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. If you’d like to filter plants by their native range, we suggest using Ecoregion—you can find a map of MN’s ecoregions here. After you’ve come up with a list of plants, we have a growing list of Native Plant nurseries around the state here.
Name | Type | Height | Light Exposure | Soil Moisture | Bloom Color |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Actaea pachypoda
|
Forb |
1 -
1.5 to 3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry |
White |
Actaea rubra
|
Forb |
1 -
1.5 to 3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Agalinis tenuifolia
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Pink |
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
|
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun |
Medium |
White, Pink, Green |
|
Ageratina altissima
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 4 feet |
Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Agrimonia gryposepala
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Allium canadense
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium, Wet |
White, Purple |
Allium cernuum
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Pink |
Anaphalis margaritacea
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
White, Yellow |
Anemone canadensis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium, Wet |
White |
Anemone cylindrica
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Angelica atropurpurea
|
Forb |
7 -
7 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Antennaria neglecta
|
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
|
Asarum canadense
|
Forb |
0 -
6 to 12 inches |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
Pink |
Asclepias exaltata
|
Forb |
5 -
5 feet |
Sun |
Medium |
White |
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Pink |
|
Asclepias speciosa
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White, Pink |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Medium, Wet |
Pink |
|
Asclepias syriaca
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Pink |
Asclepias verticillata
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Astragalus canadensis
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Astragalus crassicarpus
|
Forb |
2 -
2 foot |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Purple |
Baptisia bracteata
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Forb |
2 -
2.5 to 5 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White |
|
Blephilia hirsuta
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Forb |
3 -
3 to 6 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White |
|
Callirhoe involucrata
|
Forb |
0 -
6 to 12 inches |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Pink |
Caltha palustris
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
Yellow |
Forb |
5 -
5 to 7 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Wet |
White |
|
Campanula rotundifolia
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
Chamaecrista fasciculata
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Chamerion angustifolium
|
Forb |
4 -
4 to 6 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Pink |
Chelone glabra
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Forb |
4 -
4 to 7 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White, Pink |
|
Forb |
4 -
4 to 8 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium, Wet |
Purple, Pink |
|
Claytonia caroliniana
|
Forb |
0 -
3 to 8 inches |
Part Sun |
Medium |
Pink |
Claytonia virginica
|
Forb |
0 -
3 to 8 inches |
Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
Pink |
Coreopsis lanceolata
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Yellow |
Coreopsis palmata
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Dalea candida
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
White |
Dalea purpurea
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
Dalea villosa
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
Forb |
2 -
2 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
White |
|
Desmodium canadense
|
Forb |
4 -
4 to 5 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Pink |
Dicentra cucullaria
|
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Shade |
Medium |
White |
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Sun |
Medium |
White, Purple, Pink |
|
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
|
Doellingeria umbellata
|
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
|
Eryngium yuccifolium
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Forb |
5 -
5 to 6 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Pink |
|
Eupatorium perfoliatum
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Euphorbia corollata
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
|
Euthamia graminifolia
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium, Wet |
Yellow |
Fragaria vesca
|
Forb |
0 -
6 to 12 inches |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White, Yellow |
Fragaria virginiana
|
Forb |
0 -
6 inches |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Galium boreale
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun |
Medium |
White |
Forb |
2 -
2 to 3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White |
|
Geranium maculatum
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Purple |
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry |
Pink |
|
Hedyotis longifolia
|
Forb |
0 -
6 to 12 inches |
Sun |
Dry |
White |
Helenium autumnale
|
Forb |
0 -
6 inches |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Yellow |
Helianthus laetiflorus
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Helianthus maximiliani
|
Forb |
4 -
4 to 5 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Helianthus occidentalis
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Yellow |
Helianthus pauciflorus
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Helianthus strumosus
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 6 feet |
Shade |
Medium |
Yellow |
Heliopsis helianthoides
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Hibiscus laevis
|
Forb |
5 -
5 to 7 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Wet |
White, Pink, Red |
Hydrophyllum virginianum
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
Purple |
Hypericum pyramidatum
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Forb |
2 -
2 to 5 feet |
Sun, Part Sun, Shade |
Medium, Wet |
Yellow, Red, Orange |
|
Iris versicolor
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
Lespedeza capitata
|
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 5 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
|
Liatris punctata
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
Liatris pycnostachya
|
Forb |
4 -
4 to 5 feet |
Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
Lycopus americanus
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Wet |
White |
Maianthemum canadense
|
Forb |
0 -
6 inches |
Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
White |
Maianthemum racemosum
a.k.a. False Solomon's Seal, Smilacina racemosum
|
Forb |
1 -
1.5 to 3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Purple |
|
Monarda punctata
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
Nelumbo lutea
|
Forb |
0 -
6 inches |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Oenothera rhombipetala
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Yellow |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
|
Packera aurea
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun, Shade |
Medium, Wet |
Yellow |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
|
Forb |
1 -
1.5 to 3 feet |
Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White |
|
Pedicularis canadensis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Yellow, Red |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
|
Penstemon gracilis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Pink |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Pink |
|
Phlox divaricata
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
Purple |
Phlox pilosa
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Pink |
Physostegia virginiana
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Pink |
Podophyllum peltatum
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
White |
Polygonatum biflorum
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Pontederia cordata
|
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun |
Wet |
Purple |
Potentilla arguta
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Forb |
0 -
2 to 12 inches |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Purple |
|
Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
|
Forb |
0 -
3 inches |
Sun |
Dry |
White |
Pycnanthemum virginianum
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Ranunculus pensylvanicus
|
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun, Shade |
Wet |
Yellow |
Ratibida columnifera
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Ratibida pinnata
|
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Rudbeckia hirta
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Forb |
4 -
4 to 6 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium, Wet |
Yellow |
|
Rudbeckia triloba
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Yellow |
Ruellia humilis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Purple |
Forb |
3 -
3 to 6 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium, Wet |
Pink, Red, Green |
|
Sagittaria latifolia
|
Forb |
2 -
2 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Wet |
White |
Sanguinaria canadensis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 foot |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Yellow |
|
Silphium laciniatum
|
Forb |
6 -
6 to 9 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Silphium perfoliatum
|
Forb |
8 -
8 to 10 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun |
Medium |
Purple, Blue |
|
Solidago flexicaulis
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
Yellow |
Solidago nemoralis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Solidago ptarmicoides
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
White |
Solidago riddellii
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 5 feet |
Sun |
Medium |
Yellow |
Forb |
4 -
4 to 5 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Yellow |
|
Solidago speciosa
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 5 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
Forb |
2 -
2 to 3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
Yellow |
|
Sparganium eurycarpum
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 6 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium, Wet |
White, Yellow |
Symphyotrichum ericoides
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
White |
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 6 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Purple |
|
Symphyotrichum prenanthoides
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
Forb |
2 -
2 to 3 feet |
Sun |
Wet |
White, Purple, Pink |
|
Symphyotrichum sericeum
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Yellow, Purple, Pink |
Symphyotrichum shortii
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 4 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
Purple, Blue |
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Yellow, Pink |
|
Thalictrum dasycarpum
|
Forb |
4 -
4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Thalictrum dioicum
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Part Sun |
Medium |
White, Green |
Thalictrum thalictroides
|
Forb |
0 -
6 inches |
Shade |
Dry, Medium |
Pink |
Tiarella cordifolia
|
Forb |
0 -
6 to 18 inches |
Sun, Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Tradescantia bracteata
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
Tradescantia ohiensis
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Shade |
Dry, Medium, Wet |
Purple |
Trillium grandiflorum
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 2 feet |
Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White |
Uvularia grandiflora
|
Forb |
2 -
2 feet |
Shade |
Medium |
Yellow |
Valeriana edulis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Wet |
White |
Verbena hastata
|
Forb |
3 -
3 to 4 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
Verbena stricta
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Purple |
Vernonia fasciculata
|
Forb |
5 -
5 feet |
Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
Veronicastrum virginicum
|
Forb |
6 -
6 feet |
Sun, Part Sun |
Medium |
White |
Viola canadensis
|
Forb |
1 -
1 to 3 feet |
Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
White |
Viola pedata
|
Forb |
0 -
3 to 6 inches |
Sun |
Dry, Medium |
Purple |
Viola pedatifida
|
Forb |
0 -
4 to 8 inches |
Sun |
Medium |
Purple |
Viola pubescens
|
Forb |
0 -
6 to 12 inches |
Part Sun, Shade |
Medium |
Yellow |
Forb |
0 -
3 to 8 inches |
Part Sun, Shade |
Dry, Medium |
White, Purple |
|
Zizia aptera
|
Forb |
3 -
3 feet |
Sun |
Dry |
Yellow |
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.