Native plants · Nebraska

Native plants of Lancaster County

504 plant species are recorded as native to Nebraska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Lancaster County by USDA PLANTS. 213 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Lancaster County, Nebraska

Native species: 504 Typical Nebraska county: 169 (median of 93 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 213 Typical Nebraska county: 81
Share by type (all 504 native species): Percent of the 504 native species in each growth type

Tree 6% (30)
Shrub 2% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 62% (313)
Grass or grass-like 22% (113)
Vine 5% (27)
Fern 2% (10)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (62%), 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 zones 5b to 6a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 213

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

Garden-ready native plants of Lancaster County, Nebraska
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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 black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
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 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
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
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Bicknell's sedge Carex bicknellii	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	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
black oak Quercus velutina	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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 snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	—
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 horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	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
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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 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
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
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
crested sedge Carex cristatella	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
cup plant Silphium perfoliatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 2b
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
disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
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 redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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
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
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	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
frost grape Vitis vulpina	Vine	83 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
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
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
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
leadplant Amorpha canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	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
Maryland senna Senna marilandica	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4b
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
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern red oak Quercus rubra	Tree	81 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
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 smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie crab apple Malus ioensis	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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 wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
prairie willow Salix humilis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
purplestem beggarticks Bidens connata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
ravenfoot sedge Carex crus-corvi	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
red swampfire Salicornia rubra	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
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
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
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 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
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
shoreline sedge Carex hyalinolepis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
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
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus	Wildflower (forb)	5 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
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
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	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
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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
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
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b
yellow spiderflower Cleome lutea	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 12a

Other native species recorded here 291

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.

Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
American bugseed Corispermum americanum
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
annual marsh elder Iva annua
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blue mudplantain Heteranthera limosa
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
Carolina draba Draba reptans
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
chaffweed Anagallis minima
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
compassplant Silphium laciniatum
creeping lovegrass Neeragrostis reptans
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
cutleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum pinnatum
Davis' sedge Carex davisii
desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
fall rosette grass Dichanthelium wilcoxianum
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
foxtail prairie clover Dalea leporina
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
glomerate sedge Carex aggregata
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
grooved flax Linum sulcatum
groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy four o'clock Mirabilis hirsuta
hairy hawkweed Hieracium longipilum
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
heavy sedge Carex gravida
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
Leiberg's panicum Dichanthelium leibergii
light poppymallow Callirhoe alcaeoides
lilac penstemon Penstemon gracilis
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
Mead's sedge Carex meadii
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
minute duckweed Lemna perpusilla
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
nodding muhly Muhlenbergia bushii
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
northern wildrice Zizania palustris
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
pale dock Rumex altissimus
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
plains bluegrass Poa arida
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
prairie plantain Plantago elongata
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 false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
rope dodder Cuscuta glomerata
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
rough rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes aspera
roundstem false foxglove Agalinis gattingeri
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
sessilefruit arrowhead Sagittaria rigida
Short's rockcress Arabis shortii
shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
sixweeks threeawn Aristida adscensionis
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smartweed dodder Cuscuta polygonorum
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
southern cattail Typha domingensis
southern sedge Carex austrina
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
white lady's slipper Cypripedium candidum
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
widowsfrill Silene stellata
willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
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, Lancaster County and Nebraska
Measure	Lancaster County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	504	169	1,131
Garden-ready natives	213	81	452
Tree	30	—	68
Shrub	11	—	48
Wildflower (forb)	313	—	687
Grass or grass-like	113	—	253
Vine	27	—	46
Fern	10	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Lancaster County.

Cass County, NE 189 garden-ready
Gage County, NE 76 garden-ready
Otoe County, NE 168 garden-ready
Saline County, NE 58 garden-ready
Saunders County, NE 143 garden-ready
Seward County, NE 91 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: Lancaster County (county FIPS 31109), Nebraska. 504 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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