Idk if this will be a controversial opinion or not, but I think there are a couple issues with what you're asking for. First, there aren't really any native plants (grasses, clover, etc.) that are going to give you a lawn mowed look. Second, even if there were, I don't believe there would be a lot of benefit to having a native lawn if you wanted to keep it mowed. Native grasses, sedges, and ground covers are hosts for insects, nesting sites for insects and birds, and their seeds/fruits provide food for animals. If that were mowed, it would only provide a small fraction of their ecological potential. For me I try to first reduce lawn and create new garden patches. Then with the yard I keep I supplement it with Dutch white clover. I also keep certain spaces with minimal flowers because my kids sometimes don't have shoes and step on bees. Answer from robsc_16 on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/nativeplantgardening › native lawn grass for northern illinois?
r/NativePlantGardening on Reddit: Native Lawn Grass for Northern Illinois?
October 24, 2021 -
Hi, so I desire to have a lawn in Northern IL but also desire native plants. Are there any kinds of grasses or mix to use so I can that mowed lawn look?
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Idk if this will be a controversial opinion or not, but I think there are a couple issues with what you're asking for. First, there aren't really any native plants (grasses, clover, etc.) that are going to give you a lawn mowed look. Second, even if there were, I don't believe there would be a lot of benefit to having a native lawn if you wanted to keep it mowed. Native grasses, sedges, and ground covers are hosts for insects, nesting sites for insects and birds, and their seeds/fruits provide food for animals. If that were mowed, it would only provide a small fraction of their ecological potential. For me I try to first reduce lawn and create new garden patches. Then with the yard I keep I supplement it with Dutch white clover. I also keep certain spaces with minimal flowers because my kids sometimes don't have shoes and step on bees.
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How much sun do you have? Buffalo grass is possible, it'll take some time though
Videos
00:58
Big Bluestem: Illinois's State Grass - YouTube
48:38
Native Grasses in the Prairie and Your Yard | #GoodGrowing - YouTube
14:16
Three favorite native plants for Illinois | #GoodGrowing - YouTube
02:49
Q&A – What can I do to get native grasses to thrive here in ...
01:30
Native Plants for a Lawn Alternative - YouTube
31:04
A LOW MOW, NATIVE LAWN? Sign Us Up! — Ep. 044 - YouTube
Cultivating Flora
cultivatingflora.com › home › illinois: lawns › types of native grasses to consider for illinois lawns
Types of Native Grasses to Consider for Illinois Lawns | Cultivating Flora
August 19, 2025 - Buffalograss is a short, sod-forming warm-season grass native to the Great Plains. In Illinois it can be used in low-maintenance lawn applications where summers are warm. Best sites: Full sun, well-drained soils; performs best in southern Illinois.
Illinois Extension
extension.illinois.edu › blogs › ilriverhort › 2015-04-10-lawn-alternatives
Lawn Alternatives | ILRiverHort | Illinois Extension | UIUC
Cedar sedge (Carex eburnean) is described as producing three inch tall "pocket-sized emerald green tufts of hair-like leaves" that form a dense mat in dry, shady places. Oak sedge (Carex albicans) is a "shade to part sun-loving sedge that grows 8-10 inches on dry to moist soils."
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
dnr.illinois.gov › content › dam › soi › en › web › dnr › conservation › crep › documents › grassland-nativeprairieplanting.pdf pdf
Native Prairie Establishment Conservation Cover – NRCS Practice code 327
and compete well with unwanted vegetation. Native warm season grasses will take three to five
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
wildflower.org › expert › show.php
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin
These grasses are best grown from seed, which can be purchased online or from a plant nursery near you. Good luck in finding the perfect match. Here are photos of some of the suggested grasses. ... Plants for Shady Clay soil in Illinois June 18, 2012 - Could you recommoned native plants for clay soil and shade near Chicago?
Dave's Garden
davesgarden.com › community › forums › t › 1313585
Beginner Gardening:Illinois Native Groundcover/lawn replacement suggestions?
Invasive native species are fine by me, I want it to take over the spotty, awful, crunchy old grass eventually. Post #9527133 · Quote · themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) May 20, 2013 · Here is some general and specific info for you...hope this helps http://urbanext.illinois.edu/groundcovers/tips.cfm http://www.stepables.com/ http://urbanext.illinois.edu/groundcovers/directory/index.cfm http://urbanext.illinois.edu/lawnchallenge/lesson2a.html This lists all native plant recommendations for Illinois http://www.wildflower.org/collections/collection.php?start=0&collection=IL&pagecount=10&pagecount=50 ·
Sheldon Landscape
sheldonlandscape.com › home › uncategorized › popular lawn alternatives in the midwest you should know about
Popular Lawn Alternatives in the Midwest - Sheldon Landscape
July 15, 2024 - But prairie is much more than grass. Native forbs and a variety of grasses and legumes are all native to Illinois. Keep in mind, grass species that appear naturally and are untamed by lawnmowers may not resemble your idea of lawn grass.
Bright Lane Gardens
brightlanegardens.com › home › native plants › midwest native plants › illinois native plants
Native Lawn Alternatives in Illinois for Eco-Friendly Yards - Bright Lane Gardens
October 13, 2025 - In this guide, we’ll explore a range of natural options that can transform your yard while supporting Illinois’ unique flora and fauna. Switching to native lawn alternatives in Illinois offers a multitude of benefits that go beyond just aesthetic appeal. By choosing plants that are naturally adapted to the local environment, your garden becomes a model of sustainability.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/nativeplantgardening › natives for a residential garden- illinois 5b
r/NativePlantGardening on Reddit: Natives for a residential garden- Illinois 5b
August 11, 2021 -
I’m doing my own research for what will hopefully be my miniature prairie next year, however I am also helping my mom get some natives into her front garden. Looking for some “well-behaved” plants that won’t take over the garden too quickly and are easy to manage if they do spread
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Butterfly weed and swamp milkweed are beautiful milkweeds that do not spread. Purple coneflower, penstemon digitalis, liatris, little bluestem, prairie dropseed, coreopsis lanceolata, agastache foeniculum (anise hyssop the native one, not blue fortune) New England aster, goldenrod fireworks or goldenrod ohioensis. These are for full sun medium or dry soil.
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Here is the website of the Illinois Native Plant Society: https://illinoisplants.org/ . They have all kinds of links, including to native nurseries, and lists of plants native to Illinois. You will find help here.
University of Chicago
mag.uchicago.edu › law-policy-society › rip-out-your-lawn
Rip out your lawn
In her family’s one-bedroom apartment ... Illinois, still prairie in those days, which she remembers for the “magnificent” cottonwood trees and bobwhite quail in the backyard. But over the years, Adelman noticed her and her neighbors’ lawns and gardens were strangely devoid of birds, butterflies, and the like—though they did need defending from rabbits and deer. When she found a small planting of native flowers, she ...