Jefferson Township near Jeffersonville in Fayette County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Ohio Native Plants

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 13, 2026

1. Ohio Native Plants Marker

Inscription.

Ohio Native Plants. . , Blue False Indigo ,

COMMON NAME: Blue False Indigo , BOTANICAL NAME: Baptisia australis , HEIGHT/WIDTH: 3 to 4 feet/3 to 4 feet , HABITATS: Full sun to part shade in prairies, along tree lines, , rocky open woodlands, and along rocky creek banks , FLOWERING PERIOD: May through June , BLOOM COLOR: Indigo blue , WILDLIFE VALUE: The flowers are attractive to butterflies, bees, , and other insects. This plant is also a larval host plant for , variety of butterflies, including the wild indigo duskwing , HISTORY/LORE Native Americans used ripened seed pods as , rattles for children. The blue flowers have been used to make a , blue dye nearly comparable to dye made from the flowers of indigo.

, Brown-Eyed Susan ,

COMMON NAME: Brown-eyed susan , BOTANICAL NAME: Rudbeckia triloba , HEIGHT/WIDTH: 2 to 3 feet/1 to 1.5 feet , HABITATS: Full sun in meadows and openings in wooded areas, , riverbanks, and abandoned fields , FLOWERING PERIOD: July through October , BLOOM COLOR: Yellow rays with brown-purple center , WILDLIFE VALUE: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract , bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. It serves as a larval host , plant for the silvery checkerspot as well as many other , Lepidoptera Songbirds, especially Goldfinches, eat the seeds in , the fall , HISTORY/LORE: The Genus name Rudbeckia honors Olof Rudbeck , (1630-1702) Swedish botanist and founder of the Uppsala Botanic , Garden in Sweden where Carl Linnaeus was professor of botany.

, Bee Balm ,

COMMON NAME: Bee balm , BOTANICAL NAME: Monarda didyma , HEIGHT/WIDTH: 3 to 4 feet/2 to 3 feet , HABITATS: Full sun to part shade in woods, thickets, , and bottomlands , FLOWERING PERIOD: July through August , BLOOM COLOR: Shades of red, pink, purple, and white , WILDLIFE VALUE: The flowers attract hummingbirds, , butterflies, and bees. The seed heads attract birds in , the fall and winter. , HISTORY/LORE: Native Americans and early colonists used , bee balm leaves and flowers to make a variety of medicinal , salves and drinks. The name "bee balm" comes from the , historic use of applying it to bee stings., Bee balm is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). , Its foliage has a strong aroma and is sometimes used in , herbal teas, salads, and garnishes.

Blue False Indigo

COMMON NAME: Blue False Indigo
BOTANICAL NAME: Baptisia australis
HEIGHT/WIDTH: 3 to 4 feet/3 to 4 feet
HABITATS: Full sun to part shade in prairies, along tree lines,
rocky open woodlands, and along rocky creek banks
FLOWERING PERIOD: May through June
BLOOM COLOR: Indigo blue
WILDLIFE VALUE: The flowers are attractive to butterflies, bees,
and other insects. This plant is also a larval host plant for
variety of butterflies, including the wild indigo duskwing
HISTORY/LORE Native Americans used ripened seed pods as
rattles for children. The blue flowers have been used to make a
blue dye nearly comparable to dye made from the flowers of indigo.

Brown-Eyed Susan

COMMON NAME: Brown-eyed susan
BOTANICAL NAME: Rudbeckia triloba
HEIGHT/WIDTH: 2 to 3 feet/1 to 1.5 feet
HABITATS: Full sun in meadows and openings in wooded areas,
riverbanks, and abandoned fields
FLOWERING PERIOD: July through October
BLOOM COLOR: Yellow rays with brown-purple center
WILDLIFE VALUE: The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract
bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. It serves as a larval host
plant for
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the silvery checkerspot as well as many other
Lepidoptera Songbirds, especially Goldfinches, eat the seeds in
the fall
HISTORY/LORE: The Genus name Rudbeckia honors Olof Rudbeck
(1630-1702) Swedish botanist and founder of the Uppsala Botanic
Garden in Sweden where Carl Linnaeus was professor of botany.

Bee Balm

COMMON NAME: Bee balm
BOTANICAL NAME: Monarda didyma
HEIGHT/WIDTH: 3 to 4 feet/2 to 3 feet
HABITATS: Full sun to part shade in woods, thickets,
and bottomlands
FLOWERING PERIOD: July through August
BLOOM COLOR: Shades of red, pink, purple, and white
WILDLIFE VALUE: The flowers attract hummingbirds,
butterflies, and bees. The seed heads attract birds in
the fall and winter.
HISTORY/LORE: Native Americans and early colonists used
bee balm leaves and flowers to make a variety of medicinal
salves and drinks. The name "bee balm" comes from the
historic use of applying it to bee stings.

Bee balm is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae).
Its foliage has a strong aroma and is sometimes used in
herbal teas, salads, and garnishes.

Erected 2025 by Ohio Department of Transportation.

Topics. This historical

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 13, 2026

2. Ohio Native Plants Marker

marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Science & Medicine.

Location. 39° 38.199′ N, 83° 34.452′ W. Marker is near Jeffersonville, Ohio, in Fayette County. It is in Jefferson Township. It is on Interstate 71 at milepost 68, on the right when traveling south. Marker is on the Fayette County (Garmhausen) Southbound Rest Area grounds. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jeffersonville OH 43128, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southern Ohio Hill Country.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named Ohio Native Plants (a few steps from this marker);

Brown-Eyed Susans and Switchgrass, Ohio Native Plants image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 13, 2026

3. Brown-Eyed Susans and Switchgrass, Ohio Native Plants

a different marker also named Ohio Native Plants (a few steps from this marker); Ohio's Physiographic Regions (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Ohio Native Plants (within shouting distance of this marker); Garmhausen Roadside Rest Area (within shouting distance of this marker); Ohio Buckeye Tree (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Ohio Native Plants (within shouting distance of this marker); Jeffersonville Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jeffersonville.

Bee Bawm, Brown-Eyed Susans, and Butterfly Milkweed, Ohio Native Plants image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 13, 2026

4. Bee Bawm, Brown-Eyed Susans, and Butterfly Milkweed, Ohio Native Plants

Credits. This page was last revised on June 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 17, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 17, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.