Native plants · Kansas

Native plants of Clay County

387 plant species are recorded as native to Kansas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Clay County by USDA PLANTS. 157 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

Clay County, Kansas

Native species
387 Typical Kansas county: 335 (median of 105 counties)
Garden-ready natives
157 Typical Kansas county: 141
Share by type (all 387 native species)
Percent of the 387 native species in each growth type
Tree 7% (29)
Shrub 3% (10)
Wildflower (forb) 65% (250)
Grass or grass-like 20% (76)
Vine 4% (15)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (65%), 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 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 157

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

Garden-ready native plants of Clay County, Kansas
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy 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 licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade 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 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
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 raspberry Rubus occidentalis Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
black walnut Juglans nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
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
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus Tree 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low —
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 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
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia Tree 12 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
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 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
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 pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
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 blazing star Liatris punctata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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 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
false daisy Eclipta prostrata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
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
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun High Zone 4a
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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 currant Ribes aureum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium 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 false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Low 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
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
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
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
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
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun Medium Zone 12a
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra Tree 68 ft Shade-tolerant 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
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun 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 fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie sandreed Calamovilfa longifolia Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun Low 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
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
saltgrass Distichlis spicata Grass or grass-like 1.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low 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
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
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 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
spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium 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
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
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
tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus Wildflower (forb) 5 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera Wildflower (forb) 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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 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
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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 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
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade 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
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • annual marsh elder Iva annua
  • aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
  • arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
  • Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • 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
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
  • Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina draba Draba reptans
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
  • Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
  • chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
  • chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • compassplant Silphium laciniatum
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
  • desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
  • desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
  • diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
  • downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
  • Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
  • dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
  • Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
  • fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • forked threeawn Aristida basiramea
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • grooved flax Linum sulcatum
  • groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • hairy hawkweed Hieracium longipilum
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
  • heavy sedge Carex gravida
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • hoary verbena Verbena stricta
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
  • Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
  • Illinois ticktrefoil Desmodium illinoense
  • inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
  • ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
  • Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
  • lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
  • large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
  • large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
  • long-stolon sedge Carex inops
  • longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
  • longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
  • Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
  • Mead's sedge Carex meadii
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
  • narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
  • narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
  • oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
  • prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
  • prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
  • prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
  • prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
  • prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
  • prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
  • prairie rose Rosa arkansana
  • prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
  • prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prairie violet Viola pedatifida
  • procession flower Polygala incarnata
  • prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
  • puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
  • Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • rope dodder Cuscuta glomerata
  • rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
  • rough rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes aspera
  • rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
  • shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
  • shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
  • silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
  • silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
  • sixangle spurge Euphorbia hexagona
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slickseed fuzzybean Strophostyles leiosperma
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
  • slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
  • slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
  • smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
  • smartweed dodder Cuscuta polygonorum
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
  • soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
  • Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • tall blazing star Liatris aspera
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
  • Texas bergia Bergia texana
  • Texas croton Croton texensis
  • Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • twistspine pricklypear Opuntia macrorhiza
  • veiny dock Rumex venosus
  • velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
  • velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
  • western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
  • western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
  • wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
  • winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
  • 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.

  • annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
  • climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
  • 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, Clay County and Kansas
MeasureClay CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 387 335 1,264
Garden-ready natives 157 141 447
Tree 29 — 88
Shrub 10 — 42
Wildflower (forb) 250 — 752
Grass or grass-like 76 — 285
Vine 15 — 61
Fern 7 — 36

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Clay 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
Clay County (county FIPS 20027), Kansas. 387 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

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.