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CUES: Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability

Key to Native Plant List

Most of the plants listed are perennials. Shrubs are woody, usually less than 20 feet tall with multiple trunks. Trees are taller and usually do not form thickets. Forbs are flowering plants which are not trees, shrubs or grasses. Wildlife value includes any special features of the plant which supply food or improve the habitat for birds, mammals, pollinators, butterflies, or beneficial insects.

Easy to grow?

y = yes

Light requirements:

Native Plant List Common Name Species Name Zone Sun Growth Easy? Height Wildlife Values Other maidenhair fern Adiantum pedatum 1 fern 2 ostrich fern Matteuccia pensylvanica 1 fern 5 sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis 1 fern y 3 interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana 1 fern 4 interesting leaves yarrow Achillea millefolium 1 forb 2 butterflies May be weedy; medicinal; small white flowers anise hyssop Agastache foeniculum 1 to forb y 3 bees, butterflies blue flowers; long-blooming; licorice-scented leaves prairie onion Allium stellatum 1 forb 2 white or pink flowers; slender leaves lead plant Amorpha canescens 1 forb y 3 bees, butterflies purple flowers during the buffalo mating season thimbleweed Anemone cylindrica 1 to forb y 2 white flowers in mid-spring pasqueflower Anemone patens (Pulsatilla nutalliana) 1 forb 0.5 good for early bees signal for spring celebrations among the Dakota; mature plants difficult to transplant wild columbine Aquilegia canadensis 1 to forb 2 butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds red and yellow flowers with long spurs; self sows Canada wild ginger Asarum candadense 1 to forb y 0.5 ground cover; roots taste like ginger; strange brownish-red flowers butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa 1 to forb 3 butterflies bright orange flowers; roots once used medicinally heath aster Aster ericoides 1 forb 2 butterflies, bees small white flowers in late fall; heather-like leaves calico aster Aster lateriflorus 1 to forb 4 blossoms once used to treat insanity New England aster Aster novae-angliae 1 to forb 4 butterflies, bees spreads rapidly; purple flowers in late summer; cut flower sky blue aster Aster oolentangiensis 1 to forb 2.5 bees, butterflies blue flowers in early fall silky aster Aster sericeus 1 forb 1.5 bees, butterflies purple flowers; silky gray-green leaves; once used to treat arthritis blue false indigo Baptisia australis 1 to forb   3 bees blues flowers golden asters Chrysopsis villosa (Heterotheca villosa) 1 forb   2   yellow aster-like flowers coreopsis Coreopsis palmata 1 forb   3   yellow flowers; short-lived but self-sows white prairie clover Dalea candida (Petalostemum candidum) 1 forb 3 butterflies purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea (Petalostemum purpureum) 1 forb 3 terrific bee and butterfly plant cute little purple flowers with orange pollen; leaves fragrant when crushed showy tick-trefoil Desmodium canadense 1 to forb y 5 pink flowers dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria 1 forb 0.5 leaves die back in summer shooting star Dodecatheon media 1 to forb 1 early to bloom; slow to germinate; leaves die back in summer purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea 1 to forb y 4 butterflies root once used for toothache; now thought to stimulate immune system boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum 1 to forb y 3 butterflies, bees cut flower queen-of-the-prairie Filipendula rubra 1 forb 6 fluffy bright pink flowers; spreads rapidly; once used as a love potion bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii 1 forb 2 late bumblebees blue flowers; seeds are slow to germinate wild geranium Geranium maculatum 1 forb y 2 pink flowers; spreads but is not invasive prairie smoke Geum triflorum 1 forb y 1   early red flowers followed by fluffy seed-heads ("smoke"); groundcover showy sunflower Helianthus laetiflorus 1 forb y 4 bees, butterflies, birds self-sows; cut flower ox-eye Heliopsis helianthoides 1 forb y 3 butterflies yellow flowers; cut flower; long blooming season round-headed bush clover Lespedeza capitata 1 forb   4 bees; seeds eaten by birds   blazing star Liatris species 1 to forb   4 bees, butterflies, esp. monarchs, birds pink spikes; cut flower; once fed to horses to make them run faster Michigan lily Lilium michiganense 1 to forb   4   orange flowers; bulbs are edible wild lupine Lupinus perennis 1 forb   2 bees showy blue flowers in spikes; early-bloomers; self-sows Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica 1 to forb y 2   blue flowers; plants die back after blooming wild bergamot; beebalm Monarda fistulosa 1 to forb y 2 bumblebees, butterflies, sphinx moths lavender flowers; leaves used to make tea; leaves tend to mildew large-flowered beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus 1 to forb y 2 bumblebees, and hummingbirds early showy pink flowers; will not tolerate competition mayapple Podyphyllum peltatum 1 forb   1   spreading ground cover; white flowers; edible fruits jacob's ladder Polemonium reptans 1 to forb y 1   blue flowers true solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum 1 forb   4 green flowers, blue berries; roots used medicinally mountain mint Pycnanthemum virginianum 1 to forb   1.5 bees, butterflies fragrant when crushed, making a tea to give more energy to the rundown; white flowers gray-headed coneflower Ratibida pinnata 1 forb y 3 butterflies, bees, and beetles yellow flowers black-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta 1 forb y 2   yellow flowers with black center; white flowers are short-lived; ground cover bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis 1 to forb   1 red dye from rhizomes compass plant Silphium laciniatum 1 forb   6 bees, butterflies, birds yellow flowers; deeply cut leaves cup-plant Silphium perfoliatum 1 to forb   6 bees, butterflies shaggy yellow flowers; prairie moths bore into stems; roots used medicinally false solomon's seal Smilacina racemosa 1 forb y 3   white flowers followed by red berries gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis 1 to forb   2 bees, butterflies yellow flowers in late summer; graceful form showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa 1 to forb   4 bees, butterflies yellow flowers in spikes spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis 1 to forb   1 pink or purple flowers liquefy by noon; once used as a cure for spider bites bellwort Uvularia grandiflora 1 to forb y 1 nodding yellow flowers in early spring; pioneers used early shoots for greens blue vervain Verbena hastata 1 to forb   4 bees, butterflies; cover blue flowers in spikes hoary vervain Verbena stricta 1 to forb y 4 cover purple flowers in spikes; tolerant of disturbance culversroot Veronicastrum virginicum 1 to forb   6 bees, butterflies white flowers in spikes; cut flowers common blue violet Viola papilionacea 1 to forb y 0.5 caterpillar food; wild turkeys eat the roots groundcover; may be invasive birds-foot violet Viola pedata 1 forb   5 in. catterpillar food purple flowers in early spring; not a good competitor; leaves are food for catterpillars golden alexanders Zizia aurea 1 forb y 2.5   yellow flowers in spring; glossy leaves big bluestem Andropogon gerardii 1 grass y 8 cover king of native grasses; red-brown in winter; leaves once applied to infected wounds sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula 1 grass 2 cover   switch grass Panicum virgatum 1 grass 5 cover; seeds golden or reddish in fall little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium/ Andropogon scoparius 1 grass 3 cover; songbirds eat seeds reddish purple winter color indian grass Sorgastrum nutans 1 grass y 6 cover   New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus 1 to shrub   3 bees and butterflies white flowers in June and July; leaves once used for tea American hazelnut Corylus americana 1 to shrub   9 nuts   wild plum Prunus americana 1 to shrub y 20 bees; edible fruit for birds fragrant white flowers in spring; use fruit for jam common chokecherry Prunus virginiana 1 to shrub y 20 fruit for birds fragrant white flowers; red berries may be made into jam smooth sumac Rhus glabra 1 shrub y 9   fall color; plant on steep slopes to prevent erosion wild rose Rosa arkansana 1 shrub y 3 winter food for birds pink flowers, red hips containing vitamin C; spreads by suckers American elderberry Sambucus canadensis 1 to shrub y 9 berries fragrant white flowers; purple berries can be made into jam or muffins Am. highbush cranberry Viburnum trilobum 1 to shrub   12 berries white flowers; leaves turn red in fall; red berries persist through winter climbing prairie rose Rosa setigera 1 shrub or vine   6 bees, butterflies; winter food for birds pink flowers and red hips white oak Quercus alba 1 tree   60 acorns and nesting sites best fall color of the oaks; plant acorns as soon as they fall bur oak Quercus macrocarpa 1 tree   60 acorns and nesting sites fine shape red oak Quercus rubra 1 tree   75 acorns and nesting sites susceptible to oak wilt black locust Robinia pseudoacacia 1 tree y 60 early bees fragrant white flowers; susceptible to locust borer; spreads by suckers mountain ash Sorbus americanus 1 to tree   30 berries attractive to birds white flowers, orange berries; the rowan tree of Celtic mythology basswood Tilia americana 1 to tree y 120   tiny green fragrant flowers; inner bark used to make rope jack-in-the pulpit Aresaema triphyllum 1,2 to forb   1.5   distinctive green flowers and red berries; tubers are edible but must be cooked wild white indigo Baptisia alba (lactea) 1,2 to forb y 2 bees white flowers on spikes; once used for blue dye turtlehead Chelone glabra 1,2 to forb   2 butterflies, bees white or pink flowers joe pye weed Eupatorium maculatum 1,2 to forb   5 bees, butterflies fragrant fuzzy pink flowers; Joe Pye was a Native American herbalist prairie cord grass Spartina pectinata 1,2 grass   4 cover; muskrats eat roots burned as fuel during the "Long Winter" (Laura Ingalls Wilder) bottlebrush sedge Carex comosa 2,3 sedge 4 cover red maple Acer rubrum 1,2 tree   45 nesting sites red or yellow leaves in fall blue flag Iris versicolor 2,3 forb   3   blue or lavender flowers swamp white oak Quercus bicolor 1,2 to tree   60 acorns tolerates wet soils; acorns once eaten by Native Americans jewelweed Impatiens capensis 2 annual forb y 4 bees orange flowers; seed pods pop open; juice relieves itching crested fern Dryopteris cristata 2 fern   2     royal fern Osmunda regalis 2 to fern   5   young fiddleheads are edible marsh fern Thelypteris palustris 2 forb   2     swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata 2 to forb   4 bees, butterflies rose to pink flowers; cut flower; edible flowers; roots used medicinally scouring rush Equisetum hyemale 2 to forb   3   best in sandy soils; a primitive plant from the age of the dinosaurs purple avens Geum rivale 2 forb   1.5     sneezeweed Helenium autumnale 2 forb   4   cut flower cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis 2 to forb   4 butterflies, hummingbirds bright red flowers; short-lived; roots used as love charm great blue lobelia Lobelia syphilitica 2 to forb   3 bees, butterflies blue flowers in spikes; used medicinally; yellow flowers fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata 2 forb y 3 bees, butterflies Small green flowers with cut leaves; roots may contain an anti-cancer drug tall meadowrue Thalictrum dasycarpum 2 to forb y 4     prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata 2 forb y 5 bees, butterflies pink flowers in late summer; spreads rapidly ; cut flower swamp saxifage Saxifraga pensylvanica 2 sedge   3   green flowers in spike smooth alder Alnus rugosa 2 to shrub y 25     saskatoon Amelanchier alnifolia 2 to shrub y 20 birds love the fruit white flowers; tend to form thickets meadowsweet Spirea alba 2 shrub   6 bees, butterflies showy white flowers; cut flower black ash Fraxinus nigra 2 to tree   75 seeds for birds pleasant aroma black spruce Picea mariana 2 tree y 45 dense cover for birds prefers acid soil cottonwood Populus deltoides 2 tree y 90   yellow in fall black willow Salix nigra 2 to tree y 60 bees; catterpillar food northern white cedar Thuja occidentalis 2 tree y 30 dense cover for nesting birds; winter cover sweet flag Acorus calamus 2 forb 6 rhizomes have sweet fragrance when cut or bruised marsh marigold Caltha palustris 2 forb 1.5 shiny yellow flowers in May; foliage dies back in summer spike rush Eleocharis species 2,3 rush 1.5 food soft rush Juncus effusus 2,3 rush 3.5 cover; muskrats eat root stocks rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides 2,3 grass 3 pickerelweed Pontederia cordata 2,3 forb y 3 deep blue flowers in spikes arrowhead Saggittaria latifoia 2,3 forb y 3 food for ducks and other wildlife arrowhead-shaped leaves; white flowers hard-stem bulrush Scirpus acutus 2,3 rush 8 cover and food; nursery for fish Canada bluejoint grass Calamagrostis canadensis 2,3 grass 4 cover; seeds stands up well in winter giant manna grass Glyceria grandis 2,3 grass 5 cover lake sedge Carex lacustris 2,3 sedge 3 cover, food tussock sedge Carex stricta 2,3 sedge 2 nesting cover for shore birds forms hummocks green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens 2,3 rush y 4 cover wool grass Scirpus cyperinus 2,3 rush 5 cover and food fuzzy nutlets river bulrush Scirpus fluviatilis 2,3 rush 6 cover; food for muskrats black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa 2,3 shrub 9 berries for birds white flowers followed by black fruits glossy leaves, white flowers in June buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis 2,3 to shrub 9 butterflies red osier dogwood Cornus sericea (stolonifera) 2,3 to shrub y 18 berries red stems add winter color; twigs used to make baskets marsh cinquefoil Pontentilla palustris 2,3 to shrubby 1.5 red or purple flowers pussy willow Salix discolor 2,3 to shrub   20 pollen supports early bees fuzzy catkins are a sign of spring; cutting can be rooted water plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica 3 forb y 2.5     bur-reed Sparganium americanum 3 to forb   5 ducks, muskrats poor germination from seed cattail Typha latifolia 3 forb         American lotus Nelumbo lutea 4 forb   floating food for birds and animals yellow flowers; need a rich muddy bottom; rhizomes and seeds were Native American foods water celery Valisneria americana 4 forb         spatterdock Nuphar advena 4 forb   floating food for muskrats; which store the roots for winter; deer, beaver, moose and porcupines eat them cup-shaped yellow flowers; plant the rhizomes in mud; rhizomes are edible white water lily Nymphaea odorata 4 forb   floating food for waterfowl pure white fragrant flower; plant rhizomes in fall in fertile mud; rhizomes and seeds are edible

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