Since 1990, the Friends of the Arboretum Native Plant Sale in early May has provided local gardeners with a reliable source for native plants and expert guidance. All species offered at the sale are native to Wisconsin and, once established, require minimal care. No plants are dug from the wild. All are grown in commercial nurseries that follow best practices for preventing spread of disease and pests such as the jumping worm.

The plant sale is open to all. Proceeds from the Native Plant Sale help FOA support the Arboretum’s work and mission.

About the FOA Native Plant Sale

On-site Plant Sale: May 18, 2024, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

In the large tents on the lawn near the Visitor Center, more than 200 species of native grasses, woodland, prairie, and savanna plants to purchase, while supplies last. Trees and shrubs will only be available through the online sale.

Friends of the Arboretum is seeking volunteers to help with the plant sale. Visit the SignUpGenius page to reserve your time slot(s)!

See the 2024 tent sale plant list to see what will be available at the 2024 sale.

Online Plant Sale: January 1–March 31, 2024

A selection of trees, shrubs, garden mixes, and half and full flats of select species can be ordered at foamadison.org from January 1 through March 31, 2024, with pickup the week of May 13. The online sale is open to anyone. By ordering online, you can get popular plants in larger quantities, garden mixes, and your choice of trees and shrubs.

Trees and shrubs will only be available during the online sale, for pickup by customers in Oregon, Wisconsin.

Benefits for Friends

Friends receive information about the Native Plant Sale, including preliminary plant lists, in the quarterly NewsLeaf newsletter. Friends will have exclusive access to the Native Plant Sale tent from 9 to 10 a.m. Learn more about how to be a Friend and contribute online.

More Information

To get news and information about the plant sale:

• Be a Friend of the Arboretum to receive the Friends’ quarterly print newsletter NewsLeaf , which includes information about the plant sale.
• Subscribe to arbNews to receive the Arboretum’s email newsletter (once or twice a month).
• Join the FOA Native Plant Sale Facebook group for news about the sale and to ask questions or share information about gardening with native plants.
• Friends of the Arboretum plant information sheets provide more information about specific plants.
• If you have questions about the native plant sale, please email the coordinator at npscoordinator@foamadison.org.

Jumping worm precautions: The Arboretum has followed best management practices for the jumping worm (Amynthas spp.) invasive species since it was discovered here in the fall of 2013. In coordination with Arboretum staff, the Native Plant Sale organizers have also taken preventive measures against spreading the invasive worms.

Sponsors

Friends of the Arboretum gratefully acknowledges in-kind contributions from the following businesses in support of the 2022 Native Plant Sale:

• Agrecol Native Nursery
• McKay Nursery

History

The Native Plant Sale began with volunteers selling plants in the Arboretum Visitor Center basement. Most plants at that time were donated by local native plant gardeners. Customers appreciated the wide assortment of ferns, grasses, and wildflowers of the forest and prairie. The sale has become a beloved community tradition drawing more than a thousand customers to shop in a big tent on the Arboretum lawn on a Saturday in early May. Expert advice and hard-to-find native species have been hallmarks of the Native Plant Sale throughout its history. The 2020 tent sale was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. For 2021, as the pandemic continued, Friends of the Arboretum created an online shop for customers to order native plants and held curbside pickup events in May. This system allowed us to sell about 20,000 plants – more than in any year before.