More about Native Plants

Along with many books available for sale at our spring Native Plant Sale & Auction and our fall Annual Conference, we recommend the following resources.

Marion Jackson’s Favorite Trees

Marion Jackson writes an engaging series for INPAWS Journal, exploring the lore and uses of Indiana trees. Dr. Jackson is Professor Emeritus of Ecology, Indiana State University, and the author of 101 Trees of Indiana:  A Field Guide.

Reprints of Jackson’s Favorite Trees

Outdoor Indiana Plant Features

Published since 1996, Indiana DNR’s magazine Outdoor Indiana includes articles on Indiana’s native flora.  This ongoing feature, written by staff of the DNR Division of Nature Preserves, has described nearly 100 plants native to the Hoosier state.  For each species there is information regarding habitat, life history, and occurrence in our state, as well as little known anecdotes and etymology.  

Outdoor Indiana Archives

Native Plant Societies

Gordon Mitchell’s Plant Pages  Written for the Ohio Native Plant Society which no longer operates, Gordon Mitchell’s articles include detailed plant descriptions with information about toxicity/edibility, medicinal uses, and legends/folklore. 

Illinois Native Plant Society  Founded in 1982, the Society has made available online issues of its newsletter, Erigenia. 

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center  A national organization whose mission is to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes. The site includes a searchable database of US native plants and useful “how to” articles.

Connecticut Botanical Society  A group of amateur and professional botanists who share an interest in the plants and habitats of Connecticut and the surrounding region. The site includes excellent photos of many native plants in the wild.

North American Native Plant Society  Founded by a small group of dedicated conservationists as the Canadian Wildflower Society, NANPS inspires an appreciation of native plants with the aim of restoring healthy ecosystems across the continent.

Kansas Native Plant Society The Society encourages awareness and appreciation of the native plants of Kansas in their habitats and in human-made landscapes by promoting education, stewardship, and scientific knowledge. A major event is their fall Annual Wildflower Weekend. Their site presents photos taken at these events in different parts of the state.

Interesting Blogs

Kentucky Native Plant & Wildlife Blog Provides information on using native plants in the landscape, issues related to invasive exotic plants, urban wildlife management, and wildlife damage management. The author aims to assist readers in deciphering the quantities of information circulating on the web and condense it as it relates to Kentucky.