We can save the pollinators during a vulnerable time — early spring. This
can be a tough time for pollinators. They need a tremendous amount of pollen and nectar to grow the next
generations of pollinators.
Planting early blooming perennials is one of the easiest things for a gardener to do. The reward is in those
delicate first early blooms after the rugged and bleak landscape of winter. Bonus – early bloomers are some
of the toughest and easiest care plants around since many can handle cold.
Some of the earliest flowering plants are often bulbs that overwinter in the ground.
Bulbs are usually planted in the fall; and as a general rule, bulbs are planted at a depth of three times their
height with the pointy side up.
Fall can also be a good time to sow seeds that you would need to be stratified for spring
planting. Many flowering perennials can also be planted in the fall.
If you’re buying seeds or plants, make sure they are not treated with neonicotinoids (neonics),
which are a group of insecticides that are related to nicotine. The insecticide is absorbed by all parts of the
plants to ward off sucking insects such as aphids. However, the insecticide is also found in the pollen and
nectar of the plant making it harmful to bees and other pollinators.
At this time, many nurseries are phasing out plants and seeds that are treated with neonicotinoids and most
are clearly labeled. So, check the label on all plants but especially the plants that attract bees to be sure you’re
not planting plants that will harm pollinators.
Height: 1-2 feet
Bloom:: Apr
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 3-7
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Medium, Dry
Color: White
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Description: Bishop's Cap (Mitella
diphylla) is a woodland species that is found in high quality mesic forests growing on moist,
mossy ledges and north-facing slopes. The basal foliage of this plant has long, finely hairy stalks,
a cordate shape, and serrated edges (up to 4 inches long).
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Height: 6-9 inches
Bloom:: Spring
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 3-9
Soil: Loam
Moisture: Medium
Color: White, Yellow, Pink
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Description: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria
canadensis) is a stemless, rhizomatous, native wildflower which blooms in early spring in
rich woods and along streams. Typically rises 6-10 inches tall and spreads over time in the wild to
form large colonies on the forest floor. Each flower stalk typically emerges in spring wrapped by one
deeply-scalloped, grayish-green, basal leaf. As the flower blooms, the leaf unfurls.
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Height: 2-4 feet
Bloom:: Apr
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 3-8
Soil: Clay, Loam
Moisture: Medium
Color: Yellow
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Description: Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum
thalictroides) is a native perennial which grows 1-3 feet tall on strong, upright stems. It is valued
not for its flowers but for its lacy, ternately-compound, blue-green foliage and its erect clusters of blue,
fruit-like seeds. Leaves appear at mid-stem, emerging a smoky blue in spring and turning bluish-green.
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Height: 12-30 feet
Bloom:: Apr, May, Jun
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade
Zones: 2-7
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist
Color: White
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Description: Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a small deciduous
tree typically growing to 20-30 feet tall with an irregular, oval-rounded crown. It also may be found in shorter
heights as a large shrub. Fragrant, cup-shaped, 5-lobed, white flowers in elongated clusters to 3-6 inches
long bloom in mid-spring.
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Height: 1-3 feet
Bloom:: Apr, May
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 2-8
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Dry, Medium
Color: Red, Yellow
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Description: Columbine (Aquilegia
canadensis) occurs in rocky woods, slopes, ledges and open areas. Features drooping,
bell-like, 1-2", red and yellow flowers (red sepals, yellow-limbed petals, 5 distinctive red spurs and
a mass of bushy yellow stamens).
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Height: 1-2 feet
Bloom:: Apr, May
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 4-9
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Normal, Moist Wet
Color: Green
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Description: Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema
triphyllum) is a spring woodland wildflower usually growing 1- 2 feet tall. Flower structure consists
of the spadix (Jack) which is an erect spike containing numerous, tiny, green to purple flowers and the
sheath-like spathe (pulpit) which encases the lower part of the spadix and then opens to form a hood
extending over the top of the spadix.
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Height: 1 - 2 feet
Bloom:: May, Jun
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 2-9
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Dry, Medium
Color: Yellow
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Description: Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
is easily grown in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Thrives in poor, sandy or rocky
soils with good drainage. Tolerant of heat, humidity and drought. Prompt deadheading of spent flower
stalks encourages additional bloom and prevents any unwanted self-seeding.
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Height: 1 - 2 feet
Bloom:: May, Jun
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zones: 3-8
Soil: Sand
Moisture: Dry
Color: Blue
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Description: Lupines (Lupinus perennis) are 1-2½ feet tall and
compactly branched. The stems are light green to reddish green, angular or terete, and canescent-hairy.
The upper stems terminate in narrow racemes of flowers about 4-10 inches long. The flowering stalks
are light green to reddish purple.
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Height: 6-18 inches
Bloom:: Apr
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 2-7
Soil: Loam
Moisture: Dry
Color: Pink, Purple
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Description: Prairie Smoke (Geum
triflorum) is a native prairie plant whose most distinguishing feature is not the reddish pink
to purplish, nodding, globular flowers that bloom in late spring, but the fruiting heads which follow.
As the flower fades and the seeds begin to form, the styles elongate to form upright, feathery gray tails.
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Height: 10-20 feet
Bloom:: March
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-8
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist, Wet
Color: White
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Description: Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
are typically found growing in moist to wet soils in meadows, swamps and along lakes and streams, but
also will be found in some drier conditions. It is a large multi-stemmed shrub to 6-15 feet tall, but is less
frequently found as a small tree to 30 feet tall.
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Height: 1 - 2 feet
Bloom:: May, June
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zones: 4-8
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Medium, Moist
Color: White, Pink, Lavender
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Description: Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
is a much beloved wildflower that typically occurs in open woods and glades, rocky wooded slopes, bluff
ledges, meadows and prairies. This is one of the most beautiful spring wildflowers in the prairie. A colony
of these plants in bloom is a sight not to be missed.
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Height: 2-3 feet
Bloom:: Jun, Jul
Sun: Full Sun, Par Sun
Zones: 3-8
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Medium, Moist
Color: White
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Description: Smooth Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis)
typically grows 3-5 feet tall and occurs in prairies, fields, wood margins, open woods and along railroad
tracks. Features white, two-lipped, tubular flowers borne in panicles atop erect, rigid stems. Flowers bloom
mid-spring to early summer.
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Height: 2-5 feet
Bloom:: Apr, May, Jun
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zones: 2-8
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist
Color: Green
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Description: Sweet Fern (Comptonia peregrine)
is an upright, deciduous shrub (typically growing 2-4 feet tall) which features simple, narrow, lustrous,
pinnatifid, deeply notched, olive to dark green leaves (to 4 inches long). Insignificant, yellowish green
flowers appear in spring and give way to greenish brown, burr-like nutlets.
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Height: 1 - 2 feet
Bloom:: Apr, May
Sun: Part Shade
Zones: 3-9
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Medium, Moist
Color: Blue, Lavender
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Description: Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
are one of the most beautiful species of spring ephemerals are Virginia bluebells. These lovely plants are
relatives of other familiar species like Forget-me-not, Lungwort, and Comfrey.
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Height: 1-2 feet
Bloom:: Apr, May
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 4-7
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Normal, Moist Wet
Color: Green
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Description: Canadian Wild Ginger (Asarum
canadense) is a native spring wildflower which occurs in rich woods and wooded slopes throughout
the State. Basically a stemless plant which features two downy, heart-shaped to kidney-shaped, handsomely
veined, dark green, basal leaves (to 6 inches wide). Cup-shaped, purplish brown flowers
appear in spring on short, ground-level stems arising from the crotch between the two basal leaves.
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Height: 1-3 feet
Bloom:: Apr, May
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zones: 4-8
Soil: Loam, Clay
Moisture: Medium
Color: Blue, White
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Description: Wild Hyacinth, (Camassia scilloides)
Wild Hyacinth, Camassia scilloides, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial that typically
grows to 1-2 feet tall. It is native to a variety of habitats including low rich woods, wet open
woodlands, open meadows, stream banks, limestone glades, ledges, rocky slopes and prairies
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Height: 4-7 inches
Bloom:: Apr, May, Jun
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zones: 3-8
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Dry
Color: White
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Description: Wild Strawberry, (Fragaria virginiana)
is a ground-hugging herbaceous perennial that typically grows to 4-7 inches tall but spreads indefinitely
by runners which root to form new plants as they sprawl along the ground, often forming large colonies
over time.
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Height: 6-18 inches
Bloom:: Apr
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 2-9
Soil: Clay, Loam
Moisture: Medium, Moist
Color: Yellow
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Description: Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium
americanum) is a spring wildflower that occurs in moist woods, on wooded slopes and bluffs, and
along streams. A single, nodding, bell- or lily-shaped yellow flower blooms atop a naked scape sheathed
by two glossy, tongue-shaped, tulip-like, basal leaves (to 6 inches long) in early spring.
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