Native plants · Rhode Island

Native plants of Bristol County

245 plant species are recorded as native to Rhode Island in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Bristol County by USDA PLANTS. 122 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Bristol County, Rhode Island

Native species: 245 Typical Rhode Island county: 501 (median of 5 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 122 Typical Rhode Island county: 236
Share by type (all 245 native species): Percent of the 245 native species in each growth type

Tree 15% (37)
Shrub 11% (28)
Wildflower (forb) 46% (112)
Grass or grass-like 18% (43)
Vine 4% (9)
Fern 7% (16)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (46%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (18%).

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 7a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 122

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

Garden-ready native plants of Bristol County, Rhode Island
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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 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 plantain Alisma subcordatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
beach pea Lathyrus japonicus	Vine	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 9b
black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	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
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
blue huckleberry Gaylussacia frondosa	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bristly dewberry Rubus hispidus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis	Tree	23 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia	Shrub	16 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
common reed Phragmites australis	Shrub	13 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 winterberry Ilex verticillata	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
crested woodfern Dryopteris cristata	Fern	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
eastern straw sedge Carex straminea	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
graceful sedge Carex gracillima	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gray birch Betula populifolia	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
inkberry Ilex glabra	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana	Fern	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus	Wildflower (forb)	9.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Jesuit's bark Iva frutescens	Wildflower (forb)	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7b
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
lavender thrift Limonium carolinianum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina	Shrub	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa	Tree	85 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
northern bayberry Morella pensylvanica	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
paper birch Betula papyrifera	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
pignut hickory Carya glabra	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
pitch pine Pinus rigida	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
pussy willow Salix discolor	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
quill sedge Carex tenera	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
red currant Ribes triste	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 1a
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
ribbonleaf pondweed Potamogeton epihydrus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
saltmeadow cordgrass Spartina patens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
sassafras Sassafras albidum	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
seaside goldenrod Solidago sempervirens	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
small beggarticks Bidens discoidea	Wildflower (forb)	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp doghobble Eubotrys racemosus	Shrub	13 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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 fern Comptonia peregrina	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
sweetgrass Hierochloe odorata	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	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
tawny cottongrass Eriophorum virginicum	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
variable sedge Carex polymorpha	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia glasswort Salicornia depressa	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
Virginia rose Rosa virginiana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
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 edge sedge Carex debilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6a
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
wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
woodland horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
woolly beachheather Hudsonia tomentosa	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b

Other native species recorded here 123

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 searocket Cakile edentula
annual seepweed Suaeda linearis
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
ashy sunflower Helianthus mollis
bashful bulrush Trichophorum planifolium
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
bog fern Thelypteris simulata
bog white violet Viola lanceolata
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
button sedge Carex bullata
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
cheerful sunflower Helianthus ×laetiflorus
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
claspingleaf pondweed Potamogeton perfoliatus
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
Copenhagen hawthorn Crataegus intricata
cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
early goldenrod Solidago juncea
earth loosestrife Lysimachia terrestris
eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
fox grape Vitis labrusca
Greene's rush Juncus greenei
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
harlequin blueflag Iris versicolor
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
little evening primrose Oenothera perennis
longbranch frostweed Helianthemum canadense
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
narrowleaf cowwheat Melampyrum lineare
neckweed Veronica peregrina
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
northern evening primrose Oenothera parviflora
northern long sedge Carex folliculata
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
parasol sedge Carex umbellata
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
perennial saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum tenuifolium
poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
purple chokeberry Aronia ×prunifolia
purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
saltmeadow rush Juncus gerardii
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
setose blackberry Rubus setosus
sheep laurel Kalmia angustifolia
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender blue iris Iris prismatica
slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
snailseed pondweed Potamogeton bicupulatus
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spiral pondweed Potamogeton spirillus
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
starflower Trientalis borealis
striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
Swan's sedge Carex swanii
sweet white violet Viola blanda
triangle orache Atriplex prostrata
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
velvet sedge Carex vestita
Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water arum Calla palustris
waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
weak stellate sedge Carex seorsa
white colicroot Aletris farinosa
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Rhode Island

The typical county is the median of the 5 Rhode Island 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, Bristol County and Rhode Island
Measure	Bristol County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	245	501	1,165
Garden-ready natives	122	236	440
Tree	37	—	110
Shrub	28	—	78
Wildflower (forb)	112	—	608
Grass or grass-like	43	—	270
Vine	9	—	34
Fern	16	—	65

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: Bristol County (county FIPS 44001), Rhode Island. 245 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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