Native plants · Kentucky
Native plants of Bourbon County
235 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Bourbon County by USDA PLANTS. 114 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
Bourbon County, Kentucky
- Native species
- 235 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 114 Typical Kentucky county: 190
- Share by type (all 235 native species)
-
Percent of the 235 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (58%), followed by trees (23%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 114
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 basswood Tilia americana | Tree | 100 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 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 water-willow Justicia americana | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| black willow Salix nigra | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1b |
| blackgum Nyssa sylvatica | Tree | 95 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium | Tree | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa | Grass or grass-like | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| boxelder Acer negundo | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus | Tree | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | — |
| 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 |
| chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 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 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 sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana | Vine | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 redbud Cercis canadensis | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana | Tree | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| frost grape Vitis vulpina | Vine | 83 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| giant cane Arundinaria gigantea | Shrub | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 2 in | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| shagbark hickory Carya ovata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| smooth phlox Phlox glaberrima | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sugar maple Acer saccharum | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| swamp rose Rosa palustris | Shrub | 8.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| 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 pine Pinus virginiana | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| 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 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 blue phlox Phlox divaricata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 121
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
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
- blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
- blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- bottomland aster Symphyotrichum ontarionis
- bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
- browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
- buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- 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
- common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- common moonseed Menispermum canadense
- common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
- cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- devil's-tongue Opuntia humifusa
- dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
- downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
- early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
- eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
- fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- field thistle Cirsium discolor
- fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
- floating primrose-willow Ludwigia peploides
- fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
- Gattinger's panicgrass Panicum gattingeri
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
- glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
- hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
- heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
- hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
- honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
- horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
- Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
- jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
- lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
- Lowrie's blue wood aster Symphyotrichum lowrieanum
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- Miami mist Phacelia purshii
- midland sedge Carex mesochorea
- narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
- narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
- navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
- neckweed Veronica peregrina
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
- Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
- pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
- prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
- purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
- rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
- smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
- smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
- Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
- spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
- spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
- spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
- toadshade Trillium sessile
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
- Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
- wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
- white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
- woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
- yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
- yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
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
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
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 | Bourbon County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 235 | 426 | 1,719 |
| Garden-ready natives | 114 | 190 | 568 |
| Tree | 55 | — | 181 |
| Shrub | 9 | — | 73 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 136 | — | 931 |
| Grass or grass-like | 17 | — | 376 |
| Vine | 11 | — | 85 |
| Fern | 7 | — | 73 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Bourbon County.
- Bath County, KY 279 garden-ready
- Fayette County, KY 261 garden-ready
- Harrison County, KY 115 garden-ready
- Montgomery County, KY 235 garden-ready
- Nicholas County, KY 113 garden-ready
- Scott County, KY 108 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
- Bourbon County (county FIPS 21017), Kentucky. 235 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