Native plants · Indiana

Native plants of Pike County

265 plant species are recorded as native to Indiana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Pike County by USDA PLANTS. 129 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Pike County, Indiana

Native species: 265 Typical Indiana county: 494 (median of 92 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 129 Typical Indiana county: 211
Share by type (all 265 native species): Percent of the 265 native species in each growth type

Tree 12% (32)
Shrub 3% (9)
Wildflower (forb) 50% (132)
Grass or grass-like 25% (66)
Vine 7% (18)
Fern 3% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (50%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (25%).

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

Garden-ready natives 129

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

Garden-ready native plants of Pike County, Indiana
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beech Fagus grandifolia	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
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 pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American snowbell Styrax americanus	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American wisteria Wisteria frutescens	Vine	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
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
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
black ash Fraxinus nigra	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	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
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	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
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
catbird grape Vitis palmata	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
cattail sedge Carex typhina	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	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 persimmon Diospyros virginiana	Tree	55 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
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
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
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
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
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
Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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 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 maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
pawpaw Asimina triloba	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
pin oak Quercus palustris	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
river birch Betula nigra	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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
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
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
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
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
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
summer grape Vitis aestivalis	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	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 sunflower Helianthus angustifolius	Wildflower (forb)	5.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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 sweetspire Itea virginica	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 136

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
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
American featherfoil Hottonia inflata
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American ipecac Gillenia stipulata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
blue sedge Carex glaucodea
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
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
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
dwarf plantain Plantago pusilla
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
elliptic spikerush Eleocharis elliptica
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
field pansy Viola bicolor
fire pink Silene virginica
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fluxweed Trichostema brachiatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
gravelweed Verbesina helianthoides
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow garlic Allium canadense
meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
nodding evening primrose Oenothera nutans
northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
rosy sedge Carex rosea
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
star chickweed Stellaria pubera
starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
terrestrial water-starwort Callitriche terrestris
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
waterpurslane Didiplis diandra
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
widowsfrill Silene stellata
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides

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, Pike County and Indiana
Measure	Pike County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	265	494	1,773
Garden-ready natives	129	211	601
Tree	32	—	164
Shrub	9	—	88
Wildflower (forb)	132	—	954
Grass or grass-like	66	—	416
Vine	18	—	74
Fern	8	—	77

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Pike County.

Dubois County, IN 187 garden-ready
Gibson County, IN 240 garden-ready
Warrick County, IN 185 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: Pike County (county FIPS 18125), Indiana. 265 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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