1. American Basswood

An attractive shade tree, the American basswood can grow as tall at 60 to 80 feet with a round and lush crown made up of heart-shaped leaves. Its whiteish flowers are typically in bloom by mid-June and fill the summer air with a pleasant fragrance.

2. American Elm

The American elm can be found with its tall, arching branches creating a shady place to escape the hot summer sun. You can recognize this tree by its gray, furrowed bark and elliptical green leaves.

3. Common Hackberry

The common hackberry is easily recognizable from a distance by its light gray, warty bark on massive trunks. It is commonly used as a street tree because of its ability to withstand drought and urban environments.

4. Eastern White Pine

The largest conifer of the upper Midwest forests, white pines can grow as tall as 100 feet and up to more than three feet in diameter.

5. Honey Locust

The lacey, oval leaves of the honey locust tree are small enough to let a little sunlight through, which creates a beautiful dappled shade in the yards and gardens where it’s planted. Their flowers provide food for pollinators and their leaves turn a beautiful golden shade in the fall.

1. Purple Coneflower

The ever-popular Purple Coneflower blooms profusely for up to two months in mid to late summer and sometimes re-blooms in the fall. Perfect for both small gardens and large prairie meadows, the showy flowers are a favorite nectar source for butterflies, bees and myriad pollinators

2. Wild Bergamot

Wild bergamot, known by many other common names, is a popular and showy perennial. Clusters of lavender, pink or white flowers, looking like ragged pompoms, bloom atop 2-5 ft., open-branched stems.

3. Bluestem Grasses

Bluestem grasses have adapted to moderately well-drained to excessively-drained soils. They thrive in warm temperatures and moderate amounts of rain. They tolerate harsh conditions and are found in both moist and dry open spaces.

4. Compass Plant

The Compass Plant is a tall, coarse, sunflower-like perennial, growing 3-10 ft. high. Deeply cut, hairy leaves, up to 2 ft. in length, usually orient themselves north and south to avoid the heat of the noonday sun. 

5. Maidenhair Fern

Maidenhair ferns (Adiantum raddianum) are deciduous ferns known for their delicate, fan-shaped leaf segments clustered on wiry black stems. They're a popular houseplant for their attractive foliage and compact size.