Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Perry County

253 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Perry County by USDA PLANTS. 157 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

Perry County, Alabama

Native species
253 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives
157 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 253 native species)
Percent of the 253 native species in each growth type
Tree 36% (92)
Shrub 6% (16)
Wildflower (forb) 31% (78)
Grass or grass-like 11% (29)
Vine 11% (27)
Fern 4% (11)

Trees make up the largest share of the native list (36%), followed by wildflowers (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 zone 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 157

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

Garden-ready native plants of Perry 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 chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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 pokeweed Phytolacca americana Wildflower (forb) 7.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
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 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
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
bog rush Juncus biflorus Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
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
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina silverbell Halesia carolina Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea Fern 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana Tree 33 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7b
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 hoptree Ptelea trifoliata Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade 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
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
cypress swamp sedge Carex joorii Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
dense blazing star Liatris spicata Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
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
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
eastern white pine Pinus strobus Tree 150 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low 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
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
Gray's sedge Carex grayi Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa Shrub 12 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
hazel alder Alnus serrulata Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum Shrub 12 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium Grass or grass-like 4.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
lopsided rush Juncus secundus Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun High Zone 8a
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
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia Tree 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis Fern 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa Tree 60 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
northern red oak Quercus rubra Tree 81 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
nutmeg hickory Carya myristiciformis Tree 95 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
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
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
peppervine Nekemias arborea Vine 1 in Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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
ribbonleaf pondweed Potamogeton epihydrus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundhead rush Juncus validus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
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
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
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
smooth sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum Tree 35 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
southern bayberry Morella caroliniensis Tree 7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium 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
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
sugarberry Celtis laevigata Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
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
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
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
turkey oak Quercus laevis Tree 40 ft Sun 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 dayflower Commelina virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
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
wax myrtle Morella cerifera Tree 10 ft Sun High Zone 7a
white ash Fraxinus americana Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
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
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 96

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
  • bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
  • bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
  • branched foldwing Dicliptera brachiata
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
  • Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
  • Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
  • clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
  • clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
  • denseflower knotweed Polygonum glabrum
  • densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
  • downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
  • dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
  • Elliott's fanpetals Sida elliottii
  • fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • Juda's bush Iresine rhizomatosa
  • lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
  • largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
  • largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
  • littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
  • lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
  • sand hickory Carya pallida
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
  • southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • star tickseed Coreopsis pubescens
  • trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
  • Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • watershield Brasenia schreberi
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • woodland flax Linum virginianum
  • woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
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, Perry County and Alabama
MeasurePerry CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 253 253 1,758
Garden-ready natives 157 146 605
Tree 92 — 195
Shrub 16 — 81
Wildflower (forb) 78 — 923
Grass or grass-like 29 — 413
Vine 27 — 76
Fern 11 — 70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Perry 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
Perry County (county FIPS 01105), Alabama. 253 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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