Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Native to Illinois and hardy in zones 3–9; it flowers in Aug and Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Illinois · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Illinois
Illinois gardens sit in the Midwest — a landscape of tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and Great Lakes woodland. The plants below evolved with that climate (humid continental) and are hardy through zones 5–7, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Midwestthe Great Plains
Ecoregion: Central Tallgrass Prairie
Collections for Illinois
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Illinois. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
59 native species
For bees
56 native species
Butterflies
55 native species
Hummingbirds
14 native species
For birds
31 native species
Deer-resistant
47 native species
Full sun
58 native species
For shade
14 native species
Drought-tolerant
38 native species
Clay soil
48 native species
Rain garden
25 native species
Groundcovers
14 native species
Flowering shrubs
11 native species
Grasses
8 native species
Low-maintenance
33 native species
Fall color
13 native species
Fragrant
13 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Illinois.
A cross-section of the 70 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Native to Illinois and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Jun and reaches 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Native to Illinois and hardy in zones 3–7; it flowers in Mar and Apr and reaches 6–12 in.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
An Illinois native at 1.5–2.5 ft tall that blooms Sep through Nov, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
An Illinois native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jun through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
An Illinois native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jun through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
An Illinois native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in Sep and Oct, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
An Illinois native at 1.5–2 ft tall that blooms Apr through Jun, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
2–4 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug — an easy fit for Illinois, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
6–10 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun — an easy fit for Illinois, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
1–2 ft tall and it blooms Mar through May — an easy fit for Illinois, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
An Illinois native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in May and Jun, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Illinois, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
An Illinois native at 20–30 ft tall that flowers in Mar and Apr, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Native to Illinois and hardy in zones 5–9; it flowers in Apr and May and reaches 15–25 ft.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
An Illinois native at 4–7 ft tall that blooms Jul through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Sourcing
Where to buy Illinois natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.