Recommended trees and plants for the Driftless Area in Minnesota
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu
Map of woodlands of Minnesota, courtesy of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Today we're sharing our recommended trees and plants for the Rochester Plateau and Blufflands (region 9 on the map), also commonly referred to as the Driftless Area.
You'll notice that many trees on this list are newcomers to Minnesota. These trees are predicted to have good migration potential, meaning they are not currently in the area but are predicted to do well if planted. As our climate becomes warmer and wetter, trees in states to our south and east are able to shift northward and should feel right at home in this far southeastern region of the state.
One example is the lovely tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera. Also known as yellow-poplar, it is the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, and is the only tree native to North America in the Liriodendron genus (which is in the magnolia family). Throughout the world its only cousin is Liriodendron chinense, the Chinese tulip tree.
It’s worth noting that in addition to climate modeling and native plant community data, we considered tree health issues like oak wilt and emerald ash borer when making our recommendations. A benefit of choosing trees on the migration potential list is that they offer increased tree diversity, which can help create a resilient ecosystem and fill important ecological niches.
As with any forest management decisions, we recommend consulting a forester or natural resource professional before planting, and that may be especially important if you’re considering any of these assisted migration species.
The list of recommended plants includes many spring ephemerals and deer-resistant understory plants. The rich and diverse understory native to this region is well-positioned for Minnesota’s future climate if invasive species can be adequately managed.
Recommended trees for the Rochester Plateau and Blufflands
Common name | Scientific name | Height | Soil preference | Light requirement |
---|---|---|---|---|
Box elder | Acer negundo | 50 ft. | Adaptable, tolerates dry | part shade, sun |
Silver maple | Acer saccharinum | 80 ft. | Adaptable, tolerates alkaline | full sun |
Sugar maple | Acer saccharum | 80 ft. | Evenly-moist, well drained | part shade, shade, sun |
Blue beech | Carpinus caroliniana | 30 ft. | Average to moist soil | Part shade, Shade |
Bitternut hickory | Carya cordiformis | 100 ft. | Evenly-moist | Full sun, Part sun |
Pignut hickory | Carya glabra | 60 ft. | Adaptable | Full sun, Part sun |
Pecan | Carya illinoinensis | 130 ft. | Well drained | Full sun |
Black hickory | Carya texana | 140 ft. | Adaptable, prefers evenly-moist | Part shade |
Mockernut hickory | Carya tomentosa | 80 ft. | Good drainage, moist, occasionally dry | Full sun, Part sun |
Sugarberry | Celtis laevigata | 70 ft. | Adaptable | Full sun, part sun |
Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | 75 ft. | Adaptable | Full sun |
Eastern redbud | Cercis canadensis | 30 ft. | Evenly-moist, well-drained | Full sun, Part sun |
Common persimmon | Diospyros virginiana | 80 ft. | Moist, well-drained, sandy | Full sun |
Honeylocust | Gleditsia triacanthos | 60 ft. | Adaptable | Full sun |
Black walnut | Juglans nigra | 60 ft. | Evenly-moist | full sun |
Yellow-poplar / tulip tree | Liriodendron tulipifera | 120 ft. | Evenly-moist, well-drained | Full sun |
Osage-orange | Maclura pomifera | 60 ft. | Adaptable | Full sun |
Blackgum | Nyssa sylvatica | 70 ft. | Average moisture | Full sun |
Ironwood | Ostrya virginiana | 60 ft. | Mixed, well-drained | part shade, shade, sun |
Slash pine | Pinus elliottii | 100 ft. | Moist | part shade |
Virginia pine | Pinus virginiana | 40 ft. | Well drained | sun |
Sycamore | Platanus occidentalis | 100 ft. | Prefers fertile, adaptable | Full sun |
Cottonwood | Populus deltoides | 180 ft. | Moist, sandy | Full sun |
White oak | Quercus alba | 100 ft. | Well-drained to dry | Full sun |
Bur oak | Quercus macrocarpa | 80 ft. | Adaptable | sun |
Northern red oak | Quercus rubra | 120 ft. | Well drained | sun |
Post oak | Quercus stellata | 60 ft. | Moist, well-drained, adaptable | Full sun |
Black oak | Quercus velutina | 60 ft. | Moist to wet | full sun |
Sassafras | Sassafras albidum | 60 ft. | Adaptable | Full sun, Part shade |
Chittamwood / gum bumelia | Sideroxylon lanuginosum | 60 ft. | Evenly-moist, Well-drained | Full sun, Part shade |
Eastern hemlock | Tsuga canadensis | 70 ft. | Well-drained | Full sun |
American elm | Ulmus americana | 80 ft. | Average to wet soil | Part shade, sun |
Recommended plants for the Rochester Plateau and Blufflands
Common name | Scientific name | Height | Soil preference | Light requirement |
---|---|---|---|---|
White snakeroot | Ageratina altissima | 1–4 ft. | medium-wet to mediumn-dry | partial shade, shade |
Hog peanut | Amphicarpaea bracteata | 1–5 ft. | moist | part shade, shade |
Virginia spring beauty | Claytonia virginica | 5 in. | moist | part shade |
Gray dogwood | Cornus racemosa | 12 ft. | evenly-moist | sun-part shade |
American hazel | Corylus americana | 8 ft. | moist-dry | sun-shade |
Pointed-leaved tick trefoil | Desmodium glutinosum | 2 ft. | medium, dry | part shade, shade |
False rue anemone | Enemion biternatum | 16 in. | rich loamy | part shade, shade |
White trout lily | Erythronium albidum | 6 in. | moist | part shade |
Yellow trout lily | Erythronium americanum | 6 in. | moist | part shade, shade |
Wild geranium | Geranium maculatum | 12 in. | medium, medium-dry | part shade, shade |
Woodland sunflower | Helianthus strumosus | 3 ft. | medium-wet to medium-dry | part shade, sun |
Appendaged waterleaf | Hydrophyllum appendiculatum | 2 ft. | medium | part shade |
Virginia waterleaf | Hydrophyllum virginianum | 2 ft. | medium | part shade, shade |
Spotted touch-me-not | Impatiens capensis | 4 ft. | wet-medium | shade, sun |
Wood nettle | Laportea canadensis | 40 in. | moist | part shade, shade |
Virginia bluebells | Mertensia virginica | 30 in. | moist | part shade, shade |
Clayton’s sweet cicely | Osmorhiza claytonii | 2 ft. | medium-wet to medium-dry | part shade, shade |
Aniseroot | Osmorhiza longistylis | 2 ft. | moist | part shade, shade |
Virginia creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | 90 ft. | average - moist | part shade, shade, sun |
Woodbine | Parthenocissus vitacea | 70 ft. | average - moist | shade-sun |
Virginia knotweed | Persicaria virginiana | 4 ft. | moist | part shade, shade |
Blue phlox | Phlox divaricata | 18 in. | moist | part shade, shade |
Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | 25 ft. | dry-moist | shade-sun |
Prickly gooseberry | Ribes cynosbati | 4 ft. | mesic-dry | shade - sun |
Missouri gooseberry | Ribes missouriense | 6 ft. | dry - average | part shade, shade, sun |
Red raspberry | Rubus idaeus | 4 ft. | moist to dry | part shade, sun |
Tall coneflower | Rudbeckia laciniata | 2–10 ft. | moist | part shade, sun |
Canadian snakeroots | Sanicula canadensis | 1–4 ft. | loamy | part shade, shade |
Gregarious black snakeroots | Sanicula odorata | 1–3 ft. | mesic | part shade, shade |
Greenbrier | Smilax tamnoides | 10–30 ft. | average to moist soil | part shade, shade |
Elm-leaved goldenrod | Solidago ulmifolia | 2 ft.–4 ft. | dry | part shade, shade |
Stinging nettle | Urtica dioica | 1–6 ft. | moist, wet | shade, sun |
Stemless blue violets | Viola sororia and V. missouriensis | 3–8 in. | Medium-Wet, Medium | shade,sun |
Wild grape | Vitis riparia | 75 in. | average - moist | sun - part shade |
Prickly ash | Zanthoxylum americanum | 15–20 ft. | versatile | sun - shade |
Heart-leaved alexanders | Zizia aptera | 1–3 ft. | moist | part shade, shade |