Native plants in Illinois are the species that evolved naturally in the region long before farming. Plants like big bluestem, prairie dropseed, coneflowers, leadplant, and milkweed are some common ones. They once covered roughly 21 million acres of Illinois tallgrass prairie; today, less than 0.01% of that original prairie remains. That collapse happened because development and invasive species pushed them out.

We need native plants because their deep roots rebuild soil structure, increase water infiltration, stabilize fields against erosion, support local pollinators, and reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides. 

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