For a quarter century, the Grow Native! native plant education and marketing program has aided the growth of the native landscaping movement in the lower Midwest in many ways, including the on-going development of curated one-pagers, lists, and databases to meet demand for specialized native plant knowledge and insights. Whether you are a landscaping specialist or a home gardener, Grow Native! resources are designed to support you as you meet your site’s form and function goals with native plants.
Our most comprehensive tool for researching native plants is our Grow Native! Native Plant Database, which hosts detailed information on over 370 species of lower Midwest trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, sedges, rushes, and wildflowers. For quick reference purposes, however, we’ve crafted 34 different Top 10 Lists of native plants with key landscape features and intentions in mind.
Many of the lists were created by Scott Woodbury, based on his many years of experience and observations as the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve, or other native plant experts. In spring of 2025, Malinda Walter of GN! Member Compass Native Landscapes suggested to Grow Native! staff that a list of shrubs that can be used as privacy screening, in particular to replace invasive bush honeysuckle, would be a worthy addition. That list, Grow Native! Top Ten List of Outstanding Shrubs and Small Trees for Privacy Screening, is now available! It includes suggestions that will grow to a size and shape that will screen views while also serving other functions, like providing for wildlife or edible food for people.
Other popular lists include Grow Native! Top Ten List of Native Groundcovers Under Six Inches and Grow Native! Top Ten List of Natives for the Shade Garden. With the shift of the seasons it may awaken an interest in recipes with native ingredients, a topic which can be explored conveniently in our Top 10 Native Plants For The Kitchen and Top 10 Edible Native Shrubs and Trees. Maybe more time spent on the back patio and out in nature inspires a desire to grow your own functional landscaping, and suggestions can be found in several of our lists.
In addition to the many lists for specific purposes, for a general list of plants that are truly top selections in a variety of situations, see Grow Native! Top Ten List of Top Performing Native Plants. These are plants that were selected because they are attractive, durable, compact, and attract pollinators! Note, the plants on each list are not ranked; that is, the tenth plant on the list is just as significant as the first one. These lists are intended as starting points—many other native plants may be ideal for specific purposes. For growing information and other details about the plants on the Top Ten lists, please consult the Grow Native! native plant database.
Top, photo of blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) among other native perennials by Mervin Wallace; Inset photo of Monarch butterflies feasting on the nectar of autumn-blooming new england aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) by HenryDomke.com
