Native Plants in Minnesota
The native plants that belong in Minnesota gardens — grouped by sun, soil, and wildlife value.
65 native plants suit Minnesota's ecoregions and USDA zones 3–5. Below they're grouped by how you'd use them — full sun, shade, wet soil and rain gardens, dry, drought-prone ground, deer-resistant picks, groundcovers, pollinators, birds and hummingbirds — with a species table and when to plant.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
When to plant natives in Minnesota
Plant after your last spring frost — roughly May 5 in the milder south to May 22 in the colder north. Fall is often even better for perennials and shrubs — the soil is still warm and roots settle before winter, ahead of the first frost around September 18 in the north to October 5 in the south.
For full sun
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Wild Lupine Lupinus perennis
For shade
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum
- Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica
- Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata
- Wild Ginger Asarum canadense
- Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
- Pennsylvania Sedge Carex pensylvanica
- Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
- Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
For wet soil & rain gardens
- Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata
- Spotted Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium maculatum
- Common Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
- Culver's Root Veronicastrum virginicum
- Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica
- Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
For dry, drought-prone spots
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Wild Lupine Lupinus perennis
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
Deer-resistant
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Wild Lupine Lupinus perennis
- Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
Groundcovers
- Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum
- Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata
- Wild Ginger Asarum canadense
- Pennsylvania Sedge Carex pensylvanica
- Creeping Phlox Phlox subulata
- Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
For pollinators
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
For birds
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
- Pennsylvania Sedge Carex pensylvanica
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
- Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutans
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
For hummingbirds
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum
- Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana
- Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica
- Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata
- Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
- New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Identify Minnesota wildflowers by color
| Bloom color | Native wildflowers (typical U.S. bloom) |
|---|---|
| Blue | Aromatic Aster — Sky blue (Sep–Nov), Great Blue Lobelia — Deep blue (Aug–Sep), Wild Lupine — Blue-violet (Apr–Jun), Virginia Bluebells — Sky blue (Mar–May), Woodland Phlox — Lavender-blue (Apr–May) |
| Gold | Black-Eyed Susan — Golden yellow (Jun–Sep), Showy Goldenrod — Golden plumes (Sep–Oct), Stiff Goldenrod — Flat gold heads (Aug–Oct), Cup Plant — Yellow (Jul–Sep), Compass Plant — Yellow (Jul–Aug), Golden Alexanders — Chartreuse-gold (Apr–Jun), Maximilian Sunflower — Golden yellow (Aug–Oct), Lanceleaf Coreopsis — Bright gold (May–Jul) |
| Magenta | Purple Coneflower — Rosy purple (Jun–Sep), Dense Blazing Star — Magenta (Jul–Aug), Prairie Blazing Star — Purple-magenta (Jul–Aug), Purple Prairie Clover — Rose-purple (Jun–Jul) |
| Orange | Butterfly Weed — Vivid orange (Jun–Aug), Blanketflower — Red & gold (Jun–Sep) |
| Pink | Common Milkweed — Dusty mauve-pink (Jun–Jul), Swamp Milkweed — Rose pink (Jul–Aug), Showy Milkweed — Star-shaped pink (Jun–Jul), Spotted Joe-Pye Weed — Mauve-pink (Jul–Sep), Obedient Plant — Pink (Aug–Sep), Wild Geranium — Lavender-pink (Apr–Jun), Creeping Phlox — Pink to lavender (Apr–May), Prairie Smoke — Dusky pink nodding bells (Apr–May) |
| Purple | Wild Bergamot — Lavender (Jun–Aug), New England Aster — Royal purple (Sep–Oct), Anise Hyssop — Lavender-blue (Jun–Sep), Blue Vervain — Violet-blue (Jul–Sep), Pasque Flower — Lavender-purple (Mar–Apr) |
| Red | Wild Columbine — Red & yellow (Apr–Jun), Cardinal Flower — Electric scarlet (Jul–Sep), Wild Ginger — Hidden maroon (Apr–May) |
| White | Foxglove Beardtongue — White (May–Jun), Common Boneset — Foamy white (Aug–Sep), Rattlesnake Master — Greenish-white (Jun–Aug), Culver's Root — White candelabra (Jun–Aug), Common Yarrow — White (wild form) (May–Aug), Woodland Strawberry — Small white, five-petaled (Apr–Jun) |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
All 65 native plants for Minnesota
| Plant | Type | Sun | Soil moisture | Height | Typical bloom (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 3–4 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Aug |
| New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 3–5 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Sep–Nov |
| Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 1–2.5 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Full sun | Wet / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Full sun | Wet / Medium | 2–3 ft | Aug–Sep |
| Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | May–Jun |
| Wild Lupine Lupinus perennis | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 1–2 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Spotted Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium maculatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 4–7 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Common Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 3–5 ft | Aug–Sep |
| Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 5–8 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 5–9 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1.5–2.5 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–3 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Culver's Root Veronicastrum virginicum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 3–5 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | Aug–Sep |
| Blue Vervain Verbena hastata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 1.5–2 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica | Spring ephemeral | Part sun / Shade | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | Mar–May |
| Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 10–15 in | Apr–May |
| Wild Ginger Asarum canadense | Groundcover | Shade / Part sun | Medium | 4–8 in | Apr–May |
| Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum | Fern | Part sun / Shade | Wet / Medium | 2–4 ft | — |
| Pennsylvania Sedge Carex pensylvanica | Sedge | Shade / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 6–12 in | — |
| Creeping Phlox Phlox subulata | Groundcover | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 4–8 in | Apr–May |
| Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | — |
| Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 4–7 ft | — |
| Switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Ornamental grass | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 3–6 ft | — |
| Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–3 ft | — |
| Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutans | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 4–7 ft | — |
| Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 8–20 in | Jun–Aug |
| Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 5–8 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 6–16 in | Apr–May |
| Pasque Flower Pulsatilla patens | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 6–12 in | Mar–Apr |
| Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2.5 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | May–Aug |
| Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 5–10 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 5–10 ft | May–Jun |
| Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 6–9 ft | May–Jun |
| American Elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 6–12 ft | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–3.5 ft | May–Jul |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 5–10 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis | Small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 20–30 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–6 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Evergreen shrub (groundcover) | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 4–8 in | Apr–May |
| Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 30–50 ft | Jun |
| Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 6–15 ft | Apr–May |
| Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 3–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca | Groundcover perennial | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Medium | 4–8 in | Apr–Jun |
| Wood's Rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnifera | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 10–20 ft | May–Jun |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
Confirm any plant is native to your county with your state Native Plant Society before planting.
The Minnesota natives worth asking for
The natives worth asking for in Minnesota — with the botanical name to say at the counter, so you get the plant that feeds something.
The complete Native Plants of Minnesota
The native plants that belong in your yard — what to plant for pollinators, by zone, with bloom timing and a species table.
Want it on paper? See the printable Native Plants of Minnesota.