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Native plants · Nebraska

Native plants of Jefferson County

201 plant species are recorded as native to Nebraska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Jefferson County by USDA PLANTS. 81 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Jefferson County, Nebraska

Native species
201 Typical Nebraska county: 169 (median of 93 counties)
Garden-ready natives
81 Typical Nebraska county: 81
Share by type (all 201 native species)
Percent of the 201 native species in each growth type
Tree 6% (12)
Shrub 3% (6)
Wildflower (forb) 64% (128)
Grass or grass-like 20% (40)
Vine 3% (7)
Fern 4% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (64%), 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 81

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

Garden-ready native plants of Jefferson 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 licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
American plum Prunus americana Tree 24 ft Sun Medium 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
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
black walnut Juglans nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4b
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Bush's sedge Carex bushii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
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
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
cloaked bulrush Scirpus pallidus Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common blue violet Viola sororia Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
crested sedge Carex cristatella Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 4a
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 redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata Grass or grass-like 5.7 ft Shade-tolerant 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
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Low Zone 3b
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus Grass or grass-like 9.8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
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
leadplant Amorpha canescens Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala Tree 52 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
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
red mulberry Morus rubra Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
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
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — 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
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
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
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
Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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 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
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 120

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.

  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
  • biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
  • big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
  • Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
  • Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • Davis' sedge Carex davisii
  • desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
  • diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
  • dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
  • eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • fall phlox Phlox paniculata
  • fall rosette grass Dichanthelium wilcoxianum
  • fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • hairy hawkweed Hieracium longipilum
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
  • heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • hoary verbena Verbena stricta
  • Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
  • Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
  • lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
  • large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
  • large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
  • light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
  • long-stolon sedge Carex inops
  • longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
  • longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
  • 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
  • northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
  • Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
  • Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
  • prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
  • prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
  • prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
  • prairie rose Rosa arkansana
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prairie violet Viola pedatifida
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • rope dodder Cuscuta glomerata
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
  • shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
  • showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
  • silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
  • slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
  • soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
  • sunbright Phemeranthus parviflorus
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
  • western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
  • western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
Also listed as native and introduced here 1

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, Jefferson County and Nebraska
MeasureJefferson CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 201 169 1,131
Garden-ready natives 81 81 452
Tree 12 — 68
Shrub 6 — 48
Wildflower (forb) 128 — 687
Grass or grass-like 40 — 253
Vine 7 — 46
Fern 8 — 29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Jefferson 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
Jefferson County (county FIPS 31095), Nebraska. 201 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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