For fun, as I look forward to this coming growing season, I looked up what plants were native to my state of Minnesota. We have very cold winters, while our summers can be hot and humid. One thing you can say about our swings in the weather, however, is that we have four clearly defined seasons, each with their own challenges to our plant life. The native plants have learned to adapt to these challenges over the years. Here’s a list of the top eight, but there are many more plant varieties that thrive in our mixed conditions.
Purple Coneflower
Wild Petunia
Purple Milkweed
Prairie Onion
Tall Thistle
Rough Blazing Star
Louisiana Lettuce
Viper’s Bugloss
What I found very interesting is one of my absolute favorite flowers is number one on the list: the purple coneflower! It has large purple flowers with a reddish orange cone center. It’s a perennial that tolerates full sun or partial shade and needs little watering. Its stalks grow to between 2 to 4 feet. They’ll bloom from approximately July through October, giving you lots of time to admire the 15-20 petals on each flower.
Look up what’s native in your particular state. Let me know which are your favorites!
