Native plants · Missouri

Native plants of Putnam County

401 plant species are recorded as native to Missouri in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Putnam County by USDA PLANTS. 170 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Putnam County, Missouri

Native species
401 Typical Missouri county: 557 (median of 114 counties)
Garden-ready natives
170 Typical Missouri county: 219
Share by type (all 401 native species)
Percent of the 401 native species in each growth type
Tree 14% (55)
Shrub 5% (19)
Wildflower (forb) 62% (247)
Grass or grass-like 13% (54)
Vine 4% (17)
Fern 2% (9)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (62%), followed by trees (14%).

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 5b to 6a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

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 Putnam County, Missouri
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy 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 plum Prunus americana Tree 24 ft Sun Medium 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 water plantain Alisma subcordatum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun High Zone 4a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
Bicknell's sedge Carex bicknellii Grass or grass-like 3.4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black maple Acer nigrum Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
broom sedge Carex scoparia Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant 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
butternut Juglans cinerea Tree 80 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
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
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 rose Rosa carolina Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana Tree 33 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7b
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 selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Tree 36 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low 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
cup plant Silphium perfoliatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 2b
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
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
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
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
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun 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
great St. Johnswort Hypericum ascyron Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
groundnut Apios americana Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
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 woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium Grass or grass-like 4.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana Fern 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Wildflower (forb) 9.8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
jewelweed Impatiens capensis Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
leadplant Amorpha canescens Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
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
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
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
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
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 purple coneflower Echinacea pallida Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun Medium 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
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
perplexed ticktrefoil Desmodium perplexum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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 willow Salix humilis Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
riverbank grape Vitis riparia Vine 45 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
rough avens Geum laciniatum Wildflower (forb) 3.1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
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
scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria Tree 45 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
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 sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
stalked bulrush Scirpus pedicellatus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 4b
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 1.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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 rose Rosa virginiana Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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 oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
white prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 231

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 false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
  • Bernard violet Viola ×bernardii
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
  • bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
  • clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
  • clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
  • 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 threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • compassplant Silphium laciniatum
  • Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • Davis' sedge Carex davisii
  • downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
  • downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
  • downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
  • dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
  • dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
  • dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
  • eastern daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
  • false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
  • feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
  • field thistle Cirsium discolor
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • foxtail prairie clover Dalea leporina
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
  • grape honeysuckle Lonicera reticulata
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • great Indian plantain Arnoglossum reniforme
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
  • green milkweed Asclepias hirtella
  • hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
  • hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
  • hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
  • hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
  • hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
  • hoary frostweed Helianthemum bicknellii
  • hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
  • hoary verbena Verbena stricta
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • husk tomato Physalis pubescens
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
  • inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
  • James' sedge Carex jamesii
  • Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
  • lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • lanceleaf ragweed Ambrosia bidentata
  • lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
  • largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • Lucretia dewberry Rubus roribaccus
  • manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
  • Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
  • narrowleaf gumweed Grindelia lanceolata
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
  • orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
  • pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
  • paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
  • palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • plain gentian Gentiana alba
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
  • prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
  • prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
  • prairie rose Rosa arkansana
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prairie violet Viola pedatifida
  • pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
  • purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
  • purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
  • purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
  • rough hawkweed Hieracium scabrum
  • rough rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes aspera
  • roundstem false foxglove Agalinis gattingeri
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
  • scaly blazing star Liatris squarrosa
  • shining bedstraw Galium concinnum
  • shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
  • showy lady's slipper Cypripedium reginae
  • showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
  • shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
  • silky dogwood Cornus obliqua
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
  • smooth rose Rosa blanda
  • soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
  • spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
  • spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
  • Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
  • stiff tickseed Coreopsis palmata
  • swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall blazing star Liatris aspera
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
  • tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
  • Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
  • upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
  • violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white arrowleaf aster Symphyotrichum urophyllum
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • white wand beardtongue Penstemon tubaeflorus
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled milkwort Polygala ambigua
  • whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
  • whorled mountainmint Pycnanthemum verticillatum
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • Wood's bunchflower Veratrum woodii
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
  • yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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
  • hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium

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, Putnam County and Missouri
MeasurePutnam CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 401 557 1,678
Garden-ready natives 170 219 558
Tree 55 — 149
Shrub 19 — 59
Wildflower (forb) 247 — 936
Grass or grass-like 54 — 395
Vine 17 — 79
Fern 9 — 60

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Putnam 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
Putnam County (county FIPS 29171), Missouri. 401 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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