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Native plants recorded in your state and county

Native plants · Illinois

Native plants of Brown County

538 plant species are recorded as native to Illinois in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Brown County by USDA PLANTS. 228 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Brown County, Illinois

Native species
538 Typical Illinois county: 641 (median of 102 counties)
Garden-ready natives
228 Typical Illinois county: 272
Share by type (all 538 native species)
Percent of the 538 native species in each growth type
Tree 11% (57)
Shrub 3% (15)
Wildflower (forb) 61% (327)
Grass or grass-like 17% (94)
Vine 4% (23)
Fern 4% (22)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (17%).

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 6a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 228

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

Garden-ready native plants of Brown County, Illinois
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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 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 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 horehound Lycopus americanus Wildflower (forb) 1.8 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
arctic brome Bromus kalmii Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
Bicknell's sedge Carex bicknellii Grass or grass-like 3.4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium Tree 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
broadleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium latifolium Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus Tree 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low —
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
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
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
common blue violet Viola sororia Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
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 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 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
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
crested sedge Carex cristatella Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
cup plant Silphium perfoliatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 2b
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
eastern purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
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
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
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens Grass or grass-like 5.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 2a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata Vine 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun 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
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
inland rush Juncus interior Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana Fern 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Wildflower (forb) 9.8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
jewelweed Impatiens capensis Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
leadplant Amorpha canescens Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
little barley Hordeum pusillum Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Maryland senna Senna marilandica Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
Missouri ironweed Vernonia missurica Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra Tree 68 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
pale purple coneflower Echinacea pallida Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
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
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4a
pecan Carya illinoinensis Tree 120 ft Sun High Zone 5a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
pignut hickory Carya glabra Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica Tree 30 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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 blazing star Liatris pycnostachya Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata Grass or grass-like 8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
prairie crab apple Malus ioensis Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
prairie willow Salix humilis Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
red mulberry Morus rubra Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
riverbank grape Vitis riparia Vine 45 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sand lovegrass Eragrostis trichodes Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — Zone 1a
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria Tree 45 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
shoreline sedge Carex hyalinolepis Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
Short's sedge Carex shortiana Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High 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
slippery elm Ulmus rubra Tree 85 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia Wildflower (forb) 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum Fern 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
smooth sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
spring avens Geum vernum Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 1.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides Grass or grass-like 4 in Sun High Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
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
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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 threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
white ash Fraxinus americana Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 4a
white avens Geum canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
white doll's daisy Boltonia asteroides Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
white prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
whitegrass Leersia virginica Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 310

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.

  • agueweed Gentianella quinquefolia
  • Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
  • amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
  • American alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
  • American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
  • American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American spikenard Aralia racemosa
  • annual marsh elder Iva annua
  • ashy sunflower Helianthus mollis
  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
  • biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
  • big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
  • blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bottomland aster Symphyotrichum ontarionis
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
  • carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
  • climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
  • clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
  • common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • common woodrush Luzula multiflora
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • compassplant Silphium laciniatum
  • creeping burhead Echinodorus cordifolius
  • Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • Davis' sedge Carex davisii
  • devil's bite Liatris scariosa
  • Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
  • downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
  • downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
  • Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
  • Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
  • dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
  • dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
  • dwarf plantain Plantago pusilla
  • early goldenrod Solidago juncea
  • early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
  • earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
  • eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
  • eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • evening campion Silene nivea
  • fall phlox Phlox paniculata
  • fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
  • false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • field thistle Cirsium discolor
  • floating primrose-willow Ludwigia peploides
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
  • fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
  • giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
  • gravelweed Verbesina helianthoides
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
  • Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • green fringed orchid Platanthera lacera
  • green milkweed Asclepias hirtella
  • hairy hawkweed Hieracium longipilum
  • hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
  • hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
  • hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
  • hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
  • hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
  • heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
  • heavy sedge Carex gravida
  • hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
  • hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
  • hoary verbena Verbena stricta
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • hyssopleaf hedgenettle Stachys aspera
  • hyssopleaf hedgenettle Stachys hyssopifolia
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
  • inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
  • intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
  • James' sedge Carex jamesii
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
  • Leiberg's panicum Dichanthelium leibergii
  • lemonyellow false goldenaster Heterotheca camporum
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
  • marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
  • Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
  • narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • obovate beakgrain Diarrhena obovata
  • oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
  • orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
  • pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
  • paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
  • palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
  • Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
  • prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
  • prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
  • prairie rosinweed Silphium terebinthinaceum
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
  • queendevil Hieracium gronovii
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
  • robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
  • rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
  • rope dodder Cuscuta glomerata
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
  • rough hawkweed Hieracium scabrum
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
  • roundstem false foxglove Agalinis gattingeri
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sessileleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium sessilifolium
  • shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
  • shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
  • Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
  • Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
  • shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
  • showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
  • shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
  • sicklepod Arabis canadensis
  • silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
  • slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
  • slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
  • smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
  • smooth false buttonweed Spermacoce glabra
  • smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
  • smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
  • smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
  • smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium marilandicum
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • snow trillium Trillium nivale
  • soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
  • softleaf arrowwood Viburnum molle
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
  • spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
  • spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • sweet coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall blazing star Liatris aspera
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
  • tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
  • Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • thinleaf sedge Carex cephaloidea
  • three-lobe violet Viola triloba
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
  • twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
  • upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
  • upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
  • veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
  • violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
  • western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white bear sedge Carex albursina
  • white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
  • white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
  • white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled mountainmint Pycnanthemum verticillatum
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
  • yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
  • zigzag iris Iris brevicaulis
Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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
  • bride's feathersAruncus dioicus
  • Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Illinois

The typical county is the median of the 102 Illinois 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, Brown County and Illinois
MeasureBrown CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 538 641 1,909
Garden-ready natives 228 272 652
Tree 57 — 187
Shrub 15 — 96
Wildflower (forb) 327 — 1,015
Grass or grass-like 94 — 444
Vine 23 — 79
Fern 22 — 88

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Brown 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
Brown County (county FIPS 17009), Illinois. 538 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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