Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
An Indiana native at 5–10 ft tall that flowers in Jun and Jul, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Indiana · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Indiana
Indiana gardens sit in the Midwest — a landscape of tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and Great Lakes woodland. The plants below evolved with that climate (humid continental) and are hardy through zones 5–7, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Midwest
Ecoregion: Eastern Corn Belt Plains & oak savanna
Collections for Indiana
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Indiana. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
56 native species
For bees
53 native species
Butterflies
51 native species
Hummingbirds
14 native species
For birds
30 native species
Deer-resistant
44 native species
Full sun
54 native species
For shade
14 native species
Drought-tolerant
34 native species
Clay soil
46 native species
Rain garden
25 native species
Groundcovers
13 native species
Flowering shrubs
11 native species
Grasses
7 native species
Low-maintenance
31 native species
Fall color
13 native species
Fragrant
11 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Indiana.
A cross-section of the 66 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Indiana, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
An Indiana native at 8–15 ft tall that blooms Apr through Sep, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Indiana, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
An Indiana native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Native to Indiana and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Jun and reaches 1–2.5 ft.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Native to Indiana and hardy in zones 4–9; it flowers in Aug and Sep and reaches 2–3 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
6–12 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Indiana, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
An Indiana native at 1.5–2.5 ft tall that blooms Sep through Nov, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
2–4 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep — an easy fit for Indiana, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
An Indiana native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jul through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
An Indiana native at 1.5–2 ft tall that blooms May through Jul, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Native to Indiana and hardy in zones 4–9; it flowers in Mar and Apr and reaches 20–30 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
1–2 ft tall and it blooms Mar through May — an easy fit for Indiana, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Native to Indiana and hardy in zones 3–9; it flowers in Aug and Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Native to Indiana and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in Apr and May and reaches 10–15 in.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Sourcing
Where to buy Indiana natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.