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Native plants recorded in your state and county

Native plants · Kentucky

Native plants of Marion County

344 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Marion County by USDA PLANTS. 154 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Marion County, Kentucky

Native species
344 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
Garden-ready natives
154 Typical Kentucky county: 190
Share by type (all 344 native species)
Percent of the 344 native species in each growth type
Tree 22% (75)
Shrub 5% (18)
Wildflower (forb) 48% (165)
Grass or grass-like 13% (43)
Vine 7% (24)
Fern 6% (19)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (48%), followed by trees (22%).

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

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 154

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

Garden-ready native plants of Marion County, Kentucky
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
American beech Fagus grandifolia Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens Vine 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
American chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium 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 hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
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
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata Tree 65 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
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
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus Tree 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low —
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
Carolina rose Rosa carolina Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
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 evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
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 persimmon Diospyros virginiana Tree 55 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
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
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
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
eastern white pine Pinus strobus Tree 150 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant 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
Frank's sedge Carex frankii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
groundnut Apios americana Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata Vine 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
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
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
limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
little 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
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
Maryland senna Senna marilandica Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
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
oldfield blackberry Rubus alumnus Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Low 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
pin oak Quercus palustris Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4a
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
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
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
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria Tree 45 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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 sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
southern red oak Quercus falcata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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 rose Rosa palustris Shrub 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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 wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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 fringetree Chionanthus virginicus Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
white prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High 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
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
yellow buckeye Aesculus flava Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 190

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 bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
  • American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
  • American ipecac Gillenia stipulata
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
  • blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
  • blue sedge Carex glaucodea
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bog white violet Viola lanceolata
  • bottomland aster Symphyotrichum ontarionis
  • bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common woodrush Luzula multiflora
  • Copenhagen hawthorn Crataegus intricata
  • creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
  • creeping mannagrass Glyceria acutiflora
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • DC dewberry Rubus fecundus
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • dwarf wakerobin Trillium pusillum
  • early blue violet Viola ×palmata
  • early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
  • eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • forkleaf toothwort Cardamine dissecta
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
  • goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • green fringed orchid Platanthera lacera
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
  • hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
  • hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
  • heartleaf hedgenettle Stachys cordata
  • hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
  • largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • littlehead nutrush Scleria oligantha
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • Lucretia dewberry Rubus roribaccus
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
  • Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
  • partridgeberry Mitchella repens
  • pear hawthorn Crataegus calpodendron
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
  • purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
  • rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
  • rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
  • sand violet Viola affinis
  • shortstalk false bindweed Calystegia silvatica
  • shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
  • sicklepod Arabis canadensis
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • Small's blacksnakeroot Sanicula smallii
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
  • spleenwort Asplenium ×ebenoides
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • stolonbearing hawthorn Crataegus iracunda
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • thoroughwort Eupatorium ×truncatum
  • toadshade Trillium sessile
  • trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
  • twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
  • twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
  • upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
  • veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
  • violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
  • wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
  • white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled milkwort Polygala ambigua
  • whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
  • whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
  • wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodland flax Linum virginianum
  • woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
  • yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
  • yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima

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, Marion County and Kentucky
MeasureMarion CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 344 426 1,719
Garden-ready natives 154 190 568
Tree 75 — 181
Shrub 18 — 73
Wildflower (forb) 165 — 931
Grass or grass-like 43 — 376
Vine 24 — 85
Fern 19 — 73

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Marion County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

Source & data date

Source
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).
Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.
USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation
USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.
Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date
Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope
Marion County (county FIPS 21155), Kentucky. 344 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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