Habitat Resources

Native Seed Suppliers

Here is a list of seed suppliers and plant nurseries that sell plants which are indigenous to the region. The word "native" refers to plants that grow within 100-200 miles of the area to be planted. These plants have evolved over thousands of years as part of this region's ecosystem. For the MN DNR list of Southern Minnesota Native Plant Nurseries and Consultants, Click HERE

Feder's Prairie Seed Co., Blue Earth MN, http://www.federprairieseed.com/

Landscape Alternatives, Inc., Taylor’s Falls MN, http://www.landscapealternatives.com/

Ion Exchange Nursery, Harpers Ferry IA, http://www.ionxchange.com/

Outback Nursery, Hastings MN, http://www.outbacknursery.com/

Prairie Restorations, Inc., 5 regional MN offices, http://www.prairieresto.com/

Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona MN, http://www.prairiemoon.com/

Shooting Star Native Seeds, Spring Grove MN, http://www.shootingstarnativeseed.com/

Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah IA 52101, seedsavers.org

Prairie Burn Consultants

It is important for burn contractors to have experience with the preparation, permitting, safety and insurance for burning prairies. For Prairie Smoke's printable list of recommended local burn contractors with contact details, click HERE

Minnesota Conservation Corps, Rochester DNR Office

MN Native Landscapes, L.L.C., Otsego, MN

Prairie Land Management (PLM), Glenwood, MN

Prairie Restorations, Inc. (PRI), Lewiston office

Prairie Creek Farm, Cannon Falls, MN

Short, Elliot, Hendrickson, Inc, Rochester, MN

The Kestrel Design Group, Inc, Minneapolis, MN

Conservation Landscapes - Hugh Valiant, Waterville, MN

Wildlife Consulting Services, Kasson, MN

Zumbro Valley Forestry, Elgin, MN and Northfield MN

Habitat Forever, St. Leo, MN

TriCounty Pheasants Forever-Eric Councelman, Rochester MN

Recommended Reading List

Restoring the Tallgrass Prairie by Shirley Shirley

The Prairie in Seed by Dave Williams

Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota by Welby Smith

Minnesota Gardener’s Guide by Melinda Myers

Landscaping with Native Plants in Minnesota by Lynn Steiner

My Healthy Woods by Steve Swenson

Field Guide to the Native Plant Communities of Minnesota by MN DNR

Prairie Reconstruction by Carl Kurtz

The Pollinator Victory Garden by Kim Eirman

Bees - An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide by Heather Holm

Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm

Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy

Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy

A New Garden Ethic by Benjamin Vogt

Garden Revolution by Larry Weaner and Thomas Christopher

The Tallgrass Prairie Center Guide to Prairie Restoration in the Upper Midwest by D. Smith, D. Williams, G. House also, K. Henderson

Birdscaping in the Midwest, A Guide to Gardening with Native Plants to Attract Birds by Mariette Nowak

Nature at Our Doorstep by Matt Schuth

Minnesota's Natural Heritage by John R. Tester, Susan M. Galatowitsch, Rebecca A. Montgomery and John J. Moriarity

Begin with a Bee by Liza Ketchum, Jacqueline Briggs, Martin and Phyllis Root

Forest Stand Improvement: Implementation for Wildlife in Hardwood Stands of the Eastern US by Dr. Craig Harper

Common Backyard Weeds of the Upper Midwest by Teresa Marrone

Prairie Plants of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum

Theodore S. Cochrane, Kandis Elliot, Claudia S. Lipke

The Farm as Natural Habitat by Dana L. Jackson, Laura L. Jackson

Managing Pasture by Dale Strickler

Prairies of Minnesota Landowner Handbook by MN DNR

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Planning, planting and maintaining prairie

Identifying prairie plants at the seed stage

Comprehensive guide to native trees and shrubs in MN

General gardening guide including native plants

General landscaping guide with all native plants

Handbook for woodland owners

Field guide

Step-by-step guide to create or restore prairie grasslands

Planting gardens for pollinators

Identification and plantings to support bees

Native insect pollinators and their plants

Creating native biodiversity in your yard

Sustaining wildlife with native plants

Broaden your goals when designing a garden

Garden design with nature in mind

A how-to guide to restoring or recreating a prairie

Creating bird-friendly habitat

Broad observations of seasonalchanges in plant and animal communities

Reference text about Minnesota’s ecology and natural resources

Children’s book about the life of the rusty-patched bumblebee

Reference handbook regarding managing woodlands

Field guide to common weeds

A colorful handbook of Midwestern prairie plant species

Reconnecting food systems with ecosystems

Includes sections on the value of native plants

Handbook for managing prairie parcels in Minnesota

Professor of Botany examines Indigenous wisdom, Scientific knowledge, and the teaching of plants