Native plants · Ohio
Native plants of Mercer County
266 plant species are recorded as native to Ohio in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Mercer County by USDA PLANTS. 157 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
Mercer County, Ohio
- Native species
- 266 Typical Ohio county: 559 (median of 88 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 157 Typical Ohio county: 241
- Share by type (all 266 native species)
-
Percent of the 266 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (53%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (20%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 157
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| 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 |
| awlfruit sedge Carex stipata | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | — |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis | Grass or grass-like | 2.6 ft | Sun | 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 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 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 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 |
| composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11b |
| frost grape Vitis vulpina | Vine | 83 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| golden ragwort Packera aurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3a |
| graceful sedge Carex gracillima | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| gray dogwood Cornus racemosa | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens | Grass or grass-like | 5.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2a |
| groundnut Apios americana | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| 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 barley Hordeum pusillum | Grass or grass-like | 1.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 2 in | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis | Grass or grass-like | 8 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| nodding beggartick Bidens cernua | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Low | 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 |
| oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora | Grass or grass-like | 2.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4a |
| panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | High | 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 |
| pumpkin ash Fraxinus profunda | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Sun | High | 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 |
| rough avens Geum laciniatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| shagbark hickory Carya ovata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| shoreline sedge Carex hyalinolepis | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| Short's sedge Carex shortiana | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5b |
| 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 |
| slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| spring avens Geum vernum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides | Grass or grass-like | 4 in | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 iris Iris virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8b |
| Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 10b |
| Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| water knotweed Polygonum amphibium | Wildflower (forb) | 1 in | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| white ash Fraxinus americana | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| white avens Geum canadense | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| white doll's daisy Boltonia asteroides | Wildflower (forb) | 8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| whitegrass Leersia virginica | Grass or grass-like | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 109
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
- American alumroot Heuchera americana
- American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
- American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- American senna Senna hebecarpa
- American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
- American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
- beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
- blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
- bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
- bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
- clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
- clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
- Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
- 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
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
- eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
- erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- fire pink Silene virginica
- floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- grand redstem Ammannia robusta
- Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
- hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
- hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
- hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
- inflated narrow-leaf sedge Carex grisea
- James' sedge Carex jamesii
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
- largeleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
- largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
- Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
- lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
- lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
- manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- minute duckweed Lemna perpusilla
- navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
- neckweed Veronica peregrina
- New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
- obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
- orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
- poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
- poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
- purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- rosy sedge Carex rosea
- rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- sand violet Viola affinis
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
- skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
- sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
- slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
- smooth rose Rosa blanda
- spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
- swamp verbena Verbena hastata
- toadshade Trillium sessile
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
- white arrowleaf aster Symphyotrichum urophyllum
- whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
- wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
- wild yam Dioscorea villosa
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
- yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
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.
| Measure | Mercer County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 266 | 559 | 1,740 |
| Garden-ready natives | 157 | 241 | 594 |
| Tree | 44 | — | 160 |
| Shrub | 10 | — | 94 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 142 | — | 939 |
| Grass or grass-like | 53 | — | 400 |
| Vine | 12 | — | 62 |
| Fern | 5 | — | 85 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Mercer County.
- Allen County, OH 136 garden-ready
- Auglaize County, OH 265 garden-ready
- Darke County, OH 178 garden-ready
- Shelby County, OH 151 garden-ready
- Van Wert County, OH 148 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
- Mercer County (county FIPS 39107), Ohio. 266 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