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Native plants · Kentucky

Native plants of Webster County

170 plant species are recorded as native to Kentucky in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Webster County by USDA PLANTS. 92 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

Webster County, Kentucky

Native species
170 Typical Kentucky county: 426 (median of 120 counties)
Garden-ready natives
92 Typical Kentucky county: 190
Share by type (all 170 native species)
Percent of the 170 native species in each growth type
Tree 35% (59)
Shrub 4% (7)
Wildflower (forb) 42% (72)
Grass or grass-like 9% (15)
Vine 5% (9)
Fern 5% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (42%), followed by trees (35%).

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 92

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

Garden-ready native plants of Webster County, Kentucky
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
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 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 plum Prunus americana Tree 24 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 2b
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 ft Sun Medium 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
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
cherrybark oak Quercus pagoda Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
climbing rose Rosa setigera Vine 16 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High 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
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 6a
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
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata Grass or grass-like 5.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata Vine 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
overcup oak Quercus lyrata Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
pecan Carya illinoinensis Tree 120 ft Sun High Zone 5a
pin oak Quercus palustris Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4a
planertree Planera aquatica Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
possumhaw Ilex decidua Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus Shrub 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
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
southern red oak Quercus falcata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia iris Iris virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8b
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 oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 78

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 false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
  • American ipecac Gillenia stipulata
  • American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
  • aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
  • arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
  • black baneberry Actaea racemosa
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • Bradley's spleenwort Asplenium bradleyi
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern star sedge Carex radiata
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • false Indian plantain Hasteola suaveolens
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
  • gravelweed Verbesina helianthoides
  • greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
  • hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
  • hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • lesser marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum tubulosum
  • lobed spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
  • longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
  • pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
  • waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
  • 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.

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, Webster County and Kentucky
MeasureWebster CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 170 426 1,719
Garden-ready natives 92 190 568
Tree 59 — 181
Shrub 7 — 73
Wildflower (forb) 72 — 931
Grass or grass-like 15 — 376
Vine 9 — 85
Fern 8 — 73

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Webster 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
Webster County (county FIPS 21233), Kentucky. 170 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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