Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Tuesday - May 08, 2007
From: Warsaw, IN
Region: Midwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Native wildflowers for Northern Indiana
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Saturday April 21. What a beautiful place. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I was wondering how I could find out what are the native wildflowers of Northern Indiana. I live in Warsaw, IN. It is 3 hours north of Indianapolis between South Bend and Fort Wayne. I have a lovely home in the country with all the wildlife and all the space that I need. I just planted 10 flowering trees and I have flower beds of the flowers I enjoy. The soil is very sandy but would like to know the wildflowers that are indigenous to Northern Indiana. Thanks for any assistance that you can provide.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants is very happy you visited our beautiful Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and thanks you for your kind words.On our Regional Fastpacks web page you will find the Midwest Recommended Native Plant Species List that has selected recommended species of plants for your region. The list is divided into types of plants (e.g., Ferns, Grasses, Trees, Herbaceous, etc.); and, for each species listed you will find its range (by State), its botanical and common name, and information about its size, growth requirements, bloom time, etc.
Here is a short list of some of the wildflowers that are native to your Kosciusko County, Indiana, with a few images:
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Campanula rotundifolia (bluebell bellflower)
Chelone glabra (white turtlehead)
Claytonia virginica (Virginia springbeauty)
Eupatorium purpureum (sweetscented joepyeweed)
Gentiana andrewsii (closed bottle gentian)
Liatris scariosa (devil's bite)
Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia)
Penstemon hirsutus (hairy beardtongue)
Rudbeckia fulgida (orange coneflower)
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)
Tradescantia ohiensis (bluejacket)
More Wildflowers Questions
Is there a variety of bluebonnet called black gumbo
February 04, 2008 - I live in Grimes County, Texas on the eastern edge of the Blackland Prairie. A few years ago my hillside of Bluebonnet seed was harvested. I was told it was a rare 'black gumbo' variety of bluebon...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on showiest time for wildflower blooming
August 22, 2004 - I have been to Austin a few times, but never during wildflower season. Can you suggest to me what would be the ideal time to come?
view the full question and answer
Seeds of mayflower
May 03, 2005 - Although I now live in Virginia, I grew up in eastern South Dakota. Several years ago while visiting SD I was walking in the pasture and noticed that many of the wild mayflowers (pasqueflowers) had ...
view the full question and answer
Poppies on Pflugerville, TX lake
April 26, 2008 - I live on the new Pflugerville Lake. We are trying to get wildflower seed to plant around the lake in the mitigation areas. Will Poppies grow here?
view the full question and answer
Best planting time for wildflower seeds in Austin, TX
February 13, 2007 - When would be the best time to plant wild flower seeds and mow an area where we want to grow wild flowers in Austin Texas?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |