Native plants · Kansas

Native plants of Brown County

412 plant species are recorded as native to Kansas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Brown County by USDA PLANTS. 182 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

Brown County, Kansas

Native species: 412 Typical Kansas county: 335 (median of 105 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 182 Typical Kansas county: 141
Share by type (all 412 native species): Percent of the 412 native species in each growth type

Tree 10% (41)
Shrub 3% (12)
Wildflower (forb) 61% (253)
Grass or grass-like 20% (83)
Vine 4% (18)
Fern 1% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (20%).

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

Garden-ready natives 182

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

Garden-ready native plants of Brown County, Kansas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
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 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 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 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
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
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	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
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
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
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Bush's sedge Carex bushii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cloaked bulrush Scirpus pallidus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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 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
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
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
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
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
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
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
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
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
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
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 white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	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
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 catalpa Catalpa speciosa	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Low	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
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
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
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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 blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
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
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
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
troublesome sedge Carex molesta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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 dayflower Commelina virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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 knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
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 panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 230

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 false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
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
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
Davis' sedge Carex davisii
desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
field pansy Viola bicolor
fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
floating primrose-willow Ludwigia peploides
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
golden zizia Zizia aurea
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
green dragon Arisaema dracontium
grooved flax Linum sulcatum
groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy hawkweed Hieracium longipilum
hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
Illinois ticktrefoil Desmodium illinoense
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
minute duckweed Lemna perpusilla
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
pale dock Rumex altissimus
pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
prairie rose Rosa arkansana
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
prairie violet Viola pedatifida
prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
silky dogwood Cornus obliqua
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
skyblue aster Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smartweed dodder Cuscuta polygonorum
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
southern cattail Typha domingensis
southern sedge Carex austrina
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
stiff tickseed Coreopsis palmata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
widowsfrill Silene stellata
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

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 Kansas

The typical county is the median of the 105 Kansas 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 Kansas
Measure	Brown County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	412	335	1,264
Garden-ready natives	182	141	447
Tree	41	—	88
Shrub	12	—	42
Wildflower (forb)	253	—	752
Grass or grass-like	83	—	285
Vine	18	—	61
Fern	5	—	36

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Brown County.

Atchison County, KS 214 garden-ready
Doniphan County, KS 199 garden-ready
Jackson County, KS 168 garden-ready
Nemaha County, KS 158 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: Brown County (county FIPS 20013), Kansas. 412 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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