Invasive Species Partnership of Elkhart County

03/13/2026

Here are some great native shady-tolerant groundcovers to look for this spring!😍🌱

Stop scrolling if you’ve got shady problems.

No, not that kind of shade! We’re talking about the “my yard only gets 3 minutes of sunlight a day” kind. 😂

That bare, shady spot in your yard doesn’t need another invasive plant... it needs the right native groundcover! Try wild ginger, wild strawberry, common violet, native partridge berry (slow to grow, but worth the wait!), or ostrich fern for a lush, low-maintenance look that actually supports local wildlife.

Let’s stop planting invasive species and start choosing better options. We have tons of beautiful native plants that thrive in our landscapes and they’re better for pollinators, birds, and the environment.

Ready to make the switch?

For more native plant recommendations visit https://indiananativeplants.org/

03/09/2026

Spring is on its way and so are some upcoming W**d Wrangles and volunteer days! 🌱🪏

Volunteers are needed at Boot Lake on Saturday, April 11th at 10 AM for an invasive species work day. Volunteers will be working alongside InSPEC and Elkhart County Parks to remove invasive plants to make room for spring ephemerals🌸

For more info and to register, go to https://elkhartcountyparks.org/events/boot-lake-invasive-removal-4-11-26/

09/17/2025

A huge shout out to donors of our silent auction at the Indiana State Invasive Species Conference! It was a big success thanks to you. Please check out these organizations that care about enriching native habitats!

09/17/2025

A lot of letters, a simple mission.

09/08/2025

This is a great article detailing where to go to get native plants. These sources are generally more informed about native habitats and what will thrive (and be beautiful) in our area.

A guide to native plant nurseries and resources available in Northern Indiana.

05/06/2025

Current weekly gatherings.

05/06/2025

We want to give a big thank you to everyone who volunteered at our Earth Day W**d Wrangle at the Elkhart Environmental Center! We ended up with a good pile of honeysuckle and garlic mustard removed, and the team was very careful to avoid damage to the spring ephemerals.

04/15/2025

Craving an early spring blooming tree? American plum (Prunus americana) is a native tree that brightens the landscape with its beautiful white blooms. In comparison to its invasive lookalike, Callery pear, American plum's blooms have a sweet scent, and this native is a keystone species, serving as a host for over 300 caterpillar species.