Wisconsin Native Perennials

Jack-in-the-pulpit produces bright red berries by mid summer.

Southeastern Wisconsin sees temperatures sometimes as low as minus 20 Fahrenheit in the coldest of winters, with the central and northern counties even colder. This makes it sensible to select native perennials for your landscaping needs, since they already demonstrate the ability to survive such extreme weather.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) grows across Wisconsin, with damp areas supporting this perennial. As a landscaping perennial, Jack-in-the-pulpit works in shade gardens, woodland gardens and in naturalized areas. Growing to 2 feet, the plant is a wildflower that blooms in the springtime and then goes dormant by summer. The part of the plant that flowers (Jack) is an upright spike that produces tiny green-purple flowers, while the pulpit is in fact called a spathe -- a portion of the flower encasing the stalk and forming a protective hood over it. Mature Jack-in-the pulpits produce bright red berries that add ornamental appeal to the withering plant by mid to late summer.

Marsh Marigolds

Marsh marigolds (Calthra palustris) grow wild in Wisconsin in swamps, wetlands, damp meadows and woodlands, making it a species to consider for your wetter sites as a perennial flower. Marsh marigold actually belongs to the buttercup family, producing bright yellow flowers as wide as 1 1/2 inches. The foliage is a glossy shade of green and the plant grows to 2 feet. Marsh marigolds bloom during April and May. They are low maintenance, notes the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, requiring protection from drying winds.

Large Beard-Tongue

Perennial borders, cottage gardens and woodland sites are suitable for large beard-tongue (Penstemon grandiflorus), a perennial of the Wisconsin prairies that grows to 4 feet. Producing conspicuous, lavender flowers shaped like tubes up and down its flowering spikes, large beard-tongue has blue-green foliage. The species grows in dry but well-draining areas, with damp ground causing its roots to rot, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Large beard-tongue blooms at the end of spring.

Ninebark

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is a perennial, deciduous shrub that takes its name from the many layers of bark it possesses. The older branches have exfoliating bark, which peels off to expose the red-brown under-layers beneath it. Ninebark grows in sun and shade, with the shrub able to develop under most soil conditions. Ninebark grows to 8 feet, yields clusters of white and pink flowers during May and June, and serves many landscaping purposes. Use ninebark to form a hedge in Wisconsin, or opt to grow it in shrub borders as a screen or to prevent erosion.

References

• Missouri Botanical Garden: Arisaema Triphyllum
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Arisaema Triphyllum
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Calthra Palustris
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Penstemon Grandiflorus
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Penstemon Grandiflorus
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Physocarpus Opulifolius