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Rough Blazingstar
Herbaceous perennial reaching 60-120 cm tall. Features grass-like leaves and spikes of purple, tufted flowers blooming from top to bottom in late summer to fall. Prefers well-drained, sandy soils and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Attracts butterflies and supports native bees. Deep taproot makes it difficult to transplant. Suitable for prairie gardens, meadows, and sunny borders. Native to central and eastern United States.
Read MoreTamarack
Deciduous conifer reaching 15-25 m tall. Features soft, needle-like leaves in clusters, turning golden before dropping in fall. Produces small, upright cones. Prefers moist to wet, acidic soils and full sun. Tolerates poor drainage and cold temperatures. Provides food and habitat for wildlife, particularly in boreal regions. Suitable for wetland restorations and as a unique specimen tree in large landscapes. Native to northern North America.
Read MoreEastern Red Cedar
Evergreen tree growing 9-20 m tall with a pyramidal to columnar form. Features scale-like leaves and produces small, blue, berry-like cones. Adaptable to various soil conditions and full sun. Extremely drought-tolerant. Provides year-round cover and food for wildlife. Wood is aromatic and rot-resistant. Suitable for windbreaks, erosion control, and as a native evergreen in challenging sites. Native to eastern and central North America.
Read MoreButternut
Deciduous tree reaching 15-25 m tall. Features compound leaves and produces edible nuts enclosed in sticky, elongated husks. Prefers rich, moist, well-drained soils and full sun. Provides food for wildlife. Historically valued for its wood and medicinally. Currently threatened by butternut canker disease. Suitable for large landscapes and reforestation projects where disease is not prevalent. Native to eastern North America.
Read MoreHarlequin Blueflag
Herbaceous perennial growing 60-90 cm tall. Features sword-like leaves and showy blue-violet flowers with yellow and white markings, blooming in late spring to early summer. Prefers consistently moist to wet soils and full sun to partial shade. Rhizomes can help stabilize soil in wet areas. Attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators. Suitable for rain gardens, pond edges, and bog gardens. Native to eastern North America.
Read MoreWinterberry
Deciduous shrub reaching 2-4 m tall. Features elliptical, toothed leaves and inconspicuous white flowers in early summer, followed by bright red berries persisting into winter. Prefers acidic, moist to wet soils and full sun to partial shade. Dioecious, requiring both male and female plants for berry production. Provides winter food for birds. Suitable for rain gardens, wetland margins, and winter interest in landscapes.
Read MoreKalm’s St. John’s-wort
Compact evergreen shrub reaching 60-90 cm tall with narrow blue-green leaves and bright yellow flowers blooming July-September. Prefers well-drained, sandy or rocky soils and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Excellent for rocky slopes, dunes, and dry gardens. Native to Great Lakes shorelines. Provides winter interest and supports pollinators.
Read MoreSharp-lobed Hepatica
Early spring perennial reaching 8-20 cm tall. Features three-lobed evergreen leaves and blue to purple flowers blooming before new leaves emerge. Prefers rich, well-drained woodland soils and partial shade. Forms small colonies slowly through rhizomes. Important early nectar source. Suitable for woodland gardens and naturalizing in deciduous shade. Native to eastern North America.
Read MoreOxeye False Sunflower
Herbaceous perennial growing 90-150 cm tall. Features opposite, ovate leaves and bright yellow, daisy-like flowers blooming from early summer to fall. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun. Drought-tolerant once established. Long-blooming and low-maintenance. Attracts butterflies and supports native bees. Suitable for prairie gardens, meadows, and sunny borders. Native to eastern and central North America.
Read MoreWoodland Sunflower
Herbaceous perennial reaching 90-180 cm tall. Features opposite, lance-shaped leaves and bright yellow, daisy-like flowers blooming in mid to late summer. Prefers well-drained soils and partial shade to full sun. Spreads by rhizomes, forming colonies in favorable conditions. Attracts butterflies and supports native bees. Suitable for woodland edges, partially shaded gardens, and naturalized areas. Native to eastern North America.
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