Native plants of the Midwest : Your consummate guide to the stunning aboriginal plants that built America ’s heartland
The American Midwest is the land of big skies , endless horizons , and some of the most resilient native plant on Earth . From the Great Lakes shore of Michigan to the rolling prairies of Kansas , this region was shape by fire , sparkler , and the mystifying roots of prairie forage that could survive anything nature threw at them .
If you ’re gardening in the Midwest , you have entree to an unbelievable legacy of problematical , beautiful native plant that acquire to handle temperature swings from -30 ° F to 105 ° F , drouth cycles , implosion therapy , crack , and the legendary prairie blast that shaped this landscape for millennia .
Sunrise on the Camas Prairie byKnowles Galleryis licensed under CC BY 2.0
These are n’t delicate garden bloom – they ’re botanical survivors that make some of the most spectacular and sustainable garden in North America .
Featured Image : Cup Plant ( Silphium perfoliatum ) bywackybadgeris license under CC BY - SA 2.0
See also : The ultimate guide to gardening with aboriginal plants : why location matters
Sunrise on the Camas Prairie byKnowles Galleryis licensed under CC BY 2.0
Understanding the Midwest Growing Region
Climate Zones and Characteristics
USDA Hardiness zone : 3a-7a
Northern Midwest ( Minnesota , Wisconsin , Northern Michigan , Northern Illinois , Northern Iowa ):
Central Midwest ( Southern Michigan , Indiana , Ohio , Missouri , Central Illinois , Central Iowa ):
Southern Midwest ( Kansas , Southern Missouri , Southern Illinois ):
Regional Ecosystems
Tallgrass Prairie
Mixed - Grass Prairie
Oak Savanna
Great Lakes Region
Woodland / Forest Edge
Legendary Midwest Native Trees
Large Canopy Trees (50+ feet mature)
Bur Oak ( Quercus macrocarpa )
American Elm ( Ulmus americana )
Eastern Cottonwood ( Populus deltoides )
Black Walnut ( Juglans nigra )
Sugar Maple ( Acer genus Saccharum )
Medium Trees (25-50 feet mature)
Redbud ( Cercis canadensis )
American Plum ( Prunus americana )
Serviceberry ( Amelanchier canadensis )
Kentucky Coffee Tree ( Gymnocladus dioicus )
Hackberry ( Celtis occidentalis )
Essential Midwest Native Shrubs
Large Shrubs (6+ feet mature)
Elderberry ( Sambucus canadensis )
Gray Dogwood ( Cornus racemosa )
American Hazelnut ( Corylus americana )
Sunrise on the Camas Prairie byKnowles Galleryis licensed under CC BY 2.0
Buttonbush ( Cephalanthus occidentalis )
Medium Shrubs (3-6 feet mature)
Ninebark ( Physocarpus opulifolius )
Spicebush ( Lindera benzoin )
Wild Plum ( Prunus americana )
“Quercus macrocarpa (burr oak) 1” by James St. John is licensed underCC BY 2.0
American Black Currant ( Ribes americanum )
Small Shrubs (Under 3 feet)
Leadplant ( Amorpha canescens )
Wild Rose ( Rosa arkansana )
New Jersey Tea ( Ceanothus americanus )
Gymnocladus dioicus Arnold Arboretum byBostonian13is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Prairie Powerhouse Perennials
Tall Prairie Giants (4+ feet)
large Bluestem ( Andropogon gerardii )
Prairie Dropseed ( Sporobolus heterolepis )
Compass Plant ( Silphium laciniatum )
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) bykaren_hineis licensed underCC PDM 1.0
Cup Plant ( Silphium perfoliatum )
Joe Pye Weed ( Eutrochium maculatum )
Medium Prairie Perennials (2-4 feet)
Purple Coneflower ( Echinaceapurpurea )
Black - Eyed Susan ( Rudbeckiafulgida )
Wild Bergamot ( Monarda fistulosa )
Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum) bywackybadgeris licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
trivial Bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium )
Wild Ginger ( Asarum canadense )
Fall-Blooming Prairie Stars
New England Aster ( Symphyotrichum novae - angliae )
Aromatic Aster ( Symphyotrichum oblongifolium )
Stiff Goldenrod ( Solidago rigida )
Echinacea purpurea
Smooth Blue Aster ( Symphyotrichum laeve )
Midwest Native Woodland Plants
Shade-Tolerant Trees and Shrubs
American Basswood ( Tilia americana )
Pagoda Dogwood ( Cornus alternifolia )
Gooseberry ( Ribes hirtellum )
Cornus alternifolia – pagoda dogwood byAaron Volkeningis licensed under CC BY 2.0
Spring Woodland Wildflowers
Bloodroot ( Sanguinaria canadensis )
wake-robin ( Trillium grandiflorum )
Wild Columbine ( Aquilegia canadensis )
Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) byschizoformis licensed under CC BY 2.0
Regional Plant Combinations for the Midwest
Classic Prairie Combination
Grasses : Big Bluestem , Little Bluestem , Prairie DropseedWildflowers : Purple Coneflower , Black - Eyed Susan , Wild BergamotFall bloomers : New England Aster , Stiff GoldenrodShrubs : Leadplant , New Jersey Tea
Woodland Edge Garden
Trees : Bur Oak , American Basswood , RedbudShrubs : Elderberry , Gray Dogwood , NinebarkPerennials : Wild Ginger , Wild Columbine , SpicebushGroundcover : Pennsylvania Sedge
Rain Garden/Wet Prairie
Trees : Hackberry , Eastern Cottonwood , American ElmShrubs : Buttonbush , ElderberryPerennials : Cup Plant , Joe Pye Weed , Blue Flag IrisGrasses : Switchgrass , Sedges
Dry Prairie/Drought-Tolerant Garden
Trees : Bur Oak , Kentucky Coffee TreeShrubs : Leadplant , Wild Rose , American HazelnutPerennials : Purple Coneflower , Aromatic Aster , Little BluestemGrasses : Buffalo Grass , Prairie Dropseed
Urban Tough Garden
Trees : Hackberry , Kentucky Coffee Tree , Bur OakShrubs : Ninebark , Gray DogwoodPerennials : Purple Coneflower , Wild BergamotGrasses : Little Bluestem , Prairie Dropseed
Seasonal Calendar for Midwest Native Gardening
Spring (March-May)
Early Spring ( March - April ):
Late Spring ( May ):
Summer (June-August)
Early Summer ( June - July ):
Mid - Summer ( July - August ):
Late Summer ( August ):
Rudbeckia
Fall (September-November)
other Fall ( September - October ):
recent Fall ( November ):
Winter (December-February)
Winter ( December - February ):
Dealing with Midwest Challenges
Extreme Temperature Swings
Plant Selection :
Garden Design :
Drought Tolerance
cryptical - Rooted Champions :
Water - Wise scheme :
Wind Resistance
geomorphological Strategies :
Urban Conditions
Pollution Tolerant Natives :
Tough Urban Trees :
Sourcing Midwest Native Plants
Regional Specialty Nurseries
Illinois :
Iowa :
Minnesota :
Wisconsin :
Missouri :
Ohio :
Seed Sources
Native Plant Societies
Success Tips for Midwest Native Gardening
Site Assessment
Prairie Establishment
set off with prove performing artist like Purple Coneflower , Little Bluestem , and Ninebark . Add a few prairie pasture and get the magic of plants that can survive anything the Midwest mood throws at them .
Before long , you ’ll understand why prairie restoration has become a passion for so many Midwestern gardeners .
Remember that “ Midwest native ” cover vast territory with significant climate variations . A flora that thrives in southern Missouri might not exist a Minnesota winter , so always verifyhardiness zones and instinctive ranges before planting .
Plant Selection Strategy
Long-Term Management
The Midwest Native Plant Legacy
The Midwest ’s native plants tell the story of one of Earth ’s greatest ecosystem – the tall-grass prairie that once covered 170 million land . When you imbed Midwest natives , you ’re not just create a garden ; you ’re participating in the renovation of America ’s most imperil ecosystem .
These works evolved with bison , elk , and passenger pigeon . They survived frappe ages , drouth , floods , and fires . They construct some of the earth ’s deepest , richest dirt . When you see a Big Bluestem grass bow in the wind or watch goldfinches feeding on Purple Coneflower seed , you ’re find millions of old age of phylogenesis in action .
The tonality to success with Midwestnatives is sympathize that these are n’t typical garden plants – they ’re survivor that acquire in one of the domain ’s most challenging clime . Give them the right conditions ( usually full Sunday and near drain ) , be patient during establishment , and prepare to be stunned by their resilience , beauty , and wildlife value .
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Martin Cole has been an zealous plant fan and nurseryman for more than 20 age and loves to talk and write about horticulture . In 2006 he was a finalist in the BBC Gardener of the Year competition . He is a member of the National dahlia Society .
He antecedently lived in London and Sydney , Australia , where he took a diploma course in Horticultural field and is now based in North Berwick in Scotland . He set up GardeningStepbyStep.com in 2012 . The site is direct at everybody who loves plants or has been bitten by the horticulture microbe and wants to recognize more .
garden Step by Step has beencited by Thompson and Morgan , the UK ’s largest mail ordering plant retailer , as a website that publishes adept gardening content .
