Native plants · Minnesota

Native plants of Aitkin County

589 plant species are recorded as native to Minnesota in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Aitkin County by USDA PLANTS. 265 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 6 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Aitkin County, Minnesota

Native species: 589 Typical Minnesota county: 435 (median of 87 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 265 Typical Minnesota county: 193
Share by type (all 589 native species): Percent of the 589 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (52)
Shrub 8% (45)
Wildflower (forb) 53% (310)
Grass or grass-like 22% (131)
Vine 3% (19)
Fern 5% (32)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (53%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (22%).

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 4a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 265

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

Garden-ready native plants of Aitkin County, Minnesota
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alderleaf buckthorn Rhamnus alnifolia	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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 bittersweet Celastrus scandens	Vine	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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 hazelnut Corylus americana	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
American plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
arborvitae Thuja occidentalis	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
arctic raspberry Rubus arcticus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
balsam fir Abies balsamea	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera	Tree	80 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
bigleaf aster Eurybia macrophylla	Wildflower (forb)	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2b
black ash Fraxinus nigra	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 9b
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
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bog birch Betula pumila	Shrub	20 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
bog goldenrod Solidago uliginosa	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
bog Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
bog laurel Kalmia polifolia	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bog willowherb Epilobium leptophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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 arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	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
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
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
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
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 wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canada yew Taxus canadensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Canadian rush Juncus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
cloaked bulrush Scirpus pallidus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
common juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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 snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common winterberry Ilex verticillata	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
Dewey sedge Carex deweyana	Grass or grass-like	3.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
diamondleaf willow Salix planifolia	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
downy arrowwood Viburnum rafinesqueanum	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
eastern teaberry Gaultheria procumbens	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	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
field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
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
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
golden ragwort Packera aurea	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
golden sedge Carex aurea	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
graceful sedge Carex gracillima	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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 creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater straw sedge Carex normalis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hairy sedge Carex lacustris	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana	Tree	45 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
inland sedge Carex interior	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana	Fern	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Shrub	6 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
knotted rush Juncus nodosus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
lesser bladderwort Utricularia minor	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 3a
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
longhair sedge Carex comosa	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
marsh grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
mountain maple Acer spicatum	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
mud sedge Carex limosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
nannyberry Viburnum lentago	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
narrowleaf water plantain Alisma gramineum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
necklace sedge Carex projecta	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nerveless woodland sedge Carex leptonervia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
nodding waternymph Najas flexilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern black currant Ribes hudsonianum	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
northern bush honeysuckle Diervilla lonicera	Shrub	2.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern red oak Quercus rubra	Tree	81 ft	Sun–part shade	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
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
paper birch Betula papyrifera	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
prickly rose Rosa acicularis	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum	Wildflower (forb)	8.1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
purplestem beggarticks Bidens connata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
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
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
rattlesnake mannagrass Glyceria canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	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
red pine Pinus resinosa	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	5 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
roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Robbins' pondweed Potamogeton robbinsii	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
rough bedstraw Galium asprellum	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
roundleaf dogwood Cornus rugosa	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
roundleaf serviceberry Amelanchier sanguinea	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
sandcherry Prunus pumila	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
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
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
slender bulrush Schoenoplectus heterochaetus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
slender cottongrass Eriophorum gracile	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
small beggarticks Bidens discoidea	Wildflower (forb)	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 duckweed Lemna trisulca	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum	Fern	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
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
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
sweet fern Comptonia peregrina	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tamarack Larix laricina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
tawny cottongrass Eriophorum virginicum	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
threeseeded sedge Carex trisperma	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile	Fern	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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 panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
white spruce Picea glauca	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
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 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
woodland horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 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
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 324

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.

Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
alpine fescue Festuca brachyphylla
alpine violet Viola labradorica
American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
American fly honeysuckle Lonicera canadensis
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium americanum
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American milletgrass Milium effusum
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
American spikenard Aralia racemosa
American spurred gentian Halenia deflexa
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
Beck's water-marigold Bidens beckii
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
Bicknell's cranesbill Geranium bicknellii
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blackseed ricegrass Patis racemosa
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
blite goosefoot Chenopodium capitatum
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
blue giant hyssop Agastache foeniculum
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluntleaf pondweed Potamogeton obtusifolius
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntleaved orchid Platanthera obtusata
bluntlobe grapefern Botrychium oneidense
bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia
bog willow Salix pedicellaris
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
boreal bog sedge Carex magellanica
bristly sarsaparilla Aralia hispida
brome-like sedge Carex bromoides
brownish sedge Carex brunnescens
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
bulblet-bearing water hemlock Cicuta bulbifera
Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
checkered rattlesnake plantain Goodyera tesselata
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
Cleland's evening primrose Oenothera clelandii
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
Crawford's sedge Carex crawfordii
cream pea Lathyrus ochroleucus
creeping sedge Carex chordorrhiza
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cypress-like sedge Carex pseudocyperus
downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
downy willowherb Epilobium strictum
dragon's mouth Arethusa bulbosa
drooping woodland sedge Carex arctata
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf red blackberry Rubus pubescens
dwarf scouringrush Equisetum scirpoides
early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
earth loosestrife Lysimachia terrestris
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern star sedge Carex radiata
eastern swamp saxifrage Saxifraga pensylvanica
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
false melic Schizachne purpurascens
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fen grass of Parnassus Parnassia glauca
fewflower sedge Carex pauciflora
fewnerved cottongrass Eriophorum tenellum
fewseed sedge Carex oligosperma
flat-top goldentop Euthamia graminifolia
floating bur-reed Sparganium fluctuans
foxtail sedge Carex alopecoidea
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
Fraser's marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum fraseri
Fries' pondweed Potamogeton friesii
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant sunflower Helianthus giganteus
Gmelin's buttercup Ranunculus gmelinii
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
greater fringed gentian Gentianopsis crinita
greater water dock Rumex orbiculatus
green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green fringed orchid Platanthera lacera
greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
groundcedar Lycopodium complanatum
hairy goldenrod Solidago hispida
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
hairystem gooseberry Ribes hirtellum
halberdleaf tearthumb Polygonum arifolium
harlequin blueflag Iris versicolor
Hayden's sedge Carex haydenii
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
heavy sedge Carex gravida
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Hooker's orchid Platanthera hookeri
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
inundated clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata
Kalm's hawkweed Hieracium kalmii
knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
large St. Johnswort Hypericum majus
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
largepod pinweed Lechea intermedia
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
lesser purple fringed orchid Platanthera psycodes
lesser rattlesnake plantain Goodyera repens
lesser roundleaved orchid Platanthera orbiculata
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
Lindley's aster Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
little evening primrose Oenothera perennis
little grapefern Botrychium simplex
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
longbranch frostweed Helianthemum canadense
longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
marsh horsetail Equisetum palustre
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh willowherb Epilobium palustre
Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
matricary grapefern Botrychium matricariifolium
meadow willow Salix petiolaris
Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
mountain ricegrass Piptatheropsis pungens
naked miterwort Mitella nuda
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
narrowleaf cowwheat Melampyrum lineare
narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
narrowleaf pondweed Potamogeton strictifolius
narrowpanicle rush Juncus brevicaudatus
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
nodding onion Allium cernuum
nodding sedge Carex gynandra
northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
northern bog aster Symphyotrichum boreale
northern bog bedstraw Galium labradoricum
northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
northern sedge Carex deflexa
northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
northern wildrice Zizania palustris
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
parasol sedge Carex umbellata
parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
Peck's sedge Carex peckii
Pennsylvania clubmoss Lycopodium hickeyi
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie sedge Carex prairea
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
purple pitcherplant Sarracenia purpurea
purple reedgrass Calamagrostis purpurascens
ramp Allium tricoccum
rannoch-rush Scheuchzeria palustris
rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
red baneberry Actaea rubra
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
rock harlequin Corydalis sempervirens
rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough hawkweed Hieracium scabrum
roughleaf ricegrass Oryzopsis asperifolia
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
Selkirk's violet Viola selkirkii
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sessilefruit arrowhead Sagittaria rigida
sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
setose blackberry Rubus setosus
sevenangle pipewort Eriocaulon aquaticum
shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
showy lady's slipper Cypripedium reginae
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
single delight Moneses uniflora
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
skunk currant Ribes glandulosum
slender watermilfoil Myriophyllum tenellum
slender waternymph Najas gracillima
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
small waterwort Elatine minima
smooth rose Rosa blanda
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spiral pondweed Potamogeton spirillus
spoonleaf sundew Drosera intermedia
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
starflower Trientalis borealis
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
swamp thistle Cirsium muticum
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
swaying bulrush Schoenoplectus subterminalis
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
thinleaf cottonsedge Eriophorum viridicarinatum
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
threeleaf false lily of the valley Maianthemum trifolium
threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
tree groundpine Lycopodium dendroideum
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
Tuckerman's sedge Carex tuckermanii
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tussock cottongrass Eriophorum vaginatum
twinflower Linnaea borealis
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
Vasey's pondweed Potamogeton vaseyi
veiny pea Lathyrus venosus
velvetleaf huckleberry Vaccinium myrtilloides
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water arum Calla palustris
watershield Brasenia schreberi
waxflower shinleaf Pyrola elliptica
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
western waterweed Elodea nuttallii
whip-poor-will flower Trillium cernuum
white adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis brachypoda
white beaksedge Rhynchospora alba
white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
white rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes alba
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
white turtlehead Chelone glabra
white violet Viola renifolia
whorl-leaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum verticillatum
Wiegand's wildrye Elymus wiegandii
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
witchgrass Panicum capillare
wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly sedge Carex pellita
woollyfruit sedge Carex lasiocarpa
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida
yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 6

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.

American red raspberryRubus idaeus
climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
common reedPhragmites australis
hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Minnesota

The typical county is the median of the 87 Minnesota 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, Aitkin County and Minnesota
Measure	Aitkin County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	589	435	1,506
Garden-ready natives	265	193	550
Tree	52	—	105
Shrub	45	—	96
Wildflower (forb)	310	—	824
Grass or grass-like	131	—	361
Vine	19	—	43
Fern	32	—	77

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Aitkin County.

Carlton County, MN 219 garden-ready
Cass County, MN 300 garden-ready
Crow Wing County, MN 276 garden-ready
Itasca County, MN 266 garden-ready
Kanabec County, MN 170 garden-ready
Mille Lacs County, MN 206 garden-ready
Pine County, MN 304 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: Aitkin County (county FIPS 27001), Minnesota. 589 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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