Native plants · Maryland

Native plants of Garrett County

242 plant species are recorded as native to Maryland in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Garrett County by USDA PLANTS. 84 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Garrett County, Maryland

Native species: 242 Typical Maryland county: 184 (median of 24 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 84 Typical Maryland county: 61
Share by type (all 242 native species): Percent of the 242 native species in each growth type

Tree 6% (15)
Shrub 5% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 36% (87)
Grass or grass-like 36% (86)
Vine 4% (10)
Fern 14% (33)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (36%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (36%).

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 zones 6a to 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 84

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

Garden-ready native plants of Garrett County, Maryland
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alderleaf buckthorn Rhamnus alnifolia	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
American bur-reed Sparganium americanum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
arctic brome Bromus kalmii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Bailey's sedge Carex baileyi	Grass or grass-like	2.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
balsam fir Abies balsamea	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
blister sedge Carex vesicaria	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
bluebead Clintonia borealis	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bog goldenrod Solidago uliginosa	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
bog willowherb Epilobium leptophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broom sedge Carex scoparia	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
Canada yew Taxus canadensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
creeping snowberry Gaultheria hispidula	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
crested woodfern Dryopteris cristata	Fern	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
drooping sedge Carex prasina	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis	Tree	105 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
eastern rough sedge Carex scabrata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
fringed sedge Carex crinita	Grass or grass-like	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
graceful sedge Carex gracillima	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	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
greater straw sedge Carex normalis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
hairy sedge Carex lacustris	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana	Fern	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
jointleaf rush Juncus articulatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
nannyberry Viburnum lentago	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
necklace sedge Carex projecta	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
nerveless woodland sedge Carex leptonervia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
pitch pine Pinus rigida	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
prairie willow Salix humilis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
pussy willow Salix discolor	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
red spruce Picea rubens	Tree	110 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
roundleaf dogwood Cornus rugosa	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
slender cottongrass Eriophorum gracile	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
spiked muhly Muhlenbergia glomerata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
spotted joe pye weed Eutrochium maculatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
tamarack Larix laricina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
threeseeded sedge Carex trisperma	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
twisted sedge Carex torta	Grass or grass-like	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
white edge sedge Carex debilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6a
woodland horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 158

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.

agueweed Gentianella quinquefolia
allegheny vine Adlumia fungosa
American fly honeysuckle Lonicera canadensis
American ipecac Gillenia stipulata
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
Appalachian polypody Polypodium appalachianum
Appalachian sedge Carex appalachica
bigfruit hawthorn Crataegus macrosperma
blackseed ricegrass Patis racemosa
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntlobe grapefern Botrychium oneidense
bog fern Thelypteris simulata
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
bristly sarsaparilla Aralia hispida
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
brome-like sedge Carex bromoides
brownish beaksedge Rhynchospora capitellata
brownish sedge Carex brunnescens
Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Canadian burnet Sanguisorba canadensis
Carey's sedge Carex careyana
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
creeping St. Johnswort Hypericum adpressum
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
downy willowherb Epilobium strictum
drooping woodland sedge Carex arctata
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
early goldenrod Solidago juncea
early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
false Indian plantain Hasteola suaveolens
false melic Schizachne purpurascens
fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
flame azalea Rhododendron calendulaceum
flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Goldie's woodfern Dryopteris goldieana
greater purple fringed orchid Platanthera grandiflora
green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
green false hellebore Veratrum viride
grove bluegrass Poa alsodes
hairy goldenrod Solidago hispida
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hay sedge Carex argyrantha
Hayden's sedge Carex haydenii
hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
inundated clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
lesser purple fringed orchid Platanthera psycodes
lesser rattlesnake plantain Goodyera repens
lesser roundleaved orchid Platanthera orbiculata
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
low rough aster Eurybia radula
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
mountain woodfern Dryopteris campyloptera
narrowpanicle rush Juncus brevicaudatus
nodding sedge Carex gynandra
northern long sedge Carex folliculata
oldpasture bluegrass Poa saltuensis
openfield sedge Carex conoidea
painted trillium Trillium undulatum
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
palegreen orchid Platanthera flava
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
pipevine Aristolochia macrophylla
plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
pretty sedge Carex woodii
pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
purple pitcherplant Sarracenia purpurea
ramp Allium tricoccum
rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
red trillium Trillium erectum
ribbed sedge Carex virescens
robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
rock clubmoss Huperzia porophila
rosy sedge Carex rosea
roughleaf ricegrass Oryzopsis asperifolia
Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
shaved sedge Carex tonsa
shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
shining lady's tresses Spiranthes lucida
showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa
showy lady's slipper Cypripedium reginae
skunk currant Ribes glandulosum
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
smooth rose Rosa blanda
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
snow trillium Trillium nivale
southern blue monkshood Aconitum uncinatum
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
stiff ticktrefoil Desmodium obtusum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
summer sedge Carex aestivalis
swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
Swan's sedge Carex swanii
threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
Tuckerman's sedge Carex tuckermanii
turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
turkey corn Dicentra eximia
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
water arum Calla palustris
weak stellate sedge Carex seorsa
western blue virginsbower Clematis occidentalis
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
white bear sedge Carex albursina
white goldenrod Solidago bicolor
white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
whorled mountainmint Pycnanthemum verticillatum
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
woodfern Dryopteris ×boottii
woolly sedge Carex pellita
woollyfruit sedge Carex lasiocarpa
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida
yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
yellow nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes ochroleuca
yellowfruit horse-gentian Triosteum angustifolium
yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens

Compared with Maryland

The typical county is the median of the 24 Maryland 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, Garrett County and Maryland
Measure	Garrett County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	242	184	1,872
Garden-ready natives	84	61	635
Tree	15	—	174
Shrub	11	—	112
Wildflower (forb)	87	—	965
Grass or grass-like	86	—	463
Vine	10	—	72
Fern	33	—	86

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Garrett County.

Allegany County, MD 59 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: Garrett County (county FIPS 24023), Maryland. 242 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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