Yellow Giant Hyssop (Agastache nepetoides)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Yellow giant hyssop typically grows between three to seven feet tall, with most plants reaching around five to six feet. The flowers are small and pale yellow, arranged in dense, vertical spikes that can be four to 16 inches long. Each individual flower is about 1/3 inch long. The leaves are opposite, thin, and coarsely toothed, somewhat egg-shaped with a rounded base, and attached to long stalks. They can be up to six inches long and three inches wide. Yellow giant hyssop prefers rich soil in a savanna (part shade) setting but can also tolerate full sun. It naturally occurs in meadows, along fencerows, in lowland woods, thickets, and upland deciduous woods. It thrives in moist to mesic conditions and can grow in both fairly dry and very wet locations. (SF)

Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz  

     The obedient plant typically grows to a height of three to four feet. Its flowers are tubular and resemble snapdragons, arranged in dense spikes, with each flower about 1 inch long. The colors range from pink to pale lilac. The leaves are lance-shaped, growing in opposite pairs along the stem, with each pair rotated 90 degrees from the previous one. They are about four to five inches long and one to two inches wide, with serrated edges. Obedient plants prefer full sun to partial shade and thrive in moist, well-drained soils. They are quite adaptable and can grow in a variety of soil types, including loam, clay, and rocky soils. Often found in wetlands, prairies, and meadows, they can tolerate both drought and poor drainage. (July)

     

Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Stiff goldenrod is a native perennial that typically grows between three to five feet tall. Its bright yellow flowers are arranged in dense, flat-topped clusters, with each flower measuring about 3/8 inch in diameter and the entire inflorescence spanning two to five inches across. The plant’s leaves are stiff and rough-textured, with basal leaves reaching up to 10 inches long and five inches wide. Leaves along the stem are alternately arranged, with lower leaves being oblong and up to eight inches long and two inches wide, while upper leaves are lance-shaped and stalkless. Stiff goldenrod thrives in prairies, dry fields, and open woodlands, preferring full sun and a variety of soils, including dry, sandy, and rocky soils. (SF)

     

Giant Sunflower (Helianthus giganteus)

 Photo by Gary Kurtz

      The Giant Sunflower can grow up to 12 feet tall, with bright yellow flowers measuring about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. The central discs of the flowers can range from golden to brown. The rough stems are typically green, but can have a reddish-purple hue. The lanceolate-elliptic shaped leaves are opposite on the lower part of the stem and alternate along the upper part of the stem and can be up to seven inches long and two inches wide. The upper side of the leaves are rough and the lower sides are softly hairy. The leaves have rounded teeth along the edges. This sunflower thrives in moist, open areas such as prairies, meadows, and along streams. (SF) 

     

     

Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Slender mountain mint typically grows to a height of 2 to 3 feet. Its small, white flowers, often dotted with purple spots, are about 1/4 inch long and bloom in dense, terminal clusters. The leaves are very narrow and almost needle-like, up to 3 inches long and about 1/4 inch wide. They are opposite, linear, and hairless, with a prominent central vein and smooth margins. This plant is quite adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, including dry, open rocky woods, dry prairies, fields, along roadsides, stream sides, and in open, wet thickets. It prefers full sun to part shade and can thrive in dry to medium soil conditions. (SF)

 

Wild Senna (Senna marilandica)

Photo by Gary Kurtz 

     Wild Senna is  a Wisconsin native perennial is in bloom at this time. It grows up to 6 feet tall and three feet wide. The flowers are showy and yellow, forming in axillary racemes, with each flower about 3/4 inch across. The leaves are compound and pinnate, with four to eight pairs of ovate to elliptical leaflets on each leaf. It is found in woodland edges, open fields, and thickets, and in moist areas such as riverbanks and moist prairies. It prefers full sun to partial shade and can tolerate a wide range of soil types, including sandy and rocky soils. (July)

      

Western Sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     The Western Sunflower is a native, perennial wildflower in Wisconsin. It typically grows to a height of  two to four feet. Its bright yellow flowers are daisy-like and measure about 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches across. The vibrant yellow disk in the center of the flower is composed of numerous, tiny disk florets. These flowers are surrounded by several overlapping bracts, which are light green, linear-lanceolate in shape, and about 1/4 inch long. The plant features long, often reddish stems that are mostly bare except for a few pairs of small, widely spaced leaves. The majority of the leaves form a basal rosette at the base of the plant, with the basal leaves being large, rough, and hairy, and attached by long stalks. The stem leaves are smaller and lanceolate, measuring around one to three inches long and 1/4 to 3/4 inches wide. In nature, the Western Sunflower thrives in dry, open habitats such as prairies, meadows, and rocky open woods, where it enjoys full sun and well-drained soils. (SF)

Sweet Coneflower (Rudbeckia subtomentosa)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Sweet Coneflower is a native, perennial wildflower in Wisconsin. It can exceed five feet in height, but it usually grows three to five feet tall. Its daisy-like flowers are bright yellow with a dark brownish-purple center disk and measure about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The upper leaves are typically lance-shaped to ovate and have a rough texture. They are smaller and narrower compared to the lower leaves, and they are arranged alternately along the stem. The leaves are usually toothed and have a grayish-green color. The lower and basal leaves reaching up to 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. The lower leaves are usually lobed with three to five lance-elliptic lobes and have coarsely toothed edges. Sweet Coneflower thrives in medium moisture, well-drained loam or sandy loam and prefers full or partial sun. It is commonly found in moist prairies, along streambanks, and in low areas. This plant is quite adaptable and can tolerate hot and humid summers, some drought, clay soil, and poor soils. (SF)

     

Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

   Nodding Onion is a Wisconsin native, perennial wildflower. It typically grows to a height of 12 to 18 inches. Its small flowers, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, form in clusters that nod or droop, and are usually pink to lavender in color. Each cluster can have up to 30 individual flowers. The leaves are long, slender, and grass-like, measuring 6 to 12 inches in length and about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in width. They grow from the base of the plant and have a smooth texture. Nodding onion is commonly found in prairies, open woods, and rocky slopes, preferring well-drained soils and areas with full sun to partial shade. (July)

     

False Indian Plantain (Hasteola suaveolens)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     False Indian Plantain can grow up to five feet tall. It produces clusters of small, creamy white to pale yellow flowers, arranged in flat top clusters. Each flower is about 1/3 inch wide. The leaves are spearhead-shaped and have serrated edges. The leaves are hairless and have a distinctive shape that makes them easy to identify. They can grow four to 10 inches long and two to six inches wide. False Indian Plantain prefers moist to wet soil conditions and is commonly found along riverbanks, floodplain forests, wet meadows and the edges of marshes. It thrives in full sun to light shade. (SF)

American Potato Bean (Apios americana)

Photo by Gary Kurtz 

     American Potato Bean is a perennial wildflower that is native to Wisconsin. It is a vine that can grow eight to 10 feet long in Wisconsin, even longer in warmer climates. The flowers are composed of dense racemes of pink, purple, or red brown flowers. The flowers are about an inch long, and the racemes grow three to five inches long. The leaves are pinnate with five to seven leaflets, each three to six inches long. The alternate leaves can be either smooth or hairy, lanceolate in shape, and smooth along the edges. It prefers soil that is sandy loam, well-draining, and rich in organic matter. It can be found in moist woods, along river banks, moist meadows, and wet ravines. (July) 

Whorled Milkweed (Asclepsias verticillata)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Whorled Milkweed is a perennial wildflower that is native to Wisconsin. It can grow one to three feet tall and one to two feet wide. It bears small clusters of creamy-white flowers. Each flower cluster is about one to two inches in diameter. Its long, narrow leaves are arranged in whorls around the stem. The leaves are typically two to three inches long and about 1/8 inch wide. It prefers dry to medium moisture conditions and thrives in full sun to partial shade. It can be found in prairies, glades, and open woodlands. (SF)

Common Agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     

     Common agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala) is a perennial, Wisconsin native wildflower that can grow between 1 to 5 feet in height. It features small, bright yellow flowers arranged in elongating spike-like racemes at the top of the stem and arising from upper leaf axils. Each flower is about ¼ to ⅓ inch across, with five oval yellow petals and five to ten yellow stamens. The flowers are accompanied by green sepals that are pointed at the tip and slightly shorter than the petals. The leaves are compound, with 3 to 9 major leaflets and 1 to 4 pairs of smaller leaflets in between. The end leaflet is the largest, ranging from 1 to 4 inches long and ½ to 2 inches wide, becoming smaller towards the base of the compound leaf. The leaflets are elliptic to somewhat diamond-shaped, coarsely toothed with blunt to pointed teeth. The upper surface of the leaflets is hairless or nearly so, while the lower surface is densely covered in short, glandular hairs with sparse, long, non-glandular hairs mostly along the veins. It thrives in various habitats, including open woods, woodland edges, thickets, fields, and swamps. (July)

     

Wild Germander (Teucrium canadense)

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Wild Germander is a native perennial wildflower in Wisconsin that grows up to three feet tall. It features a four-sided, hairy stem that is rarely branched. It produces a terminal spike of 3/4 inch long, purplish-pink flowers. The flowers have a unique corolla configuration with no apparent upper lip. It has opposite leaves that can be up to five inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide. The upper leaf surface is dark green with recessed veins and the lower leaf surface is dull green with raised veins. Wild Germander thrives in fields, prairies, low woods, stream sides, roadsides, and other disturbed sites. (July) 

Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Rosinweed is a native, perennial wildflower in Wisconsin. It typically grows between 3 to 6 feet tall and features bright yellow flowers that resemble sunflowers. The flower heads measure up to three inches in diameter. The leaves of rosinweed are quite distinctive. They are large, rough, and stalkless, growing in pairs along the stem. Each leaf can be up to 8 inches long and is lance-shaped to ovate. The plant is named for the sticky, resinous sap that oozes from cut or broken stems. It can be found in prairies, glades, and roadsides. Rosinweed thrives in a variety of soil conditions, from moderately dry to moist, and is well-suited to tough clay soils. It prefers full sunlight but can tolerate partial shade, and once established, it is drought tolerant. (July)

     

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Swamp milkweed is a native, perennial wildflower in Wisconsin.  It typically grows three to five feet tall. The flowers bloom in shades of pink, mauve, or occasionally white. Each individual flower is about 1/4 inch in diameter, but they are arranged in clusters that can be two to three inches in diameter. Lance shaped leaves grow in pairs along the stem. They are three to six inches long and one to two inches wide. This plant prefers moist to wet soils and is often found in wetlands, along streams, and in wet meadows. It thrives in full sun, but it can tolerate partial shade. (July)

Glade-mallow (Napaea dioica)

 

Photo by Gary Kurtz

     Glade Mallow can grow five to ten feet tall. The white flowers, ⅓ to ¾ inch across, have five petals and five sepals, and the flowers are organized into a panicle. It has large, palmately lobed leaves that can be up to 18 inches in diameter. It thrives in moist to wet environments such as floodplains, along streams, and in open woods and woodland edges. It prefers full to partial sun exposure. (July)

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

                    

     Photo by Gary Kurtz

     The Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) is a native perennial that can reach a height of up to 3 feet. It bears a distinctive flower characterized by a domed, reddish-brown central disk surrounded by slender, drooping petals that range in color from pale pink to purple. The leaves of this plant are lanceolate, hairy, and rough on both sides, with most of them clustering at the lower third of the stem. This resilient wildflower thrives in a variety of habitats, including dry to mesic prairies, open woodlands, hillsides, glades, and roadsides. It prefers well-drained soils, full sun, and can tolerate a pH range of 4.5 to 7.5, making it well-suited for a range of environmental conditions. (July) 

Annual Fleabane (Erigeron annus)

 

  Photo by Gary Kurtz

Annual Fleabane, scientifically known as Erigeron annuus, is a native wildflower in Wisconsin that thrives in disturbed areas such as pastures, abandoned fields, roadsides, and railways. This adaptable plant grows between one and five feet tall, producing delicate aster-like flowers in the spring. Each flower features a bright yellow center composed of tubular disk florets, surrounded by 80 to 125 narrow rays that range in color from white to pale lavender. The flowers, measuring about half an inch to one inch in diameter, create a soft, airy appearance that adds charm to natural landscapes.

The foliage of Annual Fleabane is equally distinctive. Its leaves are alternate and sessile, meaning they lack a stalk and attach directly to the stem. The lower leaves, which are broader and coarsely toothed, typically grow between two and four inches long and up to two inches wide. In contrast, the upper leaves are narrower, often without teeth, and can reach up to five inches in length. The plant’s green stems are sparsely hairy, contributing to its slightly rough texture.

In Wisconsin, Annual Fleabane plays an important role in both gardens and ecological restoration projects. Its ability to thrive in disturbed soils makes it a valuable pioneer species, helping to stabilize and enrich degraded landscapes. It is often one of the first native plants to return to areas undergoing restoration, outcompeting invasive species and supporting local biodiversity. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and small wasps, making it a beneficial addition to pollinator gardens. Additionally, its presence in naturalized areas contributes to habitat restoration efforts, providing food and shelter for insects and other wildlife. Whether growing in wild spaces or incorporated into native plant gardens, Annual Fleabane enhances the environment with its resilience and ecological benefits. (LS) 

Cylindrical Thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica)

 

    Photo by Gary Kurtz

      Cylindrical Thimbleweed is a native, perennial wildflower in Wisconsin. It grows one to three feet tall. The flowers are greenish white and about 3/4 inch across. Each flower has five petal-like sepals and numerous yellow stamens surrounding a green, cone-like center. The leaves are palmately compound. Each leaflet can be up to four inches long and is deeply lobed, hairy, and wedge shaped at the base.  The basal leaves are larger and have long stalks, while the stem leaves are smaller. It thrives in prairies, woodland edges, and roadsides. It prefers dry, sunny to partially shaded conditions. (July)