Upper Midwest Plants That Thrive In Northern Gardens

Landscape plants in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan are plentiful. Choosing the best shrubs, trees, and perennials can be overwhelming. Here are some of the best options for upper Midwest gardens based on attractiveness, ease of maintenance and appropriateness for the climate.

Among the most foundational Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota plants for landscaping are trees. Start with a few strategically placed trees and build your garden around them.

This smaller accent tree provides visual interest year-round with its flaky white bark. River birch tolerates wet soil that doesn’t drain well.

This is a great urban tree that tolerates many types of soil. Catalpa produces large green leaves, fragrant white flowers, and long seed pods.

Another good flowering tree for Midwest states, serviceberry is small, produces edible berries, and has good fall color.

This shade tree is underutilized in the home garden. Hackberry grows about 60 feet (18 m) tall with an equal spread. It also feeds native birds.

Despite the name, this tree does grow well in all upper Midwest states. Kentucky Coffeetree is a tall shade tree that tolerates winter salt spray. Choose a male tree to avoid messy seed pods.

This attractive evergreen looks similar to blue spruce but is not susceptible to needlecast, a fungal disease. Concolor firs grow up to 50 feet (15 m) tall.

Also important in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin plants in the landscape are shrubs. Lower than trees, they offer opportunities to create focal points, hedges and borders and visual interest.

Serviceberry makes the list again because you can find shrub varieties with the same edible berries and spring flowers. The tree grows about 25 feet (7.6 m) tall and the shrub six feet