June 22, 2012
find wisconsin native ferns at johnson's nursery in menomonee falls ftimg

LIST:
Native Ferns Comparison

Wisconsin Native Ferns Under rated and under utilized perennials, Wisconsin native ferns are staples in part-to-full shade landscapes. We commonly tout ferns for their ability to give any landscape setting a \”woodsy\” feel. The easily recognizable foliage offers shade environments a unique level of texture. These Wisconsin native perennials are […]
December 15, 2010
hairy penstemon hirsutus wisconsin native perennial flower ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Hairy Penstemon

Hairy Penstemon is a Wisconsin native perennial with clusters of trumpet-shaped, light lavender flowers on upright stalks in early summer. Found on dry gravelly and sandy prairies, or in hillside oak woodlands. It is also naturalized on roadsides.
December 15, 2010
purple prairie clover dalea purpurea wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Purple Prairie Clover

Purple Prairie Clover is a Wisconsin native prairie legume with stunning reddish-purple, thimble-sized, bottlebrush flowers atop wiry stems in mid-summer. Tolerant of a wide range of soils. Fixes nitrogen.
December 15, 2010
white wild indigo baptisia alba wisconsin native perennials ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
White Wild Indigo

White Wild Indigo is a Wisconsin native perennial with attractive blue-green foliage. It boasts a fine display of erect pointed 1-2' spikes of white flowers held well above the foliage.
December 15, 2010
blue giant hyssop agastache foeniculum wisconsin native anise ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Blue Giant Hyssop

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.
December 15, 2010
shooting star dodecatheon meadia wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Shooting Star

Shooting Star is a Wisconsin native spring ephemeral of the prairie. They are completely done with their season and go dormant by mid-summer. Wide color variation naturally occurs from purple to pale pink to almost white. Mahogany-colored seed pods that are often not noticed because other tall species have over-topped them by that time.
November 20, 2010
sensitive fern onoclea sensibilis wisconsin native ferns perennial bead ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Sensitive Fern

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.
October 31, 2010
prairie dock silphium terebinthinaceum wisconsin native perennial fall bloom yellow flower ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Prairie Dock

Prairie Dock Silphium terebinthinaceum Description & Overview Portraying large leaves with a rhubarb-like appearance, Prairie Dock is a statement native that will flaunt its blooms through October. This beautiful fall-blooming perennial will give life to an otherwise fading garden during the chilly months of September and October. Once established, Prairie […]
October 29, 2010
compass plant silphium laciniatum wisconsin native perennial yellow wildflower ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Compass Plant

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!
October 28, 2010
cup plant silphium perfoliatum wisconsin native flower perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Cup Plant

Cup Plant is a Wisconsin native pollinator-friendly perennial with large yellow flowers that attract many beneficial insects. A great addition to any butterfly or pollinator garden!
October 21, 2010
great blue lobelia siphilitica wisconsin native plant summer bloom blue flower ftimg2

PLANT PROFILE:
Great Blue Lobelia

Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) is a native Wisconsin wildflower with bright blue flowers on tall spikes that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
October 21, 2010
cardinal flower lobelia cardinalis wisconsin native plant summer bloom red flower ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Cardinal Flower

Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis Description & Overview A native Wisconsin wildflower, Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is known for its bright scarlet-red flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Flowers appear on tall spikes in late summer and add a splash of color to the perennial bed or naturalized area. Often a […]
October 18, 2010
leadplant amorpha canescens wisconsin native prairie perennial flower ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Leadplant

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 […]
October 12, 2010
wild columbine aquilegia canadensis johnson's nursery wisconsin native plants ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Canadian Columbine

Canadian Columbine Aquilegia canadensis Description & Overview Canadian Columbine is an interesting shade plant with dainty, fan-shaped foliage. Numerous, nodding red flowers with yellow centers are borne on slender stems in late spring and early summer. Delicately beautiful, this plant is an excellent choice for alkaline environments in partial shade. […]
October 8, 2010
prairie smoke geum triflorum three flowered avens old man's whiskers ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Prairie Smoke

Prairie Smoke is an excellent Wisconsin native perennial for all season interest! Sprays of pendulous pinkish-white flowers explode into a striking display of smoky-pink feathery plumes creating a billowy cloud of “smoke."
September 27, 2010
ironweed vernonia fasciculata wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Ironweed

Ironweed Vernonia fasciculata Description & Overview Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata) gets its common name for its tough, rusty green-colored stems among other “iron-like” plant characteristics. This large statured perennial features large clusters of distinctively glabrous bright purple flowers which stand out in the late summer landscape drawing in pollinators from far […]
September 27, 2010
sky blue aster symphyotrichum oolentangiense native fall perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Sky Blue Aster

Sky Blue Aster is a Wisconsin native fall-garden, heavy-blooming perennial with bright blue flowers that bloom from August through October. It is extremely valuable to pollinators at a time when little else is blooming.
September 27, 2010
zig zag goldenrod solidago flexicaulis wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Zig Zag Goldenrod

Zig Zag Goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis Description & Overview This native woodland perennial is a boon to wildlife and to someone with a shady yard. Zig Zag Goldenrod prefers part-shade and fertile soil but is also tolerant of heavy shade and clay soil. Once established it will also tolerate dry soil. […]
September 27, 2010
yellow coneflower ratibida pinnata wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Yellow Coneflower

Yellow Coneflower Ratibida pinnata Description & Overview Native to dry prairies and savannas in Wisconsin, Yellow Coneflower is a striking plant, featuring vibrant yellow, slightly drooping florets that surround a skyward-pointing cone-like green center. Coarse, rough leaves on sturdy, long flower stalks contrast with its nodding and graceful heads that […]
September 27, 2010
prairie phlox pilosa wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Prairie Phlox

Prairie Phlox Phlox pilosa Description & Overview The German horticulturist Karl Foerster once wrote: ‘Life without phlox is a mistake.’ With their adaptability to many habits, fragrances, and color varieties, Phlox can find a home almost anywhere. More specifically, Prairie Phlox (Phlox pilosa) are easy-to-grow, low-maintenance perennials that flourish in […]
September 27, 2010
prairie blazing star liatris pycnostachya wisconsin native perennials ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Prairie Blazing Star

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.
September 27, 2010
bigleaf aster eurybia macrophylla wisconsin native perennials ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Bigleaf Aster

Bigleaf Aster Eurybia macrophylla Description & Overview Bigleaf Aster is a Wisconsin native woodland perennial aster that spreads by rhizomes to form a lush carpet of large, hairy leaves that grow up to 8-inches in length. It has rather delicate flowers with thin lavender/blue petals that appear in late summer. […]
September 27, 2010
bee on pale purple coneflower echinacea pallida ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Pale Purple Coneflower

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.
September 27, 2010
stiff coreopsis palmata wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Stiff Coreopsis

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 […]
September 27, 2010
red milkweed asclepias incarnata wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Red Milkweed

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 […]
September 27, 2010
fruiting spikenard aralia racemosa wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Spikenard

Spikenard Aralia racemosa Description & Overview Is it a perennial? Is it a shrub? No, it’s Spikenard! This native, shrubby perennial thrives in the shady, moist, fertile soils of forest floors but can also tolerate rock and clay. It has beautiful, large, compound green leaves with showy white flower racemes […]
July 31, 2010
nodding pink onion allium cernuum wisconsin native plants at johnson's nursery ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Nodding Pink Onion

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 […]
July 13, 2010
Asclepias-tuberosa-butterflyweed-ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Butterflyweed

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.
June 14, 2010
Arisaema-triphyllum-jack-in-the-pulpit-ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Jack in the Pulpit

Jack in the Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum Description & Overview Single paired 8-12″ long, 3-lobed leaves frame the unusual green and purple hooded flowers. A superb woodland plant that becomes most visible in early autumn when its striking clusters of orange-red berries appear on leafless stalks brightening up shaded recesses. Core […]
June 3, 2010
rattlesnake master eryngium yuccifolium wisconsin native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Rattlesnake Master

Rattlesnake Master is a Wisconsin native prairie plant that features interesting white golf ball-like flowers with thistle-like foliage. It is a pollinator magnet, attracting many bees, butterflies, wasps, skippers, hairstreaks and more!
May 25, 2010
heath aster symphyotrichum ericoides native perennial ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Heath Aster

Heath Aster Symphyotrichum ericoides Description & Overview A bushy, clump-forming native forb that spreads by creeping rhizomes. Abundant, white ¼” flowers with yellow centers are produced from August through October. Performs best in full sun, sandy to loamy, well-draining soils. Pollinators and wildlife will flock to asters in late summer […]
March 1, 2010
wild bergamot monarda fistulosa wisconsin native perennial flower ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Wild Bergamot

Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa Description & Overview Wild Bergamot is an iconic Wisconsin native perennial is commonly seen in dry prairies, meadows, and wood edges. Soft lavender-pink flowers show up in late June through August (sometimes as late as September), which offers a midsummer food source for a variety of […]
February 18, 2010
white prairie clover dalea candida johnson's nursery plants native wisconsin ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
White Prairie Clover

White Prairie Clover Dalea candida Description & Overview This eco-beneficial perennial draws the eye in with tall green spikes emerging from a crown of white flowers that work their way upwards throughout the season. White Prairie Clover is a native perennial that thrives in mesic (average moisture) to dry conditions, […]
February 17, 2010
sweet black-eyed susan rudbeckia submentosa ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Sweet Black-eyed Susan

Sweet Black-eyed Susan is a superb Wisconsin native perennial with sweetly fragrant, buttery yellow, daisy-like flowers and purplish-brown centers. Seeming to dance upon tall stems, masses of flowers bloom from July through October. With larger and longer-lasting blooms compared to other Black-eyed Susan, they're great in cutting, cottage, or native gardens.
February 17, 2010
eastern prickly pear opuntia humifusa ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Eastern Prickly Pear

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.