# Wisconsin Native Perennials
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Jack-in-the-Pulpit
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Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) grows across Wisconsin, with damp areas supporting this perennial. As a landscaping perennial, Jack-in-the-pulpit works in shade gardens, woodland gardens and in naturalized areas. Growing to 2 feet, the plant is a wildflower that blooms in the springtime and then goes dormant by summer. The part of the plant that flowers (Jack) is an upright spike that produces tiny green-purple flowers, while the pulpit is in fact called a spathe -- a portion of the flower encasing the stalk and forming a protective hood over it. Mature Jack-in-the pulpits produce bright red berries that add ornamental appeal to the withering plant by mid to late summer.
Marsh Marigolds
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Marsh marigolds (Calthra palustris) grow wild in Wisconsin in swamps, wetlands, damp meadows and woodlands, making it a species to consider for your wetter sites as a perennial flower. Marsh marigold actually belongs to the buttercup family, producing bright yellow flowers as wide as 1 1/2 inches. The foliage is a glossy shade of green and the plant grows to 2 feet. Marsh marigolds bloom during April and May. They are low maintenance, notes the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, requiring protection from drying winds.
Large Beard-Tongue
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Perennial borders, cottage gardens and woodland sites are suitable for large beard-tongue (Penstemon grandiflorus), a perennial of the Wisconsin prairies that grows to 4 feet. Producing conspicuous, lavender flowers shaped like tubes up and down its flowering spikes, large beard-tongue has blue-green foliage. The species grows in dry but well-draining areas, with damp ground causing its roots to rot, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Large beard-tongue blooms at the end of spring.
Ninebark
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Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is a perennial, deciduous shrub that takes its name from the many layers of bark it possesses. The older branches have exfoliating bark, which peels off to expose the red-brown under-layers beneath it. Ninebark grows in sun and shade, with the shrub able to develop under most soil conditions. Ninebark grows to 8 feet, yields clusters of white and pink flowers during May and June, and serves many landscaping purposes. Use ninebark to form a hedge in Wisconsin, or opt to grow it in shrub borders as a screen or to prevent erosion.
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