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WI Natives
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March 7, 2023
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.
March 7, 2023
There are many spring ephemerals native to Wisconsin. Spring ephemerals are like limited edition perennials; they’re only viewable for a short time. A fitting motto for these types of flowers is “live fast, die young,” as they grow and reproduce quickly, maximizing their limited time and taking advantage of optimal conditions such as temperature, moisture levels, and sunlight.
February 20, 2023
Wisconsin has many excellent native plants that can be used as groundcover while also benefiting pollinators and wildlife. Using a combination of groundcovers adds biodiversity, color, and texture to your garden, so don’t feel limited to just one type! Groundcovers are an excellent option to include in any garden to add texture, suppress weeds, reduce erosion, and maintain moisture levels.
December 1, 2021
Native Plant Sale Available for on-site shopping only.June is Wisconsin native plant appreciation month at Johnson\’s Nursery. We team up with our friends at Wild Ones to offer native plant enthusiasts an opportunity to save big. All active Wild Ones members receive 40% off Wisconsin native plants in containers at […]
November 30, 2021
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 […]
November 30, 2021
While browsing the Plant Reference Guide, double click on the page to zoom in/out.** Download button in upper left corner **Plant Reference Guideno-repeat;center top;;auto *Hardcopies are available for purchase in-store.Plant Reference Guideno-repeat;center top;;auto Plant Reference Guide The Plant Reference Guide is the hardcopy catalog of commonly grown and stocked plants […]
November 30, 2021
What Are RootMaker Containers What are RootMaker Containers? no-repeat;center top;;auto0px What Are RootMaker ContainersRootMaker containers specialize in the growth of a fibrous root system. Johnson\’s Nursery uses them in the production of Wisconsin native trees, shrubs, and conifers. They are different than the typical, solid-wall container in a few ways. […]
November 30, 2021
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 […]
November 30, 2021
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 […]
December 29, 2017
Why I Enjoy Living in Zone 5 no-repeat;left top;;auto0px InvasivesSoutheast Wisconsin resides in Zone 5, with the northern portion in zone 5a and the southern in zone 5b. This measurement is a standard developed by the USDA that plant growers can determine which plants are likely to thrive and survive […]
November 13, 2017
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, […]
October 11, 2017
Native Junipers You Should Know Juniperus virginiana and Juniperus communis – we have a boatload of these plants and they are really nice! I remember growing Juniperus virginiana and Juniperus communis years ago and they didn’t look as good as they do today. The bottom needles would turn brown and […]
October 2, 2017
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 […]
October 2, 2017
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 […]
July 13, 2017
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 […]
June 17, 2017
Naughty Natives – Part 2: Shrubs If you missed Part 1 of the \”Naughty Natives\” series, we highlighted trees. And here in Part 2, we\’re discussing shrubs. This \”Naught Native\” series aims to highlight the Wisconsin native plants that have a bad reputation as \”weed plants\” or that they are […]
June 11, 2017
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 […]
May 2, 2017
What is a nativar? I have had numerous people ask me what I thought about nativars and their appropriateness for native landscaping. Here are my thoughts. Allan Armitage, a horticulture professor at the University of Georgia, likely created the term nativar to mean a cultivar or hybrid derived from a […]
April 1, 2017
Naughty Natives – Part 1: Trees Explaining why native plants are great could fill an entire library, trust me. However, sometimes people think that because a plant is native that must mean it is perfect, and all native plants are well-behaved and interact nicely with their plant buddies. This \”Naught […]
February 20, 2017
No group of trees symbolize strength and longevity more than Wisconsin’s native oaks. They has been revered by people all over the world for thousands of years. The Druids would not meet for ritual without having an oak tree present. The masts of the sailing ships that brought the pilgrims from […]
February 20, 2017
Red Oaks Northern Pin Oak, Hills Oak, or Scrub OakQuercus ellipsoidalis60’ tall by 45’ wide Northern Pin Oak or Scrub Oak as it is often called in the sand country of Central Wisconsin is a really tough, small scale species in the Red Oak group that tolerates tough, droughty conditions. […]
February 20, 2017
White Oaks White Oak Quercus alba 50-80’ tall by 50-80’ wide White Oak, along with Red Oak, is perhaps the most important Oak species in our Southern Wisconsin forests. The White Oak is common in our pre-settlement woodlands and can be easily distinguished from other oaks by its round lobed […]
February 20, 2017
Native Oak Pests & Diseases Two-lined Chestnut borer “The most important insect cause of oak mortality is the two-lined chestnut borer (Agrilus bilineatus).” This statement by Phil Pellitteri, a former professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is one all who plant native oaks in Wisconsin should be aware of. These […]
January 4, 2017
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 […]
September 14, 2016
Planting Container Trees in Fall Planting Container Trees in Fall How timing and plant selection can decrease stress on plant and person alike. Fall is a great time for planting trees. It\’s a total win-win. Trees don\’t like to be moved, it stresses them out. Planting container trees in fall […]
June 8, 2016
Gnarly Natives Gnarly: “difficult, dangerous or challenging.” Slang: difficult, hairy, bad, nasty, cool, good. I don’t even really know what that word means, how can something be good and bad all at once? All I can imagine is surfing…some guy saying “Gnarly!” when a big bad wave comes along and […]
April 20, 2015
Homegrown—It’s Good Stuff!!! Back in the 70’s, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, when my hair was halfway down my back, when Robin Yount was truly ‘the kid’, when Pink Floyd was on tour, and when a “google” was a drunk giggle,– ‘homegrown’ had a different meaning for some of us […]
February 7, 2014
Tree Cycles at Johnson’s Nursery The Stages of Production of Seedling B&B Trees Remember way back when, before you even had training wheels, when you had a tricycle. I do. I still have mine! In this Plant Talk, I’m going to talk about another kind of cycle–a tree cycle, that […]
November 8, 2012
Sumac Comparison Genus: Rhus The Sumac (Rhus) family includes a selection Wisconsin native shrubs noted for their fern-like foliage, site adaptability, and wildlife value. They\’re a very strong plant in native and land restoration projects because the majority of the family are colonizers, meaning they\’re vigorous and will spread; therefore, […]
October 30, 2012
A Tree For Me, Hickory If I were to be so fortunate as to someday be interviewed by Barbara Walters, I would be ready to answer her famous question, “If you could be a twee, what kind of twee would you want to be?” (“twee”, meaning “tree” in Barbara Walter-eese). […]
June 22, 2012
Grass & Sedge Comparison Chart The Grass & Sedge Comparison Chart is a list of common ornamental grass and sedge perennials grown at Johnson\’s Nursery. Easy to grow, easy to care for, easy on the eyes! Ornamental grasses have so many positives it’s hard to not incorporate them into the […]
June 22, 2012
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 […]
June 24, 2010
No tree symbolizes strength and longevity more than the mighty oak. Oaks are at the pinnacle of ecological value. With over 90 different species in North America and about 435 worldwide, Quercus has the most species in a tree genus in the Northern Hemisphere. Consisting primarily of large and long-lived trees, Quercus is a true force to be reckoned with.