Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Chambers County

179 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Chambers County by USDA PLANTS. 111 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Chambers County, Alabama

Native species
179 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives
111 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 179 native species)
Percent of the 179 native species in each growth type
Tree 37% (67)
Shrub 11% (20)
Wildflower (forb) 27% (49)
Grass or grass-like 7% (12)
Vine 12% (21)
Fern 6% (10)

Trees make up the largest share of the native list (37%), followed by wildflowers (27%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zones 8a to 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 111

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Chambers County, Alabama
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American beech Fagus grandifolia Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
American bur-reed Sparganium americanum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
American holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
American snowbell Styrax americanus Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 5b
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
American water-willow Justicia americana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black walnut Juglans nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4b
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
chestnut oak Quercus montana Tree 73 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea Fern 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
coastal doghobble Leucothoe axillaris Shrub 6.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 7b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
common rush Juncus effusus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Tree 36 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
common winterberry Ilex verticillata Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
coral greenbrier Smilax walteri Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
Elliott's blueberry Vaccinium elliottii Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens Shrub 14 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia Tree 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia Vine 30 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis Fern 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
northern red oak Quercus rubra Tree 81 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
painted buckeye Aesculus sylvatica Tree 65 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8a
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
red buckeye Aesculus pavia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
red maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
red mulberry Morus rubra Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundhead rush Juncus validus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sand blackberry Rubus cuneifolius Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus Shrub 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra Tree 85 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum Tree 35 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
southern catalpa Catalpa bignonioides Tree 66 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
southern red oak Quercus falcata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
southern sugar maple Acer floridanum Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana Tree 60 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 9a
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia dayflower Commelina virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
water hickory Carya aquatica Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
water oak Quercus nigra Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
willow oak Quercus phellos Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
winged elm Ulmus alata Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
winged sumac Rhus copallinum Tree 8 ft Sun Low Zone 4b

Other native species recorded here 68

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

  • Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
  • Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
  • arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
  • dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
  • false flowering spurge Euphorbia pubentissima
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • gaping grass Steinchisma hians
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
  • hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
  • lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
  • littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
  • oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
  • silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
  • slender waternymph Najas gracillima
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • tuberous stoneseed Lithospermum tuberosum
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • watershield Brasenia schreberi
  • weakstalk bulrush Schoenoplectiella purshiana
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
  • yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
Also listed as native and introduced here 1

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

  • annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia

Compared with Alabama

The typical county is the median of the 66 Alabama counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Chambers County and Alabama
MeasureChambers CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 179 253 1,758
Garden-ready natives 111 146 605
Tree 67 — 195
Shrub 20 — 81
Wildflower (forb) 49 — 923
Grass or grass-like 12 — 413
Vine 21 — 76
Fern 10 — 70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Chambers County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

Source & data date

Source
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).
Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.
USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation
USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.
Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date
Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope
Chambers County (county FIPS 01017), Alabama. 179 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method
A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.