Native plants · Nebraska

Native plants of Howard County

241 plant species are recorded as native to Nebraska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Howard County by USDA PLANTS. 106 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

Howard County, Nebraska

Native species: 241 Typical Nebraska county: 169 (median of 93 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 106 Typical Nebraska county: 81
Share by type (all 241 native species): Percent of the 241 native species in each growth type

Tree 5% (11)
Shrub 2% (5)
Wildflower (forb) 58% (140)
Grass or grass-like 30% (72)
Vine 5% (11)
Fern <1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (58%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (30%).

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 5b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 106

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

Garden-ready native plants of Howard County, Nebraska
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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 wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cloaked bulrush Scirpus pallidus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	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 sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
crested sedge Carex cristatella	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
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
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
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
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
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
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
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	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
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
hairy sedge Carex lacustris	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
inland sedge Carex interior	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
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
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
Nuttall's sunflower Helianthus nuttallii	Wildflower (forb)	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper	Wildflower (forb)	2.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
sand lovegrass Eragrostis trichodes	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
sandcherry Prunus pumila	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
threetooth ragwort Packera tridenticulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
troublesome sedge Carex molesta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
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
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
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
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 135

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.

amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
aridland goosefoot Chenopodium desiccatum
aster Symphyotrichum ×amethystinum
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
bulblet-bearing water hemlock Cicuta bulbifera
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
Crawe's sedge Carex crawei
creeping lovegrass Neeragrostis reptans
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
Drummond's halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha drummondii
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
fall rosette grass Dichanthelium wilcoxianum
field pansy Viola bicolor
Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
forked threeawn Aristida basiramea
fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
foxtail prairie clover Dalea leporina
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
meadow garlic Allium canadense
meadow willow Salix petiolaris
mealy goosefoot Chenopodium incanum
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
pale dock Rumex altissimus
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
prairie rose Rosa arkansana
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
rope dodder Cuscuta glomerata
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
sixangle spurge Euphorbia hexagona
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
sunbright Phemeranthus parviflorus
swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
umbrella flatsedge Cyperus diandrus
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
western waterweed Elodea nuttallii
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
white lady's slipper Cypripedium candidum
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii

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.

common reedPhragmites australis
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

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, Howard County and Nebraska
Measure	Howard County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	241	169	1,131
Garden-ready natives	106	81	452
Tree	11	—	68
Shrub	5	—	48
Wildflower (forb)	140	—	687
Grass or grass-like	72	—	253
Vine	11	—	46
Fern	2	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Howard County.

Greeley County, NE 94 garden-ready
Hall County, NE 164 garden-ready
Merrick County, NE 89 garden-ready
Sherman County, NE 88 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: Howard County (county FIPS 31093), Nebraska. 241 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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