YardNatives

Native plants for Union County, Indiana

239 native plants recorded in Union County, Indiana

The USDA plant database has 336 plants recorded growing wild in Union County. 239 of them are native to the lower 48, and 34 are introduced species that this page leaves out.

By type: 143 wildflowers and herbs, 43 grasses and sedges, 4 shrubs, 5 low woody plants, 35 trees, 9 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 94 of them (39%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and 5 more are also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Union County

SpotRated to fitRated not toUnrated
Sun all day940145
Half shade5440145
Under trees2668145
Heavy clay5836145
Sandy, drains fast6034145
Never watered4450145
Stays soggy3559145

Sun all day in Union County: 94 rated natives

34 wildflowers and herbs, 31 trees, 22 grasses and sedges, 5 vines, 2 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Atlantic camas (Camassia scilloides) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Wreath goldenrod (Solidago caesia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Half shade in Union County: 54 rated natives

20 wildflowers and herbs, 18 trees, 11 grasses and sedges, 3 vines, 2 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  2. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  3. Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  4. Crookedstem aster (Symphyotrichum prenanthoides) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  5. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  6. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. Wreath goldenrod (Solidago caesia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Under trees in Union County: 26 rated natives

11 trees, 8 wildflowers and herbs, 6 grasses and sedges, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  2. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Crookedstem aster (Symphyotrichum prenanthoides) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Climbing rose (Rosa setigera) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Heavy clay in Union County: 58 rated natives

23 wildflowers and herbs, 16 grasses and sedges, 15 trees, 3 vines, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  2. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Atlantic camas (Camassia scilloides) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. Wreath goldenrod (Solidago caesia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Union County: 60 rated natives

25 trees, 21 wildflowers and herbs, 10 grasses and sedges, 3 vines, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  2. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Carolina rose (Rosa carolina) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight

Never watered in Union County: 44 rated natives

17 wildflowers and herbs, 17 trees, 5 grasses and sedges, 3 vines, 2 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Carolina rose (Rosa carolina) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  2. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Stays soggy in Union County: 35 rated natives

17 grasses and sedges, 11 wildflowers and herbs, 6 trees, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  2. Crookedstem aster (Symphyotrichum prenanthoides) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
  4. Limestone wild petunia (Ruellia strepens) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Smooth hedgenettle (Stachys tenuifolia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  6. Short's sedge (Carex shortiana) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  7. Woodland bluegrass (Poa sylvestris) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  8. Fowl mannagrass (Glyceria striata) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5.7 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil

Where to start in Union County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Union County gives you the most rated choice (94 plants), and Atlantic camas (Camassia scilloides) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 26 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 145 unrated natives too.