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Native plants · Nebraska

Native plants of Gage County

167 plant species are recorded as native to Nebraska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Gage County by USDA PLANTS. 76 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

Gage County, Nebraska

Native species
167 Typical Nebraska county: 169 (median of 93 counties)
Garden-ready natives
76 Typical Nebraska county: 81
Share by type (all 167 native species)
Percent of the 167 native species in each growth type
Tree 4% (7)
Shrub 2% (4)
Wildflower (forb) 68% (114)
Grass or grass-like 20% (33)
Vine 4% (6)
Fern 2% (3)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (68%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (20%).

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 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 76

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

Garden-ready native plants of Gage County, Nebraska
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 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 vetch Vicia americana Vine 1.3 ft Sun 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
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low 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
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun–part shade 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
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens Grass or grass-like 5.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 2a
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
knotted rush Juncus nodosus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
leadplant Amorpha canescens Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low 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
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High 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
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
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
porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
purplestem beggarticks Bidens connata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
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
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
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia Wildflower (forb) 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum Vine 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
white prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 91

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.

  • aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
  • big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
  • diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
  • downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
  • Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • fall rosette grass Dichanthelium wilcoxianum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
  • hairy hawkweed Hieracium longipilum
  • heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
  • hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
  • hoary verbena Verbena stricta
  • Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
  • lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
  • lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
  • Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
  • longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
  • longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • Mead's sedge Carex meadii
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
  • Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
  • narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
  • oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
  • prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
  • prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
  • prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
  • prairie rose Rosa arkansana
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prairie violet Viola pedatifida
  • Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
  • shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
  • showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
  • silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • tall blazing star Liatris aspera
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
  • tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
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.

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, Gage County and Nebraska
MeasureGage CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 167 169 1,131
Garden-ready natives 76 81 452
Tree 7 — 68
Shrub 4 — 48
Wildflower (forb) 114 — 687
Grass or grass-like 33 — 253
Vine 6 — 46
Fern 3 — 29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Gage 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
Gage County (county FIPS 31067), Nebraska. 167 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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