The Twin Cities greater metropolitan area is known to ecologists as the Anoka Sand Plain, Big Woods, and St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and Moraines subsections. This region covers all or parts of Anoka, Benton, Blue Earth, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Le Sueur, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Nicollet, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Waseca, Washington and Wright counties.
The Anoka Sand Plain is characterized by flat, sandy lake plains and terraces along the Mississippi River. Most of the soils are sandy and dry, but there are some poorly drained organic soils. Originally this area was filled with oak barrens and openings, with some jack pine along the northern edge.
Topography in the Big Woods is gently to moderately rolling. Soils were formed in thick deposits of gray limey glacial till left by the retreat of the ice sheets over 12,000 years ago. Red oak, sugar maple, basswood and American elm were most common in this mostly forested region.
The rolling to steep slopes of the St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and Moraines gently level on the outwash plain, with soils ranging from clay loam to sand. This area was once a mosaic of tall grass prairie, savannahs and maple-basswood forests prior to settlement.
The trees recommended for the future forests of this area are all commercially available, but finding some of the native plants might be harder. In these cases, rewilding the understory might mean letting the chokecherry grow, rather than actually planting it.
Recommended trees and plants
| Common name | Scientific name | Height | Soil preference | Shade tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box elder | Acer negundo | 50 ft | Adaptable | Part shade |
| Red maple | Acer rubrum | 55 ft | Adaptable | Part to full sun |
| Silver maple | Acer saccharinum | 80 ft | Adaptable | Full sun |
| Sugar maple | Acer saccharum | 80 ft | Medium-textured, well-drained | Adaptable |
| Bitternut hickory | Carya cordiformis | 100 ft | Medium-textured, well-drained | Part to full sun |
| Shagbark hickory | Carya ovata | 80 ft | Fine to medium, well-drained | Part to full sun |
| Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | 75 ft | Adaptable | Full sun |
| Black walnut | Juglans nigra | 60 ft | Medium-textured, well-drained | Full sun |
| Eastern red cedar | Juniperus virginiana | 40 ft | Coarse-textured, dry | Full sun |
| Ironwood | Ostrya virginiana | 65 ft | Medium-textured, well-drained | Adaptable |
| Cottonwood | Populus deltoides | 90 ft | Medium-textured, well-drained | Full sun |
| Black cherry | Prunus serotina | 60 ft | Medium-textured, well-drained | Part to full sun |
| White oak | Quercus alba | 100 ft | Adaptable | Full sun |
| Swamp white oak | Quercus bicolor | 60 ft | Medium to coarse, well-drained | Part to full sun |
| Northern pin oak* | Quercus ellipsoidalis | 60 ft | Coarse-textured, dry | Part to full sun |
| Bur oak | Quercus macrocarpa | 80 ft | Medium-textured, well-drained | Full sun |
| Northern red oak* | Quercus rubra | 80 ft | Medium to coarse, well-drained | Full sun |
| American elm** | Ulmus americana | 80 ft | Fine to medium, well-drained | Part to full sun |
*This species of red oak is most susceptible to oak wilt. Check your area’s current oak wilt risk.
**Due to Dutch elm disease, only plant disease-resistant varieties of American elm.
The following plants native to this region are also found further south. They should be well-equipped to adjust to our climate as it becomes warmer and wetter. These native plants also provide diverse benefits to microfauna, such as pollinators, other insects, birds and bats.
| Common name | Scientific name | Height | Soil preference | Shade tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beggarticks | Bidens spp. | 8–80 in. | Medium-wet to wet | Full to part sun |
| False nettle | Boehmeria cylindrica | 36 in. | Medium to medium-wet | Part shade |
| Cattail sedge | Carex typhina | 12 in. | Medium to medium-wet | Part to full shade |
| Blue cohosh | Caulophyllum thalictroides | 24 in. | Medium to medium-wet | Part to full shade |
| Pointed-leaf tick trefoil | Desmodium glutinosum | 24 in. | Medium-dry to medium | Part to full shade |
| Dutchman’s breeches | Dicentra cucullaria | 12 in. | Medium to medium-wet | Shade |
| Wild geranium | Geranium maculatum | 24 in. | Medium-dry to medium | Full sun to shade |
| Wood nettle | Laportea canadensis | 30 in. | Medium-wet to wet | Part to full shade |
| Rice Cutgrass | Leersia oryzoides | 48 in. | Medium-wet to wet | Sun to part shade |
| Clayton’s sweet cicely | Osmorhiza claytonii | 24 in. | Average | Shade |
| Virginia creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | 90 ft. | Average to moist | Part to full shade |
| Dwarf clearweed | Pilea pumila | 12 in. | Medium-wet to wet | Part to full shade |
| Bloodroot | Sanguinaria canadensis | 8 in. | Medium-dry to medium-wet | Full sun to shade |
| Mad dog skullcap | Scutellaria lateriflora | 24 in. | Medium-wet to wet | Full to part sun |
| Zigzag goldenrod | Solidago flexicaulis | 36 in. | Medium-dry to medium-wet | Full to part sun |
| Ontario aster | Symphyotrichum ontarionis | 30 in. | Average to moist | Sun to part shade |
| Large-flowered bellwort | Uvularia grandiflora | 16 in. | Alkaline, well-drained loam | Sun to part shade |
| Rugulose | Viola canadensis | 12 in. | Dry to average | Part to full shade |
| Yellow violet | Viola pubescens | 6 in. | Medium to medium-wet | Part shade |
| Wild grape | Vitis riparia | 45 ft. | Adaptable | Full sun |
Creating climate refugia
Models of the state’s future climate may not favor the survival of some species that you currently see in your woods. However, that doesn’t mean these species don’t hold intrinsic ecological, cultural or economic value. You can work to retain these species in your landscape and protect them from the impacts of climate change by creating forest refugia.
Species in this region that may be most vulnerable to climate change, pests and diseases:
- Black maple (Acer nigrum) closely resembles sugar maple and can be found growing in a variety of sites but prefers moist soils and some shade. Consider retaining black maple on cool, moist sites and promoting a diversity of other hardwood species.
- Blue beech (American hornbeam, musclewood; Carpinus caroliniana) is predicted to be vulnerable to climate change in this region. This species is often found in the understory of hardwood forests and therefore tolerates full shade. Consider thinning from below to open up growing space in the understory for this species.
- Paper birch (Betula papyrifera), river birch (Betula nigra) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) are predicted to be vulnerable to climate change in this region. Retain existing birch in diverse stands with a mix of species, age classes, and structures. Paper birch is shade intolerant and therefore prefers full sun, while yellow birch tolerates intermediate levels of shade. River birch does well in both well-drained and wet soils, as well as along rivers and lakes. Consider thinning, single tree, or group selection harvests to improve the resilience of birch forests. Learn more about managing birch forests.
- Black ash (Fraxinus nigra), white ash (Fraxinus americana) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) are predicted to do well in warmer and wetter climates but are all extremely vulnerable to emerald ash borer. Black ash is a cultural and ecological keystone species in northern Minnesota and is an essential part of Minnesota’s forests. If ash is present in your woodland, learn more about managing ash woodlands in response to emerald ash borer.
- Butternut (Juglans cinerea) is predicted to tolerate a changing climate, but it is extremely vulnerable to butternut canker, a fungal disease that has devastated populations of butternut across the northeast U.S. butternut is a Minnesota endangered species and therefore cannot be bought commercially. A permit from the Department of Natural Resources is required to collect, transport, or possess butternut seeds and other parts of the tree.
- Red pine (Pinus resinosa), jack pine (Pinus banksiana) and Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) are iconic Northwoods species that are predicted to be vulnerable to climate change in this region. Consider thinning existing pine stands to promote sufficient growing space. Harvesting in gaps can also promote a diversity of species, age classes, and structures that will improve the resilience of the stand. Eastern white pine is preferred by deer, so bud capping or tree tubes can help increase seedling survival. Preventative pruning can also help to protect young white pine trees from white pine blister rust. Learn more about managing red pine, jack pine and white pine forests.
- Tamarack (Larix laricina), black spruce (Picea mariana), northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea) are common conifer species that are often found in wet areas such as bogs, as well as drier sites. These species are predicted to be vulnerable to climate change in this region. Consider planting these species with a mix of climate-capable species (listed below) on cool, moist sites to promote diversity and improve resilience.
- Bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) are predicted to be vulnerable to a changing climate in this ecoregion. These species regenerate by root suckering (sprouting), and these aspen stands provide many benefits to wildlife throughout their life cycle. Harvesting in gaps can also promote a diversity of species, age classes, and structures that will improve the resilience of the stand. Learn more about managing aspen forests.
- Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) and rock elm (Ulmus thomasii) are also predicted to do well but are susceptible to Dutch elm disease. With no disease-resistant cultivars of slippery elm currently available, landowners should be cautious in choosing where to encourage these species.
- American basswood (Tilia americana) is a critical component of Minnesota’s maple-basswood forests, also known as the Big Woods. This species is predicted to be vulnerable to climate change in this region. Basswood prefers well-drained soils and can tolerate intermediate levels of shade. Consider managing existing basswood stands through thinning and/or single tree or group selection harvesting to improve the resilience of the stand. Learn more about managing northern hardwood forests.
- Black willow (Salix nigra) is commonly found in wet areas, including along the margins of ponds and lakes. Black willow provides food and habitat for many species of wildlife, including birds, mammals, and insects. This species is predicted to be vulnerable to climate change in this region. Black willow is predicted to respond somewhat poorly to a warmer climate, so consider promoting this species on cool, moist sites.
Woodlands of Minnesota Handbook
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has created a series of woodland handbooks that provide landowners with information on their region’s conditions, frequent challenges, and advice on setting and reaching management goals. The Anoka Sand Plain, Big Woods, and St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and Moraines handbook includes information on wildlife, plants, invasive species, geology, landscape and watershed management for this special region of Minnesota.
Reviewed in 2024