Native plants · Illinois

Native plants of Rock Island County

509 plant species are recorded as native to Illinois in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Rock Island County by USDA PLANTS. 211 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

Rock Island County, Illinois

Native species: 509 Typical Illinois county: 641 (median of 102 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 211 Typical Illinois county: 272
Share by type (all 509 native species): Percent of the 509 native species in each growth type

Tree 10% (52)
Shrub 3% (16)
Wildflower (forb) 60% (305)
Grass or grass-like 19% (95)
Vine 4% (20)
Fern 4% (21)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (60%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (19%).

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 5b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 211

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

Garden-ready native plants of Rock Island County, Illinois
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens	Vine	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
American eelgrass Vallisneria americana	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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 lotus Nelumbo lutea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 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
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2b
black ash Fraxinus nigra	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	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
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
broom sedge Carex scoparia	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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
bur-reed sedge Carex sparganioides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	—
butternut Juglans cinerea	Tree	80 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
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
cattail sedge Carex typhina	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	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 hoptree Ptelea trifoliata	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
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 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 woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
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
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Gray's sedge Carex grayi	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater straw sedge Carex normalis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
hairyfruit sedge Carex trichocarpa	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
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
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
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
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
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Maryland senna Senna marilandica	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
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
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
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
pale purple coneflower Echinacea pallida	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
pecan Carya illinoinensis	Tree	120 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
pignut hickory Carya glabra	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 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
purplestem beggarticks Bidens connata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
quill sedge Carex tenera	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
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
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
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
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
Short's sedge Carex shortiana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
star duckweed Lemna trisulca	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile	Fern	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
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 meadowsweet Spiraea alba	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 298

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.

Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American spikenard Aralia racemosa
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
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 ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
buttonbush dodder Cuscuta cephalanthi
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
Carolina draba Draba reptans
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
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 yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
compassplant Silphium laciniatum
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
earleaf false foxglove Agalinis auriculata
early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
early goldenrod Solidago juncea
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
evening campion Silene nivea
fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
field thistle Cirsium discolor
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragile rockbrake Cryptogramma stelleri
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
Geyer's sandmat Chamaesyce geyeri
glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
golden zizia Zizia aurea
grassleaf mudplantain Heteranthera dubia
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
green milkweed Asclepias hirtella
grooved flax Linum sulcatum
groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
heavy sedge Carex gravida
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary frostweed Helianthemum bicknellii
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
hogwort Croton capitatus
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
Illinois ticktrefoil Desmodium illinoense
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
lemonyellow false goldenaster Heterotheca camporum
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
longbranch frostweed Helianthemum canadense
longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
lyrate rockcress Arabis lyrata
manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow garlic Allium canadense
meadow willow Salix petiolaris
Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
neckweed Veronica peregrina
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
Ontario blazing star Liatris cylindracea
Ontario lobelia Lobelia kalmii
openfield sedge Carex conoidea
pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
pear hawthorn Crataegus calpodendron
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
poorjoe Diodia teres
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
prairie goldenrod Oligoneuron album
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
prairie violet Viola pedatifida
purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
purple giant hyssop Agastache scrophulariifolia
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
ramp Allium tricoccum
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
sand violet Viola affinis
Schreber's aster Eurybia schreberi
Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
seaside threeawn Aristida tuberculosa
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
Skinner's false foxglove Agalinis skinneriana
skyblue aster Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slickseed fuzzybean Strophostyles leiosperma
slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
smooth false buttonweed Spermacoce glabra
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth rose Rosa blanda
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
soft fox sedge Carex conjuncta
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
sweet coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
thinleaf cottonsedge Eriophorum viridicarinatum
thinleaf sedge Carex cephaloidea
thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
western waterweed Elodea nuttallii
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 turtlehead Chelone glabra
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
whorled mountainmint Pycnanthemum verticillatum
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly sedge Carex pellita
woollyfruit sedge Carex lasiocarpa
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

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.

American red raspberryRubus idaeus
annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
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, Rock Island County and Illinois
Measure	Rock Island County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	509	641	1,909
Garden-ready natives	211	272	652
Tree	52	—	187
Shrub	16	—	96
Wildflower (forb)	305	—	1,015
Grass or grass-like	95	—	444
Vine	20	—	79
Fern	21	—	88

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Rock Island County.

Henry County, IL 271 garden-ready
Mercer County, IL 169 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: Rock Island County (county FIPS 17161), Illinois. 509 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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