Native Plants of East Central Illinois and their Preferred Locations

Native Plants at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Campus:
A Sourcebook for Landscape Architects and Contractors
James Wescoat and Florrie Wescoat
with Yung-Ching Lin
Champaign, IL

October 2007

Based on
“Native Plants of East Central Illinois and their Preferred Locations”

An Inventory Prepared by Dr. John Taft, Illinois Natural History Survey, for the
UIUC Sustainable Campus Landscape Subcommittee

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1. Native Plants and Plantings on the UIUC Campus

This sourcebook was compiled for landscape architects working on projects at the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus and the greater headwaters area of east central
Illinois. 1 It is written as a document that can be distributed to persons who may be unfamiliar
with the local flora and vegetation, but its detailed species lists and hotlinks should be useful
for seasoned Illinois campus designers as well.

Landscape architects increasingly seek to incorporate native plants and plantings in campus
designs, along with plantings that include adapted and acclimatized species from other regions.
The term “native plants” raises a host of fascinating scientific, aesthetic, and practical
questions. What plants are native to East Central Illinois? What habitats do they occupy?
What communities do they form? What are their ecological relationships, aesthetic
characteristics, and practical limitations? As university campuses begin to incorporate
increasing numbers of native species and areas of native planting, these questions will become
increasingly important.

We offer preliminary answers to these questions, and a suite of electronic linkages to databases
that provide a wealth of information for addressing more detailed issues. We begin with a
brief introduction to the importance of native plants in the campus environment, and the
challenges of using them effectively, followed by a description of the database, online
resources, and references included below.

2. The Historical Importance of Native Plants in the Campus Environment

The current wave of interest in native plants at the University of Illinois has a long history. In
fact, it begins in prehistory with Native American uses and modification of native vegetation
for food, medicine, and spiritual purposes. Despite extensive clearing of the prairies following
European settlement (McManis, 1964), some early plant uses continue to the present day as
documented in ethnobotanical studies such as Kelly Kindscher’s Medicinal Wild Plants of the
Prairie (1992) and Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie (1987).

Wilhelm Miller (1915) was an early advocate for landscape architects who used and drew
inspiration from prairie vegetation. In the early 20th century landscape architect Jens Jensen
and others founded “Friends of our Native Landscape” (Jensen, 1956). While the “prairie
style” persisted through the mid-20th century in the work of Alfred Caldwell (Domer, 1997), it
encountered strong resistance from both picturesque and modern traditions of landscape
architecture that emphasized mown lawns and exotic ornamental introductions (e.g., see
Jenkins, 1994; and Teyssot, 1999). Criticism of slavish and superficial approaches to native
planting continues in the work of German landscape architects Groning and Wolschke-
Bulmahn (1992) and insightful editorial essays in Ecological Restoration (cf. Elliot, 1997). But

1
Prepared at the request of the UIUC Sustainable Campus Landscape Subcommittee, using the headwaters area
inventory of native plants compiled by Dr. John Taft of the Illinois Natural History Survey; and Dr. Kenneth
Robertson’s “Considerations Regarding Landscaping with Natives on the U of I Campus” (2004). We are
grateful to Drs. Taft and Robertson for their input to this sourcebook.

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overall, native plant movements have been gaining popular, scientific, and design support in
recent decades.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a strong record of research on native
vegetation. The websites of taxonomist Dr. Kenneth Robertson contain a wealth of
information about pragmatic as well as scientific and aesthetic aspects of prairie vegetation and
planting (http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/prairienativelinks.html). At a larger scale,
Southern Illinois University professor Robert Mohlenbrock produced the superb Illustrated
Flora of Illinois volumes.

Many individual native specimens on the UIUC campus, with fine results, but few native
plantings have been established. For example, prairie plantings were installed at the Helene
Gateway several years ago, but were reportedly removed within weeks for being too “messy
and weedy” looking. Professor Terry Harkness and his students have recently installed a hill
prairie planting on the west side of Temple Hoyne Buell Hall (2007) to demonstrate a native
plant aesthetic for the university and wider community. Individual native specimens and
small plantings occur across campus, but they are rarely woven within a broadly native or even
naturalistic planting aesthetic. The same trends apply to the wider landscapes of east central
Illinois. Only a few remnants of our native landscape survive on campus.

The value of native plantings is manifold (see also Robertson, 2004). It includes:
• Expansion of native flora, associated habitats, and biodiversity
• Educational opportunities for the university community, including service learning
by student groups, e.g., Red Bison.
• Cultivation of aesthetic enjoyment of the plants specific to this area.
• Reduced lawn chemical application, mowing costs, and other functional
requirements.

This sourcebook compiles information for those who seek to achieve these values in design,
construction, and maintenance of native and naturalistic plantings on campus.

3. Native Plants in the Design Process

Landscape architect Terry Harkness and others present a basic design approach that has
application to native, and more generally sustainable, plantings. He suggests that designers
develop “landscape models” (e.g., ecological communities such as upland forest, hill prairie,
savanna, etc.) and “plant lists” of species that fit the site and model. The designer strives to
integrate these models and plant species choices and compositions in ways that creatively
address site conditions and program requirements (fig. 1). 2

The best published example of this approach is Judith Phillips’ two-volume work, Natural by
Design and Plants for Natural Gardens. Although focused on New Mexico, it elegantly presents

2
This simplified representation of the design process indicates in general terms how native plant species lists
such as those in this sourcebook are used along with other information. For much more detailed information
about prairie design, construction, maintenance, and long-term management see references such as Packard
and Mutel, 1997.

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the natural landscapes and how they have been adapted in planting design in volume 1, and
provides a rich description of native plant species useful for achieving those aims in volume 2.

While there is no comparable publication for landscape architecture in Illinois, the Illinois
Natural History Survey has prepared valuable reports on (1) remnant nature preserves that
may serve as ecological landscape design models; and (2) a detailed list of plant species that are
native to the “headwaters area” of east central Illinois.

Landscape Site and Plant
Models Program Species
(e.g., ecological Analysis Lists
communities)

Alternative Planting Design Concepts

Fig. 1: Simplified model of planting design

A. Ecological Landscape Models -- Directory of Illinois Nature Preserves

The INHS Directory of Illinois Nature Preserves identifies many of the small remnant areas of
woodland, prairie, savannas, and wetlands in the state. To give a sense of the magnitude of
vegetation change at UIUC, only one preserve is listed in Champaign County (Tomlinson
prairie). There are other parcels of woodland, wetland, and constructed prairie in Champaign
County, which are managed by the park districts, forest preserve, and private landowners – but
they represent a tiny fraction of the land area. Thus, to gain a broad perspective on “natural
vegetation models”, the INHS Directory is a useful source.

B. Species Lists–“Native Plants of East Central Illinois and their Preferred Locations”

Defining plants regarded as “native” has human as well as ecological dimensions. Dr.
Robertson (2004, 1-2) highlights the following criteria and considerations:

1. Political boundaries – are sometimes used to inventory native plants, in part because
management and funding are provided by those jurisdictions (e.g., Champaign County;
or Illinois as in Mohlenbrock’s Vascular Flora of Illinois [2002]).

2. Ecological boundaries – provide a scientific basis for describing native vegetation,
though it should be recognized that these distributions vary in space and time (e.g.

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Grand Prairie section and division of the Midwestern Tallgrass Prairie; or the
Headwaters watershed area used in John Taft’s survey).

3. Genotypes associated with local niches –sometimes referred to as “ecotypes”, denote
genetic variation of a native species within a region. Genotypes are particularly
important for plant and seed collection strategies in ecological restoration planting.

4. Cultivars of native plants – are not strictly “native” to any area, but they may be all that
is commercially available and have desirable (or undesirable) ornamental and/or
practical characteristics.

As Robertson (2004) underscores, the definition of what is native usually depends on several
of these factors. Designers should indicate the criteria used to develop a plant list, especially
when it expands the list of “approved plants” to include more native plants (UIUC Facilities
and Services, 2007).

Native Plants of East Central Illinois and their Preferred Locations. In 2003, Dr. John
Taft prepared an Excel spreadsheet of 695 species observed in the “headwaters area
assessment,” that is, in the counties of east central Illinois that comprise the headwaters of the
Sangamon, Embarras, and Vermillion rivers that discharge into tributaries of the Mississippi
and Ohio River basins. The Illinois Plant Information Network lists 1,190 records for
Champaign County http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/delaware/ilpin/c19.dat.

Dr. Taft’s Excel spreadsheet (in the attached CD) contained two lists, one sorted by Latin
plant names and the other by common names. The spreadsheet further designated species
locations by the following major habitat classes (i.e., forest, prairie, savanna, and wetland),
subclasses, and moisture conditions:

1. Forest
a. Upland (dry, dry-mesic, mesic, and wet-mesic)
b. Floodplain (mesic, wet-mesic, wet)
2. Prairie
a. Prairie (dry-mesic, mesic, wet-mesic, wet)
b. Hill Prairie (glacial drift hills)
3. Savanna
a. Savanna
4. Wetlands
a. Seep
b. Marsh
c. Other (streams, ponds)
5. Cultural (all community types)

This last, cultural, category consists largely of native ruderal (weed) species that thrive in areas
disturbed by construction, compaction, and other human activities, though these conditions
are not well-defined. 3 The term “weed” is more problematic: for it can refer to non-compact

3
As the entire campus landscape is affected by disturbance of different sorts and to greater or lesser degrees,
this category deserves detailed treatment in future studies.

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plant forms, disturbance tolerance, invasiveness, or undesirable impacts on other species. The
inventory indicates exotic species with an asterisk that have naturalized and proliferated in the
area.

This list is valuable for the number of plants listed, and for its designation of preferred
vegetation communities and moisture conditions. These categories can serve as a partial basis
for the native planting design concepts and species lists described above.

C. Limitations of the Full Database

However, the original full matrix presents landscape architects with a number of challenges
beginning with the number of species which are listed in alphabetical order. As noted above,
the list does not differentiate among “cultural” situations that range from disturbance to issues
of compatibility with different aspects of human activities and preferences. It does not
indicate how the moisture categories of forests compare with those of prairies, or how these
relative conditions should be determined in the field.

Finally, the raw matrix does not include plant characteristics that landscape architects need to
know when selecting species. These include major characteristics such as plant type -- tree,
shrub, grass, herb, etc. Landscape architects also consider a host of detailed plant qualities --
ranging from plant height and form to flowering time, color, and fragrance; fruiting qualities;
leaf and branching texture; growth rate; soil tolerance; microclimate preferences; disease
problems; wildlife and insect associations; and maintenance requirements – clearly far more
than would be possible to include in any single matrix or even anticipate (though see Time-
Life plant books of the 1970s for attempts of this sort).

These limitations notwithstanding, “Native Plants of East Central Illinois and their Preferred
Locations” is a good starting point for landscape professionals working on the UIUC campus
and surrounding areas, and for that reason its entire list is included as an attachment.

D. Organizing and Expanding the Database for Landscape Architectural Use

To make the database more useful for campus landscape architectural projects, we modified it
in four initial ways:

1. Addition of a Plant Types Classification – i.e., tree, shrub, vine, grass, and herbaceous
plants categories commonly used by landscape architects. 4

2. Sorting and Listing by Plant Types and Habitats (included in this document and on
CD) 5
a. Lists of plant types (e.g., trees) for different habitats
b. Lists of different plant types for each major habitat (e.g., hill prairies)

4
Future editions should add plant sizes, e.g., small, medium, and large trees; short, medium, and tall grasses;
etc.
5
Future editions should differentiate lists by moisture conditions, esp. dry and wet preferences.

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3. Weblinks to Four On-line Databases – to provide ready access to the wealth of
additional species characteristics listed above. 6
a. USDA Plants database -- http://plants.usda.gov/index.html -- the most
comprehensive on-line botanical database
b. Kemper Center for Home Gardening (MOBOT) – a detailed garden website
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/serviceplantfinder.shtml 7
c. UI Plants [Kling] -- http://woodyplants.nres.uiuc.edu/ -- the best website on
woody ornamentals for landscape architects
d. Illinois Wildflowers [Hilty] -- http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/ -- the most
detailed, searchable, website for native herbaceous plants in east central Illinois.

4. Culling of Exotic, Invasive, and Less Well-Known Species. As this document focuses
on native plants that have promise for landscape architecture, it strives for a balance
between maximizing the plant palette and identifying a practical list of plants. The
criteria for culling were:
a. Plants identified as exotic * were dropped
b. Plants that were only listed on the USDA site were dropped (i.e., not on any of
the MOBOT, Kling, or Hilty specialized and ornamental lists).
These steps reduced the total plant list from 695 to 438, which remains a large but
more tractable and useful database. 8

E. A “Reverse-Lookup” Tool

Illinois does not have a search engine for native plants that have specific landscape traits, e.g.,
“1 to 3 foot perennials that prefers moist sunny conditions and has yellow flowers.” However
the MOBOT Kemper site allows that type of search for Missouri natives, some of which may
overlap with the east central Illinois flora (see search interface below and its “Missouri Native”
box). http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Search.asp

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These websites were selected for national, regional, and local expertise; and search tools.
7
When Kemper-MOBOT did not list the species, we linked the plant to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center or the UW Stevens Point Herbarium.
8
Further culling is warranted as some aggressive and disturbance-intolerant species remain on the list.

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With these tools in hand, landscape architects can utilize lists of native plants organized by
habit and community type, and bring up three electronic reference sources that have
photographs and the fine-grained information needed to select plants for a design project.

F. Conclusion -- Using the Native Species Lists

The plant lists appended below are only the first step toward native plant species selection and
design on campus. Some of the additional steps needed to make the lists more useful have
been mentioned in the footnotes. The three most important issues that require concurrent
attention at this point are:

• First, for designers to absorb the wealth of native plant species and vegetation
knowledge that is already available to achieve excellence in campus planting design,
which no amount of lists and websites can adequately convey.
• Second, for plant ecologists and designers to study the dynamics of human experience,
disturbance, and microclimates that affect the effectiveness and enjoyment of native
vegetation in the campus environment.
• Third, for university facilities planners to encourage experimentation with and
expansion of the “Approved Plant List” to encompass the widest possible palette of
native plants that fulfill campus design goals, standards, and natural heritage.

When these two longer-term commitments are pursued, the campus will begin to move
toward a more dynamic harmony between the people and mission of the university and their
native, naturalized, and adaptive vegetation systems. 9

3. REFERENCES AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Darke, Rick. 2002. The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest.
Portland: Timber Press.

This volume gets to a deep level of understanding the woodland garden, i.e., in
different contexts, successional stages, seasons, and times of day. It is relevant for
translating upland forest and floodplain forest flora into planting design concepts.

Dirr, M.A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental
Characteristics, Culture, Propagation, and Uses. Fifth Edition. Champaign, Illinois: Stipes
Publishing,

Dirr, M.A. 1997. Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Portland,
Oregon: Timber Press.

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On timescales of decades, in the context of climate change, native and invasive plant lists will change as
will human needs, wants, and tastes.

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Domer, Dennis. 1997. Alfred Caldwell: The Life and Work of a Prairie School Landscape Architect.
Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Biography of the mid-20th century legacy of prairie landscape architecture and its
strong links with modern architecture.

Druse, Ken. 1994. The Natural Habitat Garden. New York: Clarkson Potter.

This volume covers the full spectrum of woodland, grassland, dryland, and wetland
gardens. It has less depth and detail for each of these types, and is thus a good first
reference.

Ecological Restoration – oldest journal of restoration theory and practice. Published by the
Society for Ecological Restoration International and the University of Wisconsin Press.

Gobster, Paul H.; Haight, Robert G. 2004. From Landscapes to Lots: Understanding and Managing
Midwestern Landscape Change. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-245. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Research Station.

Regional perspective on and strategies for landscape change in the Midwest, from a
office for urban ecological research in the USFS.

Groening, Gert; and J. Wolschke-Bulmahn. 1992. “Some Notes on the Mania for Native
Plants in Germany,” Landscape Journal 11, 2: 116–26. Critique by: Kim Sorvig, “Natives and
Nazis: An Imaginary Conspiracy in Ecological Design. Commentary on G. Groening and J.
Wolschke-Bulmahn’s ‘Some Notes on the Mania for Native Plants in Germany, ”Landscape
Journal 13, 1 (1994), 58. Reply by G. Groening and J. Wolschke-Bulmahn, “Response: If the
Shoe Fits, Wear It!” Landscape Journal 13, 1 (1994). And more!

Harkness, T.G. 1970. “A Landscape in Evolution: The Graphic History of Champaign and
Piatt Counties from 70,000 B.C. to A.D. 1860.” M.L.A. Thesis. Urbana: City Planning and
Landscape Architecture Library.

Harkness, T.G. 1990. “Garden from Region,” in The Meaning of Gardens, 110-19. Ed. M.
Francis and R.T. Hester. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Hightshoe, G. L. 1988. Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America: A
Planting Design Manual for Environmental Designers. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York,
New York.

Jenkins, Victoria. 1994. The Lawn: History of an American Obsession. Washington DC:
Smithsonian Institution.

Jensen, Jens. 1956/1990. Siftings. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Kindscher, Kelly. 1987. Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie. Lawrence: University Press of
Kansas.

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Kindscher, Kelly. 1992. Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie. Lawrence: University Press of
Kansas.

Kovacic, D. et al., “Effectiveness of constructed wetlands in reducing nitrogen and
phosphorus export from agricultural tile drainage,” Journal of Environmental Quality 29:
1262-74

Ladd, Doug; and Oberle, Frank et al. 1995. Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers. Guilford, CT: The
Globe Pequot Press.

Landscape Ecology – published by International Association for Landscape Ecology (IALE);
journal for ecologists, biogeographers, landscape architects, and environmental planners.

McFall, Don and Karnes, Jean. Eds. 1995. A Directory of Illinois Nature Preserves. 2 vols.
Springfield, IL: Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

McManis, Douglas R. 1964. The Initial Evaluation and Utilization of the Illinois Prairies, 1815-1840.
Research Paper #94. Chicago: University of Chicago, Department of Geography.

Miller, Wilhelm. 1915. The Prairie Spirit in Landscape Gardening: What the People of Illinois have Done
and Can Do toward Designing and Planting Public and Private Grounds for Efficiency and Beauty.
Circular 184. Urbana: University of Illinois.

Mohlenbrock, Robert H. various. The Illustrated Flora of Illinois. 15 vols. Carbondale: Southern
Illinois University Press.

Mohlenbrock, R. H. 2002. Vascular Flora of Illinois. Southern Illinois University Press,
Carbondale and Edwardsville.

Nowakowski, Keith G. 2004. Native Plants for the Home Landscape in the Upper Midwest. Circular
1381. Urbana: University of Illinois Extension.

Packard, Stephen and Cornelia Mutel, ed. 1997. Tallgrass Restoration Handbook: For Prairies,
Savannas and Woodlands. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Excellent source for east central Illinois, including sections on: goals and plans; seeds
and planting; management and monitoring; and associated wildlife management. Many
useful appendices.

Phillips, Judith. 1995. Natural by Design: Beauty and Balance in Southwest Gardens. Santa Fe:
Museum of New Mexico Press.

Although focused on the southwest, the logic of this book and its companion plant
volume is exemplary. Phillips identifies four natural types of vegetation—the upland,
the high plains grassland, the desert shrubland, and the oasis. She captures the

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aesthetic qualities of these natural vegetation types in photographs, and then shows
how they have been translated into the built environment.

Phillips, Judith. 1995. Plants for Natural Gardens: Southwestern Native and Adaptive Trees, Shrubs,
Wildflowers and Grasses. Santa Fe: Museum of New Mexico Press.

Organized by habitat – upland, shrub desert, grassland, oasis – this book is organized
as a plant encyclopedia with notable characteristics, adaptations, landscape use and
care, propagation, and related species.

Prince, Hugh. 1997. Wetlands of the American Midwest: A Historical Geography of
Changing Attitudes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Restoration Ecology – journal of the Society for the Society of Ecological Restoration

Rock, H. 1981. Prairie Propagation Manual, Sixth edition. Wehr Nature Center, Hales
Corner, Wisconsin.

Schmid, James. 1975. Urban Vegetation. Research Paper no. 161. Chicago: University of
Chicago, Department of Geography. [detailed surveys of metropolitan Chicago].

Teyssot, Georges. 1999. The American Lawn. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Tishler, William H. ed. 2000. Midwestern Landscape Architecture. Urbana: University of Illinois
Press. [includes essays on Cleveland, Jensen, Olmsted, Simonds, and others].

UIUC. Office for Project Planning and Facility Management. 1999. Design Guidelines.
http://www.fs.uiuc.edu/pdfs/Guidelines5.pdf.

UIUC. 2007. Facilities Standards. 3 vols. http://www.fs.uiuc.edu/uiucapp/UIUCNative2.cfm.
Includes: Section 02930 – Exterior Plants; Exhibit 02930-1 -- Approved plant list;
Maintenance; and Impact on Surrounding Environment sections.

Wescoat, James L. Jr. 1979. Naturalistic Plantings in the Cultural Landscape. M.A. thesis. Chicago:
University of Chicago, Department of Geography [compares prairie and desert revegetation
movements].

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Selected Internet Resources: There are many websites on native vegetation in Illinois,
especially prairies. Some that are relevant for east central Illinois and the wider region include:

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and related local websites:

UIUC Prairie Web Sites: http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/prairielinks.html
List of Native Prairie Plants for Use Along Roadsides in Illinois.
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/prairietable1.html

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http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/shrubstable.html
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/treetable.html
Red Bison, Registered Student Organization
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ro/www/RedBison/
Grand Prairie Friends -- http://www.prairienet.org/gpf/
List of nurseries: http://www.prairienet.org/gpf/nurseries.php
Illinois Wildflowers [John Hilty] -- http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/
Meadowbrook Park prairie -- http://www.prairienet.org/meadowbrook/
Prairie Wildflowers of Illinois (photos and text) http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/
INHS Gallery of Illinois Plants --- http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cwe/illinois_plants/
UIUC Weed Science: http://weeds.cropsci.uiuc.edu/index.htm
UIUC Facilities Standards -- http://www.fs.uiuc.edu/uiucapp/UIUCNative2.cfm
Campus Committee for a Sustainable Environment – Blue Illinois
http://www.fs.uiuc.edu/blue/sustainable_campusenvironment.htm

Chicago Botanic Garden -- http://www.chicagobotanic.org/

Chicago Wilderness -- http://www.chicagowilderness.org/

Eastern Illinois University – Prairie Restoration (including sources)
http://www.eiu.edu/~prairie/

Illinois Invasive Plants List. http://www.vplants.org/documents/plants_invasive.xls

Illinois Native Plant Society -- http://www.ill-inps.org/index.htm
Includes invasives list and seed sources: http://www.ill-
inps.org/index_files/Page560.htm

Illinois Plant Information Network -- http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/delaware/ilpin/ilpin.html

Missouri Botanic Garden -- http://www.mobot.org/

Morton Arboretum -- http://www.mortonarb.org/

Southern Illinois University – Phytoimages http://131.230.176.4/index.html

U.S. Environmental Protection Program – Greenacres program. http://epa.gov/greenacres/

U.S. National Park Service – Plant Conservation Alliance. http://www.nps.gov/plants/

University of Wisconsin Arboretum (Curtis prairie) -- http://uwarboretum.org/index.php

Wild Ones -- http://www.for-wild.org/. Several Illinois chapters.

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TREES by Habitat in East Central Illinois

NATIVE PLANT LISTS FOR UIUC–TABLE OF CONTENTS 10
1. Trees by Habitat in East Central Illinois................................................................. 14
Trees with a Wide Range of Habitats.........................................................................................................14
Trees of Upland Forest Habitats ................................................................................................................14
Trees of Floodplain Forest Habitats ..........................................................................................................15
Trees of Savanna Habitats ...........................................................................................................................16
Trees of Wetland Habitats ...........................................................................................................................16

2. Shrubs by Habitat in East Central Illinois .............................................................. 17
Shrubs with a Wide Range of Habitats.....................................................................................................17
Shrubs of Upland Forest Habitats..............................................................................................................17
Shrubs of Floodplain Forest Habitats........................................................................................................17
Shrubs of Hill Prairie Habitats ....................................................................................................................18
Shrubs of Prairie Habitats ............................................................................................................................18
Shrubs of Savanna Habitats.........................................................................................................................18
Shrubs of Wetland Habitats.........................................................................................................................18

3. Vines by Habitat in East Central Illinois................................................................. 19
Vines with a Wide Range of Habitats .......................................................................................................19
Vines of Upland Forest Habitats ................................................................................................................19
Vines of Floodplain Forest Habitats ..........................................................................................................19
Vines of Hill Prairie Habitats ......................................................................................................................19
Vines of Prairie Habitats ..............................................................................................................................19
Vines of Wetland Habitats...........................................................................................................................19

4. Grasses and Sedges by Habitat in East Central Illinois.......................................... 20
Grasses and Sedges with a Wide Range of Habitats...............................................................................20
Grasses and Sedges of Upland Forest Habitats........................................................................................20
Grasses and Sedges of Floodplain Forest Habitats .................................................................................20
Grasses and Sedges of Hill Prairie Habitats..............................................................................................21
Grasses and Sedges of Prairie Habitats......................................................................................................21
Grasses and Sedges of Savanna Habitats...................................................................................................22
Grasses and Sedges of Wetland Habitats ..................................................................................................22

5. Herbaceous Plants by Habitat in East Central Illinois........................................... 23
Herbaceous Plants with a Wide Range of Habitats ................................................................................23
Herbaceous Plants of Upland Forest Habitats .........................................................................................23
Herbaceous Plants of Floodplain Forest Habitats...................................................................................26
Herbaceous Plants of Hill Prairie Habitats ...............................................................................................26
Herbaceous Plants of Prairie Habitats .......................................................................................................27
Herbaceous Plants of Savanna Habitats ....................................................................................................29
Herbaceous Plants of Wetland Habitats....................................................................................................30

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Important Notes: 1) Scientific and common names are drawn from Taft (1997); see USDA Plants for
synonyms and updates. 2) The plant lists are as inclusive as possible. They do not omit wild species that
may not be appropriate for heavily-used areas of campus, but valuable additions to wilder edges and open
spaces of campus and environs. Some rare and/or invasive herbaceous species were deleted on Dr.
Robertson’s recommendation. Hotlinks provide detailed information on species requirements and uses.

UIUC Native Plants Sourcebook 13 10/12/2007


1. TREES by Habitat in East Central Illinois
USDA Plants Weblink Kemper MOBOT Weblink Kling link
Alt = Lady Bird Center Alt = Hilty link

Trees with a Wide Range of Habitats
Acer saccharum sugar maple K
Amelanchier arborea shadbush --
Cercis canadensis redbud K
Corylus americana hazelnut K
Crataegus crus-galli cockspur hawthorn K
Juglans nigra black walnut K
Juniperus virginiana red cedar K
Platanus occidentalis sycamore K
Populus deltoides cottonwood K
Prunus serotina black cherry H
Quercus alba white oak K
Quercus imbricaria shingle oak K
Quercus macrocarpa bur oak K
Quercus prinoides var. acuminata chinquapin oak (dwarf) --
Quercus velutina black oak K

Trees of Upland Forest Habitats
Acer nigrum black maple K
Aesculus glabra Ohio buckeye K
Asimina triloba – shrub/tree paw paw H, K
Carpinus caroliniana blue beech K
Carya cordiformis bitternut hickory --
Carya laciniosa kingnut hickory K
Carya ovata shagbark hickory K
Carya tomentosa mockernut hickory K
Celtis occidentalis hackberry H
Euonymus atropurpureus wahoo H
Fagus grandifolia beech K
Fraxinus americana white ash K
Fraxinus quadrangulata blue ash K
Juglans cinerea butternut K
Juniperus virginiana red cedar K



Liriodendron tulipifera yellow poplar K
Malus coronaria wild sweet crab apple --
Malus ioensis Iowa crabapple K
Morus rubra red mulberry --
Ostrya virginiana hop hornbeam K
Prunus americana wild plum H
Prunus virginiana common choke cherry K
Ptelea trifoliata wafer ash --
Quercus bicolor swamp white oak K
Quercus coccinea scarlet oak K
Quercus rubra red oak K
Sassafras albidum sassafras K
Staphylea trifolia bladdernut H
Tilia americana basswood K
Ulmus americana American elm K
Ulmus rubra slippery elm H
Zanthoxylum americanum prickly ash --
Cornus drummondii (shrub-tree) rough leaved dogwood H
Cornus florida flowering dogwood K
Crataegus crus-galli cockspur thorn K
Crataegus mollis red haw K

Trees of Floodplain Forest Habitats
Acer negundo (caveat) box elder K
Acer saccharinum silver maple K
Aesculus glabra Ohio buckeye K
Carya cordiformis bitternut hickory --
Carya tomentosa mockernut hickory K
Celtis occidentalis hackberry H
Crataegus mollis red haw K
Fraxinus pennsylvanica green ash K
Gleditsia triacanthos honey locust K
Gymnocladus dioicus Kentucky coffee tree K



Juglans cinerea butternut K
Quercus bicolor swamp white oak K
Quercus palustris pin oak K
Quercus rubra red oak K
Staphylea trifolia bladdernut H
Tilia americana basswood K
Ulmus americana American elm K
Ulmus rubra slippery elm H
Zanthoxylum americanum prickly ash --
CC
Trees of Savanna Habitats
Carya ovata shagbark hickory K

Trees of Wetland Habitats
Salix discolor – tree/shrub pussy willow --
Cornus alternifolia alternate leaved dogwood K


SHRUBS by Habitat in East Central Illinois

2. SHRUBS by Habitat in East Central Illinois
Alt = Lady Bird Johnson Center Alt = Hilty

Shrubs with a Wide Range of Habitats
Amorpha canescens leadplant H
Ceanothus americanus New Jersey tea H
Cornus racemosa gray dogwood K
Ribes missouriense Missouri gooseberry H
Rosa carolina pasture rose H
Rubus allegheniensis common blackberry H
Salix humilis prairie willow H
Sambucus canadensis elderberry H

Shrubs of Upland Forest Habitats
Asimina triloba – shrub/tree paw paw H, K
Hamamelis virginiana witch hazel H
Hydrangea arborescens wild hydrangea K
Lindera benzoin spicebush K
Rhus glabra -- shrub/tree smooth sumac H
Ribes americanum American black currant --
Rosa setigera prairie rose H
Rubus flagellaris dewberry H
Rubus occidentalis black raspberry H
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus buckbush K
Viburnum lentago nannyberry K
Viburnum prunifolium black haw H

Shrubs of Floodplain Forest Habitats
Asimina triloba paw paw H, K
Lindera benzoin spicebush K


SHRUBS by Habitat in East Central Illinois

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus buckbush K

Shrubs of Hill Prairie Habitats
Rhus glabra smooth sumac H
Viburnum prunifolium black haw H

Shrubs of Prairie Habitats
Rubus occidentalis black raspberry H

Shrubs of Savanna Habitats

Shrubs of Wetland Habitats
Amorpha fruticosa false indigo bush --
Cephalanthus occidentalis button bush K
Ribes americanum American black currant --


VINES by Habitat in East Central Illinois

3. VINES by Habitat in East Central Illinois
Alt1 = Lady Bird Johnson Center Alt = Hilty
Alt2 = UW-StevensPt Herbarium

Vines with a Wide Range of Habitats
Celastrus scandens bittersweet H
Vitis riparia riverbank grape H

Vines of Upland Forest Habitats
Campsis radicans trumpet creeper H
Menispermum canadense moonseed H
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper H
Smilax hispida bristly catbrier H
Vitis aestivalis summer grape --

Vines of Floodplain Forest Habitats
Humulus lupulus American hop H
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper H
Smilax hispida bristly catbrier H

Vines of Hill Prairie Habitats

Vines of Prairie Habitats
Campsis radicans trumpet creeper H

Vines of Wetland Habitats


GRASSES and SEDGES by Habitat in East Central Illinois

4. GRASSES and SEDGES by Habitat in East Central Illinois

Grasses and Sedges with a Wide Range of Habitats
Carex davisii awned graceful sedge H
Carex pensylvanica savanna sedge H
Panicum virgatum prairie switchgrass H
Schizachyrium scoparium little blue stem H
Sorghastrum nutans Indian grass H
Carex grayi common bur sedge H

Grasses and Sedges of Upland Forest Habitats
Carex albursina broad-leaved sedge H
Carex artitecta sedge --
Carex blanda common wood sedge H
Carex gracilescens sedge --
Carex grisea wood gray sedge H
Carex hirtifolia hairy wood sedge H
Carex jamesii grass sedge H
Cinna arundinacea stout wood reed H
Diarrhena americana beak grass --
Dichanthelium acuminatum var. hairy panic grass H
fasciculatum
Elymus hystrix bottlebrush grass H
Elymus villosus slender wild rye H
Elymus virginicus Virginia wild rye H
Festuca obtusa nodding fescue H
Juncus tenuis path rush H
Leersia virginica white grass H
Panicum capillare witch grass H
Poa sylvestris woodland blue grass H

Grasses and Sedges of Floodplain Forest Habitats
Carex frankii sedge H
Carex granularis meadow sedge H



Carex grisea wood gray sedge H
Carex shortiana sedge H
Carex tribuloides awl-fruited sedge H
Cinna arundinacea stout wood reed H
Elymus virginicus Virginia wild rye H
Glyceria striata fowl manna grass H
Leersia virginica white grass H
Muhlenbergia frondosa common satin grass H

Grasses and Sedges of Hill Prairie Habitats
Andropogon gerardii big bluestem H
Bouteloua curtipendula side-oats grama H
Bromus kalmii prairie brome H
Elymus canadensis Canada wild rye H

Grasses and Sedges of Prairie Habitats
Carex bebbii Bebb’s oval sedge --
Carex bicknellii copper shouldered oval sedge H
Carex brevior plains oval sedge --
Carex cristatella sedge H
Carex lanuginosa sedge H
Carex meadii Mead’s stiff sedge H
Carex molesta sedge H
Carex vulpinoidea fox sedge --
Dichanthelium acuminatum var. hairy panic grass H
fasciculatum
Dichanthelium oligosanthes var. Scribner’s panic grass H
scribnerianum
Elymus canadensis Canada wild rye H
Koeleria macrantha crested hair grass H
Scirpus pendulus red bulrush H
Spartina pectinata prairie cord grass H
Sporobolus asper rough dropseed H
Sporobolus heterolepis prairie dropseed --



Grasses and Sedges of Savanna Habitats
Carex bicknellii copper shouldered oval sedge H
Carex cephalophora rough clustered sedge H
Carex lanuginosa sedge H
Carex meadii Mead’s stiff sedge H
Dichanthelium oligosanthes var. Scribner’s panic grass H
scribnerianum
Elymus hystrix bottlebrush grass H
Agrostis perennans autumn bent grass H

Grasses and Sedges of Wetland Habitats
Agrostis alba red top H
Bromus kalmii prairie brome H
Carex annectens sedge H
Carex conjuncta bristly sedge H
Carex cristatella sedge H
Carex frankii sedge H
Carex granularis meadow sedge H
Carex hystricina bottlebrush sedge H
Carex tribuloides awl-fruited sedge H
Carex trichocarpa hairy fruited lake sedge H
Echinochloa muricata barnyard grass H
Eleocharis obtusa spike rush H
Glyceria striata fowl manna grass H
Juncus torreyi torrey rush H
Leersia oryzoides rice cutgrass H
Phragmites australis common red reed H
Scirpus pendulus red bulrush H


HERBACEOUS Plants by Habitat in East Central Illinois

5. HERBACEOUS Plants by Habitat in East Central Illinois

Herbaceous Plants with a Wide Range of Habitats
Allium canadense wild garlic H
Antennaria neglecta everlasting H
Aquilegia canadensis columbine H
Asclepias verticillata horsetail milkweed H
Chaerophyllum procumbens wild chervil H
Coreopsis tripteris tall coreopsis H
Dodecatheon meadia shooting star H
Euphorbia corollata flowering spurge H
Fragaria virginiana wild strawberry H
Liatris pycnostachya prairie blazing star H
Parthenium integrifolium feverfew H
Polygonatum commutatum Solomon's seal H
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium slender mountain mint H
Pycnanthemum virginianum common mountain mint H
Rudbeckia hirta black-eyed Susan H
Silphium perfoliatum cup plant H
Silphium terebinthinaceum prairie dock H
Smilacina racemosa false Solomon's seal H
Smilacina stellata small false Solomon's seal H
Taenidia integerrima yellow pimpernel H
Thaspium barbinode hairy meadow parsnip H

Herbaceous Plants of Upland Forest Habitats
Acalypha rhomboidea three seeded mercury H
Actaea pachypoda doll's eyes H
Adiantum pedatum maidenhair fern H
Agastache nepetoides yellow giant hyssop H
Allium tricoccum wild onion H
Anemone virginiana thimbleweed H
Arabis laevigata smooth rock cress H
Arisaema dracontium green dragon H
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the pulpit H
Asarum canadense wild ginger H

UIUC Native Plant Sourcebook 23 10/12/2007


Asplenium platyneuron ebony spleenwort --
Aster ontarionis Ontario aster H
Aster pilosus hairy aster H
Aster sagittifolius arrowleaf aster H
Aster shortii Short's aster H
Bidens vulgata sticktight H
Blephilia hirsuta pagoda plant H
Cacalia atriplicifolia Indian plantain H
Cardamine pensylvanica bitter cress H
Caulophyllum thalictroides blue cohosh --
Chenopodium standleyanum goosefoot H
Circaea lutetiana enchanter's nightshade H
Claytonia virginica spring beauty H
Collinsia verna blue-eyed Mary H
Conopholis americana cancer-root H
Cryptotaenia canadensis honewort H
Cypripedium pubescens yellow lady's slipper orchid H
Cystopteris protusa fragile fern H
Delphinium tricorne dwarf larkspur H
Dentaria laciniata toothwort H
Dicentra cucullaria dutchman's breeches H
Erythronium albidum white trout lily H
Eupatorium purpureum green stemmed Joe Pye weed --
Eupatorium rugosum white snakeroot --
Floerkea proserpinacoides false mermaid H
Galium circaezans broad leaved galium --
Galium obtusum stiff bedstraw H
Galium triflorum – trailing perennial sweet-scented bedstraw H
Geranium maculatum wild geranium H
Helianthus divaricatus woodland sunflower --
Hepatica nobilis var. acuta liverleaf H
Hybanthus concolor green violet H
Hydrastis canadensis goldenseal H
Hydrophyllum appendiculatum waterleaf H
Hydrophyllum virginianum Virginia waterleaf H
Impatiens pallida pale touch-me-not H
Iodanthus pinnatifidus purple rocket H
Isopyrum biternatum false rue anenome --
Liatris cylindracea cylindric blazing star H
Lilium michiganense wild lily H



Lithospermum latifolium American gromwell H
Lobelia inflata Indian tobacco H
Lysimachia ciliata fringed loosestrife H
Mertensia virginica blue bells H
Mimulus alatus monkey flower H
Osmorhiza longistylis anise-root H
Oxalis violacea purple oxalis H
Panax quinquefolius ginseng --
Parietaria pensylvanica pellitory H
Penstemon digitalis foxglove beard tongue H
Penstemon pallidus pale beard tongue --
Phlox divaricata common phlox H
Podophyllum peltatum mayapple H
Polymnia canadensis leafcup H
Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas fern H
Prenanthes alba lions paw H
Prenanthes altissima tall white lettuce H
Pycnanthemum pilosum hairy mountain mint H
Ranunculus recurvatus hooked buttercup H
Ruellia strepens smooth ruellia H
Sanguinaria canadensis bloodroot H
Scrophularia marilandica late figwort H
Scutellaria incana downy skullcap H
Silene stellata starry catchfly H
Silene virginica firepink H
Solidago caesia bluestem goldenrod H
Solidago ulmifolia elm-leaved goldenrod H
Thalictrum dioicum early meadow rue H
Tradescantia virginiana Virginia spiderwort H
Trillium flexipes white trillium H
Trillium recurvatum red trillium H
Uvularia grandiflora yellow bellwort H
Verbesina helianthoides yellow crown beard H
Viola pubescens var. eriocarpa smooth yellow violet H



Herbaceous Plants of Floodplain Forest Habitats
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the pulpit H
Aster lateriflorus side flowered aster H
Campanula americana tall bellflower H
Cardamine douglasii northern bittercress H
Circaea lutetiana enchanter's nightshade H
Cryptotaenia canadensis honewort H
Delphinium tricorne dwarf larkspur H
Dentaria laciniata toothwort H
Dicentra cucullaria dutchman's breeches H
Helenium autumnale sneezeweed H
Hydrastis canadensis goldenseal H
Hydrophyllum virginianum Virginia waterleaf H
Impatiens capensis spotted touch-me-not H
Lobelia siphilitica blue lobelia H
Mertensia virginica blue bells H
Mimulus alatus monkey flower H
Phlox divaricata common phlox H
Podophyllum peltatum mayapple H
Ranunculus septentrionalis swamp buttercup H
Rudbeckia laciniata goldenglow H
Rudbeckia triloba brown eyed Susan H
Sanguinaria canadensis bloodroot H
Saururus cernuus lizard's tail H
Teucrium canadense wood sage H
Tradescantia subaspera spiderwort H
Verbena urticifolia white vervain H
Verbesina alternifolia yellow ironweed H

Herbaceous Plants of Hill Prairie Habitats
Agalinis tenuifolia slender false fox-glove H
Anemone virginiana thimblweed H
Apocynum cannabinum Indian hemp H
Asclepias viridiflora green milkweed H
Aster azureus sky-blue aster --



Aster ericoides heath aster H
Aster pilosus hairy aster H
Blephilia ciliata pogoda plant H
Brickellia eupatorioides false boneset H
Castilleja coccinea Indian paintbrush --
Comandra umbellata bastard toadflax H
Dalea purpurea purple prairie clover H
Echinacea pallida pale purple coneflower H
Equisetum hyemale scouring rush H
Eupatorium altissimum tall boneset H
Helianthus occidentalis western sunflower --
Hypoxis hirsuta yellow star grass H
Lespedeza capitata bush clover H
Lespedeza virginica slender bush clover H
Liatris cylindracea cylindric blazing star H
Linum sulcatum yellow flax --
Lithospermum canescens hoary puccoon H
Pedicularis canadensis lousewort H
Phlox pilosa prairie phlox H
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium slender monutain mint H
Ratibida pinnata drooping coneflower H
Silphium integrifolium rosinweed H
Sisyrinchium albidum blue-eyed grass H
Solidago nemoralis field goldenrod H
Solidago ulmifolia elm-leaved goldenrod H

Herbaceous Plants of Prairie Habitats
Anemone canadensis meadow anenome --



Anemone cylindrica candle anemone H
Asclepias sullivantii prairie milkeed H
Asclepias tuberosa butterfly weed H
Asclepias viridiflora green milkweed H
Aster ericoides heath aster H
Aster laevis smooth blue aster H
Aster novae-angliae New England aster H
Aster ontarionis Ontario aster H
Baptisia lactea white wild indigo --
Baptisia leucophaea cream wild indigo --
Calamagrostis canadensis blue joint grass --
Camassia scilloides wild hyacinth --
Comandra umbellata bastard toadflax H
Dalea candida white prairie clover H
Dalea purpurea purple prairie clover H
Desmodium canadense showy tick trefoil H
Desmodium illinoense Illinois tick trefoil H
Echinacea pallida pale purple coneflower H
Erigeron strigosus daisy fleabane H
Eryngium yuccifolium rattlesnake master H
Eupatorium altissimum tall boneset H
Euthamia graminifolia grass leaf golderod H
Gaura biennis biennial gaura H
Gentiana andrewsii closed gentian H
Gentiana puberulenta downy gentian H
Helianthus grosseserratus saw-toothed sunflower H
Helianthus mollis downy sunflower H
Helianthus tuberosus Jerusalum artichoke H
Heliopsis helianthoides false sunflower H
Heuchera richardsonii prairie alumroot H
Hypoxis hirsuta yellow star grass H
Lespedeza capitata bush clover H
Liatris aspera rough blazing star H
Lilium philadelphicum prairie lily --
Lithospermum canescens hoary puccoon H
Lysimachia lanceolata lance-leaved loosestrife H



Lythrum alatum winged loosestrife H
Monarda fistulosa wild bergamont H
Oenothera biennis evening primrose H
Oxalis violacea purple oxalis H
Pedicularis canadensis lousewort H
Penstemon digitalis foxglove beard tongue H
Penstemon pallidus pale beard tongue --
Perideridia americana thicket parsley H
Phlox glabberima smooth phlox H
Phlox pilosa prairie phlox H
Physostegia virginiana false dragonhead H
Potentilla simplex common cinquefoil H
Prenanthes alba lions paw H
Prenanthes aspera rough wild lettuce H
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium slender monutain mint H
Ratibida pinnata drooping coneflower H
Ruellia humilis wild petunia H
Silphium integrifolium rosinweed H
Silphium laciniatum compass plant H
Sisyrinchium albidum blue-eyed grass H
Solidago juncea early goldenrod H
Solidago missouriensis Missouri goldenrod H
Solidago nemoralis field goldenrod H
Solidago speciosa showy goldenrod H
Tradescantia ohiensis Ohio spiderwort H
Vernonia missurica Missouri ironweed H
Veronicastrum virginicum culver's root H
Viola pedatifida prairie violet H
Zizia aurea golden Alexander H

Herbaceous Plants of Savanna Habitats
Aster sagittifolius arrowleaf aster H
Astragalus canadensis Canadian milk vetch H
Cacalia atriplicifolia Indian plantain H
Camassia scilloides wild hyacinth --



Geranium maculatum wild geranium H
Heliopsis helianthoides false sunflower H
Monarda fistulosa wild bergamont H
Oenothera biennis evening primrose H
Perideridia americana thicket parsley H
Polygonatum commutatum Solomon’s seal H
Ranunculus fascicularis early buttercup --
Scrophularia marilandica late figwort H
Silene stellata starry catchfly H
Smilacina stellata small false Solomon’s seal H
Solidago speciosa showy goldenrod H
Tradescantia ohiensis Ohio spiderwort H
Tradescantia virginiana Virginia spiderwort H
Triodanis perfoliata Venus’s looking glass H

Herbaceous Plants of Wetland Habitats
Alisma plantego-aquatica var. common water plantain --
parviflorum
Angelica atropurpurea angelica --
Apocynum cannabinum Indian hemp H
Arabis shortii toothed cress H
Asclepias incarnata swamp milkweed H
Aster lateriflorus side flowered aster H
Bidens cernua nodding beggar ticks H
Bidens frondosa common begger ticks H
Bidens vulgata sticktight H
Boehmeria cylindrica false nettle H
Caltha palustris cowslip H
Cardamine pensylvanica bitter cress H
Cassia marilandica Maryland senna --
Castilleja coccinea Indian paintbrush --
Chelone glabra white turtlehead H
Desmodium canadense showy tick trefoil H
Epilobium coloratum cinnamon willow herb H
Equisetum arvense common horestail H



Equisetum hyemale scouring rush H
Erigeron philadelphicus marsh fleabane H
Eupatorium maculatum spotted Joe-Pye weed H
Eupatorium perfoliatum common boneset H
Gratiola neglecta clammy hedge hyssop H
Helianthus grosseserratus saw-toothed sunflower H
Impatiens capensis spotted touch-me-not H
Iris shrevei blue flag H
Lemna minor duckweed --
Liatris spicata marsh blazing star H
Linum medium wild flax --
Lobelia siphilitica blue lobelia H
Lycopus americanus common water horehound H
Lysimachia lanceolata lance-leaved loosestrife H
Marsilea quadrifolia waterclover --
Mentha arvensis var. villosa field mint H
Onoclea sensibilis sensitive fern H
Penthorum sedoides ditch stonecrop H
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium slender mountain mint H
Ranunculus septentrionalis swamp buttercup H
Rorippa sessiliflora sessile flowered yellow cress H
Sagittaria latifolia arrowleaf H
Saururus cernuus lizard's tail H
Scutellaria lateriflora blue skullcap H
Senecio aureus golden ragwort H
Sicyos angulatus bur cucumber H
Stachys tenuifolia smooth hedge nettle H
Symplocarpus foetidus skunk cabbage H
Teucrium canadense wood sage H
Thalictrum revolutum waxy meadow rue H
Typha latifolia common cat-tail H
Verbena hastata blue vervain H
Verbesina alternifolia yellow ironweed H


1
Considerations Regarding Landscaping with Natives on U of I Campus

Kenneth R. Robertson
Illinois Natural History Survey
November 2004

I. Introduction

Prior to European settlement, the vegetation of Illinois was a shifting mosaic of prairie, forest,
savanna, and wetlands. These vegetation types were controlled largely by the frequency of fire, soil parent
materials, and hydrology. As a result of this shifting mosaic and local ecological conditions, a great variety of
natural community types developed including sand dunes, beaches, peatlands, sedge meadows, marshes,
forests, savannas, glades, cliffs, and a wide variety of prairie types. Vast areas of tallgrass prairie occupied
central Illinois, with isolated wooded groves interspersed like islands. Southern Illinois had stately bald
cypress and tupelo swamps, hardwood forests containing large trees, prairie-like glades, and canyons with
cliffs of limestone and sandstone (Jeffords, Post, and Robertson 1995; Robertson, Anderson, and Schwartz
1997).

A result of this ecological diversity is a rich palette of native plant species - trees, shrubs, woody and
herbaceous vines, spring woodland wildflowers, prairie forbs and grasses, and wetland and aquatic species
(Robertson, 1994, 2004a). Many of these plants have ornamental qualities for landscaping purposes
(Nowakowski 2004, Hightshoe 1988).

Most of the trees planted along streets are species native to Illinois, and many prairie forbs are
cultivated as herbaceous perennials. Today, there is a growing interest in expanding the use of native plants
in landscaping (Robertson 2004b). Cost savings can result from the generally lower maintenance needs of
native species. The amount of mowing and applications of water, fertilizer, and pesticides decrease as a
greater portion of the landscape is established with genotypes specific to a region and particular site
conditions.

When developing guidelines for the selection of species and species assemblages to be used when
landscaping with native species, some broad considerations must be addressed. These considerations involve
defining “native” and detailing the goals of the landscaping plan. Determining which species are included as
“native” requires attention to the geographic and ecological scales of consideration. Goals of the landscaping
plan can range from aesthetic, educational, and/or functional (e.g., soil stabilization, tolerance to foot traffic)
and often the goals are multiple. Further considerations can involve plant architecture and strategies for
achieving desired form, genotype of the material used, advantages of species diversity, and intended or
anticipated human interactions. These considerations are discussed in more detail below.

II. What is Native?

A. Political boundaries

The species to be considered could be determined from those known to occur spontaneously and
considered native to a particular region defined by political boundaries. For example, this could include
midwestern states (Gleason and Cronquist 1991, Steyermark 1963, Deam 1940), the state of Illinois
(Mohlenbrock 2002), or Champaign County (Iverson et al. 1999). Considerations at any finer scale mostly
can not be done with precision. Using the flora of Illinois as a basis, there would be approximately 2,200
native taxa (species and varieties) from which to select. These would include many not found naturally
occurring in Champaign County (e.g., black gum, red maple, Canada yew, white cedar, bald cypress, white

2
pine, and a great many herbaceous species); however, there are about 900 native species reported from
Champaign County (Iverson et al. 1999) providing a rich palette from which to chose.

B. Ecological boundaries

Species selection could take an ecological perspective and include only those known to be native to
the regional ecosystem (e.g., Tallgrass Prairie), natural division and section (e.g, Grand Prairie Section of the
Grand Prairie Natural Division [Schwegman et al., 1973]), or boundaries of the watershed-based Ecosystem
Partnership (e.g., Headwaters Ecosystem Partnership [Taft 1997a]). A combination of these approaches
would include only species known to be locally native (e.g., Champaign County) that based on local
conditions (e.g, soil type, hydrology) could be assumed to have been present in the landscaping area. This
would involve some speculation. Past disturbance regime particularly if related to the maintenance of
particular species assemblages (e.g., fire in tallgrass prairie) also need advanced consideration. Such an
approach has merit in terms of ecological factors, but may rule out particular species, that while native to
Illinois and perform adequately on campus are not found naturally occurring in the Grand Prairie region (e.g.,
sweet gum, yellowwood, choke cherry, shrubby cinquefoil, and all evergreen trees and shrubs other than
Eastern red cedar).

III. Genetic Considerations

A. Genotype

Due to adaptations to local environmental conditions, local genotypes of species may have
performance advantages over stock derived from outside the region (citation?). Using local genotypes may
have long-term cost advantages due to improved survival and longer life compared with species or ecotypes
from regions outside the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Individual species will vary in this regard. Often it is
useful to specify that the original source for cultivated native plants come from within a certain radius, such
as 50 miles. Many plants sold as “native” in garden centers are not of local genotype.

B. Cultivars

There are many named cultivars (cultivated varieties) of some native species. An example is flowering
dogwood, which has over a hundred cultivars. Under which conditions cultivars of natives are acceptable is a
further consideration. Many cultivars express characteristics not typical for the local variety. However, for
some species, local genotypes may not be available and cultivars may be all that is available. Some cultivars
may have higher maintenance requirements. There may be instances where certain traits are desirable from a
design point of view - trees that have purple leaves, variegated leaves, or a columnar habitat. Cultivars of
native species are often available that meet these requirements.

IV. Values of Diversity

Increased diversity of species assemblages have advantages in terms of long-term sustainability.
Diversity in a species assemblage has natural protection against the impacts of diseases, insect herbivory, or
outbreaks of epidemics that can dramatically affect monocultures. Ecological research also suggests diverse
species assemblages have advantages over lower diversity assemblages in terms of redundancy of functional
groups. If a species declines, there are others to replace some of the ecological functions of the declining
species. Diverse assemblages also tend to have aesthetic advantages due in part to staggered phenological
development (i.e., species blooming throughout the growing season) and a well-integrated design based on a
rich assortment of species can have a very pleasing appearance. Diversity also may limit opportunities for
invasion by non-native species.

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V Educational Resources

Among the foremost benefits from using native species may be education. Landscaping with natives
helps activate local interest in environmental issues and stimulate grassroots efforts for an environmentally
sound Illinois including interest and support for natural areas and nature preserves. Exposure to the rich
floristic diversity of Illinois, or the Grand Prairie region, through landscaping with native species has the
additional advantage of instilling the opportunities available to the transient campus community. When
people leave the region, having been exposed to landscaping strategies integrated with the local natural
history, citizens will be more likely to take this message to other regions leading to stronger considerations in
their personal landscaping options.

The urgent problems associated with exotic species that invade natural areas or become aggressive
pests in the landscape also can be addressed. Landscaping with natives can become a demonstration project
to highlight the alternatives to the common non-native (exotic) species used in landscaping. The long-term
benefits of creating demands for native species and reducing the demand for exotics and the impacts on the
landscape of reducing the inputs from propagules of exotic species can only just be imagined but the
possibilities are great and worthy of promotion.

There is a very great potential with landscaping to provide resources for training and research. Zones
could be dedicated to serving as demonstration areas for reconstructing natural communities native to Illinois
or, more narrowly the campus area, in order to enhance educational potential. A great variety of natural
communities have been identified in Illinois and could provide the basis for selecting demonstration
reconstructions. Examples likely present in Champaign County and the campus area include mesic tallgrass
prairie, wet-mesic prairie, mesic savanna, and marsh. The reconstruction projects would be ideal research
opportunities for undergraduate, graduate students and faculty. Examples of natural communities from other
regions of Illinois also could be considered (e.g., sand prairie, graminoid fen, mesic forest). Results from such
research could be extended to inform selection of species assemblages in landscaping settings. However, the
information gained from experimental approaches to natural community reconstructions would have a very
great practical value when applied to restorations throughout the State and Midwest.

VI. Aesthetics, Form, and Function

Finding native species similar to cultivated or exotic species depends largely on how “similar” is
defined. Generally, species can be selected among native species that share similar architecture of exotic
species including those common in landscaping, but whether one perceives them to be aesthetically similar
will be a matter of personal preference. Native species are available among all growth form categories
including large and small stature trees, shrubs, woody vines, and a great array of herbaceous forms (e.g.,
graminoid species [sedges, rushes, and grasses], annual and perennial forbs). Among these forms are species
with opposite, alternative, and whorled leaf arrangements with simple, compound, and even doubly
compound leaf structure. Leaf shape among native species varies greatly from simple to deeply lobed, with
entire to sharply serrate leaf margins. Native plant species can have spectacular displays of flowers, fruits,
foliage, and/or fall color.

Representative species also can be found from a wide range of ecological conditions including species
with shade-tolerance and those requiring full sun and species adapted to soil moisture conditions ranging
from wet to dry. A special set of species occurs in the Grand Prairie region that are intermediate in light
requirements including many known to have been savanna specialists (Taft 1997b). Some species are typically
found in nutrient poor conditions while others are more typical of rich prairie or forest soils where resources
typically are not limiting. Many plants of the tallgrass prairie have characteristics that provide tolerance to
periodic droughts such as deep rooting systems and many have adaptations in above-ground materials that
conserve moisture. Such materials are ideal for low maintenance landscaping in the region of the Grand

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Prairie where summer conditions can be harsh with high temperatures, winds, and extended droughts. Sets
of native species also can be selected that provide flowering material throughout the growing season
(generally late March to late October) with a wide range of flower colors during each season.

VII. Landscape Function

Many of the landscaping functions can be met with native species. Species for aesthetic appeal and
with particular physiognomic characteristics certainly are not limited among native species, as discussed
previously. Suitable species also can be found to provide particular landscape functions such as wind breaks,
erosion control (e.g., on sloping ground), or soil stabilization on sites with difficult growing conditions.
However, some special needs situations (e.g., lawn areas that must be kept low through mowing) may be
limited in terms of suitable native species.

VIII. Conclusions

Given these considerations, the dimensions of the palette of species and species assemblages can be
very broadly defined (all species known to be native in a large geographic region including Illinois) or narrow,
including species that likely would have been present in a particular local area (e.g., Champaign/Urbana).
Either way, there exist native species that can meet most landscaping needs. Landscaping with natives has the
added advantages of informing the public about choices that make practical as well as aesthetic sense, these
choices help support markets for native species and can lead to declines in demand for exotic species, many
of which have become nuisances in natural habitats. Due to adaptation to the local conditions, uses of native
species and particularly local genotypes, also have a great potential to reduce maintenance costs and be more
sustainable under the conditions of the Grand Prairie ecoregion. There is a particular value to a landscaping
plan that integrates diversity into plantings. Diversity of native species, while rich in aesthetic appeal, also
may provide added benefits of flexibility needed to cope with alterations and changes in environmental
conditions.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Deam, C. C. 1940. Flora of Indiana. Indiana Department of Conservation, Division of Forestry.
Indianapolis. 1236 pp.

Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of Northeastern United States and
adjacent Canada. Second edition. New York Botanical Garden, NY. lxxv + 910 pp.

Hightshoe, G. L. 1988. Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America: A Planting Design
Manual for Environmental Designers. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 817 pp.

Iverson, L.R., D. Ketzner, and J. Karnes. 1999. Illinois Plant Information Network. Database at
http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/delaware/ilpin/ilpin.html. Illinois Natural History Survey and USDA Forest
Service.

Jeffords, M. R., S. L. Post, and K. R. Robertson. 1995. Illinois Wilds. Phoenix Press, Champaign, Illinois. 156
pp.

Mohlenbrock, R. H. 2002. Vascular Flora of Illinois. xi + 491 pp. Southern Illinois University Press,
Carbondale.

Nowakowski, K. G. 2004. Native Plants in the Home Landscape for the Upper Midwest. University of

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Illinois Extension Circular 1381.

Robertson, K. R. 1994. Woody plants of Illinois. Erigenia (Journal of the Illinois Native Plant Society) 13:
20-38.

Robertson, K. R. 2004a. Corridors for Tomorrow webpage (http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/
~kenr/my_home.COFT.html). [Includes tables of native trees, shrubs, and prairie plants suitable for
planting in Illinois.]

Robertson, K. R. 2004b. Links for Using Native Plants in the Landscape webpage
(http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/prairienativelinks.html).

Robertson, K. R., R. C. Anderson, and M. W. Schwartz. 1997. The tallgrass prairie mosaic. Pages 55-87 in M.
W. Schwartz, editor, Conservation in Chronically Fragmented Landscapes. Chapman and Hall, New
York.

Schwegman, J. E., G. B. Fell, M. D. Hutchinson, G. Paulson, W. M. Shephard, and J. White. 1973.
Comprehensive plan for the Illinois Nature Preserve system. Part 2. The natural divisions of Illinois.
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, Rockford, IL. 32 pp.

Taft, J. B. 1997a. Introduction; Terrestrial vegetation communities. Pages 1-56 in: Illinois Department of
Natural Resources. Headwaters Area Assessment. Technical Report of the Critical Trends Assessment
Project - Phase II. Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Natural History Survey Division,
in conjunction with Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, and Office of Realty and
Environmental Planning.

Taft, J. B. 1997b. Savannas and open woodlands. Pages 24-54 in: M. W. Schwartz (editor). Conservation in
Highly Fragmented Landscapes, Chapman and Hall Press.

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