Native plants · Indiana

Native plants of Gibson County

490 plant species are recorded as native to Indiana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Gibson County by USDA PLANTS. 240 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Gibson County, Indiana

Native species
490 Typical Indiana county: 494 (median of 92 counties)
Garden-ready natives
240 Typical Indiana county: 211
Share by type (all 490 native species)
Percent of the 490 native species in each growth type
Tree 15% (72)
Shrub 2% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 54% (263)
Grass or grass-like 20% (98)
Vine 7% (35)
Fern 2% (11)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (54%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (20%).

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 zones 6b to 7a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 240

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

Garden-ready native plants of Gibson County, Indiana
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
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 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 snowbell Styrax americanus Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 5b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun High Zone 4a
arctic brome Bromus kalmii Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
beaked agrimony Agrimonia rostellata Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black maple Acer nigrum Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium Tree 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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 —
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
butterweed Packera glabella Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 10b
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
catbird grape Vitis palmata Vine 30 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
cattail sedge Carex typhina Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
chestnut oak Quercus montana Tree 73 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia Tree 12 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera Vine 16 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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 duckweed Lemna minor Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 6a
cup plant Silphium perfoliatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 2b
cupseed Calycocarpum lyonii Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
eastern straw sedge Carex straminea Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
eastern swampprivet Forestiera acuminata Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense Fern 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
field paspalum Paspalum laeve Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
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
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
fringed sedge Carex crinita Grass or grass-like 5.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
Gray's sedge Carex grayi Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
greater straw sedge Carex normalis Grass or grass-like 5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata Vine 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
horsetail paspalum Paspalum fluitans Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
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
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
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
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun High Zone 8a
Maryland senna Senna marilandica Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
meadow evening primrose Oenothera pilosella Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Muskingum sedge Carex muskingumensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa Tree 60 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
northern spiderlily Hymenocallis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra Tree 68 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
overcup oak Quercus lyrata Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
pecan Carya illinoinensis Tree 120 ft Sun High Zone 5a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
pin oak Quercus palustris Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4a
possumhaw Ilex decidua Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie willow Salix humilis Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
pumpkin ash Fraxinus profunda Tree 120 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
pussy willow Salix discolor Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
ravenfoot sedge Carex crus-corvi Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 4a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
ridged yellow flax Linum striatum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
riverbank grape Vitis riparia Vine 45 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus Shrub 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
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 phlox Phlox glaberrima Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
southern red oak Quercus falcata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
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
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina Tree 16 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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
sugarberry Celtis laevigata Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
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
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun 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
tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus Wildflower (forb) 5 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
toad rush Juncus bufonius Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 12a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
troublesome sedge Carex molesta Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia dayflower Commelina virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
Virginia iris Iris virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8b
Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 5a
water locust Gleditsia aquatica Tree 40 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 10a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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 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
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
winged elm Ulmus alata Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
winged sumac Rhus copallinum Tree 8 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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 flatsedge Cyperus flavescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 250

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.

  • Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
  • Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
  • amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
  • American featherfoil Hottonia inflata
  • American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American spikenard Aralia racemosa
  • angularfruit milkvine Matelea gonocarpos
  • annual marsh elder Iva annua
  • aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
  • arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
  • beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
  • big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • bottomland aster Symphyotrichum ontarionis
  • branched bur-reed Sparganium androcladum
  • Brazilian watermeal Wolffia brasiliensis
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • buttonbush dodder Cuscuta cephalanthi
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
  • Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
  • Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
  • climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
  • clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
  • Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
  • creeping burhead Echinodorus cordifolius
  • creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • Davis' sedge Carex davisii
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy carrionflower Smilax pulverulenta
  • dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
  • dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
  • erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
  • fall phlox Phlox paniculata
  • false Indian plantain Hasteola suaveolens
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
  • fewflower ticktrefoil Desmodium pauciflorum
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • Gattinger's panicgrass Panicum gattingeri
  • giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • great Indian plantain Arnoglossum reniforme
  • Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • green milkweed Asclepias hirtella
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
  • hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
  • hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
  • heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
  • hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
  • hoary verbena Verbena stricta
  • honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
  • hortulan plum Prunus hortulana
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
  • James' sedge Carex jamesii
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lakecress Neobeckia aquatica
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • lanceleaf ragweed Ambrosia bidentata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
  • longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
  • low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
  • low woodland sedge Carex socialis
  • lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
  • Miami mist Phacelia purshii
  • Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
  • mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
  • mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
  • nodding evening primrose Oenothera nutans
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
  • palegreen orchid Platanthera flava
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
  • purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
  • purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • red hickory Carya ovalis
  • redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
  • River Broom-Rape Orobanche riparia
  • rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
  • s-curve threeawn Aristida ramosissima
  • scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
  • showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
  • silky dogwood Cornus obliqua
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
  • slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • smooth false buttonweed Spermacoce glabra
  • smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
  • smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
  • smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
  • spreading hawthorn Crataegus disperma
  • spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
  • spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
  • striped cream violet Viola striata
  • swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • Swan's sedge Carex swanii
  • sweet coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
  • terrestrial water-starwort Callitriche terrestris
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
  • three-lobe violet Viola triloba
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
  • veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • waterpurslane Didiplis diandra
  • waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
  • waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white bear sedge Carex albursina
  • white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
  • white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled milkwort Polygala ambigua
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
  • yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
  • yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
  • zigzag iris Iris brevicaulis
  • zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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.

  • annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
  • 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, Gibson County and Indiana
MeasureGibson CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 490 494 1,773
Garden-ready natives 240 211 601
Tree 72 — 164
Shrub 11 — 88
Wildflower (forb) 263 — 954
Grass or grass-like 98 — 416
Vine 35 — 74
Fern 11 — 77

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Gibson County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

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
Gibson County (county FIPS 18051), Indiana. 490 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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