Native plants · Indiana

Native plants of Blackford County

335 plant species are recorded as native to Indiana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Blackford County by USDA PLANTS. 165 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Blackford County, Indiana

Native species: 335 Typical Indiana county: 494 (median of 92 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 165 Typical Indiana county: 211
Share by type (all 335 native species): Percent of the 335 native species in each growth type

Tree 15% (49)
Shrub 3% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 61% (203)
Grass or grass-like 15% (49)
Vine 5% (16)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by trees (15%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 6a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 165

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Blackford County, Indiana
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American beech Fagus grandifolia	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens	Vine	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
American hazelnut Corylus americana	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
arctic brome Bromus kalmii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
black ash Fraxinus nigra	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black oak Quercus velutina	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
black walnut Juglans nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium	Tree	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
broadleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium latifolium	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	—
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian plum Prunus nigra	Tree	9 ft	Sun	—	Zone 9b
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera	Vine	16 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana	Vine	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
Gray's sedge Carex grayi	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater straw sedge Carex normalis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana	Tree	45 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus	Wildflower (forb)	9.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Muskingum sedge Carex muskingumensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
nannyberry Viburnum lentago	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern red oak Quercus rubra	Tree	81 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
pignut hickory Carya glabra	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
pin oak Quercus palustris	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie willow Salix humilis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
rough avens Geum laciniatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
shoreline sedge Carex hyalinolepis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Short's sedge Carex shortiana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
silky willow Salix sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
small beggarticks Bidens discoidea	Wildflower (forb)	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
spring avens Geum vernum	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sugar maple Acer saccharum	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
swamp cottonwood Populus heterophylla	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swamp rose Rosa palustris	Shrub	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia iris Iris virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
white meadowsweet Spiraea alba	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b

Other native species recorded here 170

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

agueweed Gentianella quinquefolia
Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
American alumroot Heuchera americana
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American senna Senna hebecarpa
American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern swamp saxifrage Saxifraga pensylvanica
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
field thistle Cirsium discolor
fire pink Silene virginica
floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
golden zizia Zizia aurea
goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
James' sedge Carex jamesii
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
neckweed Veronica peregrina
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
pale dock Rumex altissimus
paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
purple giant hyssop Agastache scrophulariifolia
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
rosy sedge Carex rosea
roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
silky dogwood Cornus obliqua
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
toadshade Trillium sessile
twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
vasevine Clematis viorna
violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
white bear sedge Carex albursina
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera

Also listed as native and introduced here 1

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens

Compared with Indiana

The typical county is the median of the 92 Indiana counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Blackford County and Indiana
Measure	Blackford County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	335	494	1,773
Garden-ready natives	165	211	601
Tree	49	—	164
Shrub	11	—	88
Wildflower (forb)	203	—	954
Grass or grass-like	49	—	416
Vine	16	—	74
Fern	7	—	77

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Blackford County.

Delaware County, IN 176 garden-ready
Grant County, IN 174 garden-ready
Jay County, IN 140 garden-ready
Wells County, IN 286 garden-ready

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: Blackford County (county FIPS 18009), Indiana. 335 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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