There are many excellent reasons to garden with native plants in the Midwest. Native plants are species that naturally grow wild in your region. They have evolved to thrive in the local climate and environmental conditions. Because they are well-adapted to live in that area, they don’t need extra watering or pesticides to grow, making them low-maintenance and a great choice for gardeners.
Other benefits of gardening with native plants include their diversity and beauty. There are native plants to fill any niche you have in your home garden. You can find plants for full sun or shade and dry or moist sites. There are spectacular tall trees and well-behaved, low-growing ground covers. Some wildflowers bloom in every season, and plenty of native plants benefit pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.
As you plan your landscape with native plants in mind, follow some general gardening rules. Study your landscape and learn your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Then, choose the best plants for your site. Regardless of whether you are planning a small corner garden or a full landscape makeover, you will be able to find plenty of native plants that will enhance your yard.
Keep reading to learn more about 31 different plants native to the Midwest, from ground covers to trees, for your landscape.
Trees
If you have enough space in your yard, think about planting a tree. Trees are beautiful and useful; they increase curb appeal, and they provide shade and wildlife habitat. Trees also provide year-round beauty, some with attractive spring flowers, some with spectacular fall foliage displays, and nice structure during the winter months.
Black Tupelo
The black tupelo is a low-maintenance, ornamental tree with enlivening fall colors.
 | botanical name Nyssa sylvatica |
|---|---|
 | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
 | height 30 – 50 feet |
 | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
The black tupelo, also called black gum or sour gum, is a beautiful shade tree native to eastern North America. This tree grows best in full sun or partial shade and prefers consistently moist soil. As a low-maintenance tree, the only things you need to do are plant it, water it well to help it settle in, and then enjoy this showy tree in your yard.
Black tupelo has simple leaves and miniscule, spring-blooming flowers. During the spring and summer months, it’s simply an attractive shade tree for your yard. In the fall, however, it turns brilliant shades of red and orange for a spectacular autumn display. Birds enjoy using the black tupelo for foraging, shelter, and nesting.
Fringetree
Compact and fragrant, fringetrees are ideal for landscaping, with showy spring flowers and fall foliage.
| | botanical name Chionanthus virginicus |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 12 – 20 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
Fringetree is a smaller tree species that makes a great landscaping plant. Fringetrees are dioecious, having separate male and female plants. Both flower in spring, but male trees tend to have showier flowers than female trees. A tree in full bloom will have the appearance of being covered with fragrant, creamy white, feathery blossoms, almost as if laden with patches of snow.
Fringetrees prefer a site with either full sun or partial shade. They like organically rich, medium-moisture soil. During drought, you may want to give your fringetree a bit of supplemental watering, especially if your soil is naturally on the dry side.
These trees have a bit of a shrubby appearance, generally forming several branching trunks and staying fairly compact. In the fall, the foliage turns bright yellow for a nice autumn display.
Tulip Tree
Choose the stately tulip tree for native shade, featuring tall trunks, showy flowers, and autumnal yellow leaves.
| | botanical name Liriodendron tulipifera |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 60 – 90 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 9 |
If you are looking for a stately native shade tree, the tulip tree is worth consideration. This Magnolia family tree grows a tall, straight trunk with a broadly pyramidal canopy shape. It does best in full sun but tolerates partial shade. Plant it in rich, moist, well-drained soil.
The tulip tree gets its name from the flowers that bloom in late spring or early summer. Tulip tree flowers are large and showy, attracting birds and insect pollinators. The flowers are typically high up in the tree, nestled amongst the leaves, and you may not even notice them until they fall on the ground below. In the fall, tulip trees develop beautiful yellow foliage.
White Oak
Plant the large white oak in spacious yards for a beautiful shade tree with lovely fall colors and abundant acorns.
| | botanical name Quercus alba |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 50 – 80 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
Stately white oaks are beautiful native landscaping trees, but they are large, so you’ll need a yard big enough to accommodate one. This is an excellent shade tree, well suited for a park-like setting with plenty of room. Grow your white oak in full sun with dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil.
This oak tree grows a thick trunk with many significant branches to create a full, rounded crown. The spring-blooming flowers are elongated growths called catkins, and while not showy, they are noticeable as they fall to the ground after flowering.
By late summer and into fall, oak trees produce an abundance of acorns that are a favorite wildlife food. White oaks have a somewhat muted but showy fall foliage display of reds, oranges, and browns.
Wild Plum
Compact wild plum trees offer edible fruits, fragrant blossoms, and ever-changing fall foliage.
| | botanical name Prunus americana |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 15 – 25 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
You may be familiar with domesticated plum trees. Wild plum is a smaller native tree that also produces edible fruits. These bloom in the spring with an abundance of beautiful, fragrant white blossoms that attract many pollinators. After flowering, they develop green fruits, which turn red and ripe by mid to late summer. The golf ball-sized fruits are also enjoyed by birds and small mammals.
Grow your wild plum in full sun or partial shade. The soil should be dry to medium moisture and well-drained. These small trees will spread by root suckers, creating a thicket or natural hedge.
Prune off any unwanted root suckers to maintain a more tree-like appearance and reduce the number of crowded plants in the area. In the fall, the leaves turn attractive shades of yellow and orange.
Shrubs
Planting shrubs is a great way to diversify your landscape. Shrubs add form and structure, provide habitat for birds and beneficial insects, and contribute to the beauty of your yard. Shrubs offer many benefits, including showy flowers, attractive fall foliage, and even edible fruits!
Black Chokeberry
Beautiful black chokeberry, suitable for hedgerows or rain gardens, offers tart fruits and displays of fall foliage.
| | botanical name Aronia melanocarpa |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 3 – 6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
The black chokeberry is a small to mid-sized deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. It is a good option for a hedgerow or rain garden. It’s also wonderful when allowed to naturalize and spread by root suckers. Grow it in full sun or as an understory plant in a partially shaded location.
This plant prefers medium-moisture, average, well-drained soil. It also tolerates periodically wet soil, so it would be a good addition to a rain garden location.
Black chokeberry shrubs bloom in the springtime. The blossoms occur in loose clusters, making an attractive display at full bloom. By late summer and into fall, the black chokeberry develops clusters of small, dark purple-black fruits that are extremely tart and astringent for humans, although birds seem to like them. The autumn foliage is also quite attractive, with bright shades of red and orange.
Buttonbush
Adaptable to moist landscapes, buttonbush enjoys wet conditions, boasting unique flowers and seedheads.
| | botanical name Cephalanthus occidentalis |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 5 – 12 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
Do you have a moist area or waterside location in your landscape? Buttonbush is a moisture-loving shrub that is very worthy for just that place. It grows well in full sun or partial shade and loves medium to wet soil conditions. This is a good plant to grow in those consistently damp places where it can be difficult to grow other interesting plants.
Buttonbush blooms in early summer. The unusual flowers are spherical and white, like soft, round pincushions. They are sweetly fragrant and attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and many other pollinators.
After blooming, the hard, round seedheads persist for several months. Buttonbush can sometimes become gangly-looking. If this happens, prune it to revitalize its shape and more compact form.
Fragrant Sumac
Grow charming fragrant sumac for bird-friendly fruits and vibrant fall foliage.
| | botanical name Rhus aromatica |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2 – 6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
Fragrant sumac is a small to medium-sized shrub native to eastern North America. This plant closely resembles poison ivy but does not contain any of the chemicals that cause poison ivy-related skin irritation. Grow fragrant sumac in full sun or with partial shade. It likes dry to medium-moisture, free-draining soil.
Fragrant sumac is a very attractive shrub. It produces small yellow flower clusters in the springtime and fuzzy-looking reddish fruits by mid-summer.
Birds love to eat the fruits, so this is a great wildlife plant. In the autumn, however, is when fragrant sumac shines. You will enjoy its spectacular display of brilliant scarlet-orange fall foliage.
Lead Plant
Suited for open landscapes, lead plant appreciates full sun.
| | botanical name Amorpha canescens |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2 – 9 |
Lead plant is a small shrubby pea family plant native to eastern North America. It naturally grows in fields, meadows, prairies, and open woodlands. In the home landscape, grow it in full sun with dry to medium-moisture, well-aerated soil. Plants may naturalize and spread over time by self-seeding, so be prepared to occasionally remove unwanted plants.
Lead plant has silvery-green, fern-like foliage, which is attractive throughout the growing season. In mid to late summer, it blooms with spikes of small purplish-blue flowers that are very appealing to butterflies.
Birds also forage on the flowers and seeds, and browsing herbivores enjoy eating the foliage. This plant develops a very deep root system, making it drought-tolerant once established.
Ninebark
Easy-to-grow ninebark, a native shrub, offers beautiful blooms and interesting paper-like bark for winter.
| | botanical name Physocarpus opulifolius |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 5 – 8 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2 – 8 |
Ninebark is a deciduous shrub native to central and eastern North America. This plant is easy to cultivate and is a beautiful addition to the landscape. Ninebark grows well in either full sun or partial shade.
It prefers well-drained soil. However, it also tolerates periodically wet soil conditions. Use it as a hedge plant or for erosion control, or plant it anywhere you want a beautiful flowering shrub.
Ninebark blooms in the late spring or early summer. The clusters of small white flowers are very showy and accent your garden with pollinator-friendly blossoms. The name ‘ninebark’ comes from the paper-like bark that sheds in layers. During the winter months, when plants have no leaves, the bark patterns add beautiful winter interest to the landscape.
Red Osier Dogwood
As a native shrub with red stems, red osier dogwood offers wildlife-friendly features and winter interest.
| | botanical name Cornus sericea |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 6 – 9 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 7 |
The red osier dogwood, also known as the red twig dogwood, is a deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. This shrub makes a good addition to a border or hedgerow. You can also allow it to take over locations with moist soil. There it spreads by root suckers and fills in an area between properties or along a stream or pond.
Red osier dogwood has simple green leaves with distinctive red stems. Its clusters of fragrant, white blossoms bloom in the springtime and attract pollinators.
In the summertime, birds will come to eat the small, round, reddish fruits, making this an excellent wildlife-friendly plant. In the fall, the leaves change to attractive oranges and reds. The bare red stems give this plant a distinct winter interest.
Wildflowers
If you have room for any native plant in your garden or landscape, you will certainly have room for at least a few varieties of wildflowers. Wildflowers are colorful and easy to grow. Many are easy to start from seed, which is a very economical way to incorporate native plants. Choose an assortment of flowering plants to guarantee that you have blooms from spring through fall. Plant wildflowers for long-lasting color and interest in your garden.
Black-Eyed Susan
Easy-to-grow black-eyed Susan has long-lasting, wildlife-friendly, bright yellow blooms.
| | botanical name Rudbeckia hirta |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 7 |
Black-eyed Susan is a very easy-to-grow wildflower native to the central United States. It is tolerant of a wide variety of growing conditions and is very reliable when started from seed.
Grow your black-eyed Susan plants in full sun with dry to medium-moisture soil. These absolutely need well-drained soil, too. Grow them as annuals or short-lived perennials. You will not find yourself lacking in these perky wildflowers since they readily reseed themselves.
Black-eyed Susans have a relatively long blooming period, typically from late spring until mid to late summer. The bright yellow flowers have distinctive dark brown to black centers and make excellent cut flowers. They are also excellent wildlife flowers. Butterflies and pollinators love the nectar, and birds forage on the dry seedheads.
Blazing Star
Simply bursting in prairies, blazing star exhibits spectacular, pollinator-attracting, purple blooms in summer.
| | botanical name Liatris spicata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
There are several different species of blazing stars. This variety, often simply called blazing star, or large blazing star, is a spectacular wildflower.
It is native to the prairies, meadows, and open woodlands of central North America. It thrives in full sun but tolerates some light shade. Give it a little water and well-draining soil.
Blazing star blooms in mid to late summer. The large, bushy, purple flowers develop along tall flowering spikes. The flowers open from the top down for an extended blooming period. While flowering, these plants are a pollinator favorite. After blooming, seed-eating birds forage on the dried seedheads.
False Solomon’s Seal
This native shade plant features fern-like leaves and fragrant spring blooms.
| | botanical name Maianthemum racemosum |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial shade |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
False Solomon’s seal, also known as the false lily of the valley, is an interesting foliage plant for your native shade garden. This herbaceous perennial is native to moist woodlands throughout North America. It grows best in partially to fully shaded areas with slightly moist, well-draining soil.
False Solomon’s seal blooms in the springtime. The flowers are dense, fingerlike clusters of tiny, fragrant, white blossoms. When grown en masse, they put on a beautiful spring display.
After flowering, plants develop small clusters of reddish fruits that contrast nicely with their leaves. The leaves are pale green and alternating, somewhat shaped like large fern fronds.
Garden Phlox
Showy garden phlox has pink to lavender-blue blooms and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
| | botanical name Phlox paniculata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 3 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 8 |
Garden phlox, also known as fall phlox, is a very showy herbaceous perennial that makes a wonderful addition to a native shade garden. Large heads of bright lavender-blue flowers bloom in the summer, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. There are several cultivars of garden phlox available, some with pink or white flowers as well.
Start yours from seed and watch it grow into dense clumps. This plant is useful for a shaded landscape with rich, moist soil. Some species of phlox are susceptible to powdery mildew, so keep your plants thinned to improve air circulation. Remove dead vegetation during the winter months to prevent re-infection.
Golden Alexander
Native to North America, this plant subsists in full sun, forming attractive colonies with yellow blooms.
| | botanical name Zizia aurea |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 1.5 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
Golden Alexander is an herbaceous perennial wildflower native to eastern and central North America. It grows best in full sun or light shade with moist, well-draining soil. This plant will grow into a large clump and make an attractive colony, especially if allowed to spread.
Golden Alexander blooms in the late spring. The flowers are slightly domed umbels and resemble yellow parsley flowers. After the flowers fade, the leafy clusters make an attractive landscaping plant. Golden Alexander is also the larval host plant for the woodland swallowtail butterfly.
Purple Coneflower
Native purple coneflower attracts butterflies, birds, and pollinators with long-lasting blooms.
| | botanical name Echinacea purpurea |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2 – 2.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
The purple coneflower is native to prairies, grasslands, and glades of eastern and central North America. This plant does fine full sun but performs best with light afternoon shade. It prefers non-compacted soil with dry to medium-moisture. You can grow purple coneflowers in virtually any design with other native wildflowers.
If you are looking for a plant that butterflies, birds, and pollinators all love, purple coneflower is an excellent choice. Pollinators come for the nectar in the summer, and birds eat the seeds in the fall months.
Purple coneflowers have a long blooming period. The showy pinkish-purple flowers are large and long-lasting and also make excellent cut flowers.
Red Columbine
Native to Eastern North America, red columbine prefers shaded, moist sites.
| | botanical name Aquilegia canadensis |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
Red columbine is a spring-blooming perennial wildflower native to eastern North America. This plant grows naturally in open woodlands and rocky glades. It performs well in full sun but prefers a shaded site with moist soil that drains well. Columbine makes an excellent addition to your native shade garden or wildlife-friendly garden.
Red columbine blooms in the spring. The red and yellow flowers are uniquely shaped and attractive to early-season hummingbirds. These plants are very easy to grow from seed, and they will freely self-seed in the garden. Seeing them en masse is a sight!
If you buy any of the numerous cultivars, allowing these plants to self-seed yields colors different from the parent plants. If you grow only the native red columbine, new seeds will grow true to form.
Rough Goldenrod
Native rough goldenrod shimmers in full sun, offering showy, pollinator-attracting blooms in fall.
| | botanical name Solidago rugosa |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3 – 5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 8 |
The rough goldenrod is an herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America. During most of the growing season, goldenrod develops plenty of leafy greenery. Then, in the fall, as your summer flowers fade, this showy native wildflower bursts into bloom with long stems lined with tiny bright yellow flowers. The flowers attract numerous pollinators and foraging birds.
Grow goldenrod in a location with full sun and medium to moist, soil that is well-drained. Goldenrods are easy to grow from seed and spreads by self-seeding and rhizomes, expanding into a lush colony.
If you don’t want these plants to spread, you must do some regular spring maintenance to pull unwanted seedlings and new plants growing outside of your desired goldenrod space.
Spreading Aster
The reliable spreading aster, native to the Midwest, offers fall blooms attracting pollinators and birds.
| | botanical name Symphyotrichum patens |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 8 |
Spreading aster is one of many species of aster available to the Midwestern gardener. This particular plant stays well-contained without growing too aggressively. It prefers full sun but also tolerates some light shade. Grow this aster in a spot with good drainage and consistent moisture.
Spreading aster blooms in the fall. When your summer wildflowers are going to seed, this aster is just getting started. The showy purple blossoms attract plenty of beneficial insects, and birds enjoy picking apart the dried seedheads.
Tickseed Sunflower
This flower is native to North America and quickly matures, offering sunny color and wildlife attraction.
| | botanical name Bidens aristosa |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 9 |
Tickseed sunflower is a showy wildflower native to central and eastern North America. This plant is grown as an annual or biennial, maturing quickly and reseeding itself readily in ideal conditions. Tickseed sunflower needs full sun and slightly moist, well-draining areas to grow in.
This sunflower blooms in early fall. The bright yellow flowers look great on a cluster of naturalized plants, adding a burst of late-season color to your landscape.
Butterflies and bees enjoy the flower nectar while the plant is blooming, and seed-eating birds enjoy picking apart the seedheads in search of cold season nutrition. Tickseed sunflowers grow and spread quickly. Remove any unwanted seedlings each spring to help keep the population at a desirable level.
Swamp Milkweed
Native milkweeds abound in wildlife gardens, hosting butterflies with their showy blooms.
| | botanical name Asclepias incarnata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 7 |
There are many varieties of milkweed, and any of the native species will benefit your wildlife-friendly garden. Swamp milkweed blooms appear in mid to late summer with clusters of very showy pinkish-purple flowers.
The flowers are a favorite of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Milkweeds are also valuable host plants for the monarch butterfly caterpillar.
As its name implies, swamp milkweed enjoys consistent soil moisture and tolerates periodically wet soil conditions. This plant needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is easy to start from seed and develops a deep taproot, making it somewhat drought tolerant but difficult to transplant once established.
Wild Bergamot
Native wild bergamot, a mint family member, easily spreads and brings in pollinators with fragrant blooms.
| | botanical name Monarda fistulosa |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
Wild bergamot is a perennial wildflower native to central North America. It is easily grown from seed and will self-seed in ideal conditions, spreading to form a dense colony. Grow it in full sun with semi-moist, aerated soil.
This bergamot is one of several varieties of beebalms, all of which are members of the mint family. All have showy flowers that lure in pollinators. Wild bergamot blooms in the summer and fall. The pink to lavender colored flowers are fragrant and tubular, inviting hummingbirds to visit for the nectar.
Vines
Vines are interesting plants to add to the landscape and native plant garden. To create some height and structure with herbaceous plants, grow a native vine on a trellis or along a fence. Many vines have colorful, nectar-rich flowers and make a good addition to a pollinator garden.
Limber Honeysuckle
Great for cooler climates, limber honeysuckle thrives in shade, offering hummingbird-attracting blooms and nesting habitat.
| | botanical name Lonicera dioica |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 5 – 10 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 5 |
The limber honeysuckle is a good vine for cooler climates in the upper Midwest. This plant lives in open woodlands and forest edges and would be a good addition to a shade garden. Grow it in moist, well-drained soil, and offer it a place to climb as it will try to climb and twine up anything standing nearby.
Limber honeysuckle blooms in the springtime. The flowers are stout, narrow, and tubular. Their color ranges from golden yellow to burgundy red. They are very attractive to hummingbirds.
By late summer, these plants produce clusters of small red fruits, which attract even more birds and small wildlife. Allow this plant to vine freely, and you will also create an interesting structural habitat for nesting birds.
Passionflower
Native to the southeastern U.S., passionflower, hardy to zone 5, provides showy blooms and wildlife benefits.
| | botanical name Passiflora incarnata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 6 – 8 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
Passionflower is an interesting vine native to the southeastern United States. It is hardy to zone 5, and its natural range includes several lower Midwestern states. It will sprawl along the ground as a cover, but it would much prefer to grow vertically. If you offer it a trellis or arbor to climb, it stands as an attractive fruiting vine.
Passionflower blooms in the summer and into fall. The flowers are large and wild-looking. They come in combinations of pink, purple, and white with prominent yellow anthers. The flowers are a big hit with pollinators, and mammals enjoy munching on the fruits. Passionflower is also the host plant for several species of butterflies, most notably the Fritillary.
Woodbine
Lovely woodbine clematis produces showy white blossoms and attracts pollinators.
| | botanical name Clematis virginiana |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 12 – 20 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
Woodbine is a variety of clematis native to eastern parts of North America. It grows well in full sun or partial shade and appreciates slightly moist, well-drained soil. This is a substantial climbing vine that needs a fence, trellis, or arbor to grow on.
Do not confuse this plant with the invasive sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora), which is similar but has smooth-edged, more leathery leaves.
Woodbine blooms in late summer and into early fall. The clusters of white blossoms are very soft and white, covering the canopy of vine growth with abundant pollinator-friendly flowers. After blooming, showy seed heads linger on the plant for added interest. These plants tend to self-seed vigorously and spread by suckering roots, so keep an eye on them and pull any unwanted new growth.
Ground Covers
Just about any landscape design would benefit from some ground cover plants. Ground covers are useful along edges, borders, and pathways. They can be useful anywhere you are seeking a low-growing plant. There are ground cover plants suitable for both sun and shade areas, so you are sure to find something to suit your needs.
Christmas Fern
Ideal for shade gardens, this fern stays green year-round, offering attractive foliage.
| | botanical name Polystichum acrostichoides |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial to full shade |
| | height 1 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
Ferns are a great choice for a shade garden or any shaded part of your landscape. The Christmas fern, also known as the Christmas dagger fern, is an easy-to-grow fern native to central and eastern North American regions.
It thrives in moist, well-drained, shaded sites, particularly in woodlands or along stream banks. In the home garden, it is low-maintenance and attractive.
The Christmas fern stays green throughout the year, even through the winter, before renewing with fresh foliage in the spring. Ferns don’t flower but provide attractive, long-lasting foliage that adds interest and diversity to your native plant garden. Ferns also provide cover and shelter for birds, insects, and various other small animals.
Coral Bells
This low-growing perennial forms a ground cover with attractive foliage and spring blooms.
| | botanical name Heuchera americana |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 1 – 1.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 9 |
Coral bells is an herbaceous perennial native to central North America. This plant is a clump-forming, low-growing wildflower that makes an excellent ground cover.
Grow it in a shaded location with rich, moist, well-drained soil for best results. These plants spread over time by rhizomes, filling the available space with attractive foliage.
Coral bells bloom in the springtime. The flowers are small but still attractive and showy. Several cultivars of coral bells have very stunning leaves and an assortment of colorful flowers. These are a welcome addition to your shade garden as well.
Dwarf Crested Iris
Pretty dwarf crested iris, a northeastern native with showy blooms.
| | botanical name Iris cristata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 0.5 – 0.75 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
This iris is an attractive spring-blooming perennial native to the northeastern United States. It grows best in rich, moist, well-drained soil. This plant does well in either full sun or partial shade but will bloom more in a sunnier location.
Dwarf crested iris stays small and compact. The large, showy, pale purple flowers are borne individually on long, sturdy stems.
Over time, plants spread by thick creeping rhizomes, forming a dense colony of sword-like foliage. Clusters of iris are easily divided for thinning and replanting, as desired.
Wild Strawberry
An edible ground cover, wild strawberries spread rapidly in sunny, rich soil.
| | botanical name Fragaria virginiana |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 0.25 – 0.75 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
If you’re interested in a ground cover that you can eat, wild strawberries are a good option. You will, however, be competing with the birds for the sweet fruits. Strawberry plants call to pollinators with their spring-blooming blossoms, and birds and small mammals come to partake of the small red fruits.
Grow your wild strawberry plants in a sunny spot with moist, well-drained soil rich in nutrients. If you hope to eat the fruits, cover them to protect them from hungry wildlife. You can protect a few plants for yourself and offer the others for sharing. Strawberry plants spread by runners, creating a vibrant colony of intertwining plants.
Wintergreen
Low-lying wintergreen, native to North America, features evergreen foliage and modest spring flowers.
| | botanical name Chimaphila maculata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial to full shade |
| | height 0.5 – 0.75 foot |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 8 |
If you’re looking for a native understory woodland plant that won’t take over a small space, wintergreen is perfect. It’s native to central and eastern North America, where it is found in dry parts of the woodlands.
Wintergreen has evergreen foliage that persists throughout the cold months. In the springtime, a few interestingly-shaped white, nodding flowers emerge from each pair of leaves.
This plant won’t cover the ground like many ground covers, but if you have the right conditions to grow it, wintergreen is an attractive low-growing woodland plant for your shade garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a single raised bed, or a landscape designed around raised bed gardening, you can grow a lot of beautiful native wildflowers! You probably won’t be growing trees or shrubs in your raised beds, but you can certainly grow an assortment of ground covers, vines, and flowers. Anywhere you grow, native plants will have ornamental value as well as wildlife value to attract pollinators and birds.
The easiest and most reliable time to start wildflowers from seed or transplants is fall or early spring. Many wildflowers can be sown in the winter to provide proper cold exposure for germination. Before planting, plan your site and prepare the soil. Select flowers native to your region, and remember that you don’t have to plant everything all at once.
You can design a landscape entirely of native plants, or combine native and non-native species. There’s no absolute single right or wrong way to create your own garden. If you have a favorite non-native plant, like zinnias, add a few of those as well.
Final Thoughts
Gardening with native plants can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. Midwestern gardeners will find many wonderful plants to choose from, and there should be plenty of native plants to meet any of your gardening needs.
Look for an appealing variety of colors, structures, blooming times, and other qualities to help give your garden a well-balanced appeal for all seasons. Gardening with native plants will allow you less time spent with watering and fertilizing and more time to relax and enjoy the pollinators!
