Native plants · Kentucky
Native plants of Owen County
384 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Owen County by USDA PLANTS. 163 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
Owen County, Kentucky
- Native species
- 384 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 163 Typical Kentucky county: 190
- Share by type (all 384 native species)
-
Percent of the 384 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by trees (19%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 163
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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-willow Justicia americana | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| American wisteria Wisteria frutescens | Vine | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| beaked agrimony Agrimonia rostellata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| blackgum Nyssa sylvatica | Tree | 95 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium | Tree | 16 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 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 |
| 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 | — |
| Bush's sedge Carex bushii | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | 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 |
| Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| 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 |
| 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 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 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 serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 36 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common winterberry Ilex verticillata | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| crookedstem aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12a |
| dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides | Tree | 190 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| eastern redbud Cercis canadensis | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana | Tree | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| Frank's sedge Carex frankii | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| green 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| Maryland senna Senna marilandica | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 5b |
| Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala | Tree | 52 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| pin oak Quercus palustris | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis | Grass or grass-like | 11 in | Sun | Low | 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 mulberry Morus rubra | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| riverbank wildrye Elymus riparius | Grass or grass-like | 4.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| shingle oak Quercus imbricaria | Tree | 45 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 |
| 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 |
| southern sugar maple Acer floridanum | Tree | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| 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 chestnut oak Quercus michauxii | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 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 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 |
| 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 |
| wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| winged sumac Rhus copallinum | Tree | 8 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 221
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.
- American alumroot Heuchera americana
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
- American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
- American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
- American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
- American ipecac Gillenia stipulata
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
- American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
- aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
- beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
- biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
- black baneberry Actaea racemosa
- blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
- Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
- bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
- browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
- Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
- Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
- Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
- carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
- Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
- climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
- climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
- clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
- 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
- cream avens Geum virginianum
- cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
- cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- devil's-tongue Opuntia humifusa
- Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
- dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
- early blue violet Viola ×palmata
- early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
- early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
- early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
- eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
- eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
- eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens
- eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- false aloe Manfreda virginica
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- fewflower ticktrefoil Desmodium pauciflorum
- fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
- field thistle Cirsium discolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
- floating primrose-willow Ludwigia peploides
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- Gattinger's panicgrass Panicum gattingeri
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
- Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
- hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
- hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
- hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
- hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
- hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
- harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
- heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
- Heller's cudweed Pseudognaphalium helleri
- hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
- honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
- hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
- husk tomato Physalis pubescens
- Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
- inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
- James' sedge Carex jamesii
- Juda's bush Iresine rhizomatosa
- jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
- king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
- lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
- largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
- largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
- largefruit blacksnakeroot Sanicula trifoliata
- largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
- lesser marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum tubulosum
- licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
- limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
- lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
- low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
- lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
- lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
- Miami mist Phacelia purshii
- Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
- mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
- nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
- navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
- Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
- parasol sedge Carex umbellata
- Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
- Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
- pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
- pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
- prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
- prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
- pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
- purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
- purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
- rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- red hickory Carya ovalis
- richweed Collinsonia canadensis
- rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
- rosy sedge Carex rosea
- rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
- roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
- sandbar lovegrass Eragrostis frankii
- Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
- shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
- Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
- Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
- shortstalk false bindweed Calystegia silvatica
- shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
- slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
- small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
- smartweed dodder Cuscuta polygonorum
- smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
- smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
- smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
- smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
- Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
- squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
- tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
- tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
- thicket bean Phaseolus polystachios
- thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
- tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
- toadshade Trillium sessile
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
- twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
- vasevine Clematis viorna
- veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- 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
- waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
- white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
- white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- white turtlehead Chelone glabra
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
- whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
- whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
- widowsfrill Silene stellata
- wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
- Wood's bunchflower Veratrum woodii
- woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
- woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
- woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
- 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 | Owen County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 384 | 426 | 1,719 |
| Garden-ready natives | 163 | 190 | 568 |
| Tree | 72 | — | 181 |
| Shrub | 11 | — | 73 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 218 | — | 931 |
| Grass or grass-like | 48 | — | 376 |
| Vine | 31 | — | 85 |
| Fern | 4 | — | 73 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Owen County.
- Carroll County, KY 120 garden-ready
- Gallatin County, KY 156 garden-ready
- Grant County, KY 90 garden-ready
- Scott County, KY 108 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
- Owen County (county FIPS 21187), Kentucky. 384 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