Native plants · Maryland

Native plants of Montgomery County

323 plant species are recorded as native to Maryland in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Montgomery County by USDA PLANTS. 88 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

Montgomery County, Maryland

Native species
323 Typical Maryland county: 184 (median of 24 counties)
Garden-ready natives
88 Typical Maryland county: 61
Share by type (all 323 native species)
Percent of the 323 native species in each growth type
Tree 5% (17)
Shrub 2% (6)
Wildflower (forb) 42% (137)
Grass or grass-like 36% (117)
Vine 5% (15)
Fern 10% (31)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (42%), 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 7a to 7b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 88

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

Garden-ready native plants of Montgomery County, Maryland
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
American lotus Nelumbo lutea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
American water-willow Justicia americana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
arborvitae Thuja occidentalis Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
Atlantic white cedar Chamaecyparis thyoides Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
broom sedge Carex scoparia Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
Bush's sedge Carex bushii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
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
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
cattail sedge Carex typhina Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
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
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
crested sedge Carex cristatella Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
cypressknee sedge Carex decomposita Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6a
drooping sedge Carex prasina Grass or grass-like 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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 redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
eastern straw sedge Carex straminea Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
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
flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis Wildflower (forb) — Sun High 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
fringed sedge Carex crinita Grass or grass-like 5.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low 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
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Gray's sedge Carex grayi Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High 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
greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 8a
hop sedge Carex lupulina Grass or grass-like 4.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
horsetail paspalum Paspalum fluitans Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana Fern 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
longhair sedge Carex comosa Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 7b
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis Fern 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
possumhaw Ilex decidua Tree 33 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
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
quill sedge Carex tenera Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — Zone 1a
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
Short's sedge Carex shortiana Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
smooth phlox Phlox glaberrima Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
spotted joe pye weed Eutrochium maculatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
sugarberry Celtis laevigata Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
Table Mountain pine Pinus pungens Tree 50 ft Sun Low Zone 5b
tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
troublesome sedge Carex molesta Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Virginia pine Pinus virginiana Tree 70 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
white edge sedge Carex debilis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6a
woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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 235

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.

  • Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
  • American bluehearts Buchnera americana
  • American climbing fern Lygodium palmatum
  • American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • Appalachian sedge Carex appalachica
  • axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
  • bashful bulrush Trichophorum planifolium
  • basil mountainmint Pycnanthemum clinopodioides
  • beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
  • bent sedge Carex styloflexa
  • black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
  • blue sedge Carex glaucodea
  • blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bog fern Thelypteris simulata
  • bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
  • brome-like sedge Carex bromoides
  • brownish beaksedge Rhynchospora capitellata
  • buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
  • Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
  • Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
  • Canadian burnet Sanguisorba canadensis
  • Carey's sedge Carex careyana
  • Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • checkered rattlesnake plantain Goodyera tesselata
  • climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
  • climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
  • clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
  • common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
  • creeping burhead Echinodorus cordifolius
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • darkgreen sedge Carex venusta
  • Davis' sedge Carex davisii
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy carrionflower Smilax pulverulenta
  • downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
  • dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
  • earleaf false foxglove Agalinis auriculata
  • early goldenrod Solidago juncea
  • early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
  • earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
  • eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
  • eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
  • eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
  • eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
  • eastern star sedge Carex radiata
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • Emory's sedge Carex emoryi
  • Engelmann's arrowhead Sagittaria engelmanniana
  • evening campion Silene nivea
  • fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
  • false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
  • false Indian plantain Hasteola suaveolens
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fescue sedge Carex festucacea
  • fewleaf sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
  • fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
  • flat-spiked sedge Carex planispicata
  • fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
  • fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
  • great Indian plantain Arnoglossum reniforme
  • green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
  • green fringed orchid Platanthera lacera
  • green rockcress Arabis missouriensis
  • greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
  • hairy lettuce Lactuca hirsuta
  • hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
  • hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
  • hyssopleaf hedgenettle Stachys aspera
  • Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
  • inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
  • intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
  • James' sedge Carex jamesii
  • Juda's bush Iresine rhizomatosa
  • lakecress Neobeckia aquatica
  • large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
  • lesser purple fringed orchid Platanthera psycodes
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • lined sedge Carex striatula
  • little grapefern Botrychium simplex
  • little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
  • lobed spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
  • Long's sedge Carex longii
  • longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
  • longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
  • low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
  • low rough aster Eurybia radula
  • low serviceberry Amelanchier humilis
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
  • maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
  • marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
  • Mead's sedge Carex meadii
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • midland sedge Carex mesochorea
  • moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
  • mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • narrowleaf bluecurls Trichostema setaceum
  • navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
  • needletip blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium mucronatum
  • netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
  • nodding onion Allium cernuum
  • nodding sedge Carex gynandra
  • northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
  • Nottoway Valley brome Bromus nottowayanus
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • palegreen orchid Platanthera flava
  • parasol sedge Carex umbellata
  • Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
  • potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
  • pretty sedge Carex woodii
  • pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
  • purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
  • racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
  • ramp Allium tricoccum
  • rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
  • red milkweed Asclepias rubra
  • red trillium Trillium erectum
  • reflexed flatsedge Cyperus refractus
  • reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
  • Reznicek's sedge Carex reznicekii
  • ribbed sedge Carex virescens
  • richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
  • rigid sedge Carex tetanica
  • rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • rough dropseed Sporobolus clandestinus
  • rough flatsedge Cyperus retrofractus
  • running serviceberry Amelanchier stolonifera
  • sand grape Vitis rupestris
  • Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sessilefruit arrowhead Sagittaria rigida
  • sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
  • shaved sedge Carex tonsa
  • shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
  • shining lady's tresses Spiranthes lucida
  • Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa
  • showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
  • sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
  • singlehead pussytoes Antennaria solitaria
  • skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
  • slender bunchflower Veratrum hybridum
  • slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
  • slender waternymph Najas gracillima
  • slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • small whorled pogonia Isotria medeoloides
  • smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
  • smartweed dodder Cuscuta polygonorum
  • Smith's bulrush Schoenoplectiella smithii
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
  • smooth false buttonweed Spermacoce glabra
  • smooth rock skullcap Scutellaria saxatilis
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
  • smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
  • soft fox sedge Carex conjuncta
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • spineless hornwort Ceratophyllum echinatum
  • spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
  • spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stiff ticktrefoil Desmodium obtusum
  • striped gentian Gentiana villosa
  • summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
  • swamp wedgescale Sphenopholis pensylvanica
  • Swan's sedge Carex swanii
  • tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
  • tenlobe false foxglove Agalinis obtusifolia
  • Texas sedge Carex texensis
  • threadleaf false foxglove Agalinis setacea
  • toadshade Trillium sessile
  • turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
  • veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
  • Virginia fanpetals Sida hermaphrodita
  • Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • waterplantain spearwort Ranunculus ambigens
  • weak stellate sedge Carex seorsa
  • whip-poor-will flower Trillium cernuum
  • white bear sedge Carex albursina
  • white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
  • white goldenrod Solidago bicolor
  • white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled mountainmint Pycnanthemum verticillatum
  • wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
  • woodfern Dryopteris ×boottii
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • woollysheath threeawn Aristida lanosa
  • wormseed sandmat Chamaesyce vermiculata
  • yellow avens Geum aleppicum
  • yellow nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes ochroleuca
  • yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
  • yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii
  • yellowfruit horse-gentian Triosteum angustifolium
  • yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
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 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, Montgomery County and Maryland
MeasureMontgomery CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 323 184 1,872
Garden-ready natives 88 61 635
Tree 17 — 174
Shrub 6 — 112
Wildflower (forb) 137 — 965
Grass or grass-like 117 — 463
Vine 15 — 72
Fern 31 — 86

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Montgomery 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
Montgomery County (county FIPS 24031), Maryland. 323 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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