Native plants · Kentucky

Native plants of Jessamine County

598 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Jessamine County by USDA PLANTS. 230 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Jessamine County, Kentucky

Native species: 598 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 230 Typical Kentucky county: 190
Share by type (all 598 native species): Percent of the 598 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (86)
Shrub 4% (24)
Wildflower (forb) 55% (326)
Grass or grass-like 18% (105)
Vine 6% (35)
Fern 4% (22)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (55%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (18%).

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 230

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

Garden-ready native plants of Jessamine County, Kentucky
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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 hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American lotus Nelumbo lutea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	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
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
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
bigleaf aster Eurybia macrophylla	Wildflower (forb)	4.6 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 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
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
butternut Juglans cinerea	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 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
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 4b
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
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
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
climbing rose Rosa setigera	Vine	16 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana	Tree	33 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7b
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 goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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 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
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
crested sedge Carex cristatella	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
crookedstem aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
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
downy arrowwood Viburnum rafinesqueanum	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	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 woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
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 cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	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
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	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
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
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
Kentucky yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea	Tree	40 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
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 bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
longbeak buttercup Ranunculus longirostris	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa	Tree	85 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
moss phlox Phlox subulata	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
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 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
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
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
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
peppervine Nekemias arborea	Vine	1 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
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
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	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
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
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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 maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
riverbank grape Vitis riparia	Vine	45 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
riverbank wildrye Elymus riparius	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus	Shrub	8.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
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
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
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
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum	Shrub	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
silky dogwood Cornus amomum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
southern arrowwood Viburnum dentatum	Tree	8 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5a
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
spring avens Geum vernum	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
staghorn sumac Rhus typhina	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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
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
swamp rose Rosa palustris	Shrub	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
troublesome sedge Carex molesta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
trumpetweed Eutrochium fistulosum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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 pine Pinus virginiana	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
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
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
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
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
woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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 368

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 cancer-root Conopholis americana
American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
angularfruit milkvine Matelea gonocarpos
annual marsh elder Iva annua
Appalachian barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
Appalachian polypody Polypodium appalachianum
aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blackseed ricegrass Patis racemosa
blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
bottomland aster Symphyotrichum ontarionis
bristleleaf sedge Carex eburnea
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian summer bluet Houstonia canadensis
Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Carey's sedge Carex careyana
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
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
Copenhagen hawthorn Crataegus intricata
crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
crossvine Bignonia capreolata
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
Davis' sedge Carex davisii
desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
devil's-tongue Opuntia humifusa
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
early blue violet Viola ×palmata
early bluegrass Poa cuspidata
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 leatherwood Dirca palustris
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern star sedge Carex radiata
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
fall phlox Phlox paniculata
false aloe Manfreda virginica
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
false melic Schizachne purpurascens
fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
fewflower ticktrefoil Desmodium pauciflorum
fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
field pansy Viola bicolor
field thistle Cirsium discolor
fire pink Silene virginica
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
flat-spiked sedge Carex planispicata
floating primrose-willow Ludwigia peploides
fluxweed Trichostema brachiatum
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
glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green dragon Arisaema dracontium
hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
heartleaf hedgenettle Stachys cordata
heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hogwort Croton capitatus
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
James' sedge Carex jamesii
Juda's bush Iresine rhizomatosa
king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
lanceleaf wild licorice Galium lanceolatum
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
largefruit blacksnakeroot Sanicula trifoliata
largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
lined sedge Carex striatula
little duckweed Lemna obscura
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
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
lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow garlic Allium canadense
meadow zizia Zizia aptera
Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
Miami mist Phacelia purshii
Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
narrowleaf wild leek Allium burdickii
navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
nodding onion Allium cernuum
nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
orange coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida
orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
pale dock Rumex altissimus
parasol sedge Carex umbellata
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
pitcher's stitchwort Minuartia patula
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prostrate blue violet Viola walteri
prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
ramp Allium tricoccum
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
red hickory Carya ovalis
reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
richweed Collinsonia canadensis
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
rosepink Sabatia angularis
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
scaly blazing star Liatris squarrosa
Schreber's aster Eurybia schreberi
Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
silky dogwood Cornus obliqua
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slimflower muhly Muhlenbergia tenuiflora
slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
smartweed dodder Cuscuta polygonorum
smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
snow trillium Trillium nivale
soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
soft fox sedge Carex conjuncta
softleaf arrowwood Viburnum molle
southern woodland violet Viola hirsutula
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
spleenwort Asplenium ×ebenoides
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
star chickweed Stellaria pubera
sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
striped cream violet Viola striata
striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
threeflower melicgrass Melica nitens
tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
toadshade Trillium sessile
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
turion duckweed Lemna turionifera
twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
vasevine Clematis viorna
Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white arrowleaf aster Symphyotrichum urophyllum
white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
white bear sedge Carex albursina
white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white turtlehead Chelone glabra
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
white wood aster Eurybia divaricata
whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
wild goose plum Prunus munsoniana
wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
woodland flax Linum virginianum
woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
yellowfruit horse-gentian Triosteum angustifolium
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera

Also listed as native and introduced here 1

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.

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, Jessamine County and Kentucky
Measure	Jessamine County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	598	426	1,719
Garden-ready natives	230	190	568
Tree	86	—	181
Shrub	24	—	73
Wildflower (forb)	326	—	931
Grass or grass-like	105	—	376
Vine	35	—	85
Fern	22	—	73

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Jessamine County.

Fayette County, KY 261 garden-ready
Woodford County, KY 191 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: Jessamine County (county FIPS 21113), Kentucky. 598 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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