COMMON NATIVE PLANTS. What are native plants?

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1 COMMON NATIVE PLANTS What are native plants? Native plants are plants that evolved to survive in a given area - in our case, Indiana. This is their home, so to speak, so they are responsible for attracting and providing habitat for wildlife, including important pollinators like butterflies and bees. Native planting areas can be butterfly gardens, hummingbird gardens, or colorful plantings along the shores of retention ponds and streams. Rain gardens use native plants in strategically-located, small depressions that intercept and hold rain water runoff that flows from roofs, driveways, patios, or lawns. In rain gardens and native planting areas, the soil and plants filter pollutants, slow storm water down, and allow much of it to slowly soak into the soil, recharging our ground water supplies and reducing storm water runoff volumes and pollutant loads to nearby streams. This guide will help you choose the plants that will work best in our Indiana environment. It is not an exhaustive list, and you can learn more from books and the internet. And remember: a thriving native garden can outcompete weeds very effectively, but there s no such thing as a no maintenance garden. Spend some time pulling weeds every week, and you will have a beautiful garden to enjoy.

2 This symbol denotes a good rain garden plant. Some plants can tolerate longer wet periods than others, so do a little homework to understand where in your rain garden basin to locate them. Sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula 1-3 ft. tall including seedheads Seedheads form in summer Blue-green leaves turn purple or red in fall Likes well-drained soils Birds love the seeds Does not compete well with taller grasses but often found with little bluestem Switchgrass Panicum virgatum Perennial grass ranging from 3-5 ft tall in a large clump Seedheads emerge July-August; reddish purple in color Fall color of leaves is a bright yellow Common grass found in native prairies Indian Grass Sorghatrum nutans Perennial grows up to 3-8 ft. including the seedeads Seedheads form in fall Blue-green blades during growing season; deep orange fall color Commonly found in tall grass prairies Sedges (several varieties) Carex spp. Most are topped with unique flower heads that make sedges easy to identify, 1-2 ft tall Superficially resemble grass, but have distinctive triangular stems Associated with wetlands; perform a number of services including water quality improvement Widely distributed throughout the world, Native Indiana species include Fox Sedge, Frank s Sedge, Burr Sedge, and Riverbank Tussock Sedge

3 Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Perennial, grows to 3 ft and in thick bunches North American prairie grass Important plant to tallgrass prairie communities Prefers well-drained sunny sites Has a slight blue tint in spring, predominantly a rustic red color throughout rest of the year Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis Grows to 4 ft Blooms rusty-tan flowers in mid-september Found from the Midwest to the eastern seaboard Drought-resistant, but can be found in moist soils Grows in thick bunches, but with very thin leaves Rich green in color during spring and summer, then golden rust rest of the year Northern sea oats Chasmanthium latifolium Rare native grass that grows to 3 ft Flowering occurs in mid-summer Found in wooded areas and riparian zones Thrives in partial shade Seedheads turn from green to bronze and stay that way through winter Can become aggressive in full sun Tufted Hair Grass Deschampsia caespitosa Grows 1-2 ft., taller with airy seedheads Seedheads form in late spring Found in moist conditions like bogs and fens Attracts birds

4 Black-eyed Susan (several varieties) Rudbeckia spp. Can grow to 5 ft, Flowers from June to August with bright yellow petals radiating from domed center Indiana native wildflower Reseed themselves after the first season Nice cut-flower, vase life up to 10 days Butterfly attractant Yellow coneflower Ratibida pinnata Perennial plant that can grow to be 5-8 ft tall Flowers from July through September Common prairie plant Similar in appearance to Black-eyed Susan, but with drooping petals Attracts both bees and butterflies Bergamot/bee balm Monarda fistulosa Ranges in height from 2-4 ft Blooms lilac-colored flowers from mid-summer to mid-fall Opposite leaves, smooth to sparsely hairy Strong antiseptic properties Native to North America, found throughout the Midwest Used to encourage pollinator activity Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea Typically 2-3 ft. tall Blooms July-August Drought-tolerant perennial plant Hairy alternate leaves Purple flowers with spiny center cone resembling a sea-urchin Native to North America Many medicinal uses, often taken in pill form to improve immune system

5 Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata 2-4 ft tall perennial Blooms July-August Deep pink flower heads on top of tall branching stems Commonly found in wetland soils Great for planting in wet areas Host plant for monarch butterflies Butterflyweed Asclepias tuberosa Bushy, 2-4 ft perennial Can bloom May-September Flat-topped clusters of orange flowers, with dark green lanced leaves The bright color attracts butterflies very well More common in drier soils than swamp milkweed Host plant for monarch butterflies Blazing Star Liatris spp. 3-5 ft. tall Blooms during summer months and into fall 30 different species in North America, 7 in Indiana Colorful, feathery flower-heads Densely clustered stems with slender grass-like leaves Found naturally in prairie remnants Blue false indigo Baptisia australis Upright perennial that grows to 4 ft. Blooms in spring Found in dense woods and streambanks Flowers give way to seed pods that turn charcoal black

6 Foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis Perennial up to 4 ft tall Blooms mid-summer White or pink tubular flowers that attract long-tongued pollinators Grows very easily from seed Aster (several varieties) Aster spp. Depending on species, 1-4 ft. tall Bloom in fall Dainty, daisy-like flowers with yellowish centers Come in a rainbow of colors Found in prairie lands and grow quickly Food plants for the larvae of important pollinators Culver s root Veronicastrum virginicum Perennial herb that grows tall, up to 6 ft Flower from mid-summer to early fall Serrated leaves arranged in whorls around stem Flower-heads grow vertically on the top of stems Found in wetter soils Blue flag iris Iris virginica shrevei Perennial that grows to 1-3 ft Blooms late spring Thick leaves grow from large clumps Flower is well developed and a radiant blue indigo Found in sedge meadows, marshes, and streambanks

7 Turtlehead Chelone glabra, Chelone obliqua 2-4 ft. tall Bloom August-September Perennial plant native to eastern North America Most common species has distinctly shaped white pink flowers Often found in wetter soils Does not grow tall, can be outshaded Columbine Aquilegia canadensis Hardy perennial that does not grow tall 20 inches at most Bloom April-July Petals have spurs that are greatly diverse and make them highly prized Food plant for butterfly and moth larvae Widely cultivated and sold by florists Occurs naturally in moist soils Mountain mint Pycnanthemum virginianum Perennial plant up to 3 ft Blooms mid-summer Frequently branching stems create bush appearance When rubbed or cut, foliage releases strong mint scent Flower-heads are flattened, with numerous white flowers and purple dots Lance-leaf coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata Grows in clumps up to 18 in tall Flowers early spring Yellow flowers with dark bases Propagates through division or seeding Native perennial all across America

8 Western sunflower Helianthus occidentalis Can grow tall but very fragile, 3-4 ft. Blooms in mid-summer Prefers drier soils Each thin stem topped with flower head Small, delicate yellow flowers False sunflower Heliopsis helianthoides Perennial plant that grows up to 5 ft Blooms June-September Can become bushy in open growing conditions Opposite, rough, serrated leaves Daisy-like composite flower with tan center Fairly common, growing readily in wildflower fields Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea Up to 3 ft tall Flowers in spring Serrated leaflets, compound leaves Full to partial sun, moist and loamy soil Very beneficial to pollinators with small mouth parts Goldenrod (several varieties) Solidago spp. Come in many shapes and sizes Bloom in fall All characterized by dense, yellow flower-heads First colonizers of old crop-fields Prefer full sunlight Canada Goldenrod is often considered a pest plant. See our Common Weeds guide for more information.

9 Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis Perennial that grows to 4 ft Bloom August-September Bright red flowers on terminal spikes Distinct shape of flowers makes them highly prized Relatively common, but readily picked Depends almost primarily on hummingbirds for pollination Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica Unbrached, erect stems grow to 3 ft Blue tubular flowers crowd together in parallel upward growth Often called the blue counterpart to the Cardinal flower Blooms in late summer Bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii Perennial that grows to 2 ft Bloom September-October Unbranched, multiple stems may emerge from taproot Opposite leaves smooth and dark green Flowers resemble bottle-shaped buds even when mature Unique appearance makes them difficult to pollinate Bees are primary pollinator Monkeyflower Mimulus ringens 2-4 ft. tall Blooms July-August Very large group consisting of almost 150 species Common throughout North America Mostly herbaceous perennials Prefer very moist conditions; some may even be found in shallow water Some produce large amounts of aromatic compounds, giving them their other name, musk-flowers

10 Rattlesnake master Eryngium yuccifolium Up to 6 ft. tall with flowers Blooms May-August Very unusual plant with spiney leaves and globular flowers Flowers appear blueish in maturity Prolific self-seeder Well-drained soils Once credited with curative properties Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale 3-4 ft. tall Blooms September-October Winged stem with numerous yellow, daisy-like flower Grows in moist, clay soils Dried leaves created a snuff to cause sneezing and rid the body of evil spirits Spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana Grows 1-3 ft. tall Blooms May-August, multiple colors and lasting only one day per flower Leaves are long, narrow, and bright green Native to meadows, open woods, and limestone outcrops Angular leaves resemble a spider Highly adaptable to varying conditions Joe-Pye Weed Eupatorium spp. Perennial grows up to 3-8 ft Blooms in fall Unbranched, erect central stem Flowers can be blue, pink, or white depending on species Can grow in dense colonies

11 What is the White River Alliance? The White River Alliance improves and protects water resources throughout Central Indiana. We are an alliance of diverse interests and organizations that work together to steward the river and its watershed. Learn how to get involved or become a member at