Native plants · Ohio

Native plants of Brown County

374 plant species are recorded as native to Ohio in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Brown County by USDA PLANTS. 185 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Brown County, Ohio

Native species
374 Typical Ohio county: 559 (median of 88 counties)
Garden-ready natives
185 Typical Ohio county: 241
Share by type (all 374 native species)
Percent of the 374 native species in each growth type
Tree 16% (61)
Shrub 3% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 55% (204)
Grass or grass-like 17% (63)
Vine 7% (25)
Fern 3% (10)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (55%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (17%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 185

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

Garden-ready native plants of Brown County, Ohio
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
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 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 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 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 sycamore Platanus occidentalis Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
American water horehound Lycopus americanus Wildflower (forb) 1.8 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun High Zone 4a
American water-willow Justicia americana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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 cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black maple Acer nigrum Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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 walnut Juglans nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4b
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium Tree 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
bog rush Juncus biflorus Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus Tree 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low —
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
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
Carolina rose Rosa carolina Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea Fern 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera Vine 16 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii Wildflower (forb) 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 duckweed Lemna minor Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana Tree 55 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
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 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
crookedstem aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
cup plant Silphium perfoliatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 2b
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low 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
dense blazing star Liatris spicata Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
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 redbud Cercis canadensis Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
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 paspalum Paspalum laeve Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
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
foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
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 white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
horsetail paspalum Paspalum fluitans Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
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
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
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
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
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
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra Tree 68 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 12a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
pin oak Quercus palustris Tree 100 ft Sun High 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
pumpkin ash Fraxinus profunda Tree 120 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
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
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
red maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
red mulberry Morus rubra Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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 wildrye Elymus riparius Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — Zone 1a
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria Tree 45 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra Tree 85 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
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
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
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
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium Wildflower (forb) 10 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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 woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
sweetflag Acorus americanus Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
toad rush Juncus bufonius Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 12a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
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
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 oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
whitegrass Leersia virginica Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
yellow buckeye Aesculus flava Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 189

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.

  • American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
  • American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American senna Senna hebecarpa
  • American spikenard Aralia racemosa
  • anglestem primrose-willow Ludwigia leptocarpa
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
  • biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
  • black baneberry Actaea racemosa
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • branched bur-reed Sparganium androcladum
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
  • clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
  • clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
  • Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
  • Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
  • downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
  • eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
  • eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
  • false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
  • floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
  • floating primrose-willow Ludwigia peploides
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fox grape Vitis labrusca
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • Gattinger's panicgrass Panicum gattingeri
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
  • greater poverty rush Juncus anthelatus
  • Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
  • green dragon Arisaema dracontium
  • hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
  • hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
  • hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
  • harbinger of spring Erigenia bulbosa
  • heartleaf hedgenettle Stachys cordata
  • heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
  • heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
  • honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
  • lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • largefruit blacksnakeroot Sanicula trifoliata
  • largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longspur violet Viola rostrata
  • lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • Miami mist Phacelia purshii
  • narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
  • nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
  • nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
  • northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
  • oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
  • orange coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
  • purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
  • purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
  • purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
  • queendevil Hieracium gronovii
  • richweed Collinsonia canadensis
  • richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • sand violet Viola affinis
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
  • slender waternymph Najas gracillima
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
  • smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum racemosum
  • smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
  • spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
  • spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • striped cream violet Viola striata
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
  • tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
  • toadshade Trillium sessile
  • upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia fanpetals Sida hermaphrodita
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • waterplantain spearwort Ranunculus ambigens
  • watershield Brasenia schreberi
  • waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white bear sedge Carex albursina
  • white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
  • white turtlehead Chelone glabra
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
  • zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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.

  • climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
  • hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium

Compared with Ohio

The typical county is the median of the 88 Ohio 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, Brown County and Ohio
MeasureBrown CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 374 559 1,740
Garden-ready natives 185 241 594
Tree 61 — 160
Shrub 11 — 94
Wildflower (forb) 204 — 939
Grass or grass-like 63 — 400
Vine 25 — 62
Fern 10 — 85

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Brown County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

Source & data date

Source
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).
Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.
USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation
USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.
Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date
Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope
Brown County (county FIPS 39015), Ohio. 374 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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