Native plants · Kentucky
Native plants of Knox County
301 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Knox County by USDA PLANTS. 139 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
Knox County, Kentucky
- Native species
- 301 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 139 Typical Kentucky county: 190
- Share by type (all 301 native species)
-
Percent of the 301 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (45%), followed by trees (22%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 139
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier laevis | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| American beech Fagus grandifolia | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| American chestnut Castanea dentata | Tree | 115 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American eelgrass Vallisneria americana | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| American hazelnut Corylus americana | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American holly Ilex opaca | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American plum Prunus americana | Tree | 24 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| American sycamore Platanus occidentalis | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| American water horehound Lycopus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6b |
| 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 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 |
| blackjack oak Quercus marilandica | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| broom sedge Carex scoparia | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| bursting-heart Euonymus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Carolina rose Rosa carolina | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| cattail sedge Carex typhina | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| chestnut oak Quercus montana | Tree | 73 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea | Fern | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| common rush Juncus effusus | Grass or grass-like | 6.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 spikerush Eleocharis palustris | Grass or grass-like | 1.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common winterberry Ilex verticillata | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| deerberry Vaccinium stamineum | Shrub | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| drooping sedge Carex prasina | Grass or grass-like | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis | Tree | 105 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| field paspalum Paspalum laeve | Grass or grass-like | 2.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| fringed sedge Carex crinita | Grass or grass-like | 5.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| frost grape Vitis vulpina | Vine | 83 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus | Grass or grass-like | 4.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| giant cane Arundinaria gigantea | Shrub | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| hazel alder Alnus serrulata | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum | Shrub | 12 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| hop sedge Carex lupulina | Grass or grass-like | 4.3 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 |
| jewelweed Impatiens capensis | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | 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 |
| mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia | Tree | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis | Grass or grass-like | 8 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis | Fern | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| pitch pine Pinus rigida | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| prairie willow Salix humilis | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| redosier dogwood Cornus sericea | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| shortleaf pine Pinus echinata | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| silver maple Acer saccharinum | Tree | 90 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 2b |
| slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 6a |
| southern red oak Quercus falcata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4b |
| St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6b |
| steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| sugar maple Acer saccharum | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| swamp rose Rosa palustris | Shrub | 8.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| sweet birch Betula lenta | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| Virginia pine Pinus virginiana | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 fringetree Chionanthus virginicus | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | 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 |
| wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| willow oak Quercus phellos | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| winged elm Ulmus alata | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| winged sumac Rhus copallinum | Tree | 8 ft | Sun | Low | 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 flatsedge Cyperus flavescens | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 162
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.
- Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
- Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
- alpine violet Viola labradorica
- American alumroot Heuchera americana
- American cancer-root Conopholis americana
- American climbing fern Lygodium palmatum
- anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
- Appalachian sedge Carex appalachica
- autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
- azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
- bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
- blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- blue sedge Carex glaucodea
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
- brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
- Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
- Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
- Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
- Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
- Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
- chinquapin Castanea pumila
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
- clustered mountainmint Pycnanthemum muticum
- common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
- common moonseed Menispermum canadense
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
- crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
- crossvine Bignonia capreolata
- Cumberland sedge Carex cumberlandensis
- Curtiss' milkwort Polygala curtissii
- cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
- dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
- downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
- dwarf cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis
- dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
- early blue violet Viola ×palmata
- early bluegrass Poa cuspidata
- eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
- eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
- eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- Emory's sedge Carex emoryi
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
- fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
- glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
- globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
- goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
- grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
- great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
- greater tickseed Coreopsis major
- green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
- hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
- hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
- helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
- Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
- intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
- large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
- leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
- leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
- lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
- lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
- longspur violet Viola rostrata
- low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
- lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
- marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
- Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
- Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
- moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
- narrowleaf bluecurls Trichostema setaceum
- nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
- northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
- northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
- northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
- Nuttall's lobelia Lobelia nuttallii
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
- palegreen orchid Platanthera flava
- partridgeberry Mitchella repens
- perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
- poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
- purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
- purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
- red trillium Trillium erectum
- robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
- rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
- roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
- roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
- sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
- sand violet Viola affinis
- seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
- shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
- Short's hedgehyssop Gratiola viscidula
- showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
- showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
- sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
- silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
- slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
- slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
- slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
- slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- slender yelloweyed grass Xyris torta
- small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
- Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
- smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
- southern blue monkshood Aconitum uncinatum
- southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
- southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
- spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
- star chickweed Stellaria pubera
- striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
- tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
- twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
- upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
- Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
- walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
- warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
- widowsfrill Silene stellata
- wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
- woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
- yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
- yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii
- yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
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.
| Measure | Knox County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 301 | 426 | 1,719 |
| Garden-ready natives | 139 | 190 | 568 |
| Tree | 67 | — | 181 |
| Shrub | 19 | — | 73 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 136 | — | 931 |
| Grass or grass-like | 50 | — | 376 |
| Vine | 11 | — | 85 |
| Fern | 18 | — | 73 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Knox County.
- Bell County, KY 285 garden-ready
- Laurel County, KY 304 garden-ready
- Whitley County, KY 265 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
- Knox County (county FIPS 21121), Kentucky. 301 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