Best idea is to ask your neighbor's help to find out what the plants are called locally. Then with the names written down either go to the web or most states have books specifically for that states wild plants. If your local library does not have them ask them to do an interlibrary exchange. Then if you find one you like buy it for your library and impress your neighbors on how much you value their "wild life plants". If it is something you can use and they want to get rid of take them up on the offer.

I live in a transition area between the eastern woodlands and the western grasslands. Depending on where you are in Illinois you maybe in a similar area. If you are don't be afraid to plant things that supposedly don't grow in your area. In fact some of your local plants that you want identified may be of the same type. Birds do have a great facility to spread plants.

Some of the most interesting spring flowering plants start growing in the fall then bloom with few or no leaves next year so look for leaves after the leaves fall and during the winter marking the ones you are curious about.

Another way is to look for lectures on plants this winter. Some plants people that grow native plants are on the lecture tour during their off season.

Go to your neighbor?? I don't THINK so!! :-) I don't believe that I've ever had a neighbor that would be able to help with plant identifications.

One simple suggestion would be to take some good pictures of some plants and post them in the 'Name That Plant' forum right here in the Gardenweb. You can usually obtain correct identifications in a very sort time over there. Visit that forum (I'll attach the link) so you can see how others post their pictures.

As far as hiring someone, I haven't any good suggestions other than paying visits to some of the locally owned, private garden centers and explaining your situation. You might find one that has an experienced, knowledgeable horticulturalist on hand or has the business cards of those who can help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Let's go to the 'Name That Plant' forum!

The only reason I suggested the neighbor is that they might know the local names of the plants. Then you could do research based on that.

The people here that certify areas as natural areas seem to know less than the 5 year old next door about food plants other than a select few plants. Idiots told me that my native hazelnuts should be replaced by a nutting tree.

You might try NWF.org to see if they have someone in your area.

Thank you for all the suggestions. I am going to go with all of them, and see what route works best. I already have a lot of native wildlife, so I feel it is no big rush-but I guess you can never start too soon. Thanks again!

You lost IL by your username. For me, it's easier to help someone when I have a general idea of where they are and what zone they are. For instance, I'm IL, zone 5a.

Anyway, here's a link that you might find useful.

Here is a link that might be useful: IL wildflowers

Clownhouse, I agree with Rhizo that posting pics of your plants on the "Name that Plant" forum is the easiest way to get IDs. They are very knowledgeable over there and almost always ID them quickly.

One cautionary note - unless you are very lucky, chances are high you have some invasive plants growing in your yard. These should be eliminated ASAP. The process of removing the invasive plants (which tend to dominate) and planting natives has resulted in a greater variety of wildlife in my yard.

An FYI on invasive plants, is that some can be native to your area. I don't know if terrene is talking about non-native/exotic plants or just ones that are weedy. Some use invasive instead of weedy. A plant that I would include in this are the asters.

Just a suggestion. Google things like "What to blue jays eat?" and "Plants for bird habitat in IL". Find out what plants you want and go from there.

In some states, there are wildlife habitat programs at the agricultural or forestry university. Near me, the University of Idaho Reforestation Program offers seedlings of native plants that are specifically grown to provide food and shelter for wildlife. Missouri Fish and Game has a similar program.

In Oregon there are hunters' organizations which provide great information on how to grow and provide shelter for birds and wildlife and what is needed to provide them with safe breeding grounds. That is probably true of every state.

Try your local bird watchers club to find out what your native birds are. Once you know what type of bird, it's easy to look up what they eat.

If you want squirrels, plant pine trees. They eat pine nuts.

Most plants with flowers will feed the local bees and butterflies, and perhaps even the hummingbirds.

Sorry I didn't elaborate very well - I mean invasive in terms of non-native plants that were introduced to North America from another country of origin and became rampant spreaders, causing economic harm to agriculture or ecological damage to natural habitats. Not just a plant that is a little weedy or a native plant that is aggressive (like Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana).

In Mass. there is a pretty comprehensive prohibited plant list that lists the worst offenders. Plants like Buckthorn, Oriental bittersweet, Garlic mustard, Purple loosestrife, etc. Most states have a list of invasive and noxious weeds. See link on USDA site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive & noxious weeds

I thought I knew what you were posting about but since the OP is apparently new thought he and others may not.

A good example of a native plant that is definately invasive is now called trumpet creaper. The Orange flowered plant that hummingbirds and some bees love. It can take over eveything.

One thing that many should be aware of but seem not to be is that a plant can be native to part of your state or even city but when put in another growing area where it likes the conditions it will become a pest. Gray Dogwood is a good example of a plant that can become a pest but is very good for wildlife.

I don't know how accurate this is...I hope it's fairly so. I found this website. You click on your state, then your county and it tells you what's invasive. I only clicked on one plant in my county and it didn't have a picture. That's easy enough though, just hightlight it, right click and tell it to search google.

One thing I found out, those ditch lilies, Hemerocallis fulva, those are invasive around here. I knew they were weedy, but I didn't know they were invasive. You learn something new everyday.

Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive plant map