Native plants · Tennessee
Native plants of Macon County
251 plant species are recorded as native to Tennessee in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Macon County by USDA PLANTS. 91 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Macon County, Tennessee
- Native species
- 251 Typical Tennessee county: 450 (median of 95 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 91 Typical Tennessee county: 182
- Share by type (all 251 native species)
-
Percent of the 251 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (54%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 91
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 pokeweed Phytolacca americana | Wildflower (forb) | 7.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American wisteria Wisteria frutescens | Vine | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12b |
| black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 9b |
| black maple Acer nigrum | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| black walnut Juglans nigra | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4b |
| blackgum Nyssa sylvatica | Tree | 95 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa | Grass or grass-like | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa | Wildflower (forb) | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus | Tree | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | — |
| Canada germander Teucrium canadense | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis | Wildflower (forb) | 5.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana | Tree | 20 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 4b |
| chestnut oak Quercus montana | Tree | 73 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| eastern white pine Pinus strobus | Tree | 150 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| field paspalum Paspalum laeve | Grass or grass-like | 2.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| golden ragwort Packera aurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3a |
| grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens | Grass or grass-like | 5.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2a |
| greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens | Grass or grass-like | 3.9 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| inland rush Juncus interior | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | 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 |
| jewelweed Impatiens capensis | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 2 in | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia | Tree | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis | Fern | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum | Fern | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| pawpaw Asimina triloba | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| pin oak Quercus palustris | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 maple Acer rubrum | Tree | 68 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| ridged yellow flax Linum striatum | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 6a |
| southern red oak Quercus falcata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius | Wildflower (forb) | 5.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| thicket sedge Carex abscondita | Grass or grass-like | 8 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 7a |
| trumpetweed Eutrochium fistulosum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| valley redstem Ammannia coccinea | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| white ash Fraxinus americana | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| white edge sedge Carex debilis | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 160
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.
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
- angularfruit milkvine Matelea gonocarpos
- axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
- azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
- beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
- beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- bloody butcher Trillium recurvatum
- blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
- bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
- brownish beaksedge Rhynchospora capitellata
- bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
- camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
- Carey's sedge Carex careyana
- carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
- cedarglade St. Johnswort Hypericum frondosum
- celandine poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
- Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
- clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
- common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
- common woodrush Luzula multiflora
- cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
- crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
- cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
- dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
- dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
- early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
- eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
- eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- forkleaf toothwort Cardamine dissecta
- fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
- globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- great Indian plantain Arnoglossum reniforme
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- great waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
- great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
- hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
- hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
- hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
- handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
- harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
- heavy sedge Carex gravida
- hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
- hirsute sedge Carex complanata
- hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
- hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
- husk tomato Physalis pubescens
- Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
- James' sedge Carex jamesii
- lemonyellow false goldenaster Heterotheca camporum
- longsepal beardtongue Penstemon calycosus
- lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
- marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
- Miami mist Phacelia purshii
- nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
- nodding wakerobin Trillium flexipes
- paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
- partridgeberry Mitchella repens
- Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
- perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
- Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
- pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
- plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
- poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- purple milkwort Polygala sanguinea
- purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
- reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
- ribbed sedge Carex virescens
- rock buttercup Ranunculus micranthus
- rosy sedge Carex rosea
- roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
- satincurls Clematis catesbyana
- scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
- sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
- Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
- silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
- silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
- silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
- slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
- slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
- slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
- slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
- slim amaranth Amaranthus hybridus
- small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
- Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
- smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
- southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
- spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
- St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
- star chickweed Stellaria pubera
- striped cream violet Viola striata
- Swan's sedge Carex swanii
- sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
- tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
- tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
- Tennessee bladderfern Cystopteris tennesseensis
- terrestrial water-starwort Callitriche terrestris
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
- twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
- Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
- warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
- weak rush Juncus debilis
- white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
- white bear sedge Carex albursina
- white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
- white turtlehead Chelone glabra
- whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
- whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- wild yam Dioscorea villosa
- Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
- woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
- yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
Also listed as native and introduced here 1
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
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 | Macon County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 251 | 450 | 1,844 |
| Garden-ready natives | 91 | 182 | 606 |
| Tree | 25 | — | 189 |
| Shrub | 9 | — | 88 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 135 | — | 988 |
| Grass or grass-like | 57 | — | 420 |
| Vine | 9 | — | 81 |
| Fern | 16 | — | 78 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Macon County.
- Clay County, TN 159 garden-ready
- Jackson County, TN 125 garden-ready
- Smith County, TN 80 garden-ready
- Sumner County, TN 265 garden-ready
- Trousdale County, TN 48 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
- Macon County (county FIPS 47111), Tennessee. 251 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