Cold Moist Stratification Basics

It’s time to stratify native plant species that require cold-moist conditions. Our preferred method is based on original guidance from our friend Ann Casper.

Getting Started with Native Plants

Co-written by Sarah @littlelovelywhatnots and Dan Barron A lighting bug rests under the flower of Anemone virginiana (Tall Thimbleweed). | Photo by Sarah Barron No matter your garden, or gardening experience, planting native species can be aesthetically pleasing while...

NATIVE PLANT SEEDS & BARE ROOT PLANTS

Every season we work our way across the landscape, looking for strong populations of native plants. Large, intact populations offer an opportunity to collect “foundation” seed, which is responsibly gathered from the wild instead of being commercially produced. We offer our collected seed seasonally, in addition to the native plants that we grow from these collections.

All of our plants are grown from seed – never wild dug.

We employ organic production methods to all stages of our growing process.

We strive to ship all of our products with little or no plastic impact.

Over the past few years we have been producing packets containing locally collected seed. All seed packets are printed on recycled paper and feature one of our hand drawn illustrations.

NATIVE PLANT FLASH CARDS

Flash cards to help you memorize native plants of the Upper Midwest

I created a growing series of flash cards, which include a sampling of plant species native to the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa.

Each card shows one or more of my plant photographs on the front, which also includes my summary of general growing conditions. The plants family, genus and species are revealed on the back, in addition to well known common names.

HELP PROTECT REMNANT SITES

Baileyville Road Prairie

15 ACRES

Ogle County, IL

Roadside Right-of-Ways

100’s OF MILES

Across the Midwest

SEE

Help organizations who

PROTECT PRAIRIES

Please support these organizations!

ABOUT US

For over a decade, we have collected native plant seeds. In many cases we’re collecting from imperiled plant communities – often those persisting along railroads and roadsides – giving those seeds a chance to thrive beyond their fragmented growing place.

Sadly we often visit an old site only to find that it’s been disturbed, sprayed or worse, completely excavated. This harsh reality pushes us to keep collecting, while promoting education, appreciation, and hopefully protection for these tiny remnant sites.

To us, the best result of our work, is the possibility that these seeds will germinate, grow, and eventually help to populate a new area in need of biodiversity. Native plants are the basis for all wildlife, but in too many instances, native plant communities are isolated and fragmented, surrounded by development and large-scale agriculture. We hope that by making native plants and seeds more accessible, we can help others foster  a love for native plant communities.

Native plants, seed and floristic art of the Midwest

  • Organically Produced Native Plants
  • Ethically Collected Seed
  • Reduced Impact Packaging

©2025 BeeWise Native Plants   |   Eastman, Wisconsin