March 7, 2023
winter to spring transition plants food for local wildlife before spring comes ftimg

Winter to Spring Transition: On the Cusp

At first glance, Wisconsin in late winter might seem like a world frozen in time, hibernating under a white blanket, but there is more than meets the eye! Slowly, but surely, nature is starting to make moves. The following are some plants that will help carry wildlife through late winter, just before spring has finally sprung.
October 31, 2021
how to choose a tree fall color shade tree with child chasing ducks ftimg

How to Choose A Tree

How to Choose a Tree A surprising number of people walk into our retail store and ask, “Do you sell trees?” or “Do you have any shade trees?” or “Do you have any ornamental trees?” We all smile and say yes; after all, trees are kind of our thing, and […]
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.
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 […]
September 27, 2010
witherod viburnum cassinoides white flowering native shrub ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Witherod Viburnum

Witherod Viburnum Viburnum cassinoides Description & Overview Witherod viburnum is typically found in wetter conditions such as swamps and marshes, moist fields, and woods. This native North American shrub offers visual interest during all four seasons with white flowers in the spring, beautiful red-orange leaves in the fall, and fruit […]
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
common ninebark wisconsin native shrub physocarpus opulifolius flowering ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Common Ninebark

Common Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius Description & Overview Common Ninebark is a tough, Wisconsin native shrub. Does it look a little wild? Yes, yes it does. Is it for everyone? Nope. But if you are looking for a shrub that can handle the bitter cold, many soil types, and even the […]
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
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 as […]
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 […]
August 18, 2010
virgin's bower clematis virginiana wisconsin native vine ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Virgin’s Bower

Virgin’s Bower Clematis virginiana Description & Overview Virgin’s Bower is a Wisconsin native vine that naturally occurs along rivers in moist, low woodland areas. It’s a wonderful, versatile addition to a native landscape. You can grow it in full sun, but it also does well in mostly shade. This vine […]
March 30, 2010
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PLANT PROFILE:
Allegheny Serviceberry

Allegheny Serviceberry is a Wisconsin native multi-stemmed tree or small shrub, with a narrow and upright, oval form. Fragrant white flowers bloom in spring, followed by purple, edible, sweet fruits that ripen in June. These coveted berries are used in jams, jellies, and pies if you can get to them before the birds! Dark green foliage turns a brilliant orange-red in fall extending the season of interest. Pollinator-friendly, Allegheny Serviceberry is a host plant for the Red-Spotted Purple and Viceroy butterflies.
March 24, 2010
bush cinquefoil dasiphora fruticosa ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Bush Cinquefoil

Bush Cinquefoil is a cheery Wisconsin native shrub that explodes with shiny, bright yellow flowers in June, blooming continuously through September. This prolonged flowering period supports many pollinators including bees and butterflies, making it a great choice for native gardens.
March 15, 2010
paw paw asimina triloba ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Paw Paw

Paw Paw is a delightful, tropical-looking small-scale tree that has an unusual, edible fruit. Forming loose colonies, Paw Paw's luscious green foliage turns a lovely golden-yellow in autumn. Its delicious fruit is fragrant and tasty, some describing it as a cross between a banana and a mango.
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 16, 2010
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PLANT PROFILE:
Indian Grass

Indian Grass is a resilient and striking Wisconsin native ornamental grass with tall, silvery blue-green leaves. Foliage turns a vibrant orange-yellow in fall, followed by light brown feathery flowers that provide cover and seed to birds and mammals. An excellent option for tough areas, Indian Grass is drought, erosion, and air pollution tolerant.
February 15, 2010
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PLANT PROFILE:
Red Pine

Red Pine is a Wisconsin native conifer with a conical shape and oval to rounded crown. Named for its reddish cinnamon-colored bark, Red Pine has yellow-green to dark green soft yet brittle needles. Cones mature to a dark chestnut brown in the second year of growth. Red Pine provides nesting sites for eagles and other birds, as well as seeds for sustenance.
February 15, 2010
glade mallow napaea dioica ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Glade Mallow

Glade Mallow is a Wisconsin Plant of Special Concern (WI DNR) and unique not only in the landscape but for its nyctinasty. Clusters of fragrant, white tubular flowers bloom from June to August, opening in the morning and closing at night. With large, deeply cut dark green leaves, Glade Mallow provides texture once flowers are spent. Found in alluvial soils along streams and rivers, Glade Mallow needs consistently moist to wet soil to thrive.
February 11, 2010
juniperus virginiana eastern redcedar wisconsin native evergreen conifer ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Eastern Red Cedar

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.
February 1, 2010
silver maple native acer saccharinum ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Silver Maple

Silver Maple is a fast-growing Wisconsin native tree, found throughout the state. This giant of the forest benefits many mammals and birds that use the tree as a source of food and shelter. With softwood and an extensive root system that spreads far and wide, the Silver Maple is best suited for open areas away from structures.
January 27, 2010
whorled milkweed asclepias verticillata ftimg

PLANT PROFILE:
Whorled Milkweed

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.