Native plants · Alabama
Native plants of Shelby County
310 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Shelby County by USDA PLANTS. 153 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
Shelby County, Alabama
- Native species
- 310 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 153 Typical Alabama county: 146
- Share by type (all 310 native species)
-
Percent of the 310 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (42%), followed by trees (24%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 153
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American basswood Tilia americana | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 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 water plantain Alisma subcordatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | 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 |
| arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum | Vine | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6b |
| 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 spikerush Eleocharis obtusa | Grass or grass-like | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa | Wildflower (forb) | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis | Wildflower (forb) | 5.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | Low | 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 ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| common persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa | Shrub | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| green arrow arum Peltandra virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| green hawthorn Crataegus viridis | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens | Grass or grass-like | 3.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hazel alder Alnus serrulata | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata | Vine | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6b |
| highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum | Shrub | 12 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| horsetail paspalum Paspalum fluitans | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium | Grass or grass-like | 4.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| jewelweed Impatiens capensis | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| loblolly pine Pinus taeda | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6b |
| longhair sedge Carex comosa | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia | Shrub | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| ridged yellow flax Linum striatum | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| swamp titi Cyrilla racemiflora | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 6b |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6b |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| valley redstem Ammannia coccinea | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | 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 threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 10b |
| Washington hawthorn Crataegus phaenopyrum | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| water hickory Carya aquatica | Tree | 85 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| water oak Quercus nigra | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 157
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
- Alabama lipfern Cheilanthes alabamensis
- Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
- American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
- arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
- bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
- bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
- birdfoot violet Viola pedata
- black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
- black highbush blueberry Vaccinium fuscatum
- blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
- blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
- bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
- branched foldwing Dicliptera brachiata
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
- bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
- button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
- camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
- Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
- Canadian licorice-root Ligusticum canadense
- Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
- Carolina lily Lilium michauxii
- Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
- Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
- clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
- combleaf yellow false foxglove Aureolaria pectinata
- common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
- compassplant Silphium laciniatum
- crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
- crossvine Bignonia capreolata
- crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
- Curtiss' milkwort Polygala curtissii
- cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
- cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
- downy danthonia Danthonia sericea
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- downy phlox Phlox pilosa
- downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
- dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
- dwarf violet iris Iris verna
- eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
- eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
- eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
- eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
- eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
- false flowering spurge Euphorbia pubentissima
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- golden zizia Zizia aurea
- hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
- hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
- hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
- harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
- hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
- Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
- helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
- herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
- hirsute sedge Carex complanata
- hogwort Croton capitatus
- hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
- hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
- Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
- jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
- largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
- Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
- lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
- lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
- limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
- littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
- lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
- longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
- low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
- low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
- lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
- maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
- Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
- mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
- narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
- netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
- northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
- northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
- pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
- partridgeberry Mitchella repens
- perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
- redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
- roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
- Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- sicklepod Arabis canadensis
- silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
- slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
- slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
- Small's blacksnakeroot Sanicula smallii
- Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
- smallflower thoroughwort Eupatorium semiserratum
- smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- soft thistle Cirsium carolinianum
- southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
- sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
- St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
- star chickweed Stellaria pubera
- star tickseed Coreopsis pubescens
- striped gentian Gentiana villosa
- thickleaf phlox Phlox carolina
- trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
- twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
- Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
- watershield Brasenia schreberi
- white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
- whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
- whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
- whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
- widowsfrill Silene stellata
- wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
- wild yam Dioscorea villosa
- woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
- woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
- woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
- woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
- woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
- yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
- yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
- yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
- zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
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.
| Measure | Shelby County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 310 | 253 | 1,758 |
| Garden-ready natives | 153 | 146 | 605 |
| Tree | 75 | — | 195 |
| Shrub | 21 | — | 81 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 129 | — | 923 |
| Grass or grass-like | 38 | — | 413 |
| Vine | 20 | — | 76 |
| Fern | 27 | — | 70 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Shelby County.
- Bibb County, AL 217 garden-ready
- Chilton County, AL 145 garden-ready
- Jefferson County, AL 134 garden-ready
- St. Clair County, AL 134 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
- Shelby County (county FIPS 01117), Alabama. 310 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