Native plants occur naturally and adapt over millennia to live successfully in a particular areas’ soil and climatic conditions. Once established, native plants can be better equipped than non-native plants to handle stressful environmental conditions such as drought, floods and temperature extremes. Listed here are trees and shrubs that are indigenous (native) to Illinois and northeastern Indiana. Cultivated varieties (nativars) of these natives are listed in the far right column.
TREES
| Common & Botanic Name | H&W Form | Sunlight | Description | Nativars |
| Aspen, Quaking Populus tremuloides |
45'x25' Rounded | Full Sun | Moderate growing. Best in deep, fertile, moist well-drained soil. Greenish white bark. Yellow fall color. Occurs in low ground where it forms large colonies. Northern Illinois | |
| Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum |
60'x30' Pyramidal | Full Sun | Rapid growing. Prefers slightly acidic soil but thrives in moderately alkaline soils. Feathery leaves turn russet-orange in fall. Southern Illinois | Shawnee Brave |
| Birch, River Betula nigra |
30'x20' Conical, Spreading | Full Sun | Rapid growing. Moist but well-drained soil. Shaggy red-brown bark. Yellow fall color. Banks and floodplains of streams along Kankakee River. Central Illinois | Fox Valley Heritage |
|
Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus |
60' x 40' Oval |
Full Sun | Slow to moderate growth. Moist well drained soil. Fragrant spring blooms, persistant fruit. Yellow fall color. Illinois | |
| Dogwood, Pagoda Cornus alternifolia |
15'x15' Spreading | Full Sun / Part Sun | Moderate growing. Cool, moist well-drained soils. Blue-black fruit. Reddish purple fall color. Uncommon, woodlands along streams. Northern Illinois | |
| Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos |
50'x50' Spreading | Full Sun | Rapid growing. Moist well-drained soil. Yellow fall color. Native along streams, especially Kankakee and Illinois rivers. Illinois | Skyline Street Keeper |
| Hornbeam, American Carpinus caroliniana |
25'x25' Spreading | Full Sun / Part Sun | Moderate growing. Moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Elm-like leaves. Smooth gray bark. Understory of mesic woods. Illinois | |
| Maple, Sugar Acer saccharum |
60'x40' Oval-Rounded | Full Sun / Part Sun | Slow to moderate growing. Rich well- drained soil. Common on northerly wooded slopes. Illinois | Green Mountain |
| Oak, Bur Quercus macrocarpa |
60'x60' Broad Spreading | Full Sun | Slow to moderate growing. Deep, fertile well-drained soils. Glossy green leaves. Gold-brown to purple-red fall color. Common in sunny, open woodlands. Illinois | |
| Oak, Northern Red Quercus rubra |
60'x50' Rounded | Full Sun | Rapid growing. Deep fertile well-drained soil. Red to reddish brown fall color. Illinois | |
| Oak, Swamp White Quercus bicolor |
60'x50' Rounded | Full Sun | Moderate growing. Moist, rich well-drained soil. Lustrous dark green leaves. Locally frequent in moist woodlands, usually on floodplains. Favorite habitats in Kankakee River Valley. Illinois | |
|
Oak, White Quercus alba |
70'X100' | Full Sun | State tree of Illinois. Slow to medium growth. Moist, well drained soil. Does not tolerate wet soils. Fruit is 1" acorn. Red fall color. Long lived tree. Illinois | |
| Redbud Cercis canadensis |
20'x20' Vase | Full Sun / Part Sun | Moderate growing. Fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Pinkish purple flowers in spring. Common in southern sector of Chicago region. Illinois | Alba Forest Pansy |
| Serviceberry, Allegheny Amelanchier laevis |
25'x12' Oval | Full Sun / Part Sun | Moderate growing. Well-drained soil. White flowers early spring. Orange-red fall color. Found in the high dunes of Indiana, rather scarce locally. Illinois | |
| Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua |
50'x30' Pyramidal | Full Sun | Rapid growing. Prefers deep acidic soil. Star-shaped leaves turn yellow in fall. Southern Illinois | |
| Tulip Tree Liriodendron tulipifera |
60'x30' Oval | Full Sun | Rapid growing. Moist well-drained soil. Tulip-shaped leaves and flowers. Yellow fall color. Southern Illinois | Little Volunteer |
SHRUBS
| Common & Botanic Name | H&W Form | Sunlight | Description | Nativars |
|
Bladdernut Staphylea trifolia |
10' X 10' | Full Sun/Part Shade | Medium to fast growth. moist area, forms colonies. Flower with 1.5" capsules in fall persisting. Illinois | |
|
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis |
6' X 10' Upright |
Full Sun/Part Sun | Moderate growth, tolerates wet soils. Fragrant flowers. Red fall color, Midwest/ Illinois | Sugar Shack |
| Chokecherry, Black Aronia melanocarpa |
6'X4' Upright | Full Sun / Part Sun | Moderate growing. Tolerant of wet soils. Black fruits. Purplish red fall color. Bog, prairie and dune plant. N/E Illinois | Autumn Magic Viking |
|
Diervilla Diervilla sessilfolia |
3' x 3' Rounded |
Full Sun/ Part Sun |
Moderate growing. Moist well drained soils. Yellow flowers. Does not like wet soils. Midwest, Illinois | Cool Splash |
| Dogwood, Giant Gray Cornus drummondii |
15'x15' Rounded | Full Sun / Part Sun | Moderate growing. Fertile, humus-rich well-drained soil. White flowers in late spring. Illinois | |
| Dogwood, Gray Cornus racemosa |
8'x8' Rounded | Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade | Rapid growing. Tolerant of wet or dry soils. White fruit. Red-purple fall color. Common shrub of woodlands and meadow edges. Increase in open disturbed areas. Illinois | Huron |
| Hazelnut, American |
6' x 6' Rounded |
Full Sun | Moderate growing. Well drained soil. Catkins in spring, mild yellow fall color. Nuts relished by wildlife. | |
| Hydrangea, Smooth Hydrangea arborescens |
4'x4' Rounded | Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade | Rapid growing. Moist well-drained soil. White flowers in summer. Central and Southern Illinois | Annabelle |
| Ninebark Physcocarpus opulifolius |
10'x10' | Full Sun / Part Sun | Moderate growing. Fertile, moist well-drained soil. White summer flowers. Rather scarce as a wild plant. Northern Illinois | Center Glow Diablo Summer Wine |
| Potentilla Potentilla fruticosa |
3'x3' Rounded | Full Sun | Rapid growing. Average to dry soil. Single yellow flowers in summer. Best in sunny areas in dryish soil. Rare in wild. Illinois | |
|
Spicebush Lindera Benzoin |
8' x 8' Open, Rounded |
Part sun/Part Shade |
Slow to medium growth. All parts of plant are fragrant. Moist well drained soil. Yellow spring flowers, Late yellow fall color. Northern Illinois | |
|
Sumac, Smooth Rhus Glabra |
15' X 15' Upright/Spreading |
Full Sun
|
Fast growth. Dry to sandy soils. Yellow flowers June. Fantastic fall color yellow,orange to red. Illinois | |
| Sumac, Staghorn Rhus typhina |
8'x10' Spreading | Full Sun / Part Sun | Rapid growing. Moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Velvety red shoots.Occurs on rocky slopes and sandy barrens. Eastern Illinois | Laciniata Tiger Eyes |
| Viburnum, Blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium |
15'x12' Rounded | Full Sun / Part Sun | Slow to moderate growing. Moist but well-drained soil. Shiny dark green leaves. Purplish red fall color. Locally frequent in moist woods. Illinois | Summer Magic |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata |
6'x6' |
Full Sun / Part Sun | Slow growing. Moist to wet acidic soil. Persistent red berries. Found in wet places. Northern Illinois and N/E Indiana | |
| Witchhazel, Common Hamamelis virginiana |
15'x15' | Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade | Moderate growing. Moist well-drained soil. Yellow flowers mid-October. Found on dune slopes, ravines and riverbanks. Northern Illinois |
EVERGREENS
| Common & Botanic Name | H&W Form | Sunlight | Description | Nativars |
| Juniper, Creeping Juniper horizontalis |
3'x12' Groundcover | Full Sun | Slow growing. Well-drained soil. Local in Lake County, Illinois. Located on low dunes near Lake Michigan and colonies farther south. N/E Illinois | Icee Blue |
| Pine, White Pinus strobus |
60'x40' Pyramidal | Full Sun / Part Sun | Rapid Growing. Well-drained soil. Slender conical tree. Gray-green leaves. Once common in dune country. Illinois | Fastigiata Blue Shag |
| Full Sun: 6 hours direct sun | Part Sun: 4 hours direct sun | Shade: less than 3 hours direct sun |
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