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Native plants · North Carolina

Native plants of Cleveland County

362 plant species are recorded as native to North Carolina in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cleveland County by USDA PLANTS. 138 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

Cleveland County, North Carolina

Native species
362 Typical North Carolina county: 498 (median of 100 counties)
Garden-ready natives
138 Typical North Carolina county: 208
Share by type (all 362 native species)
Percent of the 362 native species in each growth type
Tree 15% (56)
Shrub 6% (23)
Wildflower (forb) 54% (194)
Grass or grass-like 16% (57)
Vine 6% (22)
Fern 3% (10)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (54%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (16%).

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 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 138

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

Garden-ready native plants of Cleveland County, North Carolina
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
American holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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 witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low 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 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
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium Tree 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia Tree 12 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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 ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana Tree 55 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
common rush Juncus effusus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Tree 36 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
common winterberry Ilex verticillata Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
fringed sedge Carex crinita Grass or grass-like 5.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
great laurel Rhododendron maximum Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
groundnut Apios americana Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
manyspike flatsedge Cyperus polystachyos Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 12a
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
mountain false indigo Amorpha glabra Shrub 16 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia Tree 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis Fern 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
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
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 12a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
red maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus Shrub 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
shaggy blazing star Liatris pilosa Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
silky willow Salix sericea Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens Shrub 18 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
southern red oak Quercus falcata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
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
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia pine Pinus virginiana Tree 70 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
water oak Quercus nigra Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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 fringetree Chionanthus virginicus Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
whitegrass Leersia virginica Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
willow oak Quercus phellos Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
winged sumac Rhus copallinum Tree 8 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 224

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
  • American alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • Appalachian barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
  • arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
  • bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
  • big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
  • bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • black baneberry Actaea racemosa
  • black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • Bowman's root Gillenia trifoliata
  • Bradley's spleenwort Asplenium bradleyi
  • bristly locust Robinia hispida
  • broadleaf ironweed Vernonia glauca
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian licorice-root Ligusticum canadense
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
  • clustered fescue Festuca paradoxa
  • clustered mountainmint Pycnanthemum muticum
  • common dittany Cunila origanoides
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
  • cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
  • creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
  • downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
  • dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
  • dwarf cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
  • dwarf violet iris Iris verna
  • early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
  • early St. Johnswort Hypericum nudiflorum
  • earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
  • eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern smooth beardtongue Penstemon laevigatus
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
  • Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
  • fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
  • Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fox grape Vitis labrusca
  • fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
  • Gray's flatsedge Cyperus grayi
  • Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
  • hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
  • hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • heartleaf foamflower Tiarella cordifolia
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • highland doghobble Leucothoe fontanesiana
  • hoary mountainmint Pycnanthemum incanum
  • hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
  • hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
  • hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
  • leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
  • lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • lined sedge Carex striatula
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
  • low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
  • mountain silverbell Halesia tetraptera
  • mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
  • palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prostrate blue violet Viola walteri
  • prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
  • purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
  • queendevil Hieracium gronovii
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
  • rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • rough dropseed Sporobolus clandestinus
  • rough flatsedge Cyperus retrofractus
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • running serviceberry Amelanchier stolonifera
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • sand hickory Carya pallida
  • scaly blazing star Liatris squarrosa
  • scentless mock orange Philadelphus inodorus
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
  • Short's hedgehyssop Gratiola viscidula
  • shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
  • singlehead pussytoes Antennaria solitaria
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
  • slender plantain Plantago heterophylla
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slim amaranth Amaranthus hybridus
  • small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smallfruit agrimony Agrimonia microcarpa
  • smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium marilandicum
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
  • toothed whitetop aster Sericocarpus asteroides
  • trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
  • trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • twining snoutbean Rhynchosia tomentosa
  • upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
  • vasevine Clematis viorna
  • Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
  • violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
  • Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
  • white colicroot Aletris farinosa
  • white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
  • white turtlehead Chelone glabra
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • white wild indigo Baptisia alba
  • white wood aster Eurybia divaricata
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • woodland flax Linum virginianum
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
  • woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
  • woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
  • yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
  • yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
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
  • Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides

Compared with North Carolina

The typical county is the median of the 100 North Carolina 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, Cleveland County and North Carolina
MeasureCleveland CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 362 498 1,920
Garden-ready natives 138 208 654
Tree 56 — 198
Shrub 23 — 107
Wildflower (forb) 194 — 996
Grass or grass-like 57 — 453
Vine 22 — 80
Fern 10 — 86

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Cleveland 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
Cleveland County (county FIPS 37045), North Carolina. 362 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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