Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Pickens County

253 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Pickens County by USDA PLANTS. 133 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Pickens County, Alabama

Native species: 253 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 133 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 253 native species): Percent of the 253 native species in each growth type

Tree 25% (64)
Shrub 4% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 47% (118)
Grass or grass-like 9% (23)
Vine 10% (26)
Fern 4% (11)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (47%), followed by trees (25%).

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 8a to 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 133

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

Garden-ready native plants of Pickens County, Alabama
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia	Tree	25 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 bur-reed Sparganium americanum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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 sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American wisteria Wisteria frutescens	Vine	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
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 willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	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
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
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
catbird grape Vitis palmata	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
cherrybark oak Quercus pagoda	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
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
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea	Tree	36 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
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
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
disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
Elliott's blueberry Vaccinium elliottii	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
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
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
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
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
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 7b
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
northern spiderlily Hymenocallis occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
nutmeg hickory Carya myristiciformis	Tree	95 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra	Tree	68 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
overcup oak Quercus lyrata	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
pawpaw Asimina triloba	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
peppervine Nekemias arborea	Vine	1 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
planertree Planera aquatica	Tree	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	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
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
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
small beggarticks Bidens discoidea	Wildflower (forb)	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 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 red oak Quercus falcata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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 tupelo Nyssa biflora	Tree	115 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
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
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
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 dayflower Commelina virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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 threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
waterpod Hydrolea quadrivalvis	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
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
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
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
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 120

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.

Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
American black nightshade Solanum americanum
American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
anglestem primrose-willow Ludwigia leptocarpa
annual ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
birdfoot violet Viola pedata
bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
Brazilian watermeal Wolffia brasiliensis
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
creeping eryngo Eryngium prostratum
creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
crossvine Bignonia capreolata
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
downy danthonia Danthonia sericea
downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
earleaf false foxglove Agalinis auriculata
eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
field pansy Viola bicolor
fire pink Silene virginica
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
greater tickseed Coreopsis major
green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
hogwort Croton capitatus
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
Kral's sedge Carex kraliana
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
maidencane Panicum hemitomon
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
neckweed Veronica peregrina
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
poorjoe Diodia teres
purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sharpleaf St. Johnswort Hypericum virgatum
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

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, Pickens County and Alabama
Measure	Pickens County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	253	253	1,758
Garden-ready natives	133	146	605
Tree	64	—	195
Shrub	11	—	81
Wildflower (forb)	118	—	923
Grass or grass-like	23	—	413
Vine	26	—	76
Fern	11	—	70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Pickens County.

Fayette County, AL 119 garden-ready
Greene County, AL 203 garden-ready
Lamar County, AL 105 garden-ready
Sumter County, AL 146 garden-ready
Tuscaloosa County, AL 334 garden-ready

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: Pickens County (county FIPS 01107), 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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