Native Plant Encyclopedia

Starter Lists

Some plants on these lists are not distributed throughout Minnesota.
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Plants for Shoreline Erosion Problems Plants for Shoreline Erosion Problems

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Name	Scientific Name	Life Form	Habitat	Exposure	Height(ft)	Spacing(ft)	Flower Color	Bloom Time
Bristly Sedge	Carex comosa	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	2.0 - 4.0	2-3	---	---
Fox Sedge	Carex vulpinoidea	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5	---	---
Lake Sedge	Carex lacustris	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	2.0 - 4.0	1.5-3	---	---
Marsh Spikerush	Eleocharis palustris	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	1.5 - 3.0	1-2	---	---
Nodding Wild Rye	Elymus canadensis var. canadensis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	2.0 - 3.0	1	---	---
Northern Blue Flag	Iris versicolor	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional	full sun, partial sun	1.5 - 3.5	2	Blue-violet	June-July
Prairie Cordgrass	Spartina pectinata	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	3.0 - 6.0	2-3	---	---
Pussy Willow	Salix discolor	Trees and Shrubs	transitional	full sun	5.0 - 15.0	5-10	---	---
Red Osier Dogwood	Cornus sericea	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	5.0 - 12.0	8-15	White	May-July
Rice Cut Grass	Leersia oryzoides	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	2.0 - 4.0	1-3	---	---
River Bulrush	Bolboschoenus fluviatilis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	aquatic, transitional	full sun	4.0 - 8.0	1-3	---	---
Sandbar Willow	Salix interior	Trees and Shrubs	transitional	full sun	5.0 - 15.0	5-10	---	---
Soft Stem Bulrush	Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	aquatic, transitional	full sun	3.0 - 9.0	1-3	---	---
Speckled Alder	Alnus incana ssp. rugosa	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	10.0 - 25.0	10	---	---
Spotted Joe Pye Weed	Eutrochium maculatum	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	3.0 - 6.0	3	Pink	July-Sept
Virginia Wildrye	Elymus virginicus var. virginicus	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	partial sun	2.0 - 4.0	1	---	---
White Meadowsweet	Spiraea alba	Trees and Shrubs	transitional	full sun, partial sun	3.0 - 5.0	3-6	White	June-August

Plants for Ice Ridges Plants for Ice Ridges

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Name	Scientific Name	Life Form	Habitat	Exposure	Height(ft)	Spacing(ft)	Flower Color	Bloom Time
Blue Vervain	Verbena hastata	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun	2.0 - 5.0	1-2	Blue	July-Sept
Bristly Sedge	Carex comosa	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	2.0 - 4.0	2-3	---	---
Fox Sedge	Carex vulpinoidea	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5	---	---
Grass Leaved Goldenrod	Euthamia graminifolia	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	2	Yellow	August-Sept
Junegrass	Koeleria macrantha	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 2.0	1	---	---
Lake Sedge	Carex lacustris	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	2.0 - 4.0	1.5-3	---	---
Little Bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5-2	---	---
Nodding Wild Rye	Elymus canadensis var. canadensis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	2.0 - 3.0	1	---	---
Obedient Plant	Physostegia virginiana var. virginiana	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	2.0 - 4.0	2	Pink	July-Sept
Prairie Cordgrass	Spartina pectinata	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	3.0 - 6.0	2-3	---	---
Red Osier Dogwood	Cornus sericea	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	5.0 - 12.0	8-15	White	May-July
Smooth Sumac	Rhus glabra	Trees and Shrubs	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	9.0 - 20.0	8	Whitish	June-July
Speckled Alder	Alnus incana ssp. rugosa	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	10.0 - 25.0	10	---	---
Spotted Joe Pye Weed	Eutrochium maculatum	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	3.0 - 6.0	3	Pink	July-Sept
Virginia Wildrye	Elymus virginicus var. virginicus	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	partial sun	2.0 - 4.0	1	---	---

Plants for Riprap Plants for Riprap

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Name	Scientific Name	Life Form	Habitat	Exposure	Height(ft)	Spacing(ft)	Flower Color	Bloom Time
Autumn Sneezeweed	Helenium autumnale	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	2.0 - 5.0	3	Yellow	August-Oct
Black Eyed Susan	Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5	Yellow	July-August
Blue Vervain	Verbena hastata	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun	2.0 - 5.0	1-2	Blue	July-Sept
Dark Green Bulrush	Scirpus atrovirens	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	2.0 - 5.0	2-3	---	---
Fowl Manna Grass	Glyceria striata	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	1	---	---
Fox Sedge	Carex vulpinoidea	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5	---	---
Golden Alexanders	Zizia aurea	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	1-2	Yellow	May-June
Grass Leaved Goldenrod	Euthamia graminifolia	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	2	Yellow	August-Sept
Heart Leaved Alexanders	Zizia aptera	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 2.0	1-2	Yellow	July-Sept
Junegrass	Koeleria macrantha	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 2.0	1	---	---
Knotty Rush	Juncus nodosus	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	1.0 - 1.5	1	---	---
Little Bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5-2	---	---
Obedient Plant	Physostegia virginiana var. virginiana	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	2.0 - 4.0	2	Pink	July-Sept
Path Rush	Juncus tenuis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	0.5 - 2.0	1-2	---	---
Prairie Cordgrass	Spartina pectinata	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	3.0 - 6.0	2-3	---	---
Rattlesnake Grass	Glyceria canadensis var. canadensis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	2.0 - 3.0	1-2	---	---
Spotted Joe Pye Weed	Eutrochium maculatum	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	3.0 - 6.0	3	Pink	July-Sept
Swamp Milkweed	Asclepias incarnata var. incarnata	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun	3.0 - 4.0	2-3	Pink	June-August
Tall Manna Grass	Glyceria grandis var. grandis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional	full sun	3.0 - 5.0	2	---	---
Virginia Creeper	Parthenocissus vitacea	Vines	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	2.0 - 30.0	2-8	---	---
Virgin's Bower	Clematis virginiana	Vines	upland moist	full sun, partial sun	6.0 - 10.0	1-3	White	July-Sept
Wild Grape	Vitis riparia	Vines	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	2.0 - 30.0	2-8	---	---
Woolgrass	Scirpus cyperinus	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	3.0 - 5.0	2-3	---	---

Plants for Steep Slopes Plants for Steep Slopes

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Name	Scientific Name	Life Form	Habitat	Exposure	Height(ft)	Spacing(ft)	Flower Color	Bloom Time
American Hazelnut	Corylus americana	Trees and Shrubs	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	3.0 - 10.0	4-8	---	---
Beaked Hazelnut	Corylus cornuta subsp. cornuta	Trees and Shrubs	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	3.0 - 10.0	4-8	---	---
Gray Dogwood	Cornus racemosa	Trees and Shrubs	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	5.0 - 15.0	8-15	White	May-July
Harebell	Campanula rotundifolia	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 1.5	1	Blue	June-Sept
Junegrass	Koeleria macrantha	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 2.0	1	---	---
Little Bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5-2	---	---
Nodding Wild Rye	Elymus canadensis var. canadensis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	2.0 - 3.0	1	---	---
Northern Plains Blazing Star	Liatris ligulistylis	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5	Pinkish; lavender	August-Sept
Red Osier Dogwood	Cornus sericea	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	5.0 - 12.0	8-15	White	May-July
Rough Blazing Star	Liatris aspera	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	1.5 - 4.0	1.5	Pinkish; lavender	August-Sept
Smooth Blue Aster	Symphyotrichum laeve	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	2-3	Blue-violet	August-Oct
Smooth Sumac	Rhus glabra	Trees and Shrubs	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	9.0 - 20.0	8	Whitish	June-July
Wild Bergamot	Monarda fistulosa	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	2.0 - 3.5	3	Lavender	July-August

Plants for Sandy Soils Plants for Sandy Soils

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Name	Scientific Name	Life Form	Habitat	Exposure	Height(ft)	Spacing(ft)	Flower Color	Bloom Time
Blue Monkey Flower	Mimulus ringens var. ringens	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	1	Blue-purple	July-August
Columbine	Aquilegia canadensis	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	2.0 - 3.0	1.5	Red and yellow	May-July
Common Boneset	Eupatorium perfoliatum	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	2.0 - 4.0	2-3	White	July-Oct
Dotted Blazing Star	Liatris punctata var. punctata	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland dry	full sun	0.5 - 1.5	1-1.5	Pinkish; lavender	August
Field Blue Eyed Grass	Sisyrinchium campestre	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	0.5 - 1.0	1	Pale blue	May-June
Gray Goldenrod	Solidago nemoralis	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland dry	full sun	0.5 - 2.0	1-2	Yellow	August-Sept
Hardstem Bulrush	Schoenoplectus acutus var. acutus	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	aquatic, transitional	full sun	3.0 - 9.0	1-3	---	---
Harebell	Campanula rotundifolia	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 1.5	1	Blue	June-Sept
Hoary Vervain	Verbena stricta	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 2.0	1-1.5	Blue	June-Sept
Little Bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5-2	---	---
Nodding Wild Rye	Elymus canadensis var. canadensis	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland moist, upland dry	full sun	2.0 - 3.0	1	---	---
Northern Plains Blazing Star	Liatris ligulistylis	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	1.5	Pinkish; lavender	August-Sept
Obedient Plant	Physostegia virginiana var. virginiana	Ferns and Wildflowers	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	2.0 - 4.0	2	Pink	July-Sept
Pearly Everlasting	Anaphalis margaritacea	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland dry	full sun	0.5 - 1.5	1	White	July-Sept
Porcupine Grass	Hesperostipa spartea	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland dry	full sun	3.0 - 4.0	1-2	---	---
Prairie Cordgrass	Spartina pectinata	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	full sun	3.0 - 6.0	2-3	---	---
Prairie Wild Onion	Allium stellatum	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 2.0	1	Pink	July-August
Rough Blazing Star	Liatris aspera	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	1.5 - 4.0	1.5	Pinkish; lavender	August-Sept
Sand Dropseed	Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	upland dry	full sun	2.0 - 3.0	1-2	---	---
Smooth Blue Aster	Symphyotrichum laeve	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist	full sun, partial sun	1.0 - 3.0	2-3	Blue-violet	August-Oct
Spreading Dogbane	Apocynum androsaemifolium	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	1.0 - 3.0	3	Pinkish	June-August
Upland White Aster	Solidago ptarmicoides	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland dry	full sun	1.0 - 2.0	1-2	White	July-August
Virginia Wildrye	Elymus virginicus var. virginicus	Grasses, Sedges and Rushes	transitional, upland moist	partial sun	2.0 - 4.0	1	---	---
Water Horsetail	Equisetum fluviatile	Ferns and Wildflowers	aquatic, transitional	full sun, partial sun	0.5 - 3.0	1-2	---	---
Wild Bergamot	Monarda fistulosa	Ferns and Wildflowers	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	2.0 - 3.5	3	Lavender	July-August

Live Stakes & Wattles (Moist Soils) Live Stakes & Wattles (Moist Soils)

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Name	Scientific Name	Life Form	Habitat	Exposure	Height(ft)	Spacing(ft)	Flower Color	Bloom Time
Bebb's Willow	Salix bebbiana	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist	full sun	5.0 - 15.0	5-10	---	---
Black Willow	Salix nigra	Trees and Shrubs	transitional	full sun, partial sun	30.0 - 50.0	20-30	---	---
Common Elderberry	Sambucus canadensis var. canadensis	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun, full shade	3.0 - 12.0	8	White	July-August
Peach Leaved Willow	Salix amygdaloides	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	30.0 - 50.0	20-50	---	---
Pussy Willow	Salix discolor	Trees and Shrubs	transitional	full sun	5.0 - 15.0	5-10	---	---
Red Osier Dogwood	Cornus sericea	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	5.0 - 12.0	8-15	White	May-July
Sandbar Willow	Salix interior	Trees and Shrubs	transitional	full sun	5.0 - 15.0	5-10	---	---
Silky Dogwood	Cornus amomum var. schuetzeana	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	5.0 - 12.0	8-15	White	May-July
Speckled Alder	Alnus incana ssp. rugosa	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist	full sun, partial sun	10.0 - 25.0	10	---	---
White Meadowsweet	Spiraea alba	Trees and Shrubs	transitional	full sun, partial sun	3.0 - 5.0	3-6	White	June-August

Live Stakes & Wattles (Dry Soils) Live Stakes & Wattles (Dry Soils)

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Name	Scientific Name	Life Form	Habitat	Exposure	Height(ft)	Spacing(ft)	Flower Color	Bloom Time
Downy Arrowwood	Viburnum rafinesquianum	Trees and Shrubs	upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun, full shade	4.0 - 8.0	3-6	White	May-June
Nannyberry	Viburnum lentago	Trees and Shrubs	upland moist	full sun, partial sun	10.0 - 20.0	10	White	May-June
Prairie Willow	Salix humilis	Trees and Shrubs	transitional, upland moist, upland dry	full sun, partial sun	3.0 - 9.0	3-6	---	---

Plants for Bounce (Water Fluctuation) Plants for Bounce (Water Fluctuation)

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