List of Minnesota wildflowers facts for kids

Wildflowers are amazing plants that grow all on their own in nature. They are not planted by people. Minnesota is home to many beautiful wildflowers. These plants are called native plants. This means they have grown in Minnesota for a very long time. They are perfectly suited to the state's weather and soil.

This list helps you learn about some of the wildflowers you can find in Minnesota. It follows the names used by the Minnesota DNR (Department of Natural Resources). Sometimes, different types of plants share part of a common name. They are grouped together here. This helps with finding them easily. It does not always mean they are closely related.

Some plants on this list have a special status.

• Threatened means the plant could become endangered soon.
• Endangered means the plant is in danger of disappearing forever.
• Special concern means the plant is rare or has specific threats.

It is very important to protect these special plants. We should never pick wildflowers. We should always leave them for others to enjoy. This also helps them grow and make seeds for the future.

A

Alexanders

Alexanders are wildflowers with yellow flowers. They are part of the carrot family.

• Golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)
• Heart-leaved alexanders (Zizia aptera)

Anemones

Anemones are also known as windflowers. Their delicate petals flutter in the breeze.

• Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)
• Wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia)

Asters

Asters are known for their daisy-like flowers. They often bloom in late summer and fall. They come in many colors, like purple, blue, and white.

• New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is a popular purple aster.
• Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) has smooth leaves.
• Silky aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum) has soft, hairy leaves.
• Short's aster (Symphyotrichum shortii; threatened) is a plant that needs our help.

B

Baneberries

Baneberries are known for their bright red or white berries. These berries are not safe to eat.

• Red baneberry (Actaea rubra)
• White baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)

Beard-tongues

Beard-tongues have tube-shaped flowers. They often have a "bearded" lower lip.

• Large-flowered beard tongue (Penstemon grandiflorus)
• Pale beard tongue (Penstemon pallidus)

Blazing Stars

Blazing stars are tall, spiky flowers. They are often purple and attract butterflies.

• Great blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya)
• Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata)
• Rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)

Blue-eyed Grasses

These plants are not true grasses. They are actually part of the iris family. They have small, star-shaped blue flowers.

• Field blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre)
• Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)

Other Blue Flowers

• Bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis) has pretty blue berries.
• Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa var. interior) is a bright orange milkweed. It is a favorite of monarch butterflies.
• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a cheerful yellow flower with a dark center.

C

Cinquefoils

Cinquefoils are often yellow. Their leaves look like five fingers.

• Marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris)
• Shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)

Coneflowers

Coneflowers have a raised center, like a cone. They are popular garden plants.

• Gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
• Narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida var. angustifolia) is a well-known purple coneflower.
• Three-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia triloba var. triloba; special concern) is a plant that needs attention.

Coralroots

Coralroots are unique orchids. They do not have green leaves. They get their food from fungi in the soil.

• Autumn coralroot (Corallorhiza odontorhiza var. odontorhiza)
• Spotted coralroot (Corallorhiza maculata)

Cottongrasses

These plants have fluffy, cotton-like seed heads. They grow in wet, boggy areas.

• Green-keeled cottongrass (Eriophorum viridicarinatum)
• Tussock cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum var. spissum)

D

Dogbanes

Dogbanes are plants that produce a milky sap.

• Hemp dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)
• Spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)

E

Evening Primroses

Evening primroses often open their flowers in the evening. They have yellow or white petals.

• Common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)
• Rhombic evening primrose (Oenothera rhombipetala)

F

False Solomon's Seals

These plants have arching stems with clusters of small flowers. They later produce red berries.

• Common false Solomon's seal (Smilacina racemosa)
• Starry false Solomon's seal (Smilacina stellata)

Other F Plants

• Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) is a tall plant with pink-purple flowers. It often grows in areas after a fire.

G

Gentians

Gentians are beautiful flowers. Many have deep blue or purple colors. Some have unique shapes.

• Bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) has flowers that stay mostly closed.
• Greater fringed gentian (Gentianopsis crinita) has delicate fringed petals.
• Northern gentian (Gentiana affinis; special concern) is a plant that needs protection.

Giant Hyssops

Giant hyssops are tall plants with spikes of small flowers. They attract bees and other pollinators.

• Blue giant hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
• Purple giant hyssop (Agastache scrophulariaefolia)

Goldenrods

Goldenrods are very common yellow wildflowers. They bloom in late summer and fall. They are important for bees and butterflies.

• Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) is a very common type.
• Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida) has stiff stems and flat-topped flower clusters.
• Soft goldenrod (Solidago mollis; special concern) is a plant that needs careful watching.

H

Hepatica

Hepatica flowers are among the first to bloom in spring. They come in white, pink, or purple.

• Sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba)
• Round-lobed hepatica (Anemone americana)

Honeysuckles

These are often climbing plants or shrubs. Many have sweet-smelling flowers.

• Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)
• Wild honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica)

I

Indian Paintbrushes

Indian paintbrushes have bright, colorful bracts (leaf-like structures) that look like painted brushes.

• Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea)
• Northern paintbrush (Castilleja septentrionalis; endangered) is a very rare plant.

Other I Plants

• Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora) is a ghostly white plant. It does not have chlorophyll and gets food from fungi.

J

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is a unique plant. It has a hooded structure that looks like a preacher in a pulpit.

Joe Pye Weeds

Joe Pye weeds are tall plants with large clusters of pink or purple flowers. They are great for attracting butterflies.

• Spotted Joe pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum)
• Sweet Joe pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum)

L

Lady's Slippers

Lady's slippers are beautiful and rare orchids. Their flowers look like a slipper or moccasin.

• Showy lady's slipper (Cypripedium reginae) is the official State flower of Minnesota. It is pink and white.
• Small white lady's slipper (Cypripedium candidum; special concern) is a delicate white orchid.
• Stemless lady's slipper, also called Moccasin flower, (Cypripedium acaule) has a large pink pouch.
• Yellow lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) is a bright yellow orchid.

Other L Plants

• Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) is a shrub-like plant of the prairie. It has purple flowers.

M

Marsh Marigolds

Marsh marigolds are bright yellow flowers. They grow in wet, marshy areas.

• Common marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)
• Floating marsh marigold (Caltha natans; endangered) is a very rare water plant.

Milk Vetches

Milk vetches are part of the pea family. They have small flowers and often grow in prairies.

• Canada milk vetch (Astragalus canadensis)
• Alpine milk vetch (Astragalus alpinus; endangered) is a very rare plant found in cold areas.

Milkweeds

Milkweeds are super important plants. They are the only food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars.

• Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is the most widespread type.
• Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata var. incarnata) grows in wet places.
• Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa var. interior) has bright orange flowers.
• Narrow-leaved milkweed (Asclepias stenophylla; endangered) is a critically rare milkweed.
• Sullivant's milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii; threatened) is another type that needs protection.

O

Orchids

Minnesota is home to many different kinds of orchids. They are often delicate and beautiful.

• Hooker's orchid (Platanthera hookeri)
• Small purple fringed orchid (Platanthera psycodes)
• Western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara; threatened) is a tall, showy orchid of the prairie.

Other O Plants

• Ox-eye (Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra) is also known as early sunflower.

P

Prairie Clovers

Prairie clovers are native plants of the prairie. They have small, dense flower spikes.

• Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea)
• White prairie clover (Dalea candida)

R

Roses

Wild roses are beautiful shrubs with fragrant flowers. They produce rose hips, which are eaten by wildlife.

• Prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)
• Smooth wild rose (Rosa blanda)

S

Spiderworts

Spiderworts have three-petaled flowers. They often bloom in the morning and close by afternoon.

• Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)
• Western spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)

Strawberries

Wild strawberries are smaller than garden strawberries. They are very tasty.

• Common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
• Wood strawberry (Fragaria vesca var. americana)

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are known for their large, bright yellow flowers. They track the sun across the sky.

• Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
• Maximilian's sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) is a tall prairie sunflower.
• Nuttall's sunflower (Helianthus nuttallii ssp. rydbergii; special concern) is a sunflower that needs our attention.

T

Touch-me-nots

These plants are also called jewelweeds. Their seed pods burst open when touched, scattering seeds.

• Pale touch-me-not (Impatiens pallida) has pale yellow flowers.
• Spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) has orange flowers with red spots.

Trilliums

Trilliums are beautiful woodland plants. They have three leaves and a single flower with three petals.

• Large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) has large white flowers.
• Snow trillium (Trillium nivale) is a small, early blooming trillium.

Twistedstalks

Twistedstalks are woodland plants. They have bell-shaped flowers that hang from the stem.

• Clasping leaved twistedstalk (Streptopus amplexifolius)
• Rose twistedstalk (Streptopus roseus var. longipes)

V

Violets

Violets are small, often purple or white flowers. They are one of the first flowers to appear in spring.

• Common blue violet (Viola sororia) is very widespread.
• Beardless birdfoot violet (Viola pedata) has unique leaves that look like a bird's foot.
• Lance-leaved violet (Viola lanceolata; threatened) is a violet that needs protection.
• Yellow prairie violet (Viola nuttallii; threatened) is another rare yellow violet.

Other V Plants

• Violet wood sorrel (Oxalis violacea) has pretty violet flowers and clover-like leaves.

W

Wild Onions

Wild onions are part of the onion family. They have small, clustered flowers and a mild onion smell.

• Nodding wild onion (Allium cernuum) has flowers that droop downwards.
• White wild onion (Allium textile)

Other W Plants

• Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is also called bee-balm. It has shaggy purple flowers and attracts many pollinators.
• Wild calla (Calla palustris) is a beautiful wetland plant with a white flower-like leaf.
• Wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum var. andinum) is a striking orange-red lily found in woodlands and prairies.