Ohio Native Plants

Ohio Native Plants. . , Winterberry Holly , Common Name: Winterberry Holly , Botanical Name: Ilex verticillata , Height / Width: 3 to 12 feet / 3 to 12 feet , Habitats: Full sun to part shade in mesic woods, bottomlands, swamps, along pond margins, and in damp thickets , Flowering Period: June through July , Flowering Period: Greenish-white , Wildlife Value: This plant offers berries that are a winter food source for many species of birds and other small mammals, especially thrushes, waxwings, woodpeckers, and white-footed mice. Its flowers are favored by bees for pollen and nectar during the warm weather season. , History / Lore: These plants can absorb toxic substances, such as herbicides, pesticides, and pollutants from the water, air, and soil., Little Bluestem , Common Name: Little bluestem , Botanical Name: Schizachyrium scoparium , Height/Width: 2 to 4 feet / 1.5 to 2 feet , Habitats: Full sun in dry open areas, such as rocky and sandy prairies and savannas, in fields, and along roadsides , Flowering Period: Late July through mid-September , Bloom Color: Purplish bronze , Wildlife Value: The little bluestem gives food, shelter, and nesting material to wildlife and attracts birds and pollinators. The seeds, fuzzy white at maturity, are of particular value to small birds in winter. , History/Lore: When little bluestem blanketed the prairies, Native Americans used it for insulation in moccasins. Bundles of little bluestem stalks lashed together formed switches to use in the sweat lodge., Dense Blazing-Star , Common Name: Dense blazing-star , Botanical Name: Liatris spicata , Height/Width: 2 to 4 feet/8 inches to 1.5 feet , Habitats: Full sun on moist prairies with a variety of soil types, in prairie swales, and along the edges of wet meadows , Flowering Period: July through August , Bloom Color: Red-purple , Wildlife Value: Its grasslike foliage and tall blooming spikes attract butterflies, birds, and bees. , History/Lore: Various parts of the plant can be used in potpourri and as an herbal insect repellent. Historically, the roots were used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes.