Native plants · Kentucky
Native plants of Mercer County
381 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Mercer County by USDA PLANTS. 151 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Mercer County, Kentucky
- Native species
- 381 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 151 Typical Kentucky county: 190
- Share by type (all 381 native species)
-
Percent of the 381 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (56%), followed by trees (15%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 151
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| 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 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 |
| Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12b |
| bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| 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 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 |
| broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| bur-reed sedge Carex sparganioides | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| butternut Juglans cinerea | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Canada germander Teucrium canadense | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| climbing rose Rosa setigera | Vine | 16 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 evening primrose Oenothera biennis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| common hackberry Celtis occidentalis | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 2b |
| common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata | Tree | 25 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| common persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| common selfheal Prunella vulgaris | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12a |
| devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana | Vine | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 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 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| groundnut Apios americana | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | 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 |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis | Fern | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| nodding beggartick Bidens cernua | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| 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 |
| pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| pawpaw Asimina triloba | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| 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 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 |
| pumpkin ash Fraxinus profunda | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox | Vine | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| shagbark hickory Carya ovata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| shingle oak Quercus imbricaria | Tree | 45 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| silver maple Acer saccharinum | Tree | 90 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 2b |
| slippery elm Ulmus rubra | Tree | 85 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3a |
| smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| 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 dayflower Commelina virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 230
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
- American beakgrain Diarrhena americana
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
- American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- angularfruit milkvine Matelea gonocarpos
- Appalachian barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
- aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
- beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
- bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
- biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
- blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
- blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
- blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
- bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
- bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
- bristleleaf sedge Carex eburnea
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
- browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
- buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
- bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
- Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
- Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
- Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
- carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
- celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
- clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
- Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
- climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
- climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
- common moonseed Menispermum canadense
- crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
- crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
- cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- devil's-tongue Opuntia humifusa
- diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
- dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
- dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
- early blue violet Viola ×palmata
- early bluegrass Poa cuspidata
- early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
- 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
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
- erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- fall phlox Phlox paniculata
- false aloe Manfreda virginica
- false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
- false melic Schizachne purpurascens
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
- feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
- flat-spiked sedge Carex planispicata
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
- fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
- fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
- glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
- glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
- great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
- green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
- hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
- hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
- hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
- hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
- hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
- 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
- Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
- hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
- hogwort Croton capitatus
- honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
- Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
- inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
- James' sedge Carex jamesii
- Juda's bush Iresine rhizomatosa
- jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
- Kral's sedge Carex kraliana
- lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
- largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
- largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
- largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
- licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
- littleflower alumroot Heuchera parviflora
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
- longspur violet Viola rostrata
- longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
- low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
- lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
- lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
- Lowrie's blue wood aster Symphyotrichum lowrieanum
- lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
- maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
- mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
- marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
- Miami mist Phacelia purshii
- midland sedge Carex mesochorea
- mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
- mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
- narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
- narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
- navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
- nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
- northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
- Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
- Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
- pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
- pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
- pitcher's stitchwort Minuartia patula
- pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
- prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
- pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
- puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
- purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
- purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
- rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
- rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
- rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
- rosy sedge Carex rosea
- roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
- roundseed St. Johnswort Hypericum sphaerocarpum
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
- shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
- Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
- slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
- smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
- smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
- smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- snow trillium Trillium nivale
- soft fox sedge Carex conjuncta
- softleaf arrowwood Viburnum molle
- Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
- spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
- spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
- spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
- squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
- sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
- stout smartweed Polygonum robustius
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
- tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
- thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
- tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
- toadshade Trillium sessile
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
- twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
- twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
- Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
- walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
- wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
- waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- white bear sedge Carex albursina
- white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
- white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
- whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
- whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
- wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
- wild goose plum Prunus munsoniana
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
- yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
- yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
- yellowfruit horse-gentian Triosteum angustifolium
- yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
- zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
Also listed as native and introduced here 2
PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.
- annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
Compared with Kentucky
The typical county is the median of the 120 Kentucky counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.
| Measure | Mercer County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 381 | 426 | 1,719 |
| Garden-ready natives | 151 | 190 | 568 |
| Tree | 59 | — | 181 |
| Shrub | 15 | — | 73 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 213 | — | 931 |
| Grass or grass-like | 50 | — | 376 |
| Vine | 25 | — | 85 |
| Fern | 19 | — | 73 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Mercer County.
- Anderson County, KY 168 garden-ready
- Boyle County, KY 139 garden-ready
- Washington County, KY 66 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
- Mercer County (county FIPS 21167), Kentucky. 381 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