Native plants · Indiana

Native plants of Ohio County

149 plant species are recorded as native to Indiana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Ohio County by USDA PLANTS. 50 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

Ohio County, Indiana

Native species: 149 Typical Indiana county: 494 (median of 92 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 50 Typical Indiana county: 211
Share by type (all 149 native species): Percent of the 149 native species in each growth type

Tree 7% (10)
Shrub 3% (5)
Wildflower (forb) 72% (107)
Grass or grass-like 13% (20)
Vine 3% (5)
Fern 1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (72%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (13%).

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 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 50

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

Garden-ready native plants of Ohio County, Indiana
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
American plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
black walnut Juglans nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
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
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
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 selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Gray's sedge Carex grayi	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii	Wildflower (forb)	1 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 pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
spring avens Geum vernum	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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

Other native species recorded here 99

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.

American cancer-root Conopholis americana
American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
black baneberry Actaea racemosa
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens
eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fire pink Silene virginica
forkleaf toothwort Cardamine dissecta
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green dragon Arisaema dracontium
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
heartleaf hedgenettle Stachys cordata
heartleaf plantain Plantago cordata
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
pale dock Rumex altissimus
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
ramp Allium tricoccum
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
softleaf arrowwood Viburnum molle
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
striped cream violet Viola striata
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
toadshade Trillium sessile
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
vasevine Clematis viorna
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum

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, Ohio County and Indiana
Measure	Ohio County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	149	494	1,773
Garden-ready natives	50	211	601
Tree	10	—	164
Shrub	5	—	88
Wildflower (forb)	107	—	954
Grass or grass-like	20	—	416
Vine	5	—	74
Fern	2	—	77

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Ohio County.

Dearborn County, IN 125 garden-ready
Ripley County, IN 188 garden-ready
Switzerland County, IN 169 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: Ohio County (county FIPS 18115), Indiana. 149 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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