In the heartland of America lies the picturesque state of Wisconsin, known for its stunning landscapes and vibrant communities. Amidst its rolling hills and serene countryside, cultivating a blooming flower garden adds an enchanting touch to the local scenery.
Choosing the best flowers to grow in Wisconsin involves considering the region’s unique climate and soil conditions, ensuring a thriving and colorful display throughout the seasons.
From hardy perennials to cheerful annuals, selecting the right blooms not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also celebrates the natural beauty of Wisconsin’s outdoors.
Best Flowers to Grow in Wisconsin
1. Purple Coneflower
Pale Purple Coneflower is a beautiful Wisconsin native perennial that can handle many soil types and moisture levels. Typically found in prairies, it is tough and can handle rocky, clay, and dry soil. Its taproot makes it drought tolerant.
Pale purple coneflower performs well on various soil types from sandy to clay, it prefers well drained upland soils in full sun. To get the most blooms (and the sturdiest plants), plant your purple coneflowers in a spot that gets at least six to eight hours of full sunlight each day.
The plants will tolerate partial shade. Echinacea, also known as the purple coneflower, is an herbal medicine that has been used for centuries, customarily as a treatment for the common cold, coughs, bronchitis, upper respiratory infections, and some inflammatory conditions. Research on echinacea, including clinical trials, is limited and largely in German.
2. Astilbe
Astilbe flowers are a symbol of patience and dedication to a loved one. If you give this flower away. Astilbe grows best in part shade. It can thrive in full sun but will need shade in the afternoon in hot summer climates.
In full shade, flowering will be reduced. Astilbe thrives in moist, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH (6.0). In traditional medicine, the plant has been used for the treatment of ulcers, bleeding during childbirth, inflammation, body aches, diarrhea, and dysentery.
3. Clematis
Sweet Summer Love is an easy-to-grow and maintain clematis with great hardiness for upper Midwest and Wisconsin climates. Clematis needs full sun to partial sun (usually facing south or west) and is sheltered from strong or drying winds.
Dig a hole, gently tease out the plant roots, and spread them in the hole. Make sure the soil on the root ball is about 1” below the level of the planting area. Traditionally, Clematis medicine is used orally to treat syphilis, gout, rheumatism, bone disorders, and chronic skin conditions and as a diuretic.
In folk medicine, Clematis is used topically for blisters and as a poultice to treat purulent wounds and ulcers.
4. Creeping phlox
Phlox stolonifera (creeping phlox or moss phlox) is a flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae. Creeping phlox prefers to grow in full sun or partial shade in slightly acidic and well-draining soil.
If you haven’t had rainfall in a while, your phlox will need a drink of water, but as long as it gets watered once a week, it will be happy. Wild blue phlox tea has been made from the entire plant to treat stomach and intestinal problems, such as aches or indigestion.
The tea made from dried Phlox leaves purifies blood and treats skin conditions such as boils or eczema.
5. Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta, commonly called black-eyed Susan, is a North American flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Black-eyed Susans grow best in full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours per day). They can tolerate some shade, but you might eventually find them stretching and spreading toward the light.
In some Native American herbal medicines, an infusion of the black-eyed Susan roots has been used to treat colds, dropsy, and worms in children. This mixture has also been used for sores and snake bites, while the liquid within the roots has been used as earache drops.
6. Day lily
Daylily or ditch-lily is a flowering plant. Every part of the day lily plant is edible. Daylilies are tough and thrive in a variety of soils, including clay. The ideal growing conditions for hemerocallis are moist, fertile, and well-drained soils in full sun. Smaller varieties can also be grown in containers.
Divide plants every few years to keep them growing strongly. The flowers are anodyne, antiemetic, antispasmodic, depurative, febrifuge and sedative. In China, they are used as an anodyne for women in childbirth. An extract of the flowers is used as a blood purifier.
7. Sedums
Stonecrop, (genus Sedum), genus of about 600 species of succulent plants in the family Crassulaceae, native to the temperate zone and to mountains in the tropics. Low-growing sedums will readily spread to fill any gaps. Sedum (or ‘stone crop flower’) does best in full to part sun.
While taller hybrids need full sun to flower their best, creeping types will grow fine in part shade—sedums like very well-drained soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Wet, heavy clay can lead to root and stem rot.
Fresh, crushed leaves or plant extracts are usually used externally in traditional herbal medicine to cure skin diseases. These plants are regarded to have diuretic and laxative properties.
8. Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum × superbum, the Shasta daisy, is commonly grown. Plant Shasta daisies in full sun to light shade. Daisies prefer rich, fast-draining soil, plenty of water, and ample sunshine. Good soil drainage is especially important in winter because damp and soggy soil around the plant’s root crown can lead to rot.
Daisy can be an effective herbal remedy against colds, coughs, and digestive complaints. Infusions of Common Daisies are beneficial in cases of arthritis, catarrh, hepatic and renal disorders, diarrhea, and rheumatism.
9. Aster
Big leaf Aster is a Wisconsin native woodland perennial aster that spreads by rhizomes to form a lush carpet of large, hairy leaves that grow up to 8 inches in length. It has rather delicate flowers with thin lavender/blue petals that appear in late summer.
Choose a full sun spot with moist but free-draining soil to grow asters. Enrich the soil with plenty of compost before planting. The dried blossoms were also snuffed for similar purposes, or the vapors inhaled as steam.
Aster tea was used to treat earaches and relieve gas pains, stomach aches, & fevers. The flowers and roots were both commonly used.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Wisconsin offers an optimal environment for plant growth due to its rich soil, moderate climate, and ample rainfall. The state’s diverse geography, ranging from rolling hills to fertile valleys, provides a variety of habitats suitable for a wide range of plant species.
Wisconsin’s agricultural heritage has also fostered a culture of expertise in cultivation techniques and crop management. Combined with advancements in agricultural research and technology, these factors contribute to the state’s reputation as an ideal location for growing plants.
The best flowers for a Wisconsin garden adapt well to the local climate and landscape. Incorporating a mix of flowering perennials that bloom from early spring to mid-summer enhances the garden’s beauty and supports local wildlife.
Choose native species with white and red flowers to attract hummingbirds, and consider deer-resistant varieties to maintain your garden’s health. These perennials are essential for creating a vibrant, thriving Wisconsin landscape, whether in a shade garden or integrated among other plants.
