Native plants · Tennessee
Native plants of DeKalb County
351 plant species are recorded as native to Tennessee in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in DeKalb County by USDA PLANTS. 138 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
DeKalb County, Tennessee
- Native species
- 351 Typical Tennessee county: 450 (median of 95 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 138 Typical Tennessee county: 182
- Share by type (all 351 native species)
-
Percent of the 351 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (18%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 138
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 chestnut Castanea dentata | Tree | 115 ft | Sun | 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 witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6b |
| bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2b |
| black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata | Shrub | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| black maple Acer nigrum | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium | Tree | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blackjack oak Quercus marilandica | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa | Grass or grass-like | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| buckthorn bully Sideroxylon lycioides | Tree | 9.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| 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 lousewort Pedicularis canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| chestnut oak Quercus montana | Tree | 73 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea | Fern | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common evening primrose Oenothera biennis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 spikerush Eleocharis palustris | Grass or grass-like | 1.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| cucumber tree Magnolia acuminata | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5b |
| cup plant Silphium perfoliatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | — | Zone 2b |
| cupseed Calycocarpum lyonii | Vine | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| deerberry Vaccinium stamineum | Shrub | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana | Vine | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa | Tree | 20 ft | Sun | High | 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 narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| 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 indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa | Shrub | 15 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum | Tree | 28 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| field paspalum Paspalum laeve | Grass or grass-like | 2.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| Frank's sedge Carex frankii | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| giant cane Arundinaria gigantea | Shrub | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata | Vine | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6b |
| highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum | Shrub | 12 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium | Grass or grass-like | 4.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| Kentucky yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea | Tree | 40 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4a |
| late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 7a |
| mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa | Tree | 85 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens | Shrub | 14 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia | Tree | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| muscadine Vitis rotundifolia | Vine | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 12a |
| 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 |
| pin oak Quercus palustris | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| prairie willow Salix humilis | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis | Grass or grass-like | 11 in | Sun | Low | 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 |
| rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum | Fern | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5b |
| red mulberry Morus rubra | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| river birch Betula nigra | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| rock elm Ulmus thomasii | Tree | 90 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus | Shrub | 8.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| shallow sedge Carex lurida | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| silver maple Acer saccharinum | Tree | 90 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 2b |
| slippery elm Ulmus rubra | Tree | 85 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3a |
| small beggarticks Bidens discoidea | Wildflower (forb) | 5.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12b |
| smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens | Shrub | 18 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| smooth phlox Phlox glaberrima | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 6a |
| spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| stiff dogwood Cornus foemina | Tree | 16 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| sugarberry Celtis laevigata | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum | Grass or grass-like | 2.6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| twisted sedge Carex torta | Grass or grass-like | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| white ash Fraxinus americana | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| white 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 |
| 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 |
| winged elm Ulmus alata | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| winged sumac Rhus copallinum | Tree | 8 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| yellow buckeye Aesculus flava | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11b |
| yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea | Vine | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| 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 213
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.
- Alabama lipfern Cheilanthes alabamensis
- American alumroot Heuchera americana
- American beakgrain Diarrhena americana
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- American cancer-root Conopholis americana
- American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
- American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
- American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
- American spikenard Aralia racemosa
- angularfruit milkvine Matelea gonocarpos
- Appalachian barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
- Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
- autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
- azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
- beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
- beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
- beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
- black baneberry Actaea racemosa
- black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
- blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
- blue sedge Carex glaucodea
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
- bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
- Canadian summer bluet Houstonia canadensis
- Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Carey's sedge Carex careyana
- Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
- Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
- Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
- Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
- carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
- cedarglade St. Johnswort Hypericum frondosum
- celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
- Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
- common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
- common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- common woodrush Luzula multiflora
- crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
- crossvine Bignonia capreolata
- crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
- Curtiss' milkwort Polygala curtissii
- cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
- cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
- dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- dwarf cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis
- dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
- early bluegrass Poa cuspidata
- eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
- eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens
- eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
- eastern smooth beardtongue Penstemon laevigatus
- eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- fall phlox Phlox paniculata
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
- fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- fluxweed Trichostema brachiatum
- forkleaf toothwort Cardamine dissecta
- fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
- glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
- great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
- Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
- hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
- hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
- hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
- hairy pagoda-plant Blephilia hirsuta
- hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
- hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
- husk tomato Physalis pubescens
- hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
- Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
- Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
- large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
- largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
- largeleaf grass of Parnassus Parnassia grandifolia
- largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
- Leavenworth's sedge Carex leavenworthii
- lemonyellow false goldenaster Heterotheca camporum
- licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
- lined sedge Carex striatula
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
- longspur violet Viola rostrata
- longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
- lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
- lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- maroon Carolina milkvine Matelea carolinensis
- Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- Miami mist Phacelia purshii
- navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
- nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
- Nuttall's ticktrefoil Desmodium nuttallii
- October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
- parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
- Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
- perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
- Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
- pipevine Aristolochia macrophylla
- pitcher's stitchwort Minuartia patula
- plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
- prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
- purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
- purplerocket Iodanthus pinnatifidus
- rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
- red hickory Carya ovalis
- redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
- richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
- robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
- rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
- rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
- rosy sedge Carex rosea
- roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
- roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- satincurls Clematis catesbyana
- Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
- sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
- showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
- shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
- sicklepod Arabis canadensis
- silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
- silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
- singlehead pussytoes Antennaria solitaria
- slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
- slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
- slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
- slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
- slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
- slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
- slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
- small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
- small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
- smooth cliffbrake Pellaea glabella
- smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
- southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
- southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
- spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
- star chickweed Stellaria pubera
- strawberry-tomato Physalis grisea
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- striped gentian Gentiana villosa
- striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
- Swan's sedge Carex swanii
- sweet white violet Viola blanda
- tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
- Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
- tuberous stoneseed Lithospermum tuberosum
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
- twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
- twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
- Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
- Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
- warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
- white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
- white bear sedge Carex albursina
- white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
- white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
- white turtlehead Chelone glabra
- whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
- whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
- whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
- wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
- woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
- yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
- yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
- yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
- yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii
- yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
- zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
Compared with Tennessee
The typical county is the median of the 95 Tennessee 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 | DeKalb County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 351 | 450 | 1,844 |
| Garden-ready natives | 138 | 182 | 606 |
| Tree | 56 | — | 189 |
| Shrub | 19 | — | 88 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 178 | — | 988 |
| Grass or grass-like | 63 | — | 420 |
| Vine | 18 | — | 81 |
| Fern | 17 | — | 78 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with DeKalb County.
- Cannon County, TN 117 garden-ready
- Putnam County, TN 215 garden-ready
- Smith County, TN 80 garden-ready
- Warren County, TN 175 garden-ready
- White County, TN 211 garden-ready
- Wilson County, TN 154 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
- DeKalb County (county FIPS 47041), Tennessee. 351 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