Native plants · Nebraska

Native plants of Banner County

169 plant species are recorded as native to Nebraska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Banner County by USDA PLANTS. 85 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Banner County, Nebraska

Native species: 169 Typical Nebraska county: 169 (median of 93 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 85 Typical Nebraska county: 81
Share by type (all 169 native species): Percent of the 169 native species in each growth type

Tree 4% (6)
Shrub 5% (9)
Wildflower (forb) 64% (108)
Grass or grass-like 22% (37)
Vine 4% (7)
Fern 1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (64%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (22%).

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 5a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 85

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

Garden-ready native plants of Banner County, Nebraska
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alderleaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus montanus	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alkali cordgrass Spartina gracilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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
broadbeard beardtongue Penstemon angustifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
cloaked bulrush Scirpus pallidus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
fiddleleaf hawksbeard Crepis runcinata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
inland rush Juncus interior	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
littleleaf pussytoes Antennaria microphylla	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
littleseed ricegrass Piptatheropsis micrantha	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Nebraska sedge Carex nebrascensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
prairie sandreed Calamovilfa longifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand bluestem Andropogon hallii	Grass or grass-like	6.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
sandcherry Prunus pumila	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
sandhill muhly Muhlenbergia pungens	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
sawsepal penstemon Penstemon glaber	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
star duckweed Lemna trisulca	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
textile onion Allium textile	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
thrift mock goldenweed Stenotus armerioides	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
tufted evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
wax currant Ribes cereum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
winterfat Krascheninnikovia lanata	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
woolly groundsel Packera cana	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 84

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 lopseed Phryma leptostachya
annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
ballhead ipomopsis Ipomopsis congesta
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy four o'clock Mirabilis hirsuta
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
Louisiana broomrape Orobanche ludoviciana
manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
mealy goosefoot Chenopodium incanum
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
nodding buckwheat Eriogonum cernuum
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
painted milkvetch Astragalus ceramicus
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
sanddune cryptantha Cryptantha fendleri
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
slender lipfern Cheilanthes feei
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
Texas croton Croton texensis
veiny dock Rumex venosus
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woolly sedge Carex pellita

Compared with Nebraska

The typical county is the median of the 93 Nebraska 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, Banner County and Nebraska
Measure	Banner County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	169	169	1,131
Garden-ready natives	85	81	452
Tree	6	—	68
Shrub	9	—	48
Wildflower (forb)	108	—	687
Grass or grass-like	37	—	253
Vine	7	—	46
Fern	2	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Banner County.

Cheyenne County, NE 68 garden-ready
Kimball County, NE 68 garden-ready
Morrill County, NE 88 garden-ready
Scotts Bluff County, NE 112 garden-ready
Laramie County, WY 236 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: Banner County (county FIPS 31007), Nebraska. 169 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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