Native plants · Michigan
Native plants of Osceola County
239 plant species are recorded as native to Michigan in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Osceola County by USDA PLANTS. 124 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
Osceola County, Michigan
- Native species
- 239 Typical Michigan county: 495 (median of 83 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 124 Typical Michigan county: 227
- Share by type (all 239 native species)
-
Percent of the 239 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by trees (23%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 124
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier laevis | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 black currant Ribes americanum | Shrub | 3 ft | — | — | Zone 2b |
| American eelgrass Vallisneria americana | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American mountain ash Sorbus americana | Tree | 40 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| American vetch Vicia americana | Vine | 1.3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| arborvitae Thuja occidentalis | Tree | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| balsam fir Abies balsamea | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| balsam poplar Populus balsamifera | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1a |
| beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| black ash Fraxinus nigra | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 2b |
| black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| black spruce Picea mariana | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 1a |
| black willow Salix nigra | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1b |
| blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| bluebead Clintonia borealis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| bog laurel Kalmia polifolia | Shrub | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis | Shrub | 6 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis | Wildflower (forb) | 5.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common blue violet Viola sororia | Wildflower (forb) | 4 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| common rush Juncus effusus | Grass or grass-like | 6.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common selfheal Prunella vulgaris | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| crested sedge Carex cristatella | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana | Vine | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Dewey sedge Carex deweyana | Grass or grass-like | 3.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| downy yellow violet Viola pubescens | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides | Tree | 190 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis | Tree | 105 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| eastern white pine Pinus strobus | Tree | 150 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| floating pondweed Potamogeton natans | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| fowl bluegrass Poa palustris | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| fringed sedge Carex crinita | Grass or grass-like | 5.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| gray alder Alnus incana | Tree | 25 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| gray dogwood Cornus racemosa | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus | Grass or grass-like | 9.8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| jack pine Pinus banksiana | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2a |
| largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| mountain maple Acer spicatum | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| nerveless woodland sedge Carex leptonervia | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| northern bedstraw Galium boreale | Wildflower (forb) | 3 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 |
| paper birch Betula papyrifera | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1a |
| peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| pickerelweed Pontederia cordata | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie willow Salix humilis | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| purple avens Geum rivale | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| pussy willow Salix discolor | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| quaking aspen Populus tremuloides | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1a |
| quill sedge Carex tenera | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| red currant Ribes triste | Shrub | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 1a |
| red elderberry Sambucus racemosa | Tree | 18 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| red maple Acer rubrum | Tree | 68 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| redosier dogwood Cornus sericea | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| ribbonleaf pondweed Potamogeton epihydrus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| riverbank grape Vitis riparia | Vine | 45 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Robbins' pondweed Potamogeton robbinsii | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| rough bedstraw Galium asprellum | Wildflower (forb) | 5.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| scarlet oak Quercus coccinea | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| shallow sedge Carex lurida | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| shining willow Salix lucida | Tree | 13 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| silky dogwood Cornus amomum | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| staghorn sumac Rhus typhina | Tree | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4a |
| stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| swamp loosestrife Decodon verticillatus | Shrub | 8 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| sweet fern Comptonia peregrina | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala | Wildflower (forb) | 5.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| tamarack Larix laricina | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 1a |
| three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum | Grass or grass-like | 2.6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 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 meadowsweet Spiraea alba | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| white oak Quercus alba | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| whitestem pondweed Potamogeton praelongus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 2b |
| yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 115
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.
- Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
- alpine violet Viola labradorica
- American fly honeysuckle Lonicera canadensis
- American golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium americanum
- American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
- American milletgrass Milium effusum
- American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
- bigfruit hawthorn Crataegus macrosperma
- birdfoot violet Viola pedata
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
- bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
- bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
- catberry Ilex mucronata
- chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
- Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
- common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
- common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
- common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- Copenhagen hawthorn Crataegus intricata
- cream pea Lathyrus ochroleucus
- crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- Dodge's hawthorn Crataegus dodgei
- dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
- dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
- drooping woodland sedge Carex arctata
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- dwarf ginseng Panax trifolius
- dwarf red blackberry Rubus pubescens
- early blue violet Viola ×palmata
- early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
- eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
- eastern swamp saxifrage Saxifraga pensylvanica
- eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
- fewseed sedge Carex oligosperma
- fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
- fleshy hawthorn Crataegus succulenta
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- gaywings Polygala paucifolia
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
- harlequin blueflag Iris versicolor
- Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
- hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
- hookedspur violet Viola adunca
- Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
- lanceleaf wild licorice Galium lanceolatum
- largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
- lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
- little evening primrose Oenothera perennis
- longspur violet Viola rostrata
- marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
- marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- meadow willow Salix petiolaris
- naked miterwort Mitella nuda
- Oakes' pondweed Potamogeton oakesianus
- oldpasture bluegrass Poa saltuensis
- Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
- Peck's sedge Carex peckii
- plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
- pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
- purple chokeberry Aronia ×prunifolia
- purple pitcherplant Sarracenia purpurea
- ramp Allium tricoccum
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- Robert geranium Geranium robertianum
- rosy sedge Carex rosea
- roughleaf ricegrass Oryzopsis asperifolia
- sevenangle pipewort Eriocaulon aquaticum
- small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
- smooth rose Rosa blanda
- spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
- squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
- starflower Trientalis borealis
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- swaying bulrush Schoenoplectus subterminalis
- sweet white violet Viola blanda
- thinleaf cottonsedge Eriophorum viridicarinatum
- threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
- trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
- twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
- Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
- Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- water arum Calla palustris
- watershield Brasenia schreberi
- white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
- white bear sedge Carex albursina
- white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
- white violet Viola renifolia
- wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
- wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
- woolly sedge Carex pellita
- wormseed sandmat Chamaesyce vermiculata
- yellow avens Geum aleppicum
- yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida
- yellow sedge Carex flava
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.
- annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
Compared with Michigan
The typical county is the median of the 83 Michigan 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 | Osceola County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 239 | 495 | 1,641 |
| Garden-ready natives | 124 | 227 | 595 |
| Tree | 56 | — | 136 |
| Shrub | 20 | — | 104 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 117 | — | 870 |
| Grass or grass-like | 38 | — | 398 |
| Vine | 8 | — | 48 |
| Fern | 0 | — | 85 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Osceola County.
- Clare County, MI 187 garden-ready
- Lake County, MI 124 garden-ready
- Mecosta County, MI 177 garden-ready
- Missaukee County, MI 137 garden-ready
- Newaygo County, MI 239 garden-ready
- Wexford County, MI 107 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
- Osceola County (county FIPS 26133), Michigan. 239 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