Tag Archives: native plants of indiana

Sunday Spotlight: Monarda Fistulosa

Monarda fistulosa is one of our favorite native plants. It has an ethereal quality to it. When swaying in a light breeze, it dances. When the sun hits the flower petals just so, they sparkle. At times it looks like a painting of a dream, delicate and hardy. 

Monarda fistulosa, Irvington, IN by K. Arbuckle
Monarda fistulosa flower, Irvington, IN by K. Arbuckle

Commonly known as wild bergamot or bee balm, the flowers attract birds, butterflies, hummingbirds, hummingbird moths, and an assortment of bees. It always seems to have a handful of pollinators on it and often is surrounded by soft buzzing. It is a great companion to other native pollinator plants, such as echinacea, rudbeckia, and verbena. Monarda flowers are edible and the leaves have long been used medicinally and to make tea.

Snowberry Clearwing Moth on Monarda fistulosa, Irvington, IN by K. Arbuckle
Spicebush Swallowtail on Monarda fistulosa, Irvington, IN by K. Arbuckle

This lovely perennial grows throughout most of Indiana and thrives in almost any growing conditions. It isn’t picky. It will grow in full sun to partial shade and almost any soil you can find in the state, except wetlands. Mildew can become a problem if there isn’t enough airflow around the plant, but that seldom causes real harm. As an easy-to-grow native plant and requiring little maintenance, it’s a good choice for beginning gardeners. It can become tall and will sometimes flop a bit with heavy rain and wind, but that never seems to bother the plant. While it can grow to five feet tall, it typically stays around three feet and its spread is about the same. Propagating the perennial is simple through dividing the plants or growing from seed.

Macro of Monarda fistulosa, Irvington, IN by K. Arbuckle
Bumble bee on Monarda fistulosa, Irvington, IN by K. Arbuckle

When planting your flower or native garden, consider adding this wonderful perennial to feed the pollinators. It will reward you for many years with its delightful petals and sweet scent.

Landscaping with Native Plants of Indiana

One of our favorite documentary series, The Natural Heritage of Indiana, shows the diversity in our state’s natural environment. While labeled a documentary, it classifies as a work of art, in part because of the state’s plethora of natural beauty.  Indiana has sand dunes, prairies, wetlands, hills, canyons, rivers, lakes, caves, woodlands and more. That diversity and beauty in our natural landscape provide us with many native plants to choose from when creating landscapes. The natural landscapes of Indiana inspire us in our designs and practices, as well as in our daily lives.

Native woodland plants in McCormick’s Creek State Park

Native plants of Indiana range from giant oak trees, like the Kyle Oak in our Irvington neighborhood, to the diminutive spring beauty that grows in the shady woodlands. We have an abundance of wildflowers in Indiana and one can find a variety to grow in just about any condition. Whether you have a dry shady spot, a low lying ‘wet feet’ location, or a full sun area with average soil, the state’s bounty has a flower for you. Wildflowers and trees only touch the surface. Indiana also has several ferns, numerous kinds of grass, shrubs, evergreens, and bulbs that can fill in any landscape.

Using native plants in landscaping has numerous benefits. Native plants provide essential food and habitat for wildlife, including birds and insects. Milkweed feeds the monarch butterflies, dogwood and American cranberrybush feed birds and small animals, and flowers provide pollen, seeds, and nectar for insects, birds, and hummingbirds. Feeding the pollinators isn’t just good for them and the plants — the beautiful garden visitors provide enjoyment for us, as well. Another benefit is lower maintenance needs. Plants that have adapted to grow in an environment have lower maintenance needs when planted in the proper conditions, including less watering and pruning. By using natives, you also avoid planting invasive species, which can wreak havoc on our environment.

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Native plants feed pollinators in our backyard gardens.

We have set a goal to use natives as much as possible in our landscape designs. Sometimes, we have clients give us free range and we use all natives. When we need to meet specific criteria for a site or client request, however, like flower color or plant height, we will also use native cultivars and non-native companion plants. We would rather use cultivars and companions than any species that may become invasive and harm the eco-system. You’ll never see us plant the ubiquitous Bradford Pear or the dreadful English ivy. (We have been trying to eradicate ivy from our yard for 20+ years thanks to the previous homeowners. It pops back up from the tiniest bit of missed root.)

Whether you want a formal flower bed, cottage garden, hedge row, border, trees, or anything else, we can use native plants to make your ideal landscape. Contact us for more information on using plants native to Indiana in your landscape.