Native plants · Ohio
Native plants of Ottawa County
574 plant species are recorded as native to Ohio in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Ottawa County by USDA PLANTS. 251 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
Ottawa County, Ohio
- Native species
- 574 Typical Ohio county: 559 (median of 88 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 251 Typical Ohio county: 241
- Share by type (all 574 native species)
-
Percent of the 574 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (62%), followed by trees (14%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 251
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 beachgrass Ammophila breviligulata | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 bur-reed Sparganium americanum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| American chestnut Castanea dentata | Tree | 115 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American eelgrass Vallisneria americana | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| American 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 vetch Vicia americana | Vine | 1.3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa | Grass or grass-like | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| bog willowherb Epilobium leptophyllum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.6 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 |
| 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 |
| butterweed Packera glabella | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 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 |
| 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 |
| coast cockspur grass Echinochloa walteri | Grass or grass-like | 6.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 10b |
| 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 hoptree Ptelea trifoliata | Tree | 25 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| common selfheal Prunella vulgaris | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common spikerush Eleocharis palustris | Grass or grass-like | 1.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common winterberry Ilex verticillata | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| crested sedge Carex cristatella | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| dense blazing star Liatris spicata | Wildflower (forb) | 4.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12a |
| devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana | Vine | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | 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 redbud Cercis canadensis | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | 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 |
| field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| fireweed Chamerion angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 5.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| floating pondweed Potamogeton natans | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| Frank's sedge Carex frankii | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| gray dogwood Cornus racemosa | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| knotted rush Juncus nodosus | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| little 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 |
| mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 2 in | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala | Tree | 52 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| moss phlox Phlox subulata | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| nannyberry Viburnum lentago | Tree | 28 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| 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 lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| nodding waternymph Najas flexilis | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| northern bedstraw Galium boreale | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Low | 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 |
| 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 |
| panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 6a |
| pawpaw Asimina triloba | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | High | 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 |
| pickerelweed Pontederia cordata | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 Junegrass Koeleria macrantha | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| prairie willow Salix humilis | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | 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 |
| pussy willow Salix discolor | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| quaking aspen Populus tremuloides | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1a |
| 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 |
| river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis | Grass or grass-like | 6.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| rough bugleweed Lycopus asper | Wildflower (forb) | 2.1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 dogwood Cornus rugosa | Tree | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| roundleaf serviceberry Amelanchier sanguinea | Tree | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| shagbark hickory Carya ovata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| shingle oak Quercus imbricaria | Tree | 45 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| 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 |
| sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| small beggarticks Bidens discoidea | Wildflower (forb) | 5.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12b |
| smallhead rush Juncus brachycephalus | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum | Fern | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 joe pye weed Eutrochium maculatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| spring avens Geum vernum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| staghorn sumac Rhus typhina | Tree | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4a |
| stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 cottonwood Populus heterophylla | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| tall hairy agrimony Agrimonia gryposepala | Wildflower (forb) | 5.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens | Vine | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | 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 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 horsetail Equisetum fluviatile | Fern | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| white meadowsweet Spiraea alba | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 |
| 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 |
| wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 323
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.
- Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
- Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
- amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
- American alumroot Heuchera americana
- American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
- American cancer-root Conopholis americana
- American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
- American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- American searocket Cakile edentula
- American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
- American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
- Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
- bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
- Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
- Beck's water-marigold Bidens beckii
- beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
- biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
- big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
- bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
- blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
- bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
- bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- bristleleaf sedge Carex eburnea
- bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
- browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
- bulblet-bearing water hemlock Cicuta bulbifera
- buttonbush dodder Cuscuta cephalanthi
- Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
- Canadian summer bluet Houstonia canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
- candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
- Carolina draba Draba reptans
- Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
- Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
- Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
- Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
- carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
- clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
- clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
- Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
- clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
- common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
- 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
- Copenhagen hawthorn Crataegus intricata
- Crawe's sedge Carex crawei
- cream pea Lathyrus ochroleucus
- Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata
- devil's bite Liatris scariosa
- diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
- dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
- downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- earleaf false foxglove Agalinis auriculata
- early blue violet Viola ×palmata
- early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
- eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
- eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
- eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
- elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
- Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- fall phlox Phlox paniculata
- false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
- fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- field thistle Cirsium discolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
- fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
- fleshy hawthorn Crataegus succulenta
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fluxweed Trichostema brachiatum
- fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
- fox grape Vitis labrusca
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
- Fraser's marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum fraseri
- Fries' pondweed Potamogeton friesii
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- giant sunflower Helianthus giganteus
- goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
- Goldie's woodfern Dryopteris goldieana
- grand redstem Ammannia robusta
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- grooved flax Linum sulcatum
- hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus
- hairy goldenrod Solidago hispida
- 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
- halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
- hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
- heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
- hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
- hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
- hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
- horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
- Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
- Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
- James' sedge Carex jamesii
- Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
- jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
- Kalm's hawkweed Hieracium kalmii
- lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
- lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
- large St. Johnswort Hypericum majus
- largebract ticktrefoil Desmodium cuspidatum
- largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
- largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
- largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
- Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
- licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
- limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
- limestone calamint Clinopodium arkansanum
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
- lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
- Lowrie's blue wood aster Symphyotrichum lowrieanum
- Macoun's cudweed Pseudognaphalium macounii
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
- mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
- marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
- marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
- Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
- mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
- matted spikerush Eleocharis intermedia
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- meadow willow Salix petiolaris
- Miami mist Phacelia purshii
- Michaux's stitchwort Minuartia michauxii
- Michigan lily Lilium michiganense
- mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
- nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
- narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
- narrowleaf pondweed Potamogeton strictifolius
- narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
- neckweed Veronica peregrina
- needletip blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium mucronatum
- New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
- nodding evening primrose Oenothera nutans
- nodding onion Allium cernuum
- nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
- northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
- northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
- northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
- northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
- Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
- obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
- oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
- oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
- Ontario lobelia Lobelia kalmii
- pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
- paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
- palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
- pear hawthorn Crataegus calpodendron
- Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
- Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
- pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
- poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
- poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
- poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
- prairie goldenrod Oligoneuron album
- prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
- prairie rosinweed Silphium terebinthinaceum
- prairie violet Viola pedatifida
- purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
- purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
- purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
- purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
- rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- ramp Allium tricoccum
- rayless alkali aster Symphyotrichum ciliatum
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- red hickory Carya ovalis
- redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
- reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
- Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
- richweed Collinsonia canadensis
- Robert geranium Geranium robertianum
- robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
- rock muhly Muhlenbergia sobolifera
- rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
- roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- running serviceberry Amelanchier stolonifera
- sand violet Viola affinis
- sandbar lovegrass Eragrostis frankii
- scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
- Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
- seaside sandmat Chamaesyce polygonifolia
- Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- sessilefruit arrowhead Sagittaria rigida
- shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
- shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
- shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
- sicklepod Arabis canadensis
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
- skyblue aster Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
- slender waternymph Najas gracillima
- slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
- small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
- small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
- smallflower false foxglove Agalinis paupercula
- smartweed dodder Cuscuta polygonorum
- smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
- smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
- smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
- smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
- smooth rose Rosa blanda
- smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
- soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
- Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
- spiny naiad Najas marina
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spreading chervil Chaerophyllum procumbens
- spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
- spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
- spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
- standing-cypress Ipomopsis rubra
- Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
- swamp verbena Verbena hastata
- sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
- tall blazing star Liatris aspera
- tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
- tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
- tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
- tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
- tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
- tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
- tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- Torrey's bulrush Schoenoplectus torreyi
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
- upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
- upright carrionflower Smilax ecirrhata
- variegated scouringrush Equisetum variegatum
- violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
- Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- waxyfruit hawthorn Crataegus pruinosa
- weakstalk bulrush Schoenoplectiella purshiana
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- white arrowleaf aster Symphyotrichum urophyllum
- white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
- white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- white rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes alba
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
- whorl-leaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum verticillatum
- whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
- whorled mountainmint Pycnanthemum verticillatum
- wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
- wild yam Dioscorea villosa
- winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
- wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
- woodland bulrush Scirpus expansus
- woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
- woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
- wormseed sandmat Chamaesyce vermiculata
- 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.
- annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
- 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.
| Measure | Ottawa County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 574 | 559 | 1,740 |
| Garden-ready natives | 251 | 241 | 594 |
| Tree | 78 | — | 160 |
| Shrub | 22 | — | 94 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 355 | — | 939 |
| Grass or grass-like | 78 | — | 400 |
| Vine | 28 | — | 62 |
| Fern | 13 | — | 85 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Ottawa County.
- Lucas County, OH 317 garden-ready
- Sandusky County, OH 217 garden-ready
- Wood County, OH 232 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
- Ottawa County (county FIPS 39123), Ohio. 574 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