Native plants · Maryland

Native plants of Prince George's County

319 plant species are recorded as native to Maryland in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Prince George's County by USDA PLANTS. 93 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

Prince George's County, Maryland

Native species
319 Typical Maryland county: 184 (median of 24 counties)
Garden-ready natives
93 Typical Maryland county: 61
Share by type (all 319 native species)
Percent of the 319 native species in each growth type
Tree 3% (11)
Shrub 2% (6)
Wildflower (forb) 43% (136)
Grass or grass-like 37% (117)
Vine 4% (14)
Fern 11% (35)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (43%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (37%).

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 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 93

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

Garden-ready native plants of Prince George's County, Maryland
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American bur-reed Sparganium americanum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
American water-willow Justicia americana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
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 muhly Muhlenbergia uniflora Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun High Zone 4a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
broom sedge Carex scoparia Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High 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
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
coppery St. Johnswort Hypericum denticulatum Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7b
crested woodfern Dryopteris cristata Fern 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
cypress swamp sedge Carex joorii Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
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
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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
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
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
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
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
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
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Robbins' pondweed Potamogeton robbinsii Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — Zone 1a
seaside goldenrod Solidago sempervirens Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
shoreline sedge Carex hyalinolepis Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
Short's sedge Carex shortiana Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
silvery sedge Carex canescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
smallfruit beggarticks Bidens mitis Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
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
star sedge Carex echinata Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
thicket sedge Carex abscondita Grass or grass-like 8 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
troublesome sedge Carex molesta Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
Virginia iris Iris virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8b
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
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
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

Other native species recorded here 226

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's needle Yucca filamentosa
  • American bluehearts Buchnera americana
  • American climbing fern Lygodium palmatum
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
  • bashful bulrush Trichophorum planifolium
  • 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
  • branched bur-reed Sparganium androcladum
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
  • broadwing sedge Carex alata
  • brome-like sedge Carex bromoides
  • brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
  • brownish beaksedge Rhynchospora capitellata
  • bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
  • button sedge Carex bullata
  • Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
  • Canadian burnet Sanguisorba canadensis
  • Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
  • Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • chaffweed Anagallis minima
  • claspingleaf pondweed Potamogeton perfoliatus
  • claspingleaf St. Johnswort Hypericum gymnanthum
  • clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
  • clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
  • coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
  • Collins' sedge Carex collinsii
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • darkgreen sedge Carex venusta
  • deeproot clubmoss Lycopodium tristachyum
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy goldenrod Solidago puberula
  • downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • drumheads Polygala cruciata
  • dwarf violet iris Iris verna
  • earleaf false foxglove Agalinis auriculata
  • early goldenrod Solidago juncea
  • eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
  • eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
  • eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
  • eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
  • eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
  • eastern star sedge Carex radiata
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Engelmann's arrowhead Sagittaria engelmanniana
  • evening campion Silene nivea
  • false flowering spurge Euphorbia pubentissima
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fescue sedge Carex festucacea
  • fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
  • fewflower ticktrefoil Desmodium pauciflorum
  • fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
  • fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
  • foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
  • fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora recognita
  • glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
  • grassleaf mudplantain Heteranthera dubia
  • green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
  • green false hellebore Veratrum viride
  • green fringed orchid Platanthera lacera
  • greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • heartleaf plantain Plantago cordata
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
  • hoary frostweed Helianthemum bicknellii
  • hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
  • hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
  • Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
  • inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
  • intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
  • James' sedge Carex jamesii
  • justiceweed Eupatorium leucolepis
  • Kral's sedge Carex kraliana
  • large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
  • Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
  • little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
  • Long's sedge Carex longii
  • longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
  • longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
  • Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
  • low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
  • low rough aster Eurybia radula
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • maroon Carolina milkvine Matelea carolinensis
  • marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
  • midland sedge Carex mesochorea
  • moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
  • Muehlenberg's nutrush Scleria muehlenbergii
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
  • needletip blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium mucronatum
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
  • nodding sedge Carex gynandra
  • northern long sedge Carex folliculata
  • northern panicgrass Dichanthelium boreale
  • Nottoway Valley brome Bromus nottowayanus
  • October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
  • openfield sedge Carex conoidea
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
  • palegreen orchid Platanthera flava
  • parasol sedge Carex umbellata
  • Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
  • pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
  • purple pitcherplant Sarracenia purpurea
  • racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
  • rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
  • red milkweed Asclepias rubra
  • red trillium Trillium erectum
  • red turtlehead Chelone obliqua
  • reflexed flatsedge Cyperus refractus
  • reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
  • ribbed sedge Carex virescens
  • richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
  • rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • rough flatsedge Cyperus retrofractus
  • running serviceberry Amelanchier stolonifera
  • sand grape Vitis rupestris
  • sandplain flax Linum intercursum
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
  • shaved sedge Carex tonsa
  • shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
  • Short's hedgehyssop Gratiola viscidula
  • shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa
  • showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
  • sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
  • silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
  • singlehead pussytoes Antennaria solitaria
  • Skinner's false foxglove Agalinis skinneriana
  • slender blue iris Iris prismatica
  • slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
  • slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
  • slender waternymph Najas gracillima
  • slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
  • small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smallflower baby blue eyes Nemophila aphylla
  • Smith's bulrush Schoenoplectiella smithii
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
  • smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
  • snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
  • southern twayblade Listera australis
  • spindleroot Ludwigia hirtella
  • spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
  • spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • stiff ticktrefoil Desmodium obtusum
  • striped gentian Gentiana villosa
  • sundial lupine Lupinus perennis
  • swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
  • swamp wedgescale Sphenopholis pensylvanica
  • Swan's sedge Carex swanii
  • tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
  • tenlobe false foxglove Agalinis obtusifolia
  • threadleaf false foxglove Agalinis setacea
  • threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
  • toadshade Trillium sessile
  • tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
  • turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
  • twisted spikerush Eleocharis tortilis
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
  • velvet sedge Carex vestita
  • velvetleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium viridiflorum
  • Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • waterplantain spearwort Ranunculus ambigens
  • weak stellate sedge Carex seorsa
  • whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
  • white beaksedge Rhynchospora alba
  • white bear sedge Carex albursina
  • white colicroot Aletris farinosa
  • white fringed orchid Platanthera blephariglottis
  • white goldenrod Solidago bicolor
  • white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled mountainmint Pycnanthemum verticillatum
  • wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • woodfern Dryopteris ×boottii
  • wormseed sandmat Chamaesyce vermiculata
  • yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
  • yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
  • 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, Prince George's County and Maryland
MeasurePrince George's CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 319 184 1,872
Garden-ready natives 93 61 635
Tree 11 — 174
Shrub 6 — 112
Wildflower (forb) 136 — 965
Grass or grass-like 117 — 463
Vine 14 — 72
Fern 35 — 86

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Prince George's 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
Prince George's County (county FIPS 24033), Maryland. 319 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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