Native plants · Alabama

Native plants of Winston County

269 plant species are recorded as native to Alabama in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Winston County by USDA PLANTS. 135 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Winston County, Alabama

Native species
269 Typical Alabama county: 253 (median of 66 counties)
Garden-ready natives
135 Typical Alabama county: 146
Share by type (all 269 native species)
Percent of the 269 native species in each growth type
Tree 29% (78)
Shrub 10% (27)
Wildflower (forb) 31% (84)
Grass or grass-like 10% (27)
Vine 7% (18)
Fern 13% (35)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (31%), followed by trees (29%).

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 7b to 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 135

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

Garden-ready native plants of Winston County, Alabama
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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 chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
American hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
American holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
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-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
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
black maple Acer nigrum Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
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
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
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
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
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 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
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli Tree 30 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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 persimmon Diospyros virginiana Tree 55 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Tree 36 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
common winterberry Ilex verticillata Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis Tree 105 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
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
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
fringed sedge Carex crinita Grass or grass-like 5.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
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
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
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 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
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
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
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 chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia Shrub 5 ft Sun High Zone 5b
red maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
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
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
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens Shrub 18 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
smooth phlox Phlox glaberrima Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
sweet birch Betula lenta Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
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
umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
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 oak Quercus nigra Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 134

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 lipfern Cheilanthes alabamensis
  • Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
  • alpine violet Viola labradorica
  • American spikenard Aralia racemosa
  • Appalachian bristle fern Trichomanes boschianum
  • bent sedge Carex styloflexa
  • bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • bristly locust Robinia hispida
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian licorice-root Ligusticum canadense
  • Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
  • Carey's sedge Carex careyana
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • cedarglade St. Johnswort Hypericum frondosum
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • Collins' sedge Carex collinsii
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
  • dwarf violet iris Iris verna
  • early blue violet Viola ×palmata
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
  • eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
  • eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
  • eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
  • great Indian plantain Arnoglossum reniforme
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
  • hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
  • halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
  • harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
  • Kral's sedge Carex kraliana
  • lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
  • lobed spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
  • longspur violet Viola rostrata
  • longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • Michaux's stitchwort Minuartia michauxii
  • mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
  • mountain woodfern Dryopteris campyloptera
  • narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
  • partridgeberry Mitchella repens
  • Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
  • poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • reflexed flatsedge Cyperus refractus
  • richweed Collinsonia canadensis
  • robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
  • rock clubmoss Huperzia porophila
  • rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
  • showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
  • silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
  • slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
  • slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
  • smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
  • southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spotted pondweed Potamogeton pulcher
  • spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • star chickweed Stellaria pubera
  • striped cream violet Viola striata
  • tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
  • trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
  • Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
  • Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
  • yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
  • yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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.

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, Winston County and Alabama
MeasureWinston CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 269 253 1,758
Garden-ready natives 135 146 605
Tree 78 — 195
Shrub 27 — 81
Wildflower (forb) 84 — 923
Grass or grass-like 27 — 413
Vine 18 — 76
Fern 35 — 70

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Winston 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
Winston County (county FIPS 01133), Alabama. 269 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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