Native plants · Alabama
Native plants of Crenshaw County
172 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Crenshaw County by USDA PLANTS. 109 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
Crenshaw County, Alabama
- Native species
- 172 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 109 Typical Alabama county: 146
- Share by type (all 172 native species)
-
Percent of the 172 native species in each growth type
Trees make up the largest share of the native list (43%), followed by wildflowers (22%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 109
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 basswood Tilia americana | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| American beech Fagus grandifolia | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 sycamore Platanus occidentalis | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| American wisteria Wisteria frutescens | Vine | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Atlantic white cedar Chamaecyparis thyoides | Tree | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2b |
| black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| black locust Robinia pseudoacacia | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| bog rush Juncus biflorus | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| 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 |
| 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 doghobble Leucothoe axillaris | Shrub | 6.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 7b |
| 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 |
| 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 maidenhair Adiantum capillus-veneris | Fern | 1.7 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| common persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 36 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| deerberry Vaccinium stamineum | Shrub | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| dwarf palmetto Sabal minor | Tree | 9 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| frost grape Vitis vulpina | Vine | 83 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| giant cane Arundinaria gigantea | Shrub | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 |
| honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| inkberry Ilex glabra | Shrub | 8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6b |
| laurel oak Quercus laurifolia | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| muscadine Vitis rotundifolia | Vine | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| peppervine Nekemias arborea | Vine | 1 in | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5b |
| planertree Planera aquatica | Tree | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | 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 |
| poverty rush Juncus tenuis | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 |
| 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 |
| smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 sugar maple Acer floridanum | Tree | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides | Vine | — | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 9b |
| 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 |
| summer grape Vitis aestivalis | Vine | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| swamp titi Cyrilla racemiflora | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 6b |
| sweetbay Magnolia virginiana | Tree | 60 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 9a |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6b |
| 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 hickory Carya aquatica | Tree | 85 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| water oak Quercus nigra | Tree | 90 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 |
| wax myrtle Morella cerifera | Tree | 10 ft | Sun | High | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| 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 63
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 buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
- American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
- Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
- bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
- blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
- Brazilian watermeal Wolffia brasiliensis
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
- chinquapin Castanea pumila
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
- crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
- densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
- downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
- early St. Johnswort Hypericum nudiflorum
- eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
- giant sedge Carex gigantea
- goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
- hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
- Heller's cudweed Pseudognaphalium helleri
- helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
- Kral's sedge Carex kraliana
- limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
- little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
- Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
- netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
- pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
- redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
- Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
- sand hickory Carya pallida
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
- slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
- slender yelloweyed grass Xyris torta
- snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
- southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
- southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
- southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
- southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
- southern sandbur Cenchrus echinatus
- southern twayblade Listera australis
- tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
- trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
- Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
- Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
- watershield Brasenia schreberi
- white colicroot Aletris farinosa
- whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
- woolly ragwort Packera tomentosa
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 | Crenshaw County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 172 | 253 | 1,758 |
| Garden-ready natives | 109 | 146 | 605 |
| Tree | 74 | — | 195 |
| Shrub | 17 | — | 81 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 38 | — | 923 |
| Grass or grass-like | 13 | — | 413 |
| Vine | 18 | — | 76 |
| Fern | 12 | — | 70 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Crenshaw County.
- Butler County, AL 136 garden-ready
- Coffee County, AL 115 garden-ready
- Covington County, AL 120 garden-ready
- Montgomery County, AL 183 garden-ready
- Pike County, AL 140 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
- Crenshaw County (county FIPS 01041), Alabama. 172 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