for many wildlife species and an important host plant for many pollinators.
Pennsylvania Sedge Carex pensylvanica Description & Overview Those of us contending with the shadier portions of our gardens may sometimes feel that we don’t have enough choices, particularly when it comes to ornamental grasses. But there is light at the end of the tunnel! While many types of grass typically […]