Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Cullman County

289 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cullman County by USDA PLANTS. 141 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

Cullman County, Alabama

Native species
289 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives
141 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 289 native species)
Percent of the 289 native species in each growth type
Tree 31% (91)
Shrub 10% (28)
Wildflower (forb) 35% (100)
Grass or grass-like 11% (33)
Vine 7% (19)
Fern 6% (18)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (35%), 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 7b to 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 141

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

Garden-ready native plants of Cullman County, Alabama
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy 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 bur-reed Sparganium americanum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
American chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
American hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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 plum Prunus americana Tree 24 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — 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 maple Acer nigrum Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
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
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium 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
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
Carolina rose Rosa carolina Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
cherrybark oak Quercus pagoda Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
chestnut oak Quercus montana Tree 73 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia Tree 12 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana Tree 33 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7b
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli Tree 30 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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 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
cucumber tree Magnolia acuminata Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
delta arrowhead Sagittaria platyphylla Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun High Zone 6a
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa Shrub 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis Tree 105 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
eastern purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
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
hazel alder Alnus serrulata Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum Shrub 12 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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 silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis Fern 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
northern spiderlily Hymenocallis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
Nuttall oak Quercus texana Tree 110 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
parsley hawthorn Crataegus marshallii Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
pignut hickory Carya glabra Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
possumhaw Viburnum nudum Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
possumhaw Ilex decidua Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie willow Salix humilis Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
pumpkin ash Fraxinus profunda Tree 120 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
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
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 4a
ridged yellow flax Linum striatum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens Shrub 18 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina Tree 16 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
sugar maple Acer saccharum Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
sugarberry Celtis laevigata Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
swamp doghobble Eubotrys racemosus Shrub 13 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
swamp tupelo Nyssa biflora Tree 115 ft Sun High Zone 5b
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
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
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia pine Pinus virginiana Tree 70 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Washington hawthorn Crataegus phaenopyrum Tree 30 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
water oak Quercus nigra Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 5a
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica Tree 100 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
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 148

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
  • American alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American bluehearts Buchnera americana
  • American cancer-root Conopholis americana
  • Appalachian bristle fern Trichomanes boschianum
  • arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
  • bent sedge Carex styloflexa
  • bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
  • black baneberry Actaea racemosa
  • black highbush blueberry Vaccinium fuscatum
  • bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • Bowman's root Gillenia trifoliata
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • bristly locust Robinia hispida
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian licorice-root Ligusticum canadense
  • cankerweed Prenanthes serpentaria
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina lily Lilium michauxii
  • Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
  • Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • coastal plain blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium fuscatum
  • common dittany Cunila origanoides
  • compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
  • crested yellow orchid Platanthera cristata
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • Curtiss' milkwort Polygala curtissii
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • denseflower knotweed Polygonum glabrum
  • densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
  • downy goldenrod Solidago puberula
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
  • dwarf violet iris Iris verna
  • eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
  • eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
  • fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy lettuce Lactuca hirsuta
  • hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
  • hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
  • hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
  • husk tomato Physalis pubescens
  • intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
  • largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
  • Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
  • lesser Canadian St. Johnswort Hypericum canadense
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • lined sedge Carex striatula
  • littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • lobed spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
  • longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
  • longspur violet Viola rostrata
  • low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • nodding beaksedge Rhynchospora inexpansa
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • Nuttall's lobelia Lobelia nuttallii
  • oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
  • Ravenel's rosette grass Dichanthelium ravenelii
  • richweed Collinsonia canadensis
  • robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • sand hickory Carya pallida
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
  • slender yelloweyed grass Xyris torta
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • smallflower thoroughwort Eupatorium semiserratum
  • smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
  • smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
  • spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • star tickseed Coreopsis pubescens
  • sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • thymeleaf pinweed Lechea minor
  • tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
  • trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
  • twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
  • veiny pea Lathyrus venosus
  • Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white bear sedge Carex albursina
  • whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • wideflower phlox Phlox latifolia
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
  • woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
  • woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
  • yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
  • 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.

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, Cullman County and Alabama
MeasureCullman CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 289 253 1,758
Garden-ready natives 141 146 605
Tree 91 — 195
Shrub 28 — 81
Wildflower (forb) 100 — 923
Grass or grass-like 33 — 413
Vine 19 — 76
Fern 18 — 70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Cullman 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
Cullman County (county FIPS 01043), Alabama. 289 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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