Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Morgan County

279 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Morgan County by USDA PLANTS. 152 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Morgan County, Alabama

Native species
279 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives
152 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 279 native species)
Percent of the 279 native species in each growth type
Tree 31% (86)
Shrub 8% (21)
Wildflower (forb) 28% (79)
Grass or grass-like 16% (46)
Vine 7% (20)
Fern 10% (27)

Trees make up the largest share of the native list (31%), followed by wildflowers (28%).

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 zone 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 152

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

Garden-ready native plants of Morgan County, Alabama
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6b
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 elm Ulmus americana Tree 120 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
American hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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 plum Prunus americana Tree 24 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun 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
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 4b
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 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
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium Tree 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
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
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus Tree 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low —
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
bushy St. Johnswort Hypericum densiflorum Shrub 6.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 8a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low 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
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea Fern 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera Vine 16 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
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 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
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
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 gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
eastern swampprivet Forestiera acuminata Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense Fern 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
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
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
Gray's sedge Carex grayi Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
hop sedge Carex lupulina Grass or grass-like 4.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium Grass or grass-like 4.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longbeak buttercup Ranunculus longirostris Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 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
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
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
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
peppervine Nekemias arborea Vine 1 in Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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 Ilex decidua Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica Grass or grass-like 1.8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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 maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
red mulberry Morus rubra Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium 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
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus Shrub 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
September elm Ulmus serotina Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
silver maple Acer saccharinum Tree 90 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 2b
slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
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
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
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
thicket sedge Carex abscondita Grass or grass-like 8 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
thinfruit sedge Carex flaccosperma Grass or grass-like 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
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 pine Pinus virginiana Tree 70 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
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
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
waterpod Hydrolea quadrivalvis Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 8b
white ash Fraxinus americana Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 4a
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
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
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 127

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
  • Amazon sprangletop Leptochloa panicoides
  • American alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
  • American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
  • American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
  • Appalachian bristle fern Trichomanes boschianum
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
  • blackfoot quillwort Isoetes melanopoda
  • blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Carey's sedge Carex careyana
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • cedarglade St. Johnswort Hypericum frondosum
  • Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
  • coastal plain blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium fuscatum
  • creeping burhead Echinodorus cordifolius
  • creeping spikerush Eleocharis fallax
  • crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • earleaf false foxglove Agalinis auriculata
  • early blue violet Viola ×palmata
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
  • fescue sedge Carex festucacea
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
  • harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
  • largefruit blacksnakeroot Sanicula trifoliata
  • largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
  • light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
  • limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
  • littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • lobed spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
  • longspur violet Viola rostrata
  • Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
  • low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
  • maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
  • Reznicek's sedge Carex reznicekii
  • richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • sand hickory Carya pallida
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sharpscale sedge Carex oxylepis
  • shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
  • silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
  • southern woodland violet Viola hirsutula
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
  • striped cream violet Viola striata
  • Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
  • tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
  • Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
  • Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
  • Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
  • waterpurslane Didiplis diandra
  • whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
  • woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
  • woolly ragwort Packera tomentosa
  • yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
  • yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima

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, Morgan County and Alabama
MeasureMorgan CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 279 253 1,758
Garden-ready natives 152 146 605
Tree 86 — 195
Shrub 21 — 81
Wildflower (forb) 79 — 923
Grass or grass-like 46 — 413
Vine 20 — 76
Fern 27 — 70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Morgan 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
Morgan County (county FIPS 01103), Alabama. 279 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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