Native plants · New York

Native plants of Yates County

503 plant species are recorded as native to New York in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Yates County by USDA PLANTS. 209 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

Yates County, New York

Native species: 503 Typical New York county: 699 (median of 62 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 209 Typical New York county: 299
Share by type (all 503 native species): Percent of the 503 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (46)
Shrub 6% (31)
Wildflower (forb) 41% (207)
Grass or grass-like 33% (164)
Vine 3% (14)
Fern 8% (41)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (41%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (33%).

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 6a to 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 209

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

Garden-ready native plants of Yates County, New York
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
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 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 hazelnut Corylus americana	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	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 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
balsam fir Abies balsamea	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2b
black ash Fraxinus nigra	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 2b
black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
broom sedge Carex scoparia	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
bur-reed sedge Carex sparganioides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	—
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
butternut Juglans cinerea	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canada yew Taxus canadensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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
chestnut oak Quercus montana	Tree	73 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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 duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
creeping snowberry Gaultheria hispidula	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
crested sedge Carex cristatella	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
crested woodfern Dryopteris cristata	Fern	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
cucumber tree Magnolia acuminata	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
cypressknee sedge Carex decomposita	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6a
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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 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 rough sedge Carex scabrata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
eastern straw sedge Carex straminea	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
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
great laurel Rhododendron maximum	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater straw sedge Carex normalis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
hairy sedge Carex lacustris	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
hairyfruit sedge Carex trichocarpa	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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
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
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
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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
longhair sedge Carex comosa	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
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 touch-me-not Impatiens pallida	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
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
pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
pitch pine Pinus rigida	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
purple avens Geum rivale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
red pine Pinus resinosa	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
riverbank grape Vitis riparia	Vine	45 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
riverbank wildrye Elymus riparius	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
rock elm Ulmus thomasii	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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 floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
spiked muhly Muhlenbergia glomerata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
staghorn sumac Rhus typhina	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum	Fern	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
swamp loosestrife Decodon verticillatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
sweet birch Betula lenta	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
sweet fern Comptonia peregrina	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
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
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
troublesome sedge Carex molesta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
twisted sedge Carex torta	Grass or grass-like	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
wavy hairgrass Deschampsia flexuosa	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white edge sedge Carex debilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6a
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 blue phlox Phlox divaricata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b

Other native species recorded here 294

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
Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
American bluehearts Buchnera americana
American cancer-root Conopholis americana
American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
American fly honeysuckle Lonicera canadensis
American golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium americanum
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American milletgrass Milium effusum
American wintergreen Pyrola americana
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
black baneberry Actaea racemosa
blackseed ricegrass Patis racemosa
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
blite goosefoot Chenopodium capitatum
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluntleaf pondweed Potamogeton obtusifolius
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
bristleleaf sedge Carex eburnea
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
bristly sarsaparilla Aralia hispida
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
broadwing sedge Carex alata
brome-like sedge Carex bromoides
brownish sedge Carex brunnescens
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canada lily Lilium canadense
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
claspingleaf pondweed Potamogeton perfoliatus
Clinton's woodfern Dryopteris clintoniana
clustered sedge Carex cumulata
Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
creeping sedge Carex chordorrhiza
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
cypress-like sedge Carex pseudocyperus
densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
dioecious sedge Carex sterilis
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf red blackberry Rubus pubescens
early bluegrass Poa cuspidata
earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
earth loosestrife Lysimachia terrestris
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern star sedge Carex radiata
eastern swamp saxifrage Saxifraga pensylvanica
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
fernleaf yellow false foxglove Aureolaria pedicularia
fescue sedge Carex festucacea
fewseed sedge Carex oligosperma
fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
fire pink Silene virginica
fleshy hawthorn Crataegus succulenta
floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
foxtail sedge Carex alopecoidea
fragile rockbrake Cryptogramma stelleri
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
gall of the earth Prenanthes trifoliolata
gaywings Polygala paucifolia
glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Goldie's woodfern Dryopteris goldieana
Gray's flatsedge Cyperus grayi
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
greater fringed gentian Gentianopsis crinita
greater water dock Rumex orbiculatus
green false hellebore Veratrum viride
green fringed orchid Platanthera lacera
hairy small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium ciliare
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
halberdleaf tearthumb Polygonum arifolium
handsome sedge Carex formosa
hemlock rosette grass Dichanthelium sabulorum
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
hoary mountainmint Pycnanthemum incanum
Hooker's orchid Platanthera hookeri
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
Kalm's hawkweed Hieracium kalmii
king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
lesser clearweed Pilea fontana
lesser rattlesnake plantain Goodyera repens
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
little grapefern Botrychium simplex
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
low false bindweed Calystegia spithamaea
low nutrush Scleria verticillata
low serviceberry Amelanchier humilis
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh willowherb Epilobium palustre
matricary grapefern Botrychium matricariifolium
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
Mead's sedge Carex meadii
meadow garlic Allium canadense
meadow willow Salix petiolaris
mountain ricegrass Piptatheropsis pungens
mountain woodfern Dryopteris campyloptera
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
narrowleaf cowwheat Melampyrum lineare
narrowleaf pondweed Potamogeton strictifolius
neckweed Veronica peregrina
needle beaksedge Rhynchospora capillacea
nodding sedge Carex gynandra
northern bog sedge Carex gynocrates
northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
northern shorthusk Brachyelytrum aristosum
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Nuttall's ticktrefoil Desmodium nuttallii
oldpasture bluegrass Poa saltuensis
oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
openfield sedge Carex conoidea
painted trillium Trillium undulatum
pale sedge Carex pallescens
parasol sedge Carex umbellata
parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
pasture thistle Cirsium pumilum
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie sedge Carex prairea
prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
pubescent sedge Carex hirtifolia
purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
ramp Allium tricoccum
red baneberry Actaea rubra
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
red hickory Carya ovalis
reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
ribbed sedge Carex virescens
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
richweed Collinsonia canadensis
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rigid sedge Carex tetanica
Robert geranium Geranium robertianum
rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
rosy sedge Carex rosea
roughleaf ricegrass Oryzopsis asperifolia
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
scarlet beebalm Monarda didyma
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sessilefruit arrowhead Sagittaria rigida
shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
showy lady's slipper Cypripedium reginae
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
single delight Moneses uniflora
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slimflower muhly Muhlenbergia tenuiflora
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
spineless hornwort Ceratophyllum echinatum
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spiral pondweed Potamogeton spirillus
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
starflower Trientalis borealis
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stout smartweed Polygonum robustius
striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
swamp wedgescale Sphenopholis pensylvanica
Swan's sedge Carex swanii
sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
Tuckerman's sedge Carex tuckermanii
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
waxflower shinleaf Pyrola elliptica
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
white adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis brachypoda
white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
white rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes alba
white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
white turtlehead Chelone glabra
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
white wood aster Eurybia divaricata
whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
Wiegand's wildrye Elymus wiegandii
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodfern Dryopteris ×triploidea
woodland flax Linum virginianum
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
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.

common reedPhragmites australis
hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
wood bluegrassPoa nemoralis

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, Yates County and New York
Measure	Yates County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	503	699	1,886
Garden-ready natives	209	299	655
Tree	46	—	171
Shrub	31	—	120
Wildflower (forb)	207	—	970
Grass or grass-like	164	—	472
Vine	14	—	56
Fern	41	—	97

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Yates County.

Ontario County, NY 293 garden-ready
Schuyler County, NY 145 garden-ready
Steuben County, NY 179 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: Yates County (county FIPS 36123), New York. 503 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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