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Native plants provide beauty as well as food and shelter for wildlife. Native species are adapted to the Illinois climate. They require little or no watering and are resistant to drought, insects and most diseases. Because they are perennials, you can welcome their presence year after year.
Continue scrolling down to see the alphabetical listing of previously highlighted species or click here to search species by garden type.
These plant species are native to Illinois, and most of them are good sources of nectar and/or pollen for animals that act as pollinators. Some of them provide food for larval stages of pollinators, too, and many of them provide shelter throughout the year. They are readily available for purchase from plant nurseries. These species are best for locations that receive sunshine for most of the day throughout the growing season. Click here for this list.
Classification and taxonomy are based on Mohlenbrock, Robert H. 2014. Vascular flora of Illinois: A field guide. Fourth edition. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale. 536 pp.
Native Plant Information
For more information about native Illinois plants, including where to purchase them and planting guides, view the following publications at our publications page. You can access more information on the Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant page, too.
Click on the species' name to go to the For Your Garden page.
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
|
Campanulastrum americanum |
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Lithospermum latifolium |
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Peltandra virginica |
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Symphyotrichum oolentangiense |
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Andropogon gerardii |
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Rudbeckia hirta |
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Viburnum prunifolium |
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Liatris spp. |
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Sanguinaria canadensis |
|
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Caulophyllum thalictroides |
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Verbena hastata |
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Mertensia virginica |
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Collinsia verna |
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Rudbeckia triloba |
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Asclepias tuberosa |
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Cephalanthus occidentalis |
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Symphyotrichum lateriflorum |
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Astragalus canadensis |
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Lobelia cardinalis |
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Rosa carolina |
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Stylophorum diphyllum |
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Polystichum acrostichoides |
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Gentiana andrewsii |
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Aquilegia canadensis |
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Eupatorium perfoliatum |
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Asclepias syriaca |
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Pycnanthemum virginianum |
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Phlox divaricata |
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Polypodium virginianum |
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Silphium laciniatum |
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Baptisia bracteata |
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Veronicastrum virginicum |
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Silphium perfoliatum |
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Actaea pachypoda |
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Phlox pilosa |
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Helianthus mollis |
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Ratibida pinnata |
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Dicentra cucullaria |
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Delphinium tricorne |
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Thalictrum dioicum |
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Physostegia virginiana |
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Enemion biternatum |
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Smilacina racemosa |
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Solidago nemoralis |
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Doellingeria umbellata |
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Cornus florida |
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Penstemon digitalis |
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Zizia aurea |
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Solidago spp. |
|
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Hydrastis canadensis |
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Cornus racemosa |
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Angelica atropurpurea |
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Lobelia siphilitica |
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Arisaema dracontium |
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Symphyotrichum pilosum |
|
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Corylus americana |
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Symphyotrichum ericoides |
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Lithospermum canescens |
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Verbena stricta |
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Monarda punctata |
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Asclepias verticillata |
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Desmanthus illinoensis |
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Sorghastrum nutans |
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Chasmanthium latifolium |
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Arisaema triphyllum |
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Polemonium reptans |
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Helianthus tuberosus |
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Koeleria macrantha |
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Trillium grandiflorum |
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Cypripedium parviflorum |
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Eupatorium serotinum |
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Amorpha canescens |
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Schizachyrium scoparium |
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Liatris spicata |
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|
Ranunculus septentrionalis |
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Caltha palustris |
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Podophyllum peltatum |
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Anemone canadensis |
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Asclepias spp. |
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Vernonia sp. |
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Symphyotrichum novae-angliae |
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Ceanothus americanus |
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Allium cernuum |
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Elymus canadensis |
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Heliopsis helianthoides |
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Echinacea pallida |
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Chamaechrista fasciculata |
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Diospyros virginiana |
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Pontederia cordata |
|
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Quercus palustris |
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Asclepias exaltata |
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Geum triflorum |
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Liatris pycnostachya |
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Drymocallis arguta |
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Coreopsis palmata |
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Silphium terebinthinaceum |
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Sporobolus heterolepis |
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Arnoglossum plantagineum |
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Asclepias sullivantii |
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Echinacea purpurea |
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Eutrochium purpureum |
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Asclepias purpurascens |
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Dalea purpurea |
|
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Helenuim flexuosum |
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Cardamine douglassii |
|
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Trillium recurvatum |
|
|
Antennaria plantaginifolia |
|
|
Eryngium yuccifolium |
|
|
Juniperus virginiana |
|
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Cornus sericea |
|
|
Cercis canadensis |
|
|
Betula nigra |
|
|
Silphium integrifolium |
|
|
Liatris aspera |
|
|
Round-Headed Bush Clover |
Lespedeza capitata |
|
Hepatica americana |
|
|
Coreopsis lanceolata |
|
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Sassafras albidum |
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Helianthus grosseserratus |
|
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Polygala senega |
|
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Amelanchier arborea |
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Mimulus ringens |
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Hepatica acutiloba |
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Dodecatheon meadia |
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Solidago speciosa |
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Desmodium canadense |
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Bouteloua curtipendula |
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Symphyotrichum sericeum |
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Symplocarpus foetidus |
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Symphyotrichum laeve |
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Rhus glabra |
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Polygonatum commutatum |
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Lindera benzoin |
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Tradescantia sp. |
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Lobelia spicata |
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Eutrochium maculatum |
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Impatiens capensis |
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Claytonia virginica |
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Cardamine bulbosa |
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Smilacina stellata |
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Oligoneuron album |
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Oligoneuron rigidum |
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Rhus sp. |
|
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Bidens aristosa |
|
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Asclepias incarnata |
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Hibiscus moscheutos |
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Quercus bicolor |
|
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Rudbeckia subtomentosa |
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Panicum virgatum |
|
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Heuchera americana |
|
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Eupatorium altissimum |
|
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Sedum ternatum |
|
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Dentaria laciniata |
|
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Liriodendron tulipifera |
|
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Liparis liliifolia |
|
|
Jeffersonia diphylla |
|
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Hydrophyllum virginianum |
|
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Euonymus atropurpureus |
|
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Nelumbo lutea |
|
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Helianthus occidentalis |
|
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Dalea candida |
|
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Erythronium albidum |
|
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Chelone glabra |
|
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Baptisia alba |
|
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Monarda fistulosa |
|
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Iris shrevei |
|
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Geranium maculatum |
|
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Asarum canadense |
|
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Camassia scilloides |
|
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Lupinus perennis |
|
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Ruellia humilissia |
|
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Parthenium integrifolium |
|
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Senna hebecarpa |
|
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Hamamelis virginiana |
|
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Uvularia grandiflora |
|
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Erythronium americanum |
|
|
Gentiana alba |
|
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Nuphar advena |
|
|
Lithospermum incisum |
|
|
Helenium autumnale |