Ohio Native Plants

Ohio’s native plants provide many wonderful benefits  to pollinators, Ohio’s economy, and the health of Ohio’s ecosystems.  We can see many of these common natives right here in Warren County!

Black Gum Tree 
Black Gum Tree (Nyssa sylvatica), otherwise known as black gum, black tupelo or sour gum, is a native for most parts of Ohio. This tree has a wonderful glossy dark green foliage in the summer and turns to a bright orange-red in the autumn. At maturity, this tree has a oval shape and can reach heights of 60’ with a width of 25’. The black tupelo strongly prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soils but adapts to average, alkaline soils. This tree need full sun to partial sun to grow well.  
Reference: http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/tupelo 
Photo credit: Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

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Sassafras 
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is an aromatic, native tree found in wooded areas of Ohio. It is part of the Lauraceae family that includes such genera as spicebush (another great native) and avocado. This tree prefers moist, well-drained, soils and can reach a size of 30-50' in height and 25-40' in width. The leaves are uniquely shaped and can range from three lobed, mitten shaped to unlobed.  
Reference: https://bygl.osu.edu/node/739 
Photo credit: Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org

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White Snakeroot 
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a herbaceous perennial plant that is often considered a weed because of its toxicity to animals and humans. It is part of the sunflower family and is identified by the white disk flowers that appear in late summer and early fall.  It has an interesting history as it was known to cause “milk sickness”. Milk from cows who had ingested this plant would contain high levels of the toxin tremetol. Numerous early settlers, including Abraham Lincoln’s mother, became afflicted and/or died from milk sickness in the Midwest.  
Reference: 
https://u.osu.edu/dassler.1/2014/09/14/eupatorium-rugosum/
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/white-snakeroot 
Photo credit: David Stephens, Bugwood.org

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Canadian Wild Ginger 
Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a perennial, low growing plant (4-8" high) that blooms in April, May and June and is typically found in shady areas. This is a colony forming (you will typically find more than one in the same location) plant that produces a pair of large, velvety, heart-shaped leaves. A ginger plant produces one flower at the base of the two leaves which can be dark red-brown to green-brown color.  This plant is becoming more popular with gardeners as a low maintenance groundcover for shade areas. This plant attracts butterflies and is a larval host to the pipeline swallowtail butterfly.  
Reference: 
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=asca 
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/wild-ginger/ 
Photo credit: Karan A. Rawlins, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

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Cardinal Flower 
Lobelia cardinalis or cardinal flower is a native wildflower that grows in marshes, streambanks and low wooded areas. Cardinal flower has extremely showy red blossoms that grow on a spike. This plant is a must if you want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds as the color is irresistible to these creatures! Cardinal flowers can be grown in full sun or very light shade. The plants require moisture for good growth and they can be planted on the edge of a pond or marsh area.  

Reference: https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/lobelia_cardinalis.shtml 
Photo credit: David Stephens, Bugwood.org

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