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BWSR’s monthly Featured Plant includes information on native species identification, range, preferred habitat, uses and planting recommendations. Focusing on plants that are important for conservation projects and native gardens, BWSR’s ecological science conservationist curates the feature with occasional contributions from other experts. Find the current Plant of the Month here. For a complete alphabetized list of past featured plants, click here.

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2024

November 2024 sky — sky-blue aster

October 2024 — Hoary vervain

September 2024 — New England aster

August 2024 — Purple prairie clover 

July 2024 — Red-berried elder

June 2024 — lance-leaf figwort

May 2024 — Red columbine

April 2024 — Field pussytoes

March 2024 — Wild bergamot

February 2024 — Prairie dropseed

January 2024 — Kentucky coffee tree

2023

December 2023 — Winterberry

November 2023 Big Bluestem

October 2023 — Bottlebrush grass

September 2023  Blue grama

August 2023  American bellflower

July 2023  Spikenard

June 2023 — Junegrass

May 2023 — Aniseroot

April 2023 — Wood anemone

March 2023 — Canada wildrye

February 2023 — American bittersweet

January 2023 — White Cedar

2022

December 2022 -- White Oak

November 2022 — Lake Sedge

October 2022 — Sprengel's sedge

September 2022  Swamp milkweed

August 2022 — Rough blazing star

July 2022 — Blue vervain

June 2022  Prairie violet

May 2022 American pasqueflower

April 2022 — Golden Alexanders

March 2022 — Virginia waterleaf

February 2022 — Bebb's willow

January 2022 — Blue giant hyssop

2021

December 2021 — Blue beech

November 2021 — Bladdernut

October 2021 — Side-oats grama

September 2021 — Wild geranium

August 2021 — Indian grass

July 2021 — Little bluestem

June 2021 — Porcupine sedge

May 2021  Fox sedge

April 2021  Sweet Joe Pye weed

March 2021 Pagoda dogwood

February 2021  Dotted blazing star

January 2021 — Common yarrow

2020

December 2020  Prairie ironweed

November 2020 — Poke milkweed

October 2020  Common Milkweed

September 2020 — Butterfly milkweed

August 2020  Prairie blue-eyed grass

July 2020  Foxglove beardtongue

June 2020  Wild strawberry

May 2020 — Rue anemone

April 2020 — Black currant

March 2020 — Native currants

February 2020  Common evening primrose

January 2020 — Yellow jewelweed

2019

December 2019  Boneset

November 2019  Calico aster

October 2019  Green-headed coneflower

September 2019  Meadow blazing star

August 2019  Spotted jewelweed

July 2019  Prairie spiderwort

June 2019  Downy yellow violet

May 2019 — Smooth Solomon's seal

April 2019 — Virginia bluebells

March 2019 – Large-flowered bellwort

February 2019 – False sunflower

January 2019 –  White turtlehead

2018

December 2018 – Purple stemmed Angelica

November 2018 – Zigzag goldenrod

October 2018 – Cup plant

September 2018 – Native loosestrifes

August 2018 – Partridge pea

July 2018 – Hoary puccoon

June 2018 – Broadleaf arrowhead

May 2018 – Prairie Pholx

April 2018 – Spreading Jacob's Ladder

March 2018 – Bloodroot

February 2018 – Red Columbine

January 2018 – Prairie Milk Vetch

2017

December 2017 – Whorled Milkweed

November 2017 – Prairie Coreopsis

October 2017 – Smooth Blue Aster

September 2017 – Lance Selfheal

August 2017 – Field Thistle

July 2017 – Common Blue Violet

June 2017 – Virginia Waterleaf

May 2017 – Wild Mint

April 2017 – Bebb's Willow

March 2017 – Red-Osier Dogwood

February 2017 – Red Raspberry

January 2017 – American Highbush Cranberry

2016

December 2016 – Lowbush Blueberries

November 2016 – Red Maple

October 2016 – False Indigo

September 2016 – Nannyberry

August 2016 – Smooth Wild Rose

July 2016 – American Wild Plum

June 2016 – Black Cherry and Chokeberry

May 2016 – Black Chokeberry

April 2016 – Buttonbush

March 2016 – Meadowsweet

February 2016 – Leadplant

January 2016 – Common Ninebark

2015

December 2015 – American Elderberry

November 2015 – Canada Milk Vetch

October 2015 – Nodding Bur-Marigold

September 2015 – New England Aster

August 2015 – Giant Hyssop

July 2015 – Obedient Plant

June 2015 – Prairie Coneflower

May 2015 – Black Eyed Susan

April 2015 – Canada Anemone

March 2015 – Joe Pye Weed 

February 2015 – Grass-leaved Goldenrod

January 2015 – Showy Lady's Slipper

2014

December 2014 – Purple Prairie Clover

November 2014 – Bottle Gentian

October 2014 – Stiff Goldenrod

September 2014 – Maximillian Sunflower

August 2014 – Cow Parsnip

July 2014 – Prairie Smoke

June 2014 – Blue Lobelia

May 2014 – Large-Flowered Trillium

April 2014 – Dutchman's Breeches

March 2014 – Liatris

February 2014 – Virginia Mountain Mint

January 2014 – Wild Bergamot

2013

December 2013 – Frost Aster

November 2013 – Annual Sunflower

October 2013 – Showy Goldenrod

September 2013 – Marsh Hedge Nettle

August 2013 – Sneezeweed

July 2013 – Large-Flowered Penstemon

June 2013 – Minnesota's Milkweeds

May 2013 – American Basswood

April 2013 – Golden Alexanders

March 2013 – Minnesota's Thistles

February 2013 – Narrow Leaf Coneflower