Selecting Minnesota Native Plants for your Landscape
Nanette Morgan, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener
Did you know that big bluestem grass, a Minnesota native plant, provides food or habitat for 24 different songbirds and 11 species of butterflies? Or that the skipper butterfly requires both big bluestem and prairie dropseed for food? If you are looking for ways to invite wildlife into your yard, choosing plants that are native to Minnesota is a great way to get started.
If a plant was present in our ecosystem prior to colonization, it is considered a native species. Gardening with native plants has a wide range of benefits. In addition to attracting and supporting wildlife, native plants generally require less maintenance than cultivated specimens due to their extensive root systems, which also help prevent soil erosion.
Here are some examples of Minnesota native plants and the wildlife they support.
Bees
anise hyssop, blazing star, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, prairie dropseed (nesting), purple prairie clover, sky blue aster, wild columbine
Butterflies
anise hyssop, big blue stem, blazing star, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, sky blue aster, wild columbine, white prairie clover, yarrow
Birds
blazing star, cardinal flower, prairie dropseed, wild columbine
Native plants require care when first planted, but if you choose the right plant for your site, you can expect them to thrive with little maintenance. Some plants need specific conditions, while others will grow almost anywhere. For example, wild columbine tolerates a wide range of soils, while prairie dropseed prefers drier locations. It’s important to research plant requirements, test your soil, and observe sun exposure before selecting plants.
You can experiment with a variety of native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers to design a space that will support multiple species in addition to providing you with a visually pleasing design. If you are considering replacing large patches of lawn with native grasses and/or native plants and you live in an urban or suburban neighborhood with local ordinances, you may want to add structural design elements such as fencing, rocks, mulch, or mowed spaces to ensure that your yard looks tended.
If you are on a budget, your local nursery has a limited selection, or you prefer to grow plants from seed, many native plants can be grown from seed. Read the instructions on the seed packet, because most natives require cold stratification before they will germinate. You can cold stratify seeds by mixing them with damp sand and placing them in the refrigerator for about two months, or until they sprout. Alternately, seeds can be planted in containers, covered with mulch, and stored in a protected area or unheated garage. In both cases, keep the seeds moist, which simulates winter conditions. Another option is to plant the seeds in the ground in the fall, but this could result in lower germination rates if some seeds are eaten by wildlife or washed away by rain.
Growing native plants is a great way to support area wildlife while also enhancing your landscape, so I hope you’ll make room for some in your garden!
The University of Minnesota Extension site has more resources on native plant selection: Native plants | UMN Extension
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