Native plants · New York

Native plants of Essex County

854 plant species are recorded as native to New York in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Essex County by USDA PLANTS. 345 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Essex County, New York

Native species: 854 Typical New York county: 699 (median of 62 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 345 Typical New York county: 299
Share by type (all 854 native species): Percent of the 854 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (75)
Shrub 9% (75)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (422)
Grass or grass-like 24% (209)
Vine 2% (14)
Fern 7% (59)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (24%).

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 4a to 5a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 345

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

Garden-ready native plants of Essex County, New York
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alderleaf buckthorn Rhamnus alnifolia	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier laevis	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American beech Fagus grandifolia	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
American bur-reed Sparganium americanum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American eelgrass Vallisneria americana	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American mountain ash Sorbus americana	Tree	40 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
American red raspberry Rubus idaeus	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
American speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
arborvitae Thuja occidentalis	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
arctic brome Bromus kalmii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Bailey's sedge Carex baileyi	Grass or grass-like	2.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
balsam fir Abies balsamea	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera	Tree	80 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Bigelow's sedge Carex bigelowii	Grass or grass-like	5 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
bigleaf aster Eurybia macrophylla	Wildflower (forb)	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
black ash Fraxinus nigra	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 9b
black crowberry Empetrum nigrum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
black oak Quercus velutina	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
black spruce Picea mariana	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 1a
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bluebead Clintonia borealis	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
bog birch Betula pumila	Shrub	20 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
bog blueberry Vaccinium uliginosum	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
bog goldenrod Solidago uliginosa	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
bog Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
bog laurel Kalmia polifolia	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bog muhly Muhlenbergia uniflora	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
bog willowherb Epilobium leptophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bristly dewberry Rubus hispidus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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
broadlipped twayblade Listera convallarioides	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
broom sedge Carex scoparia	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
butternut Juglans cinerea	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	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 yew Taxus canadensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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 plum Prunus nigra	Tree	9 ft	Sun	—	Zone 9b
Canadian rush Juncus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis	Tree	23 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
cattail sedge Carex typhina	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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 cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	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 juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
common winterberry Ilex verticillata	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
creeping snowberry Gaultheria hispidula	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
crested woodfern Dryopteris cristata	Fern	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
crookedstem aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
Dewey sedge Carex deweyana	Grass or grass-like	3.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
downy arrowwood Viburnum rafinesqueanum	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
drooping sedge Carex prasina	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis	Tree	105 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
eastern rough sedge Carex scabrata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
eastern teaberry Gaultheria procumbens	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
eastern white pine Pinus strobus	Tree	150 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
flattened oatgrass Danthonia compressa	Grass or grass-like	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
fringed sedge Carex crinita	Grass or grass-like	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Georgia bulrush Scirpus georgianus	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
glaucous bluegrass Poa glauca	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3a
golden ragwort Packera aurea	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
golden sedge Carex aurea	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
graceful sedge Carex gracillima	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Gray's sedge Carex grayi	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater straw sedge Carex normalis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green alder Alnus viridis	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
hobblebush Viburnum lantanoides	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana	Tree	45 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
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 sedge Carex interior	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana	Fern	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
jack pine Pinus banksiana	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
jointleaf rush Juncus articulatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Shrub	6 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
knotted rush Juncus nodosus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
lakeshore sedge Carex lenticularis	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Lapland rosebay Rhododendron lapponicum	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
lesser bladderwort Utricularia minor	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 3a
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
little green sedge Carex viridula	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
livid sedge Carex livida	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
longhair sedge Carex comosa	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
lopsided rush Juncus secundus	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
melic mannagrass Glyceria melicaria	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
moss phlox Phlox subulata	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
mountain maple Acer spicatum	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
mud sedge Carex limosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
nannyberry Viburnum lentago	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
narrowleaf evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
necklace sedge Carex projecta	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nerveless woodland sedge Carex leptonervia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
New York aster Symphyotrichum novi-belgii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
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
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
nodding waternymph Najas flexilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern bush honeysuckle Diervilla lonicera	Shrub	2.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern mountain ash Sorbus decora	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2a
northern red oak Quercus rubra	Tree	81 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
northern singlespike sedge Carex scirpoidea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern St. Johnswort Hypericum boreale	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
pale purple coneflower Echinacea pallida	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
paper birch Betula papyrifera	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie willow Salix humilis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
prickly currant Ribes lacustre	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
prickly rose Rosa acicularis	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
purple avens Geum rivale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
purpleflowering raspberry Rubus odoratus	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum	Wildflower (forb)	8.1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
pussy willow Salix discolor	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
quill sedge Carex tenera	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
rattlesnake mannagrass Glyceria canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
red currant Ribes triste	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 1a
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
red pine Pinus resinosa	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
red spruce Picea rubens	Tree	110 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
rhodora Rhododendron canadense	Shrub	18 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
ribbonleaf pondweed Potamogeton epihydrus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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 wildrye Elymus riparius	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Robbins' pondweed Potamogeton robbinsii	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
rough avens Geum laciniatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
rough bedstraw Galium asprellum	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
roundleaf dogwood Cornus rugosa	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
roundleaf serviceberry Amelanchier sanguinea	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
sandcherry Prunus pumila	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shining willow Salix lucida	Tree	13 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
silky willow Salix sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
slender bulrush Schoenoplectus heterochaetus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
small beggarticks Bidens discoidea	Wildflower (forb)	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
southern arrowwood Viburnum recognitum	Tree	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
spiked muhly Muhlenbergia glomerata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
spiked woodrush Luzula spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spotted joe pye weed Eutrochium maculatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
squashberry Viburnum edule	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
staghorn sumac Rhus typhina	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
stalked bulrush Scirpus pedicellatus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum	Fern	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
striped maple Acer pensylvanicum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
sugar maple Acer saccharum	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
summer grape Vitis aestivalis	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swamp rose Rosa palustris	Shrub	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp white oak Quercus bicolor	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
sweet fern Comptonia peregrina	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
sweetflag Acorus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sweetgale Myrica gale	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
sweetgrass Hierochloe odorata	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
tamarack Larix laricina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
tawny cottongrass Eriophorum virginicum	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
threeseeded sedge Carex trisperma	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
tufted bulrush Trichophorum cespitosum	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Virginia rose Rosa virginiana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile	Fern	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
wavy hairgrass Deschampsia flexuosa	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	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 edge sedge Carex debilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6a
white meadowsweet Spiraea alba	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
white spruce Picea glauca	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
whitestem pondweed Potamogeton praelongus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
woodland horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 509

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.

Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
agueweed Gentianella quinquefolia
Allegheny hawkweed Hieracium paniculatum
Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
allegheny vine Adlumia fungosa
alpine bulrush Trichophorum alpinum
alpine pondweed Potamogeton alpinus
alpine violet Viola labradorica
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American cancer-root Conopholis americana
American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
American fly honeysuckle Lonicera canadensis
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium americanum
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American marshpennywort Hydrocotyle americana
American milletgrass Milium effusum
American spikenard Aralia racemosa
American spurred gentian Halenia deflexa
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
American wintergreen Pyrola americana
Appalachian barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
Appalachian clubmoss Huperzia appalachiana
Appalachian gooseberry Ribes rotundifolium
Appalachian sedge Carex appalachica
Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
autumn willow Salix serissima
azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
Back's sedge Carex backii
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
balm-of-Gilead Populus ×jackii
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bay forget-me-not Myosotis laxa
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
Beck's water-marigold Bidens beckii
beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
Bicknell's cranesbill Geranium bicknellii
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
bigfruit hawthorn Crataegus macrosperma
blackgirdle bulrush Scirpus atrocinctus
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blackseed ricegrass Patis racemosa
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
blite goosefoot Chenopodium capitatum
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluntleaved orchid Platanthera obtusata
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bluntlobe grapefern Botrychium oneidense
bog fern Thelypteris simulata
bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia
bog white violet Viola lanceolata
bog willow Salix pedicellaris
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
bright green spikerush Eleocharis olivacea
bristly sarsaparilla Aralia hispida
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
brown beaksedge Rhynchospora fusca
brownfruit rush Juncus pelocarpus
brownish beaksedge Rhynchospora capitellata
brownish sedge Carex brunnescens
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
bulblet-bearing water hemlock Cicuta bulbifera
Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian burnet Sanguisorba canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
catberry Ilex mucronata
checkered rattlesnake plantain Goodyera tesselata
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
claspingleaf pondweed Potamogeton perfoliatus
claspleaf twistedstalk Streptopus amplexifolius
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
Clinton's woodfern Dryopteris clintoniana
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
clustered sedge Carex cumulata
coastal jointweed Polygonella articulata
coastal sedge Carex exilis
Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common marsh bedstraw Galium palustre
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
Crawford's sedge Carex crawfordii
crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cypress-like sedge Carex pseudocyperus
deeproot clubmoss Lycopodium tristachyum
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
Dortmann's cardinalflower Lobelia dortmanna
dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
downy goldenrod Solidago puberula
downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
dragon's mouth Arethusa bulbosa
drooping woodland sedge Carex arctata
dryspike sedge Carex siccata
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf ginseng Panax trifolius
dwarf red blackberry Rubus pubescens
dwarf scouringrush Equisetum scirpoides
early azalea Rhododendron prinophyllum
early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
early goldenrod Solidago juncea
early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
earth loosestrife Lysimachia terrestris
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus
eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
eastern star sedge Carex radiata
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
elliptic spikerush Eleocharis elliptica
European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
false melic Schizachne purpurascens
fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fewflower sedge Carex pauciflora
fewnerved cottongrass Eriophorum tenellum
fewseed sedge Carex oligosperma
fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
field thistle Cirsium discolor
fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
flat-top goldentop Euthamia graminifolia
flatleaf bladderwort Utricularia intermedia
fleshy hawthorn Crataegus succulenta
floating bur-reed Sparganium fluctuans
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
forked threeawn Aristida basiramea
fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
fragile rockbrake Cryptogramma stelleri
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
Fraser's marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum fraseri
Fries' pondweed Potamogeton friesii
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
gall of the earth Prenanthes trifoliolata
Gattinger's panicgrass Panicum gattingeri
gaywings Polygala paucifolia
giant sunflower Helianthus giganteus
glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
golden zizia Zizia aurea
Goldie's woodfern Dryopteris goldieana
grassleaf mudplantain Heteranthera dubia
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
greater fringed gentian Gentianopsis crinita
greater purple fringed orchid Platanthera grandiflora
green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green false hellebore Veratrum viride
green rockcress Arabis missouriensis
Greene's rush Juncus greenei
greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
groundcedar Lycopodium complanatum
grove bluegrass Poa alsodes
hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairy goldenrod Solidago hispida
hairy lettuce Lactuca hirsuta
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
hairystem gooseberry Ribes hirtellum
handsome sedge Carex formosa
harlequin blueflag Iris versicolor
Hayden's sedge Carex haydenii
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
hemlock rosette grass Dichanthelium sabulorum
hiddenfruit bladderwort Utricularia geminiscapa
Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Hooker's orchid Platanthera hookeri
horned bladderwort Utricularia cornuta
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
Houghton's flatsedge Cyperus houghtonii
Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
inundated clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata
Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
lakecress Neobeckia aquatica
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
lanceleaf wild licorice Galium lanceolatum
large St. Johnswort Hypericum majus
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
lavender bladderwort Utricularia resupinata
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
lesser Canadian St. Johnswort Hypericum canadense
lesser clearweed Pilea fontana
lesser purple fringed orchid Platanthera psycodes
lesser rattlesnake plantain Goodyera repens
lesser roundleaved orchid Platanthera orbiculata
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
little evening primrose Oenothera perennis
little floatingheart Nymphoides cordata
little grapefern Botrychium simplex
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
longspur violet Viola rostrata
longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
Macoun's cudweed Pseudognaphalium macounii
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh willowherb Epilobium palustre
Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
matricary grapefern Botrychium matricariifolium
matted spikerush Eleocharis intermedia
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow horsetail Equisetum pratense
meadow willow Salix petiolaris
Michaux's stitchwort Minuartia michauxii
moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
mosquito bulrush Scirpus hattorianus
mountain ricegrass Piptatheropsis pungens
mountain woodfern Dryopteris campyloptera
mountain woodsorrel Oxalis montana
naked miterwort Mitella nuda
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
narrowleaf cowwheat Melampyrum lineare
narrowleaf pondweed Potamogeton strictifolius
narrowpanicle rush Juncus brevicaudatus
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
nodding sedge Carex gynandra
northeastern sedge Carex cryptolepis
northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
northern bentgrass Agrostis mertensii
northern bog aster Symphyotrichum boreale
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
northern evening primrose Oenothera parviflora
northern long sedge Carex folliculata
northern panicgrass Dichanthelium boreale
northern sedge Carex deflexa
northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
northern shorthusk Brachyelytrum aristosum
northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
northern wildrice Zizania palustris
northern woodland violet Viola septentrionalis
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Oakes' pondweed Potamogeton oakesianus
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
oldpasture bluegrass Poa saltuensis
one-cone clubmoss Lycopodium lagopus
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
Ontario lobelia Lobelia kalmii
orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
painted trillium Trillium undulatum
pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
pale sedge Carex pallescens
pale St. Johnswort Hypericum ellipticum
palegreen orchid Platanthera flava
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
parasol sedge Carex umbellata
parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
Peck's sedge Carex peckii
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple pitcherplant Sarracenia purpurea
purplestem angelica Angelica atropurpurea
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
rannoch-rush Scheuchzeria palustris
rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
red baneberry Actaea rubra
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
red trillium Trillium erectum
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
ribbed sedge Carex virescens
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
Robbins' spikerush Eleocharis robbinsii
Robert geranium Geranium robertianum
robin runaway Dalibarda repens
rock harlequin Corydalis sempervirens
rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
rough hawkweed Hieracium scabrum
roughleaf ricegrass Oryzopsis asperifolia
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
roundleaf yellow violet Viola rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
rusty woodsia Woodsia ilvensis
saltmeadow rush Juncus gerardii
sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
scarlet beebalm Monarda didyma
scarlet hawthorn Crataegus pedicellata
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
Selkirk's violet Viola selkirkii
Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sessilefruit arrowhead Sagittaria rigida
sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
setose blackberry Rubus setosus
sevenangle pipewort Eriocaulon aquaticum
shaved sedge Carex tonsa
sheep laurel Kalmia angustifolia
shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
shining lady's tresses Spiranthes lucida
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
showy lady's slipper Cypripedium reginae
showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
shrubby fivefingers Sibbaldiopsis tridentata
shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
single delight Moneses uniflora
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
skunk currant Ribes glandulosum
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
slender rosette grass Dichanthelium xanthophysum
slender watermilfoil Myriophyllum tenellum
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
small bur-reed Sparganium natans
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
small waterwort Elatine minima
smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
smooth blackberry Rubus canadensis
smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth rose Rosa blanda
smooth sawgrass Cladium mariscoides
snailseed pondweed Potamogeton bicupulatus
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
snowline wintergreen Pyrola minor
soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
spineless hornwort Ceratophyllum echinatum
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spiral pondweed Potamogeton spirillus
spoonleaf sundew Drosera intermedia
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
starflower Trientalis borealis
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
stout goldenrod Solidago squarrosa
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
swamp thistle Cirsium muticum
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
swaying bulrush Schoenoplectus subterminalis
sweet white violet Viola blanda
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
terrestrial water-starwort Callitriche terrestris
thinleaf cottonsedge Eriophorum viridicarinatum
thinleaf sedge Carex cephaloidea
thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
thread rush Juncus filiformis
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
threeleaf false lily of the valley Maianthemum trifolium
threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
toothed flatsedge Cyperus dentatus
Torrey's bulrush Schoenoplectus torreyi
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
tree groundpine Lycopodium dendroideum
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
Tuckerman's pondweed Potamogeton confervoides
Tuckerman's sedge Carex tuckermanii
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tussock cottongrass Eriophorum vaginatum
twinflower Linnaea borealis
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
upland blackberry Rubus pergratus
upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
Vasey's pondweed Potamogeton vaseyi
veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
velvetleaf huckleberry Vaccinium myrtilloides
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
water arum Calla palustris
waterawlwort Subularia aquatica
watershield Brasenia schreberi
wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
waxflower shinleaf Pyrola elliptica
waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
western blue virginsbower Clematis occidentalis
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
western waterweed Elodea nuttallii
white adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis brachypoda
white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
white beaksedge Rhynchospora alba
white fringed orchid Platanthera blephariglottis
white goldenrod Solidago bicolor
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
white turtlehead Chelone glabra
white violet Viola renifolia
whorled wood aster Oclemena acuminata
Wiegand's wildrye Elymus wiegandii
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
wood bluegrass Poa nemoralis
woodfern Dryopteris ×boottii
woodfern Dryopteris ×triploidea
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
woollyfruit sedge Carex lasiocarpa
wormseed sandmat Chamaesyce vermiculata
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida
yellow loosestrife Lysimachia ×producta
yellow nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes ochroleuca
yellow sedge Carex flava
yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii
yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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
hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with New York

The typical county is the median of the 62 New York 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, Essex County and New York
Measure	Essex County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	854	699	1,886
Garden-ready natives	345	299	655
Tree	75	—	171
Shrub	75	—	120
Wildflower (forb)	422	—	970
Grass or grass-like	209	—	472
Vine	14	—	56
Fern	59	—	97

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Essex County.

Clinton County, NY 250 garden-ready
Franklin County, NY 172 garden-ready
Warren County, NY 348 garden-ready
Washington County, NY 381 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: Essex County (county FIPS 36031), New York. 854 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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