09/03/2026
Great read on eco-regions!
For native plants, eco-regions are much more important than state lines or Hardiness Zones.
Actually, Hardiness Zones was created for planting vegetables or plants from other countries or regions of the United States to see if it MIGHT survive.
So, let's look at Indiana's Eco-Regions.
If you live in or near the cities of Greensburg, Greenwood, Columbus, Seymour, Plainfield, Indy, north to Lafayette, Wabash, and Ft Wayne, you are in the ecotype:
EASTERN CORN BELT PLAINS (8.2.4), which is part of the larger
Ecoregion Level 2: CENTRAL USA PLAINS (8.2), which is part of the even larger Ecoregion Level 1: EASTERN TEMPERATE FORESTS (8)
If you live near Greencastle, Nashville, Bloomington, Bedford, Corydon, or Louisville, you live in the:
INTERIOR PLATEAU (8.3.3), which is part of the larger
Ecoregion Level 2: SOUTHEASTERN USA PLAINS (8.3), which is part of the even larger Ecoregion Level 1: EASTERN TEMPERATE FORESTS (8)
If you live in the extreme eastern part of IN (Wabash River watershed area) from Danville to Evansville, you are in the:
INTERIOR RIVER VALLEYS AND HILLS (8.3.2)
Ecoregion Level 2: SOUTHEASTERN USA PLAINS (8.3)
Ecoregion Level 1: EASTERN TEMPERATE FORESTS (8)
If you live near Valparaiso, Michigan City, Plymouth, Warsaw, Goshen, Kendallville, Angola, you are part of the:
SOUTHERN MICHIGAN/NORTHERN INDIANA DRIFT PLAINS (8.1.6)
Ecoregion Level 2: MIXED WOOD PLAINS (8.1)
Ecoregion Level 1: EASTERN TEMPERATE FORESTS (8)
Now, here is why it is so important to know your eco-region. From an excerpt from The Wild Ones Journal May/June 2002 issue, updated December 2019
"Ecoregions – Best for Selecting Native Plants
Selecting native plant species from within your geographic region (“ecoregion”) is the best way to incorporate natives in your garden or habitat landscape to help restore the natural environment. A native plant originating from its “home” ecoregion and range will grow best because over thousands of years, it has adapted to that region’s unique environmental conditions, such as climate, moisture, topography and soil. The same plant species may be found in several states and regions, but across its native range, species often have subtle differences in their genetic make-up (called “local genotype”). This environmentally sound landscaping practice helps to preserve biodiversity, the health of the environment and the unique character of where you live."
So, buying plants from Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Missouri is always a gamble on how they will survive our Indiana winters and summers.
has bought some plants and seeds from nurseries in other states, but we also collect our own seed from our garden beds and borders. We then spend 1-2 winters getting them to sprout and then spend a year or two to grow them on before they are available for sale.
We have learned a lot these past 2 years in business and are making an even bigger effort to provide you with more plants that better match the eco-regions of IN.
When you visit, feel free to ask where the seed or plant came from! We want your native gardening experience to be a success! The bees, butterflies, birds, and all the other parts of a healthy and diverse depend on it!
