Native plants · Kentucky
Native plants of Allen County
241 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Allen County by USDA PLANTS. 112 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Allen County, Kentucky
- Native species
- 241 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 112 Typical Kentucky county: 190
- Share by type (all 241 native species)
-
Percent of the 241 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (56%), followed by trees (24%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 112
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American beech Fagus grandifolia | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 chestnut Castanea dentata | Tree | 115 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 holly Ilex opaca | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 water-willow Justicia americana | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| beaked agrimony Agrimonia rostellata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12b |
| bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| black locust Robinia pseudoacacia | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| blackgum Nyssa sylvatica | Tree | 95 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium | Tree | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blackjack oak Quercus marilandica | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| buckthorn bully Sideroxylon lycioides | Tree | 9.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| bursting-heart Euonymus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana | Tree | 20 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 4b |
| Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.7 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| common evening primrose Oenothera biennis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| common hackberry Celtis occidentalis | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 2b |
| common persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| common selfheal Prunella vulgaris | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 36 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| deerberry Vaccinium stamineum | Shrub | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa | Tree | 20 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4b |
| eastern redbud Cercis canadensis | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum | Tree | 28 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| giant cane Arundinaria gigantea | Shrub | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| golden ragwort Packera aurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3a |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata | Vine | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6b |
| honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium | Grass or grass-like | 4.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | 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 |
| northern spicebush Lindera benzoin | Tree | 12 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra | Tree | 68 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 6a |
| partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| pawpaw Asimina triloba | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| pignut hickory Carya glabra | Tree | 80 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| riverbank wildrye Elymus riparius | Grass or grass-like | 4.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum | Shrub | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| silver maple Acer saccharinum | Tree | 90 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 2b |
| slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| slippery elm Ulmus rubra | Tree | 85 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3a |
| smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| southern red oak Quercus falcata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | 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 |
| sugarberry Celtis laevigata | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| sugarcane plumegrass Saccharum giganteum | Grass or grass-like | 9.8 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius | Wildflower (forb) | 5.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| 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 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 |
| 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 oak Quercus alba | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 sweetwilliam Phlox maculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| winged elm Ulmus alata | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| winged sumac Rhus copallinum | Tree | 8 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| yellow buckeye Aesculus flava | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 129
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- American marshpennywort Hydrocotyle americana
- American spikenard Aralia racemosa
- azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
- beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
- blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
- browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
- Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
- Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
- climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
- common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
- crossvine Bignonia capreolata
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
- dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
- eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- fall phlox Phlox paniculata
- fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
- field thistle Cirsium discolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fluxweed Trichostema brachiatum
- forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
- forkleaf toothwort Cardamine dissecta
- fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- golden zizia Zizia aurea
- goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- greater tickseed Coreopsis major
- Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
- hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
- hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
- Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
- jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- lemonyellow false goldenaster Heterotheca camporum
- licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
- light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
- limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
- lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
- marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
- marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
- narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
- nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
- poorjoe Diodia teres
- prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
- rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
- sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
- Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
- shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
- silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- skyblue aster Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
- slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
- small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
- smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
- St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
- star chickweed Stellaria pubera
- stolonbearing hawthorn Crataegus iracunda
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
- tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
- tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
- trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
- twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
- twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
- Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
- walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
- white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
- whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
- whorled milkwort Polygala ambigua
- whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
- wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
- woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
Also listed as native and introduced here 2
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
- hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Compared with Kentucky
The typical county is the median of the 120 Kentucky 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.
| Measure | Allen County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 241 | 426 | 1,719 |
| Garden-ready natives | 112 | 190 | 568 |
| Tree | 57 | — | 181 |
| Shrub | 10 | — | 73 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 136 | — | 931 |
| Grass or grass-like | 12 | — | 376 |
| Vine | 15 | — | 85 |
| Fern | 11 | — | 73 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Allen County.
- Monroe County, KY 123 garden-ready
- Simpson County, KY 86 garden-ready
- Warren County, KY 290 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
- Allen County (county FIPS 21003), Kentucky. 241 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