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Native plants recorded in your state and county

Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Houston County

199 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Houston County by USDA PLANTS. 124 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

Houston County, Alabama

Native species
199 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives
124 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 199 native species)
Percent of the 199 native species in each growth type
Tree 34% (68)
Shrub 11% (21)
Wildflower (forb) 32% (64)
Grass or grass-like 9% (18)
Vine 11% (21)
Fern 4% (7)

Trees make up the largest share of the native list (34%), followed by wildflowers (32%).

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 8b to 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 124

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

Garden-ready native plants of Houston County, Alabama
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
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 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
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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 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
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
coral greenbrier Smilax walteri Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 6a
dahoon Ilex cassine Tree 26 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
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 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
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida Shrub 6.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7b
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
giant cutgrass Zizaniopsis miliacea Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 8b
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
hairy chaffhead Carphephorus paniculatus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 8a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
inkberry Ilex glabra Shrub 8 ft Sun High Zone 6a
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
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
lesser creeping rush Juncus repens Grass or grass-like 6.8 ft Sun High Zone 8b
live oak Quercus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8a
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
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
may hawthorn Crataegus aestivalis Tree 26 ft Sun High Zone 6b
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
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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
pond cypress Taxodium ascendens Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8a
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
running oak Quercus pumila Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 8b
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
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
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
small-leaf arrowwood Viburnum obovatum Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 7b
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 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
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides Vine — Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 9b
spruce pine Pinus glabra Tree 90 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
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
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 rose Rosa palustris Shrub 8.2 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
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 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
two-wing silverbell Halesia diptera Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 8a
valdivia duckweed Lemna valdiviana Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 4a
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 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
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

Other native species recorded here 75

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
  • Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
  • American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
  • American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
  • annual fimbry Fimbristylis annua
  • bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
  • Brazilian watermeal Wolffia brasiliensis
  • bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
  • Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
  • cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
  • eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Elliott's goldenrod Solidago latissimifolia
  • erect centella Centella erecta
  • giant sedge Carex gigantea
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
  • grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
  • Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • least duckweed Lemna minuta
  • lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
  • little floating bladderwort Utricularia radiata
  • little floatingheart Nymphoides cordata
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • maidencane Panicum hemitomon
  • marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • mudbabies Echinodorus tenellus
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • pink bogbutton Sclerolepis uniflora
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • Reznicek's sedge Carex reznicekii
  • Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
  • roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
  • sand hickory Carya pallida
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
  • spindleroot Ludwigia hirtella
  • spineless hornwort Ceratophyllum echinatum
  • spotted pondweed Potamogeton pulcher
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spreading sandwort Arenaria lanuginosa
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
  • turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
  • twining snoutbean Rhynchosia tomentosa
  • twoleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum heterophyllum
  • Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • watershield Brasenia schreberi
  • whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
  • 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.

Native species counts, Houston County and Alabama
MeasureHouston CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 199 253 1,758
Garden-ready natives 124 146 605
Tree 68 — 195
Shrub 21 — 81
Wildflower (forb) 64 — 923
Grass or grass-like 18 — 413
Vine 21 — 76
Fern 7 — 70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Houston 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
Houston County (county FIPS 01069), Alabama. 199 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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