Places to Buy Native Plants

Every spring and fall you can find local native plant sales at various locations around southeast Michigan.

View our list of native plant sales here.

When shopping at nurseries or garden centers, look for plants that are labeled as "native" and ask the staff for more information about the plant's origin and growing conditions. The Latin name is the key to identifying the authentic ones. With a bit of research and effort, you can find authentic Michigan native plants to add to your garden or restoration project.

Sourcing or locating authentic Michigan native plants can prove to be challenging as there are many nurseries that carry cultivars, nativars and non-native plants. We have compiled a list of local nurseries and native plant growers below:

Nurseries, Seeds and Native Landscaping Designers:

  • Barsons Greenhouses: (Westland, MI): "we carry a large variety of unusual and hard-to-find perennials.
  • Better Finds, LLC (Sells at local farm markets): "licensed grower of specimen & architectural grade native Michigan perennials & ferns. We specialize in woodlot shade displays, naturalization & pre/post-construction services including site evaluation, rescue, replanting & introduction of native species with an emphasis on low maintenance & enjoyment of the homestead." email: miwildflowers@charter.net (Lynnette Fouche Bougenske) for more info about sales

  • Cold Stream Farm is a wholesale / retail bare root tree and shrub nursery in Michigan. Cold Stream Farm specializes in trees and shrubs for wildlife habitat. For more than four decades, we have been offering wholesale shrubs and bare root trees to residents throughout the Midwest. We offer discounts for large orders, and we have no minimum order limit in place.
  • Designs By Nature (Laingsburg, MI): a fully licensed greenhouse that grows only native plants of Michigan Genotypes.

  • Detroit Abloom, Detroit, Michigan

    Where does our plant stock come from? We grow many plants from seed and also propagate seedlings from existing, mature stands in our gardens. Generally, we purchase plugs from Wild Type Nursery in Mason, Michigan, and bare-rooted trees and shrubs from Cold Stream Farms in Free Soil, Michigan. We also purchase bare rootstock and plants from Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan.

    We have added new shrubs, butterfly host plants, and perennials to our stock, some of which are suited for wetter and shadier conditions. You will find the plants in this order - Perennials, Grasses, Shrubs, and Annuals. We have added a search option to make it easier to find specific plants.

  • Detroit Wildflower Nursery (Farmington, MI): Organic and pesticide-free plants that are native to Michigan and the Great Lakes ecoregion. Plants grown from seed that is mostly locally harvested. Edible, deer resistant and bird feeder plants available.

    Contact Mitchell Swindell (567)393-1902 detroitwildflowernursery@gmail.com
  • East Michigan Native Plants (Durand, MI): "We pride ourselves in growing pesticide-free Michigan native wildflowers and grasses, with a focus on plants that are important to our native pollinators and birds.  We use Integrated Pest Managment (IPM) methods and practices within our nursery in order to eliminate favorable environments for pests and, therefore, our need for insecticide use.  (Talk to us about our IPM Workshops!)" 
  • eco-Chic Landscape Design (SE Michigan): "offers professional landscape design services, working from exact measurements, keeping your property's unique features in mind and creating a final blueprint that meets your expectations. . . will help you restore your landscape by bringing back the native plants and trees that attract the beautiful birds, butterflies and indigenous creatures that belong on your property."
  • Feral Flora (Ann Arbor): "creates living landscapes with a sense of place using native and nearly native plants in a naturalistic style. From a small urban garden to installing 25 acres of native seed, we can help you select the right plants for long-lived, low maintenance, low input garden that is beautiful and alive with life. As of 2019, we are also propagating Michigan genotype native plants."
  • Go Grow Plant Natives (Charlotte, MI): "Go Grow Plant Natives is a home-based nursery focusing on growing plants that are a Native Michigan genotype. We grow flowers, grasses, sedges, shrubs, and trees. We are located 1 mile west of Charlotte MI." visit website for info on purchasing

  • Michiganense Natives (Northville, MI) As native plant growers & conservationists, we strive not only to satisfy our desire for visual appeal but also leverage our knowledge & observation of native plant species. By planting plants that belong and thoughtfully planning your bloom sequence, you are optimizing your ecological benefit to the piece of land you're managing. Offering native plant seeds, garden design and landscaping services.
  • Michigan Wildflower Farm (Portland, MI): offers native seeds and ecological consulting re: native plantings for public, private and business projects. "We specialize in installation and management of rain gardens, shoreline restorations, detention and retention basins, bioswales, wetland mitigations, CRP and SAFE projects, meadows, prairies and gardens.  Our projects have included business headquarters, housing developments, libraries, municipal offices and single homes in urban and rural settings throughout Michigan."
  • Native Connections (Kalamazoo): for ordering native seeds; "We produce and harvest our Michigan genotype native seed on just under 100 acres around the Kalamazoo area. The seed from our production fields originates from collections from multiple remnant populations in southern Michigan."
  • Oakland Conservation District (Every county has a conservation district    accessible from the Michigan Conservation Districts webpage): annual native tree sale offered at the Oakland County Farmers Market each spring.

  • Native Lakescapes (Clarkston): "We specialize in natural shorelines, sustainable riparian buffers, Indigenous plants and grasses, bio-engineering practices, creating diverse habitats, design and installation"
  • Native Plant Guild (Michigan): "The Native Plant Guild is an alliance of local businesses and organizations that offer a variety of ecological landscaping services. From planning, design, installation and maintenance to providing Michigan native seed and plants, these professionals work together to promote stewardship of our land and waters as they establish, restore, and preserve natural landscapes."
  • Natural Community Services, LLC (Royal Oak): "NCS assesses, designs, creates, maintains, monitors & promotes ecologically sustainable public and private wetlands, woodlands, meadows, streams, and shorelines, using community appropriate native species. We use land ethics to make your property beautiful & diverse. NCS has worked with over 500 public & private clients." Services include: HOA, private, non-profit, public-preserve, and commercial lands.

  • Plants for Ecology (Troy): "Native Michigan plants for those who garden for nature and beauty." See website for sale and contact info.
  • Potager Garden Design (Detroit): "We're not your typical landscaping business. We prefer to remove lawns rather than maintain them. We integrate native plants into our landscape designs to improve wildlife habitats and fight climate change. We help people grow their own food and manage rainwater runoff. We don't rake leaves because we want to make sure bugs have a place to sleep over winter. And we grow native plants, too."
  • Prairie Moon Nursery (Minnesota): Regional supplier of native plant seeds from the Great Lakes region. Excellent mail order source for native seeds. 
  • Sustainable Landscapes, LLC (Novi): "Southeast Michigan company dedicated to helping landowners who want landscapes that utilize sound ecological principles, the foundation of which use native plants. Whether you are starting from scratch or converting part or all of your existing landscape to one that provides habitat and requires less water, no fertilizer, and no pesticides, we can help."
  • Wiegand's Nursery (Macomb): "Family owned and operated for over 150 years, Ray Wiegand’s has a state of the art garden center and a 700-acre growing facility in Lenox Township, to nurture more than 500 varieties of trees and shrubs, along with growing over 600 varieties of perennials.
  • Wild Type Nursery (Mason, MI): Wildtype exclusively grows plants native to Michigan, from Michigan genotypes. We grow trees, shrubs, grasses, emergent wetland plants and wildflowers typical of southern Michigan woodlands, wetlands and prairies. Wildtype also provides ecological design & consulting services for public, commercial and residential projects focusing on restoration and preservation of the native landscape. Services offered include species inventory & site assessment; design & planning; and the establishment & management of the native landscape. Member MNPPA
  • Willow Greenhouse (Northville): Specialty: natural pest control via beneficial insects.

  • Ypsilanti Native Plant Nursery plants have Great Lakes, Michigan, Washtenaw, or Ypsilanti genotypes (and one oddball from South Dakota). Over 100 flowering plants range from the dainty Allium cernuum, or nodding onion, to the giant Angelica atropurpurea, said to be Michigan's largest plant. Whether your conditions are sunny, shady, wet, or dry, we can provide plants that enhance your yard and offer food, shelter, and host plants for insects and birds.
  • Link to a list of more native plant nurseries

Rochester Pollinators Free Seed Library:

You can also try sourcing seeds or cuttings from other gardeners who specialize in native plants. This can be a great way to get started with native plants and to support local conservation efforts. You can get FREE native flower seeds from Rochester Pollinators Seed Library at Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve. Check the website for available hours. Free Seed Library Location & Hours

Some Good Educational Resources:

List of Educational Resources