Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
3–5 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug — an easy fit for Ohio, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Ohio · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Ohio
Ohio 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 Northeast
Ecoregion: Eastern Corn Belt & Allegheny Plateau
Collections for Ohio
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Ohio. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
58 native species
For bees
55 native species
Butterflies
51 native species
Hummingbirds
15 native species
For birds
31 native species
Deer-resistant
45 native species
Full sun
55 native species
For shade
15 native species
Drought-tolerant
34 native species
Clay soil
47 native species
Rain garden
26 native species
Groundcovers
13 native species
Flowering shrubs
12 native species
Grasses
7 native species
Low-maintenance
32 native species
Evergreen
5 native species
Fall color
13 native species
Fragrant
11 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Ohio.
A cross-section of the 68 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Ohio, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
An Ohio native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms May through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
10–15 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Ohio, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
An Ohio native at 2–3 ft tall that flowers in Aug and Sep, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Native to Ohio and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in Apr and May and reaches 6–12 in.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Sep through Nov — an easy fit for Ohio, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
6–16 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Ohio, hardy in zones 3–7 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
An Ohio native at 6–12 in tall that flowers in Mar and Apr, comfortable in zones 3–7.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
An Ohio native at 12–18 in tall that blooms Apr through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
2–4 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun — an easy fit for Ohio, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
1–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun — an easy fit for Ohio, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
An Ohio native at 8–15 ft tall that blooms Apr through Sep, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Native to Ohio and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Mar through May and reaches 1–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Native to Ohio and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in Sep and Oct and reaches 3–5 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Native to Ohio and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms May through Jul and reaches 1.5–2 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Sourcing
Where to buy Ohio 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.