9 Native Plants In Wisconsin

Wisconsin is the country’s Dairyland! People also call it the Badger State. It’s located in the upper midwestern region of the United States and is abundant in wildlife – both fauna and flora included.

A book on Wisconsin vegetation says that the state is home to various plants – some are of major ecological importance, while others exist as isolated populations found in unusual habitats and do not actually contribute to Wisconsin’s major biotic communities. Still, some of them are of incredible beauty and worth mentioning!

Without further ado, let’s learn about some plants native to Wisconsin!

What Is A Native Plant?

Native plants are also called indigenous. They can survive, develop, and adapt to a region’s climate, light, soil, and temperature conditions. This process usually lasts for thousands of years – this being one of the main characteristics that plants must fulfill to be called native.

In summary, any plant that grows naturally (without human introduction) and has lived in a region or area for thousands of years can be called native. Such a plant is essentially a part of a region’s ecosystem and not only fits but also thrives there.

9 Native Plants In Wisconsin

1. Bee Balm

The bee balm, also called the wild bergamot, is one of North America’s most widely distributed and abundant plants. It is primarily found in dry fields and thickets, thriving in rich limy soils. Growing from creeping rhizomes, the bee balm can reach 3 feet tall, producing some erect branches. They bear lance-shaped leaves with toothed margins and solitary clusters of up to 50 flowers.

The plant has been historically used in traditional medicine to treat colds and mouth and throat infections. Moreover, it is a source of antiseptic thymol, widely used in commercial mouthwash products. Besides, wild bergamot is popular in the tea-making industry.

In the wild, the bee balm attracts many pollinators like hummingbirds and bees, and it’s also a larval host for several insect species.

2. Wild Columbine

Although toxic, the wild columbine is appreciated for its beauty. It is found in woodlands and rocky slopes, reaching 35 inches tall and bearing fern-like leaves. The flowers are 1 – 2 inches long and feature yellow petals, red sepals, and a red spur. The wild columbine blooms in May or June, and its flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds thanks to the nectar found in the red spur.

This herbaceous perennial contains cyanogenic glycoside, which makes the plant toxic. Despite this, people often choose it as a decorative plant due to its rich foliage and unique flowers. Besides the plant’s long lifespan, it thrives in full sun and part shade as long as it receives the required water.

3. Culver’s Root

Besides enriching wild areas with its beauty, the Culver’s root is sought after by gardeners thanks to its foliage and flowers. The plant thrives in full sun to part shade, preferring moist, well-drained soils.

Culver’s root reaches around 79 inches tall and 18 inches wide in perfect growing conditions. It has erect, unbranched stems containing serrated leaves that grow in whorled groups of 3 to 7.

The Culver’s root blooms in summer and reveals its uniquely-shaped white flowers. The erect inflorescence contains slender, spike-like racemes. Sometimes they can have a beautiful pink or purple color.

4. Solomon’s Seal

The Solomon’s seal plant gets its name from its rhizome scars that resemble King Solomon’s ancient Hebrew seal. The plant has 3-foot-long leaf stalks containing alternately arranged leaves featuring prominent veins. This herbaceous species blooms from March to June, producing small, bell-like white flowers that often have a greenish shade. Afterward, the flowers produce small blueberries.

The Solomon’s seal plant grows best in rich, medium to wet soils in rocky woods and along stream banks. Its rhizomes and shoots are edible and feature anti-inflammatory, tonic, and sedative properties.

5. New England Aster

The New England aster is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful on our list, thanks to its distinctive flowers!

The plant grows up to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide, although it can exceed its typical height in suitable conditions, reaching around 7 feet tall. The plant’s stems are erect, stout, and unbranched. The dark green leaves are thin and alternately arranged. They’re typically lanceolate or oblong and have pointed tips.

The New England aster blooms in late summer or fall (sometimes even in November), making the plant even more unique, as it’s one of the few plants to bloom so late! The flower heads contain purple, pink, or white ray florets and yellowish disk florets that turn purple over time.

The plant seeds are a major food source for songbirds during fall and winter. Moreover, the plant is a great attraction for insects that feed on nectar, primarily moths, butterflies, flies, and ants.

6. Stiff Goldenrod

The stiff goldenrod grows best in open, dry areas with calcareous or sandy soils, and it is primarily found in savannas, prairies, and glades. The plant is pretty tall and produces large leathery leaves measuring around 3 – 7 inches long and 1 – 2 inches wide.

In late summer and fall, the stiff-leaved goldenrod unravels its beautiful yellow flowers, followed by its fruits, which are wind-dispersed achenes.

There are three stiff goldenrod subspecies grouped depending on where they grow. In Wisconsin, you’ll more likely stumble upon Solidago rigida subsp. humilis and Solidago rigida subsp. rigida, as the third subspecies, Solidago rigida subsp. glabrata grows primarily in the south-central United States.

7. Lingonberry

One of the most widely distributed plants on our list, the lingonberry is an evergreen shrub found only in some U.S. states, Wisconsin included. The plant’s stems are short, reaching only around 16 inches tall, and contain oval leaves that are alternately arranged. The leaves are smooth and shiny with slightly wavy margins and have a bright or dark green color.

The lingonberry blooms in early summer, exhibiting its gorgeous pale pink, bell-shaped flowers. The fruits appear in late summer or autumn and have a reddish color. The berries are popular fruits in various parts of the world, being cooked or sweetened before use, as they’re quite tart. People often consume them in the form of juices, jams, smoothies, or syrups. They are rich in vitamins and minerals that sustain the immune system.

8. American Beech

Native to the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, this deciduous tree grows up to 115 feet tall, featuring a smooth, gray bark. Its leaves are dark green and have toothed margins. The long, slender winter twigs can help you distinguish the tree from others in its habitat.

During the blooming season, the American beech produces flowers of both sexes, meaning it’s a monoecious species. The fruits are small nuts, which serve as a food source for various animals like wild turkeys, raccoons, white-tailed deer, opossums, and black bears. Besides this, deer sometimes feed on beech foliage.

However, the tree is prone to developing many beech-specific diseases that threaten its population. These include the beech bark disease and the beech leaf disease. 

9. Dwarf Lake Iris

Besides being a beautiful addition to North America’s wildlife, the dwarf lake iris is a popular ornamental plant in temperate areas.

This rhizomatous perennial plant develops slender rhizomes that are usually greenish-brown or yellow. The plant is divided into a central section and several outer sections, the latter featuring fibrous roots. The basal leaves are green, and the stems are short, even shorter than the leaves.

The dwarf lake iris produces 2-inch-wide flowers that can be blue, deep blue, violet-blue, sky blue, lilac, or deep purple. Rarely, the flowers can even be white, so consider yourself lucky if you spot such a specimen! Each flower has four petals, three sepals, and three smaller inner petals. The seed capsule appears in late July and is triangular or ovoid.

The plant grows best in calcareous soil, on sand, or bedrock. It can be found along shorelines and streams, on cliffs, and in ditches, meaning it tolerates various soils and habitats, so it can be easily grown as an ornamental plant.

Summary Of 9 Native Plants In Wisconsin

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Bryan Pollard/Shutterstock.com