Educational Resources

Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society
It may come as a surprise that the definition of a native species is not at all clear or agreed upon. Simply put, a native plant species is one that has occurred naturally in an area for a very long time. More specifically for Indiana, a native plant species is one that occurred in natural communities—natural plant associations and habitats—within the state boundaries prior to European contact. Regionally native species that naturally spread into the state following European contact may also be considered native. The emphasis on plant communities helps us to focus on ecosystems, where native plants play an essential role in the web of life. That same emphasis helps us incorporate native plants into our home landscapes, as it suggests we look at plant communities and how those translate into companion plantings.

Elkhart County Master Gardener Program
The Indiana Master Gardener is a program sponsored by Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service through the local county Extension Office. Master Gardeners is a volunteer training program designed to meet the information needs of the local gardening community. It is much more than a gardening class. Its specific aim is to provide information and technical assistance about gardening and home horticulture through the use of qualified volunteers. Participants in the program volunteer their services in the community.

Purdue University Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory
A central facility for receiving both physical samples and digital images submitted for identification of insects, plants and plant diseases or diagnosis of plant and pest problems. This service is provided for the specialists and county extension educators of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and Purdue University’s research faculty, staff, and students as well as for private businesses and citizens of Indiana.

Flower Identification Resource Guide
Identifying flowering plants is useful. You can decide whether that bloom will thrive in your garden, if those leaves are edible, and which plants are poisonous. The right flower identification tools will educate you on the blossoms around you. These plant identification resources are a starting point on your journey. Soon, you’ll see wildlife in a whole new way.

Garden Answers Plant Identification App
Garden Answers is the revolutionary plant identification app that instantly identifies over 20,000 plants and gives you accurate and detailed information about it. If you’ve ever wanted to identify a flower or plant… or find out if a plant in your garden is harmful to your pets or small children, now you can with my Garden Answers Plant Identification app. Just snap a picture, tap submit and instantly you will get the accurate identity of the plant and detailed information about it by garden and horticulture experts! Our advanced image recognition technology can instantly identify over 20,000 plants. And if you’re concerned about a plant disease or insect infestation, you can use the keyword search feature within Garden Answers. It contains answers to over 200,000 commonly asked plant questions.

-Simple interface that is point-and-click easy to use.
-Identify almost any plant within seconds.
-Keyword searchable database to find even more information about a plant.
-Save your favorite matches under the Favorites tab.

Since its launch in April of 2013, the Garden Answers app has become the #1 downloaded gardening mobile app. This release has major improvements and updates that makes it even easier to use and gives you more accurate answers.

Flower Care Tips – Essential Guide on How to Care for Your Flowers

Plant Care Guides