Native plants · Ohio

Native plants of Marion County

329 plant species are recorded as native to Ohio in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Marion County by USDA PLANTS. 174 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

Marion County, Ohio

Native species: 329 Typical Ohio county: 559 (median of 88 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 174 Typical Ohio county: 241
Share by type (all 329 native species): Percent of the 329 native species in each growth type

Tree 19% (61)
Shrub 3% (9)
Wildflower (forb) 57% (186)
Grass or grass-like 17% (57)
Vine 4% (12)
Fern 1% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by trees (19%).

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 6a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 174

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

Garden-ready native plants of Marion County, Ohio
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
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 bellflower Campanulastrum americanum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens	Vine	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
American 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
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 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
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
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
bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	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
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	—
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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 canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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 evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea	Tree	36 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
common winterberry Ilex verticillata	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
crested sedge Carex cristatella	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
crookedstem aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
golden ragwort Packera aurea	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
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
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
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 meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 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
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
narrowleaf evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 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 catalpa Catalpa speciosa	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
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
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
pin oak Quercus palustris	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
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 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
rough avens Geum laciniatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sassafras Sassafras albidum	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
shellbark hickory Carya laciniosa	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
shoreline sedge Carex hyalinolepis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
spring avens Geum vernum	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
stalked bulrush Scirpus pedicellatus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sugar maple Acer saccharum	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
swamp cottonwood Populus heterophylla	Tree	100 ft	Sun	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
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	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
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b

Other native species recorded here 155

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 false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
brome-like sedge Carex bromoides
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
early blue violet Viola ×palmata
early goldenrod Solidago juncea
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
fall phlox Phlox paniculata
false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
field thistle Cirsium discolor
floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
giant sunflower Helianthus giganteus
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
green dragon Arisaema dracontium
hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
largefruit blacksnakeroot Sanicula trifoliata
largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
Leiberg's panicum Dichanthelium leibergii
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
longspur violet Viola rostrata
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
Mead's sedge Carex meadii
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
neckweed Veronica peregrina
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
orange coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida
paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
prairie rosinweed Silphium terebinthinaceum
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
purple rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes racemosa
ramp Allium tricoccum
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
red hickory Carya ovalis
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
richweed Collinsonia canadensis
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
sand violet Viola affinis
scaly blazing star Liatris squarrosa
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
striped cream violet Viola striata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
threeflower melicgrass Melica nitens
toadshade Trillium sessile
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
white arrowleaf aster Symphyotrichum urophyllum
white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
willowleaf aster Symphyotrichum praealtum
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
witchgrass Panicum capillare
wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
woolly sedge Carex pellita

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.

common reedPhragmites australis
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, Marion County and Ohio
Measure	Marion County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	329	559	1,740
Garden-ready natives	174	241	594
Tree	61	—	160
Shrub	9	—	94
Wildflower (forb)	186	—	939
Grass or grass-like	57	—	400
Vine	12	—	62
Fern	4	—	85

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Marion County.

Crawford County, OH 204 garden-ready
Delaware County, OH 202 garden-ready
Hardin County, OH 147 garden-ready
Morrow County, OH 192 garden-ready
Union County, OH 145 garden-ready
Wyandot County, OH 210 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: Marion County (county FIPS 39101), Ohio. 329 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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