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Native plants · Tennessee

Native plants of McMinn County

224 plant species are recorded as native to Tennessee in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in McMinn County by USDA PLANTS. 71 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

McMinn County, Tennessee

Native species
224 Typical Tennessee county: 450 (median of 95 counties)
Garden-ready natives
71 Typical Tennessee county: 182
Share by type (all 224 native species)
Percent of the 224 native species in each growth type
Tree 4% (10)
Shrub 8% (18)
Wildflower (forb) 58% (131)
Grass or grass-like 17% (37)
Vine 4% (10)
Fern 8% (18)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (58%), 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 7b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 71

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

Garden-ready native plants of McMinn County, Tennessee
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 12b
American hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana Wildflower (forb) 7.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
Appalachian blazing star Liatris squarrulosa Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 4b
chestnut oak Quercus montana Tree 73 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea Fern 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera Vine 16 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade Medium 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
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
cypress swamp sedge Carex joorii Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
field paspalum Paspalum laeve Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
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
fringed sedge Carex crinita Grass or grass-like 5.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
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 azalea Rhododendron canescens Shrub 14 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
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
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
pink azalea Rhododendron periclymenoides Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
possumhaw Viburnum nudum Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica Grass or grass-like 1.8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens Shrub 18 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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

Other native species recorded here 153

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 alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • ashy sunflower Helianthus mollis
  • Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
  • Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
  • Atlantic poison oak Toxicodendron pubescens
  • azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
  • beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
  • cankerweed Prenanthes serpentaria
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
  • downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
  • dwarf cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis
  • eastern daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus
  • eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
  • giant sedge Carex gigantea
  • globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
  • hairy goldenrod Solidago hispida
  • hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
  • hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
  • husk tomato Physalis pubescens
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
  • mountain silverbell Halesia tetraptera
  • narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • painted trillium Trillium undulatum
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
  • queendevil Hieracium gronovii
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
  • roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
  • shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
  • slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • slim amaranth Amaranthus hybridus
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
  • southern woodland violet Viola hirsutula
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
  • stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
  • strawberry-tomato Physalis grisea
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • Swan's sedge Carex swanii
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
  • vasevine Clematis viorna
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
  • wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
  • yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
  • yellow screwstem Bartonia virginica
  • yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima

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.

Native species counts, McMinn County and Tennessee
MeasureMcMinn CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 224 450 1,844
Garden-ready natives 71 182 606
Tree 10 — 189
Shrub 18 — 88
Wildflower (forb) 131 — 988
Grass or grass-like 37 — 420
Vine 10 — 81
Fern 18 — 78

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with McMinn 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
McMinn County (county FIPS 47107), Tennessee. 224 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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