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Native Plants of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit

Updated: Feb 23

The glacial features and rolling terrain of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit provide a variety of natural habitats for various plants and animals. Whether you are looking to identify plants as you hike through the state forest or would like to create a natural habitat at your home, we have compiled a list of native plants of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit. Planting a pollinator-friendly garden is a win-win.


Native Flowers


Common Milkweed

Scientific Name: Asclepias syriaca

Bloom Time: June - August

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Randy Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Swamp Milkweed

Scientific Name: Asclepias incarnata

Bloom Time: July -

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds


Andrew C, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Butterfly Milkweed

Scientific Name: Asclepias tuberosa

Bloom Time: July - August

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Ragesoss, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Whorled Milkweed

Scientific Name: Asclepias verticillata

Bloom Time: June - September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Moths


George F Mayfield, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Purple Prairie Clover

Scientific Name: Petalostem Purpureum

Bloom Time: June - August

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Moths


Image by Flickr - Frank Mayfield
 

Lead Plant

Scientific Name: Amorpha canecens

Bloom Time: June-July

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Moths


https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Swamp Thistle

Scientific Name: Cirsium muticum

Bloom Time: July - October

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Superior National Forest, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Field Thistle

Scientific Name: Cirsium discolor

Bloom Time: July - October

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Joshua Mayer from Madison, WI, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

New England Aster

Scientific Name:Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Bloom Time: August - October

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


The Cosmonaut, CC BY-SA 2.5 CA, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Calico Aster

Scientific Name: Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Bloom Time: August - November

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Moths


Cbaile19, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Culver's Root

Scientific Name: Veronicastrum virginicum

Bloom Time: June - September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Crazytwoknobs, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Rattlesnake Master

Scientific Name: Eryngium yuccifolium

Bloom Time: September - November

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Crazytwoknobs, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Blazing Stars

Scientific Name: Liatris spicata

Bloom Time: July - September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds


I, MJJR, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Ironweed

Scientific Name: Vernonia fasciculata

Bloom Time: July -September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds



 

Anise Hyssop

Scientific Name: Agastache foeniculum

Bloom Time: June - September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds


R. A. Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Wild Bergamot

Scientific Name: Monarda fistulosa

Bloom Time: July - September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds


USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Pale Purple Coneflower

Scientific Name: Echinacea pallida

Bloom Time: June - October

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds


SEWilco, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Evening Primrose

Scientific Name: Oenothera biennis

Bloom Time: June - September

Attracts: Bees, Hummingbirds, Moths


Cbaile19, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Columbine

Scientific Name: Aquilegia canadensis

Bloom Time: April - May

Attracts: Hummingbird & Moths


Ragesoss, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

White Wild Indigo

Scientific Name: Baptisia alba

Bloom Time: June - July

Attracts: Bees, Hummingbirds, Moths


Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Cardinal Flower

Scientific Name: Lobelia cardinalis

Bloom Time: July - September

Attracts: Butterflies & Hummingbirds


Hardyplants, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Great Blue Lobelia

Scientific Name: Lobelia siphilitica

Bloom Time: August - September

Attracts: Bees & Hummingbirds


Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Smooth Beardtongue

Scientific Name: Penstemon digitalis

Bloom Time: May - July

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Black-Eyed Susan

Scientific Name: Rudbeckia Hirta

Bloom Time: June - September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Moths


Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Goldenrods

Scientific Name: Solidago rigida or speciosa

Bloom Time:

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Moths


Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Joe-Pye Weed

Scientific Name: Eupatorium maculatum

Bloom Time: July - September

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Moths


Kor!An (Андрей Корзун), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Boneset

Scientific Name: Eupatorium perfoliatum

Bloom Time: July - October

Attracts: Bees, Hummingbirds, Moths


I, SB Johnny, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Pasque Flower

Scientific Name: Pulsatilla vulgaris

Bloom Time: March April

Attracts: Bees


Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Bird's Foot Violet

Scientific Name: Viola pedata

Bloom Time: April - June

Attracts: Bees & Butterflies


Eric in SF, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Hoary Puccoon

Scientific Name: Lithospermum canescens

Bloom Time: April - June

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Moths


Superior National Forest, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Downy Phlox

Scientific Name: Phlox pilosa

Bloom Time: April to June

Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds


sonnia hill, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Ohio Spiderwort

Scientific Name: Tradescantia ohiensis

Bloom Time: May - July

Attracts: Bees & Butterflies


Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Compass Plant

Scientific Name: Silphium laciniatum

Bloom Time: July - September

Attracts: Bee & Butterflies


wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Native Grasses

Little Bluestem

Scientific Name: Schizachyrium scoparium

Bloom Time: July - September

Attracts: Bees & Butterflies


Joshua Mayer from Madison, WI, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Indian Grass

Scientific Name: Sorghastrum nutans

Bloom Time: July - September

Attracts: Bees & Butterflies


Jennifer Anderson. United States, IA, Scott Co., Bettendorf, Pigeon Creek Park. 2002., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Switch Grass

Scientific Name: Panicum virgatum

Bloom Time: August - September

Attracts: Bees & Butterflies


Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

How to Learn More

If you enjoyed this article, there are a few ways to learn more about native plants.


Visit Headquarters


Located within the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit Headquarters, the Nature History Museum includes various displays showcasing rare plant community, pollinators & prairie flowers, birding, glacial formations, and more! The gift shop offers various books to learn more about native plants, pollinators, geography, and history of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit.




iNaturalist Resource

iNaturalist helps you identify plants and animals while generating data for science and conservation. It is a great way to learn more about nature!




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