Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Chilton County

256 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Chilton County by USDA PLANTS. 145 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

Chilton County, Alabama

Native species: 256 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 145 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 256 native species): Percent of the 256 native species in each growth type

Tree 31% (79)
Shrub 7% (19)
Wildflower (forb) 34% (86)
Grass or grass-like 16% (40)
Vine 7% (19)
Fern 5% (13)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (34%), followed by trees (31%).

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

Garden-ready natives 145

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

Garden-ready native plants of Chilton County, Alabama
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
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 elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
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 witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Carolina silverbell Halesia carolina	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
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
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana	Tree	33 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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 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 sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
common winterberry Ilex verticillata	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
cylinder jointtail grass Coelorachis cylindrica	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dense blazing star Liatris spicata	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
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 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
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida	Shrub	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
fringed sedge Carex crinita	Grass or grass-like	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
haspan flatsedge Cyperus haspan	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
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
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
Kentucky yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea	Tree	40 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
lesser creeping rush Juncus repens	Grass or grass-like	6.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
loblolly pine Pinus taeda	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina	Shrub	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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
mountain magnolia Magnolia fraseri	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
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
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
northern red oak Quercus rubra	Tree	81 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
overcup oak Quercus lyrata	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
parsley hawthorn Crataegus marshallii	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
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
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
shagbark hickory Carya ovata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
slash pine Pinus elliottii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
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
southern waxy sedge Carex glaucescens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sugar maple Acer saccharum	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
summer grape Vitis aestivalis	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
swamp doghobble Eubotrys racemosus	Shrub	13 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp titi Cyrilla racemiflora	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 6b
swamp tupelo Nyssa biflora	Tree	115 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
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
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
thicket sedge Carex abscondita	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
turkey oak Quercus laevis	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
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 iris Iris virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
water oak Quercus nigra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
waterpod Hydrolea quadrivalvis	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
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
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	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
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 111

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.

Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
Brazilian watermeal Wolffia brasiliensis
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina lily Lilium michauxii
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
compassplant Silphium laciniatum
cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
early St. Johnswort Hypericum nudiflorum
eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
fire pink Silene virginica
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
greater tickseed Coreopsis major
green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
hirsute sedge Carex complanata
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
meadow garlic Allium canadense
narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
pitcher's stitchwort Minuartia patula
poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
prostrate blue violet Viola walteri
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
sand hickory Carya pallida
scaly blazing star Liatris squarrosa
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
sunbright Phemeranthus parviflorus
swollen bladderwort Utricularia inflata
tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
vasevine Clematis viorna
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
watershield Brasenia schreberi
white colicroot Aletris farinosa
wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
woodland flax Linum virginianum
woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

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, Chilton County and Alabama
Measure	Chilton County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	256	253	1,758
Garden-ready natives	145	146	605
Tree	79	—	195
Shrub	19	—	81
Wildflower (forb)	86	—	923
Grass or grass-like	40	—	413
Vine	19	—	76
Fern	13	—	70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Chilton County.

Autauga County, AL 203 garden-ready
Bibb County, AL 217 garden-ready
Coosa County, AL 128 garden-ready
Dallas County, AL 216 garden-ready
Shelby County, AL 153 garden-ready

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: Chilton County (county FIPS 01021), Alabama. 256 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

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