Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Sets the autumn garden alight — creamy white — reaching 6–10 ft and hardy in zones 3–8.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wisconsin · Zones 3–5
Native Plants for Fall Color in Wisconsin
Native trees, shrubs, and grasses that set the autumn garden alight with red, orange, copper, and gold. For Wisconsin, the right natives are shaped by Northern forest, driftless prairie & oak savanna and a cold continental climate. Every species below, from Arrowwood Viburnum and Flowering Dogwood to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Wisconsin and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 3–5. The natives behind New England's famous foliage will do the same work in your yard, and the show lasts far longer than the flowers did. Sugars trapped in the leaves on cool, sunny fall days drive the brightest color, so plant these in full sun for the most intense display. Pair fiery shrubs with the copper and amber of warm-season grasses for a season finale that rivals any flower bed.
The plants
13 native species for Wisconsin
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–5 · see this collection in other states.
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Lights up in autumn, white bracts, for a long late-season show, reaching 15–25 ft and 15–25 ft wide.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Fall color that lasts — rose-magenta, rose-magenta flowers and happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Lights up in autumn, white spring lace, for a long late-season show, white spring lace flowers and reaching 15–25 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Turns chartreuse-gold in fall, long after the flowers are gone; 6–12 ft tall and spreading 6–12 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Sets the autumn garden alight — inconspicuous green — spreading 10–20 ft and inconspicuous green flowers.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Lights up in autumn, yellow catkins, for a long late-season show, 2–6 ft tall and yellow catkins flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Lights up in autumn, white to pink, for a long late-season show, white to pink flowers and 5–10 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Lights up in autumn, blue-green to copper, for a long late-season show, cold-hardy to zone 3 and happy in sand, clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Fall color that lasts — bronze-gold plumes, 4–7 ft tall and good through zone 9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Turns airy pink-gold panicles in fall, long after the flowers are gone; reaching 3–6 ft and happy in sand, clay, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Fall color that lasts — bronze-purple seed heads, for sand, clay, and loam ground and 2–3 ft wide.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Lights up in autumn, fine emerald to amber, for a long late-season show, reaching 2–3 ft and happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Wisconsin
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.