Whether you’re providing wildlife habitat or creating gardens to beautify your home, native plants provide many landscaping solutions.
The Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower society recommends the listed items as the most garden-worthy plants native to Indiana. They are available through many garden centers or mail-order catalogs and will grow without pampering as long as you site them where their basic light and moisture requirements are met.
The lists are not exhaustive but aim to introduce you to reliable, well-behaved natives that you can use decoratively, to attract wildlife, or simply to restore balance of nature to a landscape.
Details of size, flower color, and other attributes are available for many of these plants through the INPAWS Web site. Specific questions may be addressed to Box 30317, Indianapolis, IN 46230-0317.
The mission of INPAWS is to help Indiana appreciate, preserve, conserve, utilize, and study its native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. We invite you to join this effort by becoming a member. For information about our spring native plant sale, fall conference, youth field tripfund, and other programs, visit www.inpaws.org.
Indigenous plants are a significant part of a region’s geographic context—in fact, they help define it. They have proven themselves capable of surviving in a landscape for millennia.
—Michael Homoya State Botanist, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Woods Edge (part shade)
FLOWER
Blue star willow Amsonia tabernaemontana
American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum
Sweet joe-pye weed Eupatorium purpureum
Dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
Blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Solomon’s plume Maianthemum racemosum
Virginia bluebell Mertensia virginica
Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa
Sundrops Oenothera tetragona
Stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum
Penstemon Penstemon digitalis
Wild sweet william Phlox divaricata
Garden phlox Phlox paniculata
Zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis
Gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis
Aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Spiderwort Tradescantia ohioensis
Bird’s foot violet Viola pedata
GRASS
Northern sea oats Chasmanthium latifolium
SHRUB
Roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii
Witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana
Smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
Winterberry holly Ilex verticillata
Black chokeberry Photinia melanocarpa
Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius
Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
Elderberry Sambucus canadensis
Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum
Nannyberry Viburnum lentago
American cranberry bush Viburnum trilobum
TREE
Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis
Redbud Cercis canadensis
Pagoda dogwood Cornus alternifolia
VINE
Woolly dutchman’s pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
Crossvine Bignonia capreolata
Coral honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens
Woodland (shade)
FERN
Maidenhair fern Adiantum pedatum
Ostrich fern Matteuccia struthiopteris
Cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea
Royal fern Osmunda regalis
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
FLOWER
Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Wild ginger Asarum canadense
Turtlehead Chelone glabra
Woodland larkspur Delphinium tricorne
Wild geranium Geranium maculatum
Swamp rose mallow Hibiscus moscheutos
Blue flag Iris virginica
Solomon’s plume Maianthemum racemosum
Virginia bluebell Mertensia virginica
Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
Jacob’s ladder Polemonium reptans
Solomon’s seal Polygonatum biflorum
Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Wild stonecrop Sedum ternatum
Blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Indian pink Spigelia marilandica
Celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
Foamflower Tiarella cordifolia
SHRUB
Spicebush Lindera benzoin
VINE
Vasevine, leatherflower Clematis viorna
Coral honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens
GRASS
Northern sea oats Chasmanthium latifolium
Beak grass Diarrhena americana
Bottlebrush grass Hystrix patula
Prairie Grassland (sun)
FLOWER
Nodding onion Allium cernuum
Blue star willow Amsonia tabernaemontana
Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa
New England aster Symphyotrichum novaeangliae
False blue indigo Baptisia australis
Tall coreopsis Coreopsis tripteris
Shooting star Dodecatheon meadia
Pale-purple coneflower Echinacea pallida
Rattlesnake master Eryngium yuccifolium
Hollow joe-pye weed Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus
Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale
Western sunflower Helianthis occidentalis
False sunflower Heliopsis helianthoides
Prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya
Dense blazing star Liatris spicata
Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa
Stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum
Large-flowered foxglove Penstemon grandiflorus
Hairy foxglove Penstemon hirsutus
Obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
Mountain mint Pycnanthemum virginianum
Yellow coneflower Ratibida pinnata
Showy black-eyed susan Rudbeckia fulgida var. speciosa
Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta
Sweet black-eyed susan Rudbeckia subtomentosa
Brown-eyed susan Rudbeckia triloba
Autumn goldenrod Solidago sphacelata
Rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
Compass plant Silphium laciniatum
Prairie dock Silphium terebinthinaceum
Ironweed Vernonia gigantea ssp. gigantea
Culver’s root Veronicastrum virginicum
GRASS
Big bluestem Andropogon gerardii
Sideoats gramma Bouteloua curtipendula
Switch grass Panicum virgatum
Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
Indian grass Sorghastrum nutans
Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
SHRUB
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus
Winged sumac Rhus copallinum
Water’s Edge (sun)
FLOWER
Marsh milkweed Asclepias incarnata
Marsh marigold Caltha palustris
Turtlehead Chelone glabra
Sweet joe-pye weed Eupatorium purpureum
Queen-of-the-prairie Filipendula rubra
Swamp rose mallow Hibiscus moscheutos
Dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
Blue flag Iris virginica
Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis
Blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Wild stonecrop Sedum ternatum
Royal catchfly Silene regia
Ironweed Vernonia gigantea ssp. gigantea
GRASS
Tussock sedge Carex stricta
Soft rush Juncus effusus
Switch grass Panicum virgatum
Indian grass Sorghastrum nutans
SHRUB
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
Winterberry holly Ilex verticillata
Perennials
Tidy, showy natives to mingle with other ornamentals in the perennial bed
FLOWER
Nodding onion Allium cernuum
Blue star willow Amsonia tabernaemontana
Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Marsh milkweed Asclepias incarnata
Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa
Blue false indigo Baptisia australis
Shooting star Dodecatheon meadia
Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea
Joe-pye weed Eupatoriadelphus maculatus
Queen-of-the-prairie Filipendula rubra
Wild geranium Geranium maculatum
Swamp rose mallow Hibiscus moscheutos
Prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya
Dense blazing star Liatris spicata
Sundrops Oenothera tetragona
Penstemon Penstemon digitalis
Garden phlox Phlox paniculata
Blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis
Spiderwort Tradescantia ohioensis
Culver’s root Veronicastrum virginicum
GRASS
Side oats gramma Bouteloua curtipendula
Riverbank tussock sedge Carex emoryi
Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
Trees & Shrubs
Garden-worthy woody natives for solo display or to cluster in a hedge or foundation planting
Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis
Redbud Cercis canadensis
Fringetree Chionanthus virginicus
Hawthorn Crateagus viridis
Smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
Winterberry holly Ilex verticillata
Grape honeysuckle Lonicera reticulata
Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius
Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
Elderberry Sambucus canadensis
Butterfly Food
Host plants for butterfly larvae and
nectar plants to feed the adults
FLOWER
Marsh milkweed Asclepias incarnata
Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa
Tall coreopsis Coreopsis tripteris
Hollow joe-pye weed Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus
Sweet joe-pye weed Eupatoriadelphus maculatus
New England aster Symphyotrichum novaeangliae
Aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Ironweed Vernonia gigantea ssp. gigantea
SHRUB
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
Annabelle hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
Spicebush Lindera benzoin
Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum
Nannyberry Viburnum lentago
American cranberrybush Viburnum trilobum
GRASS
Bottlebrush grass Hystrix patula
VINE
Wooly dutchman’s pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
Crossvine Bignonia capreolata
Bird Habitat
Dense cover and berries offering shelter
and sustenance to our feathered friends
Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis
Roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii
Gray dogwood Cornus racemosa
Black chokeberry Photinia melanocarpa
Elderberry Sambucus canadensis
Eastern arborvitae Thuja occidentalis
Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum
Nannyberry Viburnum lentago
American cranberrybush Viburnum trilobum
Rain Garden
Deep-rooted natives that enable
stormwater to percolate naturally into the soil
See Water’s Edge plant list
Autumn Color
Natives whose leaves blaze with color in
the fall
Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis
Roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii
Smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
Spicebush Lindera benzoin
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Black chokeberry Photinia melanocarpa
Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
Winged sumac Rhus copallinum
Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum
Nannyberry Viburnum lentago
American cranberrybush Viburnum trilobum
Winter Interest
Shapes, textures and seed pods to enliven the winter landscape
Blue star willow Amsonia tabernaemontana
Sideoats gramma Bouteloua curtipendula
Tussock sedge Carex stricta
Northern sea oats Chasmanthium latifolium
Roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii
Gray dogwood Cornus racemosa
Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea
Witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana
Bottlebrush grass Hystrix patula
Winterberry holly Ilex verticillata
Soft rush Juncus effusus
Switch grass Panicum virgatum
Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta
Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
Indian grass Sorghastrum nutans
Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
Ground Covers
SUN
Wine cups Callirhoe involucrata
Clustered poppy mallow Callirhoe triangulata
SHADE
Wild ginger Asarum canadense
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Jacob’s ladder Polemonium reptans
Wild stonecrop Sedum ternatum
White blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
Blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Erosion Control
Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica