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Native plants · Kentucky

Native plants of Anderson County

444 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Anderson County by USDA PLANTS. 168 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

Anderson County, Kentucky

Native species
444 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
Garden-ready natives
168 Typical Kentucky county: 190
Share by type (all 444 native species)
Percent of the 444 native species in each growth type
Tree 14% (62)
Shrub 3% (12)
Wildflower (forb) 60% (267)
Grass or grass-like 12% (52)
Vine 7% (33)
Fern 4% (18)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (60%), followed by trees (14%).

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 168

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

Garden-ready native plants of Anderson County, Kentucky
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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 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
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
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
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 2b
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
black maple Acer nigrum Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant 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
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
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
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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 —
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
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera Vine 16 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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 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 hoptree Ptelea trifoliata Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
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
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
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
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 teaberry Gaultheria procumbens Shrub 6 in Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
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 paspalum Paspalum laeve Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
golden ragwort Packera aurea Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
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
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
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium Grass or grass-like 4.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Maryland senna Senna marilandica Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
pecan Carya illinoinensis Tree 120 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
pignut hickory Carya glabra Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
pin oak Quercus palustris Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4a
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun Low 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
pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
rock elm Ulmus thomasii Tree 90 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria Tree 45 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
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 sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
spring avens Geum vernum Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
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
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
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
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
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
trumpetweed Eutrochium fistulosum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
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 threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
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
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
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
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
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
yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
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.

  • American alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American beakgrain Diarrhena americana
  • American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
  • American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American cancer-root Conopholis americana
  • American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
  • American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • Appalachian barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
  • aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
  • beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
  • biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • blue sedge Carex glaucodea
  • blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
  • celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
  • climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
  • climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
  • 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
  • crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • devil's-tongue Opuntia humifusa
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy carrionflower Smilax pulverulenta
  • downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
  • downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
  • early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
  • early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
  • early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
  • early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
  • eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
  • eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
  • eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • fall phlox Phlox paniculata
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
  • fewflower ticktrefoil Desmodium pauciflorum
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • field thistle Cirsium discolor
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
  • Gattinger's panicgrass Panicum gattingeri
  • giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
  • great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
  • Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
  • green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
  • hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
  • hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
  • hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
  • hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
  • hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
  • hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
  • harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
  • heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
  • heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
  • Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
  • hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
  • honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
  • husk tomato Physalis pubescens
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • James' sedge Carex jamesii
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
  • lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • largefruit blacksnakeroot Sanicula trifoliata
  • largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
  • low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • Lowrie's blue wood aster Symphyotrichum lowrieanum
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
  • Miami mist Phacelia purshii
  • Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
  • narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
  • narrowleaf wild leek Allium burdickii
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
  • nodding onion Allium cernuum
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
  • northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
  • October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
  • oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
  • orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
  • pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
  • pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
  • purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • red hickory Carya ovalis
  • richweed Collinsonia canadensis
  • richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
  • rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
  • rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • sandbar lovegrass Eragrostis frankii
  • Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
  • Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
  • shortstalk false bindweed Calystegia silvatica
  • shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
  • silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
  • smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
  • smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum racemosum
  • soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
  • softleaf arrowwood Viburnum molle
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
  • spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
  • squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
  • star chickweed Stellaria pubera
  • sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
  • stolonbearing hawthorn Crataegus iracunda
  • striped cream violet Viola striata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
  • thicket bean Phaseolus polystachios
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
  • tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
  • toadshade Trillium sessile
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
  • twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
  • upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
  • vasevine Clematis viorna
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white bear sedge Carex albursina
  • white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
  • white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild goose plum Prunus munsoniana
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
  • yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
  • zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
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.

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.

Native species counts, Anderson County and Kentucky
MeasureAnderson CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 444 426 1,719
Garden-ready natives 168 190 568
Tree 62 — 181
Shrub 12 — 73
Wildflower (forb) 267 — 931
Grass or grass-like 52 — 376
Vine 33 — 85
Fern 18 — 73

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Anderson 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
Anderson County (county FIPS 21005), Kentucky. 444 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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