Native plants · North Carolina

Native plants of Yadkin County

281 plant species are recorded as native to North Carolina in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Yadkin County by USDA PLANTS. 109 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

Yadkin County, North Carolina

Native species: 281 Typical North Carolina county: 498 (median of 100 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 109 Typical North Carolina county: 208
Share by type (all 281 native species): Percent of the 281 native species in each growth type

Tree 8% (23)
Shrub 3% (9)
Wildflower (forb) 58% (163)
Grass or grass-like 21% (59)
Vine 2% (7)
Fern 7% (20)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (58%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (21%).

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 7b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 109

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

Garden-ready native plants of Yadkin County, North Carolina
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American hazelnut Corylus americana	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	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 water plantain Alisma subcordatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
beaked agrimony Agrimonia rostellata	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
black walnut Juglans nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
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 rush Juncus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
chestnut oak Quercus montana	Tree	73 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
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
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
field paspalum Paspalum laeve	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
forked rush Juncus dichotomus	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8b
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
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
little barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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 spicebush Lindera benzoin	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
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
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
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum	Wildflower (forb)	8.1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
silky willow Salix sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	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
steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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 tupelo Nyssa biflora	Tree	115 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana	Tree	60 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 9a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus	Wildflower (forb)	5 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
trumpetweed Eutrochium fistulosum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
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 flatsedge Cyperus flavescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 172

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.

Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
Allegheny hawkweed Hieracium paniculatum
Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
American alumroot Heuchera americana
American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
black baneberry Actaea racemosa
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
Bowman's root Gillenia trifoliata
bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
broadleaf ironweed Vernonia glauca
brownish beaksedge Rhynchospora capitellata
buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
early bluegrass Poa cuspidata
earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
field pansy Viola bicolor
fire pink Silene virginica
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
greater tickseed Coreopsis major
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
hairy small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium ciliare
hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
highland doghobble Leucothoe fontanesiana
hoary mountainmint Pycnanthemum incanum
hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
Illinois pinweed Lechea racemulosa
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
loosehead beaksedge Rhynchospora chalarocephala
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Nuttall's milkwort Polygala nuttallii
pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
poorjoe Diodia teres
purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
richweed Collinsonia canadensis
rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
rosepink Sabatia angularis
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
shaggy hedgehyssop Gratiola pilosa
shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
slender yelloweyed grass Xyris torta
small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
star chickweed Stellaria pubera
starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
strawberry-tomato Physalis grisea
striped gentian Gentiana villosa
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
toothed whitetop aster Sericocarpus asteroides
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
weakstalk bulrush Schoenoplectiella purshiana
white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
white wood aster Eurybia divaricata
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
woodland flax Linum virginianum
woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
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.

hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
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, Yadkin County and North Carolina
Measure	Yadkin County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	281	498	1,920
Garden-ready natives	109	208	654
Tree	23	—	198
Shrub	9	—	107
Wildflower (forb)	163	—	996
Grass or grass-like	59	—	453
Vine	7	—	80
Fern	20	—	86

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Yadkin County.

Davie County, NC 160 garden-ready
Iredell County, NC 221 garden-ready
Wilkes County, NC 158 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: Yadkin County (county FIPS 37197), North Carolina. 281 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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