Native plants · Illinois

Native plants of Stephenson County

485 plant species are recorded as native to Illinois in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Stephenson County by USDA PLANTS. 209 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Stephenson County, Illinois

Native species: 485 Typical Illinois county: 641 (median of 102 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 209 Typical Illinois county: 272
Share by type (all 485 native species): Percent of the 485 native species in each growth type

Tree 11% (52)
Shrub 4% (21)
Wildflower (forb) 59% (288)
Grass or grass-like 18% (85)
Vine 5% (22)
Fern 4% (17)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (59%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (18%).

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 5a to 5b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 209

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

Garden-ready native plants of Stephenson County, Illinois
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier laevis	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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 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 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 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 plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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 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
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium	Tree	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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 spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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	—
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
Canada yew Taxus canadensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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
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 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 ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
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
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
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 arrowwood Viburnum rafinesqueanum	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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 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
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
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
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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 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 sedge Carex lacustris	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	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
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
leadplant Amorpha canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Muskingum sedge Carex muskingumensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
nannyberry Viburnum lentago	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
necklace sedge Carex projecta	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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 bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	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
pin oak Quercus palustris	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 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
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum	Wildflower (forb)	8.1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	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 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 bedstraw Galium asprellum	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
staghorn sumac Rhus typhina	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swamp rose Rosa palustris	Shrub	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	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 iris Iris virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
Virginia spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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 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 panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 276

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
American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American spikenard Aralia racemosa
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
aster Symphyotrichum ×amethystinum
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
birdfoot violet Viola pedata
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blackseed ricegrass Patis racemosa
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
bottomland aster Symphyotrichum ontarionis
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
buttonbush dodder Cuscuta cephalanthi
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
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
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
Davis' sedge Carex davisii
desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
dryspike sedge Carex siccata
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
early goldenrod Solidago juncea
early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
earth loosestrife Lysimachia terrestris
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fernleaf yellow false foxglove Aureolaria pedicularia
fescue sedge Carex festucacea
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
field thistle Cirsium discolor
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
golden zizia Zizia aurea
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
grooved flax Linum sulcatum
groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
Hayden's sedge Carex haydenii
heavy sedge Carex gravida
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
hortulan plum Prunus hortulana
hyssopleaf hedgenettle Stachys aspera
hyssopleaf hedgenettle Stachys hyssopifolia
Illinois ticktrefoil Desmodium illinoense
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
James' sedge Carex jamesii
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
Kalm's hawkweed Hieracium kalmii
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
Leiberg's panicum Dichanthelium leibergii
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
little duckweed Lemna obscura
longbranch frostweed Helianthemum canadense
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
low serviceberry Amelanchier humilis
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
matted spikerush Eleocharis intermedia
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
Mead's sedge Carex meadii
meadow garlic Allium canadense
meadow zizia Zizia aptera
Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
Michaux's stitchwort Minuartia michauxii
Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
Ontario blazing star Liatris cylindracea
orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
pale dock Rumex altissimus
paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
pear hawthorn Crataegus calpodendron
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
plain gentian Gentiana alba
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
prairie goldenrod Oligoneuron album
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
prairie rose Rosa arkansana
prairie rosinweed Silphium terebinthinaceum
prairie violet Viola pedatifida
pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
purple giant hyssop Agastache scrophulariifolia
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
purplestem angelica Angelica atropurpurea
ramp Allium tricoccum
red baneberry Actaea rubra
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
rigid sedge Carex tetanica
rock harlequin Corydalis sempervirens
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth rose Rosa blanda
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
snow trillium Trillium nivale
soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
stiff tickseed Coreopsis palmata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
sweet coneflower Rudbeckia subtomentosa
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
thinleaf sedge Carex cephaloidea
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
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 rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes alba
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
widowsfrill Silene stellata
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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
climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
common reedPhragmites australis
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, Stephenson County and Illinois
Measure	Stephenson County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	485	641	1,909
Garden-ready natives	209	272	652
Tree	52	—	187
Shrub	21	—	96
Wildflower (forb)	288	—	1,015
Grass or grass-like	85	—	444
Vine	22	—	79
Fern	17	—	88

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Stephenson County.

Carroll County, IL 224 garden-ready
Jo Daviess County, IL 286 garden-ready
Ogle County, IL 294 garden-ready
Winnebago County, IL 368 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: Stephenson County (county FIPS 17177), Illinois. 485 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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