Native plants · Nebraska
Native plants of Kearney County
346 plant species are recorded as native to Nebraska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Kearney County by USDA PLANTS. 153 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
Kearney County, Nebraska
- Native species
- 346 Typical Nebraska county: 169 (median of 93 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 153 Typical Nebraska county: 81
- Share by type (all 346 native species)
-
Percent of the 346 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (60%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (31%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 153
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| American bittersweet Celastrus scandens | Vine | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| blue grama Bouteloua gracilis | Grass or grass-like | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| boxelder Acer negundo | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| broom sedge Carex scoparia | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides | Grass or grass-like | 6 in | Sun | 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 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 horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus | Grass or grass-like | 1.7 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 evening primrose Oenothera biennis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common reed Phragmites australis | Shrub | 13 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | 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 |
| cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 12b |
| 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 woodland sedge Carex blanda | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| fiddleleaf hawksbeard Crepis runcinata | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 sedge Carex aurea | Grass or grass-like | 1.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | 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 |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 |
| green needlegrass Nassella viridula | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus | Wildflower (forb) | 9.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | 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 |
| needle and thread Hesperostipa comata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis | Grass or grass-like | 8 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 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 |
| prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| 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 |
| river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis | Grass or grass-like | 6.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| riverbank grape Vitis riparia | Vine | 45 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun | High | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| sandhill muhly Muhlenbergia pungens | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis | Grass or grass-like | 2.9 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum | Fern | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| soapweed yucca Yucca glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| squirreltail Elymus elymoides | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus | Grass or grass-like | 1.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| threetooth ragwort Packera tridenticulata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus | Wildflower (forb) | 5 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| water sedge Carex aquatilis | Grass or grass-like | 2.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| wheat sedge Carex atherodes | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| white doll's daisy Boltonia asteroides | Wildflower (forb) | 8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| Woods' rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| woolly locoweed Astragalus mollissimus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| woolly plantain Plantago patagonica | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 193
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- American bugseed Corispermum americanum
- annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
- annual marsh elder Iva annua
- aridland goosefoot Chenopodium desiccatum
- aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
- azure blue sage Salvia azurea
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
- bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
- biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
- big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
- bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
- blackfoot quillwort Isoetes melanopoda
- blowout grass Redfieldia flexuosa
- blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
- bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
- Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
- carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
- Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
- Carolina draba Draba reptans
- Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
- Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
- Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
- clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
- clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
- common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- compassplant Silphium laciniatum
- Crawe's sedge Carex crawei
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
- Drummond's halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha drummondii
- dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
- eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
- eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
- Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
- Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- fall rosette grass Dichanthelium wilcoxianum
- fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
- forked threeawn Aristida basiramea
- fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
- foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
- foxtail prairie clover Dalea leporina
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
- Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
- groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
- hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
- hairy four o'clock Mirabilis hirsuta
- hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
- hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
- hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
- Hall's bulrush Schoenoplectiella hallii
- heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
- heavy sedge Carex gravida
- hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
- Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
- hoary verbena Verbena stricta
- hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
- Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
- lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
- large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
- large St. Johnswort Hypericum majus
- lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
- light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
- long-stolon sedge Carex inops
- longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
- longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
- Macoun's barley ×Elyhordeum macounii
- marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
- mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
- matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
- Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- Mead's sedge Carex meadii
- Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
- narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
- narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- neckweed Veronica peregrina
- needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
- northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
- Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
- Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
- Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
- pale dock Rumex altissimus
- pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
- pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
- Paradox cinquefoil Potentilla paradoxa
- Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
- plains bluegrass Poa arida
- plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
- plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
- pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
- poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
- prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
- prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
- prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
- prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
- prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
- prairie rose Rosa arkansana
- prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
- prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
- prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
- prairie violet Viola pedatifida
- puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
- purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
- purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
- redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- River Broom-Rape Orobanche riparia
- Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
- rope dodder Cuscuta glomerata
- rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
- scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
- seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
- shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
- shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
- shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
- silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
- silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
- sixangle spurge Euphorbia hexagona
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
- slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
- slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
- slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
- slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
- small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
- smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
- smooth rose Rosa blanda
- snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
- soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
- spinystar Escobaria vivipara
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
- stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
- swamp verbena Verbena hastata
- tall blazing star Liatris aspera
- tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
- Texas croton Croton texensis
- Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
- thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
- tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
- veiny dock Rumex venosus
- velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
- velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
- Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
- wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
- western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
- western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- white lady's slipper Cypripedium candidum
- white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
- whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
- willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
- winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
- winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
- woolly sedge Carex pellita
- yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
- yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
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.
- 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.
| Measure | Kearney County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 346 | 169 | 1,131 |
| Garden-ready natives | 153 | 81 | 452 |
| Tree | 9 | — | 68 |
| Shrub | 11 | — | 48 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 207 | — | 687 |
| Grass or grass-like | 106 | — | 253 |
| Vine | 8 | — | 46 |
| Fern | 5 | — | 29 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Kearney County.
- Adams County, NE 59 garden-ready
- Buffalo County, NE 154 garden-ready
- Franklin County, NE 102 garden-ready
- Phelps County, NE 70 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
- Kearney County (county FIPS 31099), Nebraska. 346 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