Plant Finder

This tool contains information on plants native to MN that are generally commercially available. It is meant to help project planners identify plants that are most likely to thrive given each project’s unique mix of site characteristics and design criteria. It contains a number of optional filters to help select appropriate plants. There is no need to mark every checkbox or define every range in each filter category; you can just use the filter categories that best help “define” your project site and design intentions. Hover your mouse over a filter category for its definition, or learn more about the terminology and data sources used by the Plant Finder through the link below.

About the Plant Finder  MAP OF MN ECOREGIONS  MN NATIVE PLANT NURSERIES

Actaea racemosa

Black Cohosh

Actaea rubra

Red Baneberry

Ageratina altissima

White Snakeroot

Anemone canadensis

Canada Anemone

Anemone virginiana

Tall Thimbleweed

Angelica atropurpurea

Angelica

Arisaema triphyllum

Jack in the Pulpit

Asarum canadense

Wild Ginger

Asclepias incarnata

Marsh Milkweed

Astragalus crassicarpus

Ground Plum

Blephilia hirsuta

Hairy Wood Mint

Caltha palustris

Marsh Marigold

Castilleja coccinea

Indian Paintbrush

Chamerion angustifolium

Fire Weed

Chelone glabra

Turtlehead

Chelone obliqua

Rose Turtlehead

Cirsium muticum

Native Swamp Thistle

Claytonia caroliniana

Broadleaved Spring Beauty

Claytonia virginica

Spring Beauty

Desmodium canadense

Showy Tick-Trefoil

Dicentra cucullaria

Dutchman's Breeches

Dodecatheon meadia

Shooting-Star

Doellingeria umbellata

Flat Topped Aster

Echinacea paradoxa

Yellow Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower

Eryngium yuccifolium

Rattlesnake Master

Eupatorium maculatum

Joe-Pye Weed

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset

Eurybia macrophylla

Large Leaved Aster

Euthamia graminifolia

Flat-top Goldentop

Eutrochium purpureum

Sweet Joe-Pye Weed

Fragaria vesca

Woodland Strawberry

Fragaria virginiana

Wild Strawberry

Gentiana andrewsii

Bottle Gentian

Gentiana flavida

Cream Gentian

Geranium maculatum

Wild Geranium

Helenium autumnale

Sneezeweed

Helianthus occidentalis

Western Sunflower

Helianthus strumosus

Woodland Sunflower

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Virginia Waterleaf

Impatiens capensis

Jewelweed

Iris cristata

Dwarf Crested Iris

Iris versicolor

Blue Flag Iris

Liatris ligulistylis

Meadow Blazing Star

Lobelia cardinalis

Cardinal Flower

Lobelia siphilitica

Blue Lobelia

Maianthemum canadense

Wild Lily-of-the-Valley

Maianthemum racemosum

Feathery False Lily-of-the-Valley

Mertensia virginica

Virginia Bluebells

Monarda fistulosa

Wild Bergamot

Osmorhiza claytonii

Clayton's Sweetroot

Packera aurea

Golden Ragwort

Parthenium integrifolium

Wild Quinine

Pedicularis canadensis

Wood Betony

Phlox divaricata

Blue Phlox

Physostegia virginiana

Obedient Plant

Podophyllum peltatum

May Apple

Polygonatum biflorum

Solomon's Seal

Prunella vulgaris

Self-heal

Pycnanthemum virginianum

Mountain Mint

Rudbeckia laciniata

Green-headed Coneflower

Rudbeckia subtomentosa

Sweet Coneflower

Rudbeckia triloba

Thinleaved Coneflower

Rumex orbiculatus

Greater Water Dock

Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot

Sanicula marilandica

Maryland Sanicle

Senna hebecarpa

Wild Senna

Silene regia

Royal Catchfly

Silene virginica

Fire Pink

Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Narrowleaf Blue-Eyed Grass

Solidago flexicaulis

Zig Zag Goldenrod

Solidago rigida

Stiff Goldenrod

Solidago ulmifolia

Elmleaf Goldenrod

Sparganium eurycarpum

Giant Bur-reed

Stylophorum diphyllum

Celandine Poppy

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

New England Aster

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

Aromatic Aster

Symphyotrichum prenanthoides

Crooked-stemmed Aster

Symphyotrichum shortii

Short's Aster

Thalictrum dasycarpum

Tall Meadow Rue

Thalictrum dioicum

Early Meadow Rue

Thalictrum thalictroides

Rue Anemone

Tiarella cordifolia

Heartleaf Foamflower

Tradescantia ohiensis

Ohio Spiderwort

Trillium grandiflorum

Showy Trillium

Uvularia grandiflora

Large Flower Bellwort

Verbena hastata

Blue Vervain

Veronicastrum virginicum

Culver's Root

Viola canadensis

Canada Violet

Viola missouriensis

Missouri Violet

Viola pubescens

Yellow Violet

Viola sororia

Common Violet

Zizia aurea

Golden Alexander

Name	Type	Height	Light Exposure	Soil Moisture	Bloom Color
Black Cohosh Actaea racemosa a.k.a. Black Baneberry, Cimicifuga racemosa	Forb	3 - 3 to 5 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	White
Red Baneberry Actaea rubra	Forb	1 - 1.5 to 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White
White Snakeroot Ageratina altissima	Forb	2 - 2 to 4 feet	Part Sun	Medium	White
Canada Anemone Anemone canadensis	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium, Wet	White
Tall Thimbleweed Anemone virginiana	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	White, Green, Brown
Angelica Angelica atropurpurea	Forb	7 - 7 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Jack in the Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Forb	2 - 2 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Green
Wild Ginger Asarum canadense	Forb	0 - 6 to 12 inches	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	Pink
Marsh Milkweed Asclepias incarnata a.k.a. Swamp Milkweed	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Pink
Ground Plum Astragalus crassicarpus	Forb	2 - 2 foot	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Purple
Hairy Wood Mint Blephilia hirsuta	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	White
Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Sun, Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Yellow
Indian Paintbrush Castilleja coccinea	Forb	1 - 12 to 18 inches	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium, Wet	Red
Fire Weed Chamerion angustifolium	Forb	4 - 4 to 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Pink
Turtlehead Chelone glabra	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Rose Turtlehead Chelone obliqua	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Shade	Medium, Wet	Pink
Native Swamp Thistle Cirsium muticum a.k.a. Swamp Thistle	Forb	4 - 4 to 8 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium, Wet	Purple, Pink
Broadleaved Spring Beauty Claytonia caroliniana	Forb	0 - 3 to 8 inches	Part Sun	Medium	Pink
Spring Beauty Claytonia virginica	Forb	0 - 3 to 8 inches	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Pink
Showy Tick-Trefoil Desmodium canadense	Forb	4 - 4 to 5 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Pink
Dutchman's Breeches Dicentra cucullaria	Forb	1 - 1 foot	Shade	Medium	White
Shooting-Star Dodecatheon meadia a.k.a. Midland Shooting Star, Prairie Shooting Star	Forb	1 - 1 foot	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Flat Topped Aster Doellingeria umbellata	Forb	4 - 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Yellow Coneflower Echinacea paradoxa	Forb	1 - 1 to 3 feet	Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Yellow
Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Purple
Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	White
Joe-Pye Weed Eupatorium maculatum a.k.a. Eutrochium maculatum	Forb	5 - 5 to 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Pink
Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Large Leaved Aster Eurybia macrophylla a.k.a. Big Leaf Aster	Forb	2 - 2 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White
Flat-top Goldentop Euthamia graminifolia	Forb	2 - 2 to 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium, Wet	Yellow
Sweet Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium purpureum a.k.a. Eupatorium purpureum	Forb	5 - 5 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Purple
Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca	Forb	0 - 6 to 12 inches	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White, Yellow
Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana	Forb	0 - 6 inches	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Bottle Gentian Gentiana andrewsii	Forb	2 - 2 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Blue
Cream Gentian Gentiana flavida a.k.a. Gentiana alba	Forb	2 - 2 to 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	White
Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Purple
Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Forb	0 - 6 inches	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Yellow
Western Sunflower Helianthus occidentalis	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Yellow
Woodland Sunflower Helianthus strumosus	Forb	3 - 3 to 6 feet	Shade	Medium	Yellow
Virginia Waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Purple
Jewelweed Impatiens capensis a.k.a. Spotted Touch-me-not	Forb	2 - 2 to 5 feet	Sun, Part Sun, Shade	Medium, Wet	Yellow, Red, Orange
Dwarf Crested Iris Iris cristata	Forb	0 - 3 to 8 inches	Part Sun	Medium	Purple
Blue Flag Iris Iris versicolor	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Purple
Meadow Blazing Star Liatris ligulistylis a.k.a. Northern Blazing Star	Forb	3 - 3 to 5 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Purple
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Red
Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica a.k.a. Great Blue Lobelia	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Blue
Wild Lily-of-the-Valley Maianthemum canadense	Forb	0 - 6 inches	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	White
Feathery False Lily-of-the-Valley Maianthemum racemosum a.k.a. False Solomon's Seal, Smilacina racemosum	Forb	1 - 1.5 to 3 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White
Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica	Forb	2 - 2 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Blue
Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa a.k.a. Bee Balm	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Purple
Clayton's Sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii a.k.a. Sweet Cicely	Forb	1 - 1 to 3 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White
Golden Ragwort Packera aurea	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Sun, Part Sun, Shade	Medium, Wet	Yellow
Wild Quinine Parthenium integrifolium a.k.a. American Feverfew	Forb	1 - 1.5 to 3 feet	Part Sun	Dry, Medium	White
Wood Betony Pedicularis canadensis	Forb	1 - 1 foot	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Yellow, Red
Blue Phlox Phlox divaricata	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Purple
Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Pink
May Apple Podophyllum peltatum	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	White
Solomon's Seal Polygonatum biflorum	Forb	1 - 1 to 3 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White
Self-heal Prunella vulgaris a.k.a. Heal-all	Forb	0 - 2 to 12 inches	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Purple
Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum virginianum	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	White
Green-headed Coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata a.k.a. Wild Golden Glow	Forb	4 - 4 to 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium, Wet	Yellow
Sweet Coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa a.k.a. Brown-eyed Susan	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Yellow
Thinleaved Coneflower Rudbeckia triloba	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Yellow
Greater Water Dock Rumex orbiculatus a.k.a. Great Water Dock	Forb	3 - 3 to 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium, Wet	Pink, Red, Green
Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis	Forb	1 - 1 foot	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White
Maryland Sanicle Sanicula marilandica a.k.a. Maryland Black Snakeroot	Forb	1 - 1 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Yellow
Wild Senna Senna hebecarpa a.k.a. American Senna	Forb	3 - 3 to 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Yellow
Royal Catchfly Silene regia	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Part Sun	Medium	Pink
Fire Pink Silene virginica	Forb	1 - 12 to 18 inches	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Red
Narrowleaf Blue-Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium	Forb	0 - 6 to 12 inches	Sun, Part Sun	Medium, Wet	Blue
Zig Zag Goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	Yellow
Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida a.k.a. Rigid Goldenrod	Forb	4 - 4 to 5 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Yellow
Elmleaf Goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia a.k.a. Elm-Leaved Goldenrod	Forb	2 - 2 to 3 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	Yellow
Giant Bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Forb	3 - 3 to 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium, Wet	White, Yellow
Celandine Poppy Stylophorum diphyllum a.k.a. Yellow Weed Poppy	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Yellow, Orange
New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae	Forb	3 - 3 to 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Purple
Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium a.k.a. Aster oblongifolius	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Purple
Crooked-stemmed Aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Purple
Short's Aster Symphyotrichum shortii	Forb	1 - 1 to 4 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	Purple, Blue
Tall Meadow Rue Thalictrum dasycarpum	Forb	4 - 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Early Meadow Rue Thalictrum dioicum	Forb	1 - 1 to 3 feet	Part Sun	Medium	White, Green
Rue Anemone Thalictrum thalictroides	Forb	0 - 6 inches	Shade	Dry, Medium	Pink
Heartleaf Foamflower Tiarella cordifolia	Forb	0 - 6 to 18 inches	Sun, Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White
Ohio Spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Shade	Dry, Medium, Wet	Purple
Showy Trillium Trillium grandiflorum	Forb	1 - 1 to 2 feet	Shade	Dry, Medium	White
Large Flower Bellwort Uvularia grandiflora	Forb	2 - 2 feet	Shade	Medium	Yellow
Blue Vervain Verbena hastata	Forb	3 - 3 to 4 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	Purple
Culver's Root Veronicastrum virginicum	Forb	6 - 6 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Medium	White
Canada Violet Viola canadensis	Forb	1 - 1 to 3 feet	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	White
Missouri Violet Viola missouriensis	Forb	0 - 3 to 6 inches	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Blue
Yellow Violet Viola pubescens	Forb	0 - 6 to 12 inches	Part Sun, Shade	Medium	Yellow
Common Violet Viola sororia a.k.a. Common Blue Violet	Forb	0 - 3 to 8 inches	Part Sun, Shade	Dry, Medium	White, Purple
Golden Alexander Zizia aurea	Forb	3 - 3 feet	Sun, Part Sun	Dry, Medium	Yellow

This project was supported by the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center through an appropriation from the Clean Water Fund established by Minnesota Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment and from the Minnesota Stormwater Research Council. Information and photos were collected or supplied from many sources, including Plants for Stormwater Design: Species Selection for the Upper Midwest, the USDA and USFHA Ecoregional Revegetation Application, Minnesota Wildflowers, and the DNR Minnesota Biological Survey with funding from ENRTF. The State of Minnesota and DNR hold a copyright to the pollinator information provided.

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