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Native plants · South Carolina

Native plants of York County

423 plant species are recorded as native to South Carolina in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in York County by USDA PLANTS. 161 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

York County, South Carolina

Native species
423 Typical South Carolina county: 445 (median of 46 counties)
Garden-ready natives
161 Typical South Carolina county: 189
Share by type (all 423 native species)
Percent of the 423 native species in each growth type
Tree 14% (61)
Shrub 4% (15)
Wildflower (forb) 57% (240)
Grass or grass-like 17% (73)
Vine 6% (27)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (17%).

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

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 161

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

Garden-ready native plants of York County, South Carolina
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6b
American chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium 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 mountain ash Sorbus americana Tree 40 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
Appalachian blazing star Liatris squarrulosa Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 4b
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
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
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
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
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia Tree 12 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli Tree 30 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
common blue violet Viola sororia Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana Tree 55 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
common rush Juncus effusus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
common winterberry Ilex verticillata Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 6a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
Elliott's blueberry Vaccinium elliottii Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
forked rush Juncus dichotomus Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
fringed sedge Carex crinita Grass or grass-like 5.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens Grass or grass-like 5.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 2a
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 8a
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
horseflyweed Baptisia tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 7b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium Grass or grass-like 4.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Wildflower (forb) 9.8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
manyflower flatsedge Cyperus lancastriensis Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
Maryland senna Senna marilandica Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia Vine 30 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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
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
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 12a
painted buckeye Aesculus sylvatica Tree 65 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8a
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
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
perplexed ticktrefoil Desmodium perplexum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
pignut hickory Carya glabra Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
red maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 4a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
shaggy blazing star Liatris pilosa Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra Tree 85 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum Tree 35 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
southern sugar maple Acer floridanum Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium Wildflower (forb) 10 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus Wildflower (forb) 5 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia dayflower Commelina virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
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 oak Quercus nigra Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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 fringetree Chionanthus virginicus Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
whitegrass Leersia virginica Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
willow oak Quercus phellos Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
winged elm Ulmus alata Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
winged sumac Rhus copallinum Tree 8 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 262

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.

  • Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
  • Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
  • amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
  • American alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
  • American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
  • American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
  • angularfruit milkvine Matelea gonocarpos
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • annual ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia
  • Appalachian quillwort Isoetes engelmannii
  • Appalachian stitchwort Minuartia glabra
  • arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
  • arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
  • Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
  • Atlantic poison oak Toxicodendron pubescens
  • beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
  • beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
  • bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • blackfoot quillwort Isoetes melanopoda
  • blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • Bradley's spleenwort Asplenium bradleyi
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • broadleaf ironweed Vernonia glauca
  • buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
  • bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian licorice-root Ligusticum canadense
  • cankerweed Prenanthes serpentaria
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • Chapman's bluegrass Poa chapmaniana
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
  • climbing false buckwheat Polygonum scandens
  • clustered fescue Festuca paradoxa
  • coastal plain joe pye weed Eutrochium dubium
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
  • cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
  • cream avens Geum virginianum
  • creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
  • devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
  • dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
  • dwarf cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
  • early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern smooth beardtongue Penstemon laevigatus
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
  • fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
  • fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
  • Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • gaping grass Steinchisma hians
  • giant sunflower Helianthus giganteus
  • globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
  • heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • Heller's cudweed Pseudognaphalium helleri
  • hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
  • hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
  • hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
  • Illinois pinweed Lechea racemulosa
  • keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
  • Kral's sedge Carex kraliana
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
  • lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
  • low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
  • lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow zizia Zizia aptera
  • Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • mullein foxglove Dasistoma macrophylla
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
  • narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
  • narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
  • Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
  • partridgeberry Mitchella repens
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
  • pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
  • pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
  • queendevil Hieracium gronovii
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
  • rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • rough dropseed Sporobolus clandestinus
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
  • scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
  • Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
  • shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
  • silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • slender plantain Plantago heterophylla
  • slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • Small's blacksnakeroot Sanicula smallii
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smallfruit agrimony Agrimonia microcarpa
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium marilandicum
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • star chickweed Stellaria pubera
  • starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
  • sticky catchfly Silene caroliniana
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • tenlobe false foxglove Agalinis obtusifolia
  • Texas sedge Carex texensis
  • thicket bean Phaseolus polystachios
  • thickleaf phlox Phlox carolina
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
  • three-lobe violet Viola triloba
  • toothed whitetop aster Sericocarpus asteroides
  • trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • twining snoutbean Rhynchosia tomentosa
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • vasevine Clematis viorna
  • velvetleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium viridiflorum
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
  • Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
  • Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
  • wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
  • waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
  • white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
  • white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
  • white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • wideflower phlox Phlox latifolia
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • woodland bulrush Scirpus expansus
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
  • woolly ragwort Packera tomentosa
  • yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
  • yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
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.

  • Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides
  • switchcaneArundinaria tecta

Compared with South Carolina

The typical county is the median of the 46 South Carolina 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, York County and South Carolina
MeasureYork CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 423 445 1,633
Garden-ready natives 161 189 580
Tree 61 — 180
Shrub 15 — 87
Wildflower (forb) 240 — 845
Grass or grass-like 73 — 387
Vine 27 — 72
Fern 7 — 62

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with York County.

Look up another ZIP

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

Source & data date

Source
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).
Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.
USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation
USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.
Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date
Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope
York County (county FIPS 45091), South Carolina. 423 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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