Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
2–3 ft tall and it flowers in Aug and Sep — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Wisconsin · Zones 3–5
Native Plants for Wisconsin
Wisconsin gardens sit in the Midwest — a landscape of tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and Great Lakes woodland. The plants below evolved with that climate (cold continental) and are hardy through zones 3–5, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Midwest
Ecoregion: Northern forest, driftless prairie & oak savanna
Collections for Wisconsin
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Wisconsin. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
56 native species
For bees
53 native species
Butterflies
51 native species
Hummingbirds
14 native species
For birds
30 native species
Deer-resistant
44 native species
Full sun
54 native species
For shade
14 native species
Drought-tolerant
34 native species
Clay soil
46 native species
Rain garden
25 native species
Groundcovers
13 native species
Flowering shrubs
11 native species
Grasses
7 native species
Low-maintenance
31 native species
Fall color
13 native species
Fragrant
11 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Wisconsin.
A cross-section of the 66 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
A Wisconsin native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jul through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Native to Wisconsin and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Mar through May and reaches 1–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
2–4 ft tall and it flowers in Sep and Oct — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
A Wisconsin native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
5–8 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
2.5–4 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
8–15 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Sep — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
5–8 ft tall and it blooms Aug through Oct — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A Wisconsin native at 10–15 in tall that flowers in Apr and May, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Sep through Nov — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Native to Wisconsin and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in May and Jun and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
6–16 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–7 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
1.5–2 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun — an easy fit for Wisconsin, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Sourcing
Where to buy Wisconsin natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.