Native plants · Minnesota

Native plants of Red Lake County

268 plant species are recorded as native to Minnesota in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Red Lake County by USDA PLANTS. 123 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

Red Lake County, Minnesota

Native species
268 Typical Minnesota county: 435 (median of 87 counties)
Garden-ready natives
123 Typical Minnesota county: 193
Share by type (all 268 native species)
Percent of the 268 native species in each growth type
Tree 6% (16)
Shrub 6% (16)
Wildflower (forb) 59% (157)
Grass or grass-like 23% (61)
Vine 4% (10)
Fern 3% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (59%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).

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 3b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 123

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

Garden-ready native plants of Red Lake County, Minnesota
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alkali cordgrass Spartina gracilis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American black currant Ribes americanum Shrub 3 ft — — Zone 2b
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 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
arctic brome Bromus kalmii Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
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 poplar Populus balsamifera Tree 80 ft Sun High Zone 1a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
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
bog birch Betula pumila Shrub 20 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
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
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Canada germander Teucrium canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High 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
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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 goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
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 beggartick Bidens frondosa Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
downy arrowwood Viburnum rafinesqueanum Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3a
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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 woodland sedge Carex blanda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
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
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
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
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 dogwood Cornus racemosa Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
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 avens Geum macrophyllum Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
nannyberry Viburnum lentago Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
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
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade 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 Junegrass Koeleria macrantha Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum Wildflower (forb) 8.1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
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
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper Wildflower (forb) 2.1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
sageleaf willow Salix candida Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — Zone 1a
sandcherry Prunus pumila Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
shining willow Salix lucida Tree 13 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
silverberry Elaeagnus commutata Shrub 12 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina Wildflower (forb) 6 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia Wildflower (forb) 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum Fern 5 ft Sun Low 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
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
tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa Grass or grass-like 3.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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 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 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 sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun High Zone 3b

Other native species recorded here 145

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 violet Viola labradorica
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
  • American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
  • autumn onion Allium stellatum
  • balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
  • big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
  • blackseed ricegrass Patis racemosa
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
  • Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
  • Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
  • common woodrush Luzula multiflora
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • Crawe's sedge Carex crawei
  • cream pea Lathyrus ochroleucus
  • Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
  • dwarf red blackberry Rubus pubescens
  • early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
  • eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
  • eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
  • eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
  • eastern star sedge Carex radiata
  • eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • fall rosette grass Dichanthelium wilcoxianum
  • falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
  • field thistle Cirsium discolor
  • flat-top goldentop Euthamia graminifolia
  • fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • Fraser's marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum fraseri
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • grassleaf mudplantain Heteranthera dubia
  • greater fringed gentian Gentianopsis crinita
  • greater water dock Rumex orbiculatus
  • groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
  • hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
  • hairystem gooseberry Ribes hirtellum
  • heavy sedge Carex gravida
  • hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
  • hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
  • Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
  • knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
  • Leiberg's panicum Dichanthelium leibergii
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
  • Lindley's aster Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
  • longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
  • marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
  • Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
  • Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
  • Mead's sedge Carex meadii
  • meadow horsetail Equisetum pratense
  • meadow zizia Zizia aptera
  • Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
  • Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
  • mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
  • narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
  • needletip blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium mucronatum
  • New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • nodding onion Allium cernuum
  • nodding stickseed Hackelia deflexa
  • northern bog aster Symphyotrichum boreale
  • northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
  • northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
  • Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
  • northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
  • northern wildrice Zizania palustris
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • Ontario lobelia Lobelia kalmii
  • palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
  • parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • prairie goldenrod Oligoneuron album
  • prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
  • prairie violet Viola pedatifida
  • purple rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes racemosa
  • red baneberry Actaea rubra
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
  • rigid sedge Carex tetanica
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
  • scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
  • Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • smooth rose Rosa blanda
  • soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
  • swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
  • swamp thistle Cirsium muticum
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
  • tower rockcress Arabis glabra
  • variegated scouringrush Equisetum variegatum
  • veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
  • veiny pea Lathyrus venosus
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
  • Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • whip-poor-will flower Trillium cernuum
  • white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
  • white lady's slipper Cypripedium candidum
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
  • woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • yellow avens Geum aleppicum
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
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.

  • annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
  • common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum

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, Red Lake County and Minnesota
MeasureRed Lake CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 268 435 1,506
Garden-ready natives 123 193 550
Tree 16 — 105
Shrub 16 — 96
Wildflower (forb) 157 — 824
Grass or grass-like 61 — 361
Vine 10 — 43
Fern 8 — 77

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Red Lake 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
Red Lake County (county FIPS 27125), Minnesota. 268 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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