Native plants · Kentucky

Native plants of Crittenden County

467 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Crittenden County by USDA PLANTS. 182 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Crittenden County, Kentucky

Native species: 467 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 182 Typical Kentucky county: 190
Share by type (all 467 native species): Percent of the 467 native species in each growth type

Tree 17% (81)
Shrub 2% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 47% (220)
Grass or grass-like 23% (107)
Vine 5% (22)
Fern 6% (26)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (47%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).

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 7a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 182

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

Garden-ready native plants of Crittenden County, Kentucky
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 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 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
Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
Bailey's dewberry Rubus baileyanus	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
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
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 cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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
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
buckthorn bully Sideroxylon lycioides	Tree	9.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
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	—
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
butterweed Packera glabella	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
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 milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 4b
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
catbird grape Vitis palmata	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
cherrybark oak Quercus pagoda	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
chestnut oak Quercus montana	Tree	73 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera	Vine	16 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
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 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
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
cupseed Calycocarpum lyonii	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
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 walkingstick Aralia spinosa	Tree	20 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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 narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
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 white pine Pinus strobus	Tree	150 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
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
Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
horsetail paspalum Paspalum fluitans	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium	Grass or grass-like	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
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 meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 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
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
lopsided rush Juncus secundus	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Missouri ironweed Vernonia missurica	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa	Tree	85 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Muskingum sedge Carex muskingumensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
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 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
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
overcup oak Quercus lyrata	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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
pecan Carya illinoinensis	Tree	120 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
quill sedge Carex tenera	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
red buckeye Aesculus pavia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
Short's sedge Carex shortiana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slender bulrush Schoenoplectus heterochaetus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
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
summer grape Vitis aestivalis	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
thinfruit sedge Carex flaccosperma	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
twisted sedge Carex torta	Grass or grass-like	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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 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
Washington hawthorn Crataegus phaenopyrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Medium	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
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
winged elm Ulmus alata	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica	Grass or grass-like	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

Other native species recorded here 285

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 stonecrop Hylotelephium telephioides
amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American ipecac Gillenia stipulata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
annual marsh elder Iva annua
Appalachian shoestring fern Vittaria appalachiana
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
black baneberry Actaea racemosa
black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
blue sedge Carex glaucodea
blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
Bradley's spleenwort Asplenium bradleyi
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian summer bluet Houstonia canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Carey's sedge Carex careyana
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
cedarglade St. Johnswort Hypericum frondosum
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
common dittany Cunila origanoides
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
Copenhagen hawthorn Crataegus intricata
creeping lovegrass Neeragrostis reptans
crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
crossvine Bignonia capreolata
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
devil's-tongue Opuntia humifusa
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
downy carrionflower Smilax pulverulenta
downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
dwarf plantain Plantago pusilla
eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
Engelmann's hawthorn Crataegus engelmannii
fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
false aloe Manfreda virginica
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
fescue sedge Carex festucacea
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
fire pink Silene virginica
flat-spiked sedge Carex planispicata
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fluxweed Trichostema brachiatum
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
greater poverty rush Juncus anthelatus
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green dragon Arisaema dracontium
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
hairy hawkweed Hieracium longipilum
hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
Heller's cudweed Pseudognaphalium helleri
hoary mock orange Philadelphus pubescens
hoary mountainmint Pycnanthemum incanum
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
husk tomato Physalis pubescens
hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
James' sedge Carex jamesii
keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
little evening primrose Oenothera perennis
littleflower alumroot Heuchera parviflora
littlehead nutrush Scleria oligantha
lobed spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
Mead's sedge Carex meadii
meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
nodding onion Allium cernuum
nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
Nottoway Valley brome Bromus nottowayanus
oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
parasol sedge Carex umbellata
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
poorjoe Diodia teres
potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rigid sedge Carex tetanica
rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
rosepink Sabatia angularis
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough dropseed Sporobolus clandestinus
roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
sandbar lovegrass Eragrostis frankii
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
shaved sedge Carex tonsa
Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
Small's blacksnakeroot Sanicula smallii
smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
smooth false buttonweed Spermacoce glabra
smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
star chickweed Stellaria pubera
starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
striped cream violet Viola striata
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
threeflower melicgrass Melica nitens
toadshade Trillium sessile
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
white bear sedge Carex albursina
white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
whorled milkwort Polygala ambigua
whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
widowsfrill Silene stellata
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
bride's feathersAruncus dioicus
common reedPhragmites australis
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.

Native species counts, Crittenden County and Kentucky
Measure	Crittenden County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	467	426	1,719
Garden-ready natives	182	190	568
Tree	81	—	181
Shrub	11	—	73
Wildflower (forb)	220	—	931
Grass or grass-like	107	—	376
Vine	22	—	85
Fern	26	—	73

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Crittenden County.

Caldwell County, KY 186 garden-ready
Livingston County, KY 172 garden-ready
Union County, KY 188 garden-ready
Webster County, KY 92 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: Crittenden County (county FIPS 21055), Kentucky. 467 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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