Native plants · Minnesota
Native plants of Cottonwood County
262 plant species are recorded as native to Minnesota in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cottonwood County by USDA PLANTS. 106 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Cottonwood County, Minnesota
- Native species
- 262 Typical Minnesota county: 435 (median of 87 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 106 Typical Minnesota county: 193
- Share by type (all 262 native species)
-
Percent of the 262 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (65%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 106
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | High | 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 |
| big bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Grass or grass-like | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2b |
| blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blue grama Bouteloua gracilis | Grass or grass-like | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides | Grass or grass-like | 6 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa | Wildflower (forb) | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus | Grass or grass-like | 1.7 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 evening primrose Oenothera biennis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common hackberry Celtis occidentalis | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 2b |
| common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| crested sedge Carex cristatella | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| cup plant Silphium perfoliatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | — | Zone 2b |
| cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 12b |
| dotted blazing star Liatris punctata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides | Tree | 190 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa | Shrub | 15 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| fiddleleaf hawksbeard Crepis runcinata | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 |
| green needlegrass Nassella viridula | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans | Grass or grass-like | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| leadplant Amorpha canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis | Grass or grass-like | 6 in | Sun | High | Zone 4b |
| Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| nodding beggartick Bidens cernua | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| northern bedstraw Galium boreale | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| old man's whiskers Geum triflorum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| pale agoseris Agoseris glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata | Grass or grass-like | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata | Grass or grass-like | 8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis | Grass or grass-like | 2.3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| purple milkvetch Astragalus agrestis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| red goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 12b |
| redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| rough bugleweed Lycopus asper | Wildflower (forb) | 2.1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 serviceberry Amelanchier sanguinea | Tree | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| sand lovegrass Eragrostis trichodes | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Tree | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 1a |
| sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum | Fern | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| tall cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides | Grass or grass-like | 4 in | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus | Wildflower (forb) | 5 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi | Grass or grass-like | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| white prairie clover Dalea candida | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| woolly plantain Plantago patagonica | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 156
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.
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- autumn onion Allium stellatum
- bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
- big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
- brittle pricklypear Opuntia fragilis
- bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
- candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
- Carolina draba Draba reptans
- Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
- clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- common moonseed Menispermum canadense
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
- downy phlox Phlox pilosa
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
- eastern star sedge Carex radiata
- eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
- Emory's sedge Carex emoryi
- falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
- fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
- flat-top goldentop Euthamia graminifolia
- Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
- fluxweed Trichostema brachiatum
- forked threeawn Aristida basiramea
- fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
- foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
- golden zizia Zizia aurea
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
- grooved flax Linum sulcatum
- groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
- hairy four o'clock Mirabilis hirsuta
- hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
- harlequin blueflag Iris versicolor
- heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
- heavy sedge Carex gravida
- Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
- hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
- hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
- hoary verbena Verbena stricta
- hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
- hybrid cattail Typha ×glauca
- knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
- lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
- large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
- Leiberg's panicum Dichanthelium leibergii
- lilac penstemon Penstemon gracilis
- limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
- longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
- Macoun's barley ×Elyhordeum macounii
- marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
- Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- Mead's sedge Carex meadii
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- meadow zizia Zizia aptera
- Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
- mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- neckweed Veronica peregrina
- needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
- needletip blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium mucronatum
- New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
- nodding stickseed Hackelia deflexa
- northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
- northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
- Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
- northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
- northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
- Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
- obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
- Oregon cliff fern Woodsia oregana
- palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
- Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
- Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
- Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
- pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
- poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
- prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
- prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
- prairie goldenrod Oligoneuron album
- prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
- prairie rose Rosa arkansana
- prairie violet Viola pedatifida
- purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
- purple rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes racemosa
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
- Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
- rigid sedge Carex tetanica
- rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
- rosy sedge Carex rosea
- rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- rusty woodsia Woodsia ilvensis
- Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
- Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
- Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
- shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
- showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
- silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
- smooth rose Rosa blanda
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
- spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
- spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
- stiff tickseed Coreopsis palmata
- sunbright Phemeranthus parviflorus
- swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
- tall blazing star Liatris aspera
- tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
- tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
- Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
- tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
- tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
- upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
- veiny pea Lathyrus venosus
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
- Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
- western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
- western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- white rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes alba
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
- whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
- winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
- woodland draba Draba nemorosa
- woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
- woolly sedge Carex pellita
- yellow avens Geum aleppicum
Also listed as native and introduced here 2
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.
- common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
- 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.
| Measure | Cottonwood County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 262 | 435 | 1,506 |
| Garden-ready natives | 106 | 193 | 550 |
| Tree | 9 | — | 105 |
| Shrub | 8 | — | 96 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 170 | — | 824 |
| Grass or grass-like | 60 | — | 361 |
| Vine | 5 | — | 43 |
| Fern | 10 | — | 77 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Cottonwood County.
- Brown County, MN 148 garden-ready
- Jackson County, MN 153 garden-ready
- Murray County, MN 116 garden-ready
- Redwood County, MN 136 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
- Cottonwood County (county FIPS 27033), Minnesota. 262 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