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Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of DeKalb County

388 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in DeKalb County by USDA PLANTS. 149 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

DeKalb County, Alabama

Native species
388 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives
149 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 388 native species)
Percent of the 388 native species in each growth type
Tree 19% (73)
Shrub 8% (32)
Wildflower (forb) 46% (178)
Grass or grass-like 13% (51)
Vine 5% (19)
Fern 9% (35)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (46%), followed by trees (19%).

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 149

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

Garden-ready native plants of DeKalb County, Alabama
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy 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 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
Appalachian blazing star Liatris squarrulosa Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
bedstraw St. Johnswort Hypericum galioides Shrub 2.5 ft Sun High Zone 7a
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 willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium Tree 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 ft Sun Medium 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 buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
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
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 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 maidenhair Adiantum capillus-veneris Fern 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
coral greenbrier Smilax walteri Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
cucumber tree Magnolia acuminata Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis Tree 105 ft Shade-tolerant 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
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
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata Grass or grass-like 5.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 8a
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
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
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
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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 evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
Nuttall's reedgrass Calamagrostis coarctata Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 12a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
perplexed ticktrefoil Desmodium perplexum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
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
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
scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium 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
shortbeard plumegrass Saccharum brevibarbe Grass or grass-like 6.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens Shrub 18 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
smooth phlox Phlox glaberrima Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High 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
sweet birch Betula lenta Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
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
Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
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 pine Pinus virginiana Tree 70 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Virginia spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana Wildflower (forb) 1.1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
wavy hairgrass Deschampsia flexuosa Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
white fringetree Chionanthus virginicus Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
winged elm Ulmus alata Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
winged sumac Rhus copallinum Tree 8 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b

Other native species recorded here 239

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.

  • Aaron's rod Thermopsis villosa
  • Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
  • Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
  • American cancer-root Conopholis americana
  • American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
  • American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
  • American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
  • American spikenard Aralia racemosa
  • Appalachian quillwort Isoetes engelmannii
  • arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • big carpetgrass Axonopus furcatus
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • bigfruit hawthorn Crataegus macrosperma
  • blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
  • blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • Bradley's spleenwort Asplenium bradleyi
  • bristly locust Robinia hispida
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian licorice-root Ligusticum canadense
  • Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
  • cankerweed Prenanthes serpentaria
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • cedarglade St. Johnswort Hypericum frondosum
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
  • Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
  • climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
  • clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
  • cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
  • devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy danthonia Danthonia sericea
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
  • dwarf violet iris Iris verna
  • early blue violet Viola ×palmata
  • early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
  • early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
  • eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens
  • eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
  • eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
  • eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
  • eastern showy aster Eurybia spectabilis
  • eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • false flowering spurge Euphorbia pubentissima
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
  • fewflower ticktrefoil Desmodium pauciflorum
  • field thistle Cirsium discolor
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
  • grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
  • great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
  • hairy goldenrod Solidago hispida
  • hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
  • hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
  • hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
  • hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
  • halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
  • heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
  • husk tomato Physalis pubescens
  • hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
  • Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
  • Kral's sedge Carex kraliana
  • lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
  • large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
  • largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • largefruit blacksnakeroot Sanicula trifoliata
  • leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
  • Leggett's pinweed Lechea pulchella
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • lobed spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • meadow zizia Zizia aptera
  • Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
  • moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
  • mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
  • narrowleaf bluecurls Trichostema setaceum
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
  • northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
  • Nuttall's lobelia Lobelia nuttallii
  • oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
  • oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
  • pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
  • parasol sedge Carex umbellata
  • partridgeberry Mitchella repens
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
  • Reznicek's sedge Carex reznicekii
  • ribbed sedge Carex virescens
  • rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • rough dropseed Sporobolus clandestinus
  • rough flatsedge Cyperus retrofractus
  • roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • sand hickory Carya pallida
  • scentless mock orange Philadelphus inodorus
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
  • shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • sicklepod Arabis canadensis
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • slender beaksedge Rhynchospora gracilenta
  • slender yelloweyed grass Xyris torta
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • southern blue monkshood Aconitum uncinatum
  • southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
  • southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
  • southern jointweed Polygonella americana
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted pondweed Potamogeton pulcher
  • spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
  • stiff ticktrefoil Desmodium obtusum
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
  • trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
  • twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • twoleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum heterophyllum
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
  • Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
  • warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white colicroot Aletris farinosa
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
  • whorled tickseed Coreopsis verticillata
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
  • woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
  • woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
  • woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
  • woolly ragwort Packera tomentosa
  • yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
  • yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
  • yellowfruit horse-gentian Triosteum angustifolium
  • yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
  • zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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, DeKalb County and Alabama
MeasureDeKalb CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 388 253 1,758
Garden-ready natives 149 146 605
Tree 73 — 195
Shrub 32 — 81
Wildflower (forb) 178 — 923
Grass or grass-like 51 — 413
Vine 19 — 76
Fern 35 — 70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with DeKalb 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
DeKalb County (county FIPS 01049), Alabama. 388 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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