Native plants · Missouri

Native plants of Platte County

397 plant species are recorded as native to Missouri in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Platte County by USDA PLANTS. 170 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Platte County, Missouri

Native species: 397 Typical Missouri county: 557 (median of 114 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 170 Typical Missouri county: 219
Share by type (all 397 native species): Percent of the 397 native species in each growth type

Tree 13% (51)
Shrub 2% (8)
Wildflower (forb) 61% (242)
Grass or grass-like 17% (68)
Vine 5% (21)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (17%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zones 6a to 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 170

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

Garden-ready native plants of Platte County, Missouri
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens	Vine	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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 lotus Nelumbo lutea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
beaked agrimony Agrimonia rostellata	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black oak Quercus velutina	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
black walnut Juglans nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium	Tree	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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
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
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	—
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
butterweed Packera glabella	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
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 wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
climbing rose Rosa setigera	Vine	16 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana	Tree	55 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
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 spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
crested sedge Carex cristatella	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
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
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	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
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
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
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
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Gray's sedge Carex grayi	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
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
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	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
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium	Grass or grass-like	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
inland rush Juncus interior	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus	Wildflower (forb)	9.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
little barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Missouri ironweed Vernonia missurica	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa	Tree	85 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
northern red oak Quercus rubra	Tree	81 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra	Tree	68 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
pecan Carya illinoinensis	Tree	120 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
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
pin oak Quercus palustris	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie crab apple Malus ioensis	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
riverbank grape Vitis riparia	Vine	45 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
rock elm Ulmus thomasii	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
shoreline sedge Carex hyalinolepis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Short's sedge Carex shortiana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth phlox Phlox glaberrima	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
sugar maple Acer saccharum	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
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
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
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
troublesome sedge Carex molesta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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 threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
white doll's daisy Boltonia asteroides	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
white oak Quercus alba	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
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
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 227

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.

American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
birdfoot violet Viola pedata
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
Davis' sedge Carex davisii
downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
early wildrye Elymus macgregorii
eastern daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus
eastern false rue anemone Enemion biternatum
eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern star sedge Carex radiata
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
field pansy Viola bicolor
fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
gravelweed Verbesina helianthoides
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
hogwort Croton capitatus
honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
husk tomato Physalis pubescens
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
ironweed Vernonia ×illinoensis
James' sedge Carex jamesii
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
Lucretia dewberry Rubus roribaccus
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
neckweed Veronica peregrina
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
pale dock Rumex altissimus
pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
Paradox cinquefoil Potentilla paradoxa
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
prairie rose Rosa arkansana
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple spikerush Eleocharis atropurpurea
purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
sand violet Viola affinis
shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
sicklepod Arabis canadensis
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
soft fox sedge Carex conjuncta
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
widowsfrill Silene stellata
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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
climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
common reedPhragmites australis
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Missouri

The typical county is the median of the 114 Missouri 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, Platte County and Missouri
Measure	Platte County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	397	557	1,678
Garden-ready natives	170	219	558
Tree	51	—	149
Shrub	8	—	59
Wildflower (forb)	242	—	936
Grass or grass-like	68	—	395
Vine	21	—	79
Fern	7	—	60

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Platte County.

Buchanan County, MO 133 garden-ready
Clay County, MO 224 garden-ready
Clinton County, MO 137 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: Platte County (county FIPS 29165), Missouri. 397 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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