Native Plants

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Saturday - November 28, 2015

From: River Falls, WI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Lists, Pollinators, Erosion Control, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Hillside Groundcovers for Pollinating Insects in Wisconsin
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I am looking for native plants for a project around Hudson, Wisconsin. We are to choose native plants to be seeded next spring 2016. They are to be planted on a hillside under and around solar panels (partial shade and 0-2 feet tall). It must provide vegetation for pollinating insects and look appealing. since on hillside, must control soil erosion and low-maintenance, meaning does not require frequent mowing. preferably perennials. Any suggestion will help greatly?

ANSWER:

There are many native, perennial plants that should work well under and around your solar panels on your hillside that will also be a habitat for pollinating insects, control soil erosion and be low maintenance.

A search through the Native Plant Database on our website produced these for you to investigate (a few low shrubs are also included):

Antennaria plantaginifolia (plantain-leaf pussytoes)

Anaphalis margaritacea (Western pearly evelasting)

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Coreopsis lanceolata (lanceleaf coreopsis)

Fragaria virginiana (Virginia strawberry)

Geum triflorum (old man's whiskers)

Glandularia bipinnatifida (purple prairie verbena)

Lobelia spicata (palespike lobelia)

Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)

Phlox subulata (creeping phlox)

Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)