Native plants · Alabama
Native plants of Covington County
234 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Covington County by USDA PLANTS. 120 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
Covington County, Alabama
- Native species
- 234 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 120 Typical Alabama county: 146
- Share by type (all 234 native species)
-
Percent of the 234 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (36%), followed by trees (26%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 120
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American beech Fagus grandifolia | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| American bittersweet Celastrus scandens | Vine | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 lotus Nelumbo lutea | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 horehound Lycopus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| bedstraw St. Johnswort Hypericum galioides | Shrub | 2.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 7a |
| black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Carolina redroot Lachnanthes caroliana | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 8b |
| 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 |
| coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana | Tree | 33 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 7b |
| coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia | Shrub | 16 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| comfortroot Hibiscus aculeatus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 8b |
| common blue violet Viola sororia | Wildflower (forb) | 4 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| common hackberry Celtis occidentalis | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 2b |
| common persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria | Tree | 20 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 5a |
| coral greenbrier Smilax walteri | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 6b |
| dahoon Ilex cassine | Tree | 26 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8b |
| deerberry Vaccinium stamineum | Shrub | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa | Shrub | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 7a |
| 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 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 |
| flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa | Shrub | 12 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5b |
| hazel alder Alnus serrulata | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| inkberry Ilex glabra | Shrub | 8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6b |
| laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 6b |
| laurel oak Quercus laurifolia | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| live oak Quercus virginiana | Tree | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 8a |
| loblolly bay Gordonia lasianthus | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| manyspike flatsedge Cyperus polystachyos | Grass or grass-like | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12a |
| may hawthorn Crataegus aestivalis | Tree | 26 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6b |
| mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens | Shrub | 14 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| muscadine Vitis rotundifolia | Vine | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare | Grass or grass-like | 1.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 7b |
| needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 7a |
| New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| overcup oak Quercus lyrata | Tree | 80 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| peelbark St. Johnswort Hypericum fasciculatum | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun | — | Zone 7b |
| peppervine Nekemias arborea | Vine | 1 in | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| pickerelweed Pontederia cordata | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5b |
| pond cypress Taxodium ascendens | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 8a |
| pond pine Pinus serotina | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 7a |
| possumhaw Ilex decidua | Tree | 33 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5b |
| 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 |
| redbay Persea borbonia | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8a |
| 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 |
| saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox | Vine | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| shagbark hickory Carya ovata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| shortleaf pine Pinus echinata | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8a |
| southern red oak Quercus falcata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| southern waxy sedge Carex glaucescens | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 6a |
| spruce pine Pinus glabra | Tree | 90 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| stiff dogwood Cornus foemina | Tree | 16 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| sugarcane plumegrass Saccharum giganteum | Grass or grass-like | 9.8 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 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 |
| three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum | Grass or grass-like | 2.6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens | Vine | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| turkey oak Quercus laevis | Tree | 40 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 7a |
| Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| water oak Quercus nigra | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| wax myrtle Morella cerifera | Tree | 10 ft | Sun | High | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 114
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
- Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
- American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
- aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
- awl-leaf arrowhead Sagittaria subulata
- black highbush blueberry Vaccinium fuscatum
- blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
- blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
- bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
- bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
- broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
- bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
- button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
- Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
- Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
- Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
- Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
- Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
- coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
- crossvine Bignonia capreolata
- crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
- densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
- downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
- dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
- dwarf sundew Drosera brevifolia
- dwarf umbrella-sedge Fuirena pumila
- eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
- eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- erect centella Centella erecta
- fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
- fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
- flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
- Florida mudmidget Wolffiella gladiata
- flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
- foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
- fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
- fringed yelloweyed grass Xyris fimbriata
- globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
- grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
- Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
- hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
- hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
- hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
- helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
- hogwort Croton capitatus
- horned bladderwort Utricularia cornuta
- kidneyleaf mudplantain Heteranthera reniformis
- lavender bladderwort Utricularia resupinata
- lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
- little floatingheart Nymphoides cordata
- little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
- lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
- loosehead beaksedge Rhynchospora chalarocephala
- maidencane Panicum hemitomon
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
- marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
- Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
- meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
- mudbabies Echinodorus tenellus
- narrowfruit horned beaksedge Rhynchospora inundata
- narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
- netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
- Nuttall's lobelia Lobelia nuttallii
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- pink sundew Drosera capillaris
- plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
- Plukenet's flatsedge Cyperus plukenetii
- queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
- redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
- Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
- Robbins' spikerush Eleocharis robbinsii
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- shortbeak beaksedge Rhynchospora nitens
- shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
- silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
- slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
- slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
- slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
- slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
- slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
- small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
- Small's yelloweyed grass Xyris smalliana
- snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
- snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
- southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
- spoonleaf sundew Drosera intermedia
- spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
- stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
- striped gentian Gentiana villosa
- thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
- tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
- tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
- Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
- Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- watershield Brasenia schreberi
- weak rush Juncus debilis
- white colicroot Aletris farinosa
- whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
- wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
- woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
- yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
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.
| Measure | Covington County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 234 | 253 | 1,758 |
| Garden-ready natives | 120 | 146 | 605 |
| Tree | 60 | — | 195 |
| Shrub | 21 | — | 81 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 84 | — | 923 |
| Grass or grass-like | 34 | — | 413 |
| Vine | 22 | — | 76 |
| Fern | 13 | — | 70 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Covington County.
- Butler County, AL 136 garden-ready
- Coffee County, AL 115 garden-ready
- Conecuh County, AL 177 garden-ready
- Crenshaw County, AL 109 garden-ready
- Escambia County, AL 151 garden-ready
- Geneva County, AL 131 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
- Covington County (county FIPS 01039), Alabama. 234 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