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Native plants · Tennessee

Native plants of Union County

415 plant species are recorded as native to Tennessee in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Union County by USDA PLANTS. 162 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

Union County, Tennessee

Native species
415 Typical Tennessee county: 450 (median of 95 counties)
Garden-ready natives
162 Typical Tennessee county: 182
Share by type (all 415 native species)
Percent of the 415 native species in each growth type
Tree 16% (65)
Shrub 6% (23)
Wildflower (forb) 53% (219)
Grass or grass-like 14% (59)
Vine 6% (26)
Fern 6% (23)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (53%), followed by trees (16%).

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 162

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

Garden-ready native plants of Union County, Tennessee
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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 bellflower Campanulastrum americanum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 12b
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens Vine 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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 plum Prunus americana Tree 24 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun High Zone 4a
American water-willow Justicia americana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
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
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
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
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
bushy St. Johnswort Hypericum densiflorum Shrub 6.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 8a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
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 rose Rosa carolina Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
chestnut oak Quercus montana Tree 73 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
climbing rose Rosa setigera Vine 16 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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 blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
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 serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Tree 36 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris Grass or grass-like 1.3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
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
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
drooping sedge Carex prasina Grass or grass-like 2.3 ft Shade-tolerant 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 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 teaberry Gaultheria procumbens Shrub 6 in Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
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
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
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
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
frost grape Vitis vulpina Vine 83 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
great laurel Rhododendron maximum Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
groundnut Apios americana Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
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
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Wildflower (forb) 9.8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
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
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
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
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
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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 wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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
red mulberry Morus rubra Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus Shrub 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
September elm Ulmus serotina Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
silky willow Salix sericea Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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 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
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
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides Grass or grass-like 4 in Sun High Zone 3b
thicket sedge Carex abscondita Grass or grass-like 8 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
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
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia pine Pinus virginiana Tree 70 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
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 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 fringetree Chionanthus virginicus Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
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
wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
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

Other native species recorded here 253

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 and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
  • agueweed Gentianella quinquefolia
  • American alumroot Heuchera americana
  • American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
  • American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American cancer-root Conopholis americana
  • American climbing fern Lygodium palmatum
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American senna Senna hebecarpa
  • Appalachian barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
  • Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
  • bent sedge Carex styloflexa
  • black baneberry Actaea racemosa
  • black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
  • blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulata
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • bristly locust Robinia hispida
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
  • Canada lily Lilium canadense
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Carolina bugbane Trautvetteria caroliniensis
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • chaffweed Anagallis minima
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • common dittany Cunila origanoides
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
  • crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
  • Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy carrionflower Smilax pulverulenta
  • downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
  • dwarf cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis
  • dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
  • dwarf larkspur Delphinium tricorne
  • early blue violet Viola ×palmata
  • eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
  • eastern daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus
  • eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens
  • eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
  • eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
  • false aloe Manfreda virginica
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
  • feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
  • fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
  • forkleaf toothwort Cardamine dissecta
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
  • giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
  • hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
  • hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
  • hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
  • hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
  • hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
  • hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
  • hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
  • hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
  • hortulan plum Prunus hortulana
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
  • king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
  • lace grass Eragrostis capillaris
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
  • licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
  • lined sedge Carex striatula
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • longbeak arrowhead Sagittaria australis
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
  • longspur violet Viola rostrata
  • lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
  • mountain holly Ilex montana
  • mountain woodfern Dryopteris campyloptera
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • pale beardtongue Penstemon pallidus
  • pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
  • partridgeberry Mitchella repens
  • Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • pitcher's stitchwort Minuartia patula
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • prairie rosinweed Silphium terebinthinaceum
  • prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • ramp Allium tricoccum
  • rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
  • red hickory Carya ovalis
  • redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
  • reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
  • rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
  • richweed Collinsonia canadensis
  • robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
  • Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
  • shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa
  • shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
  • silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
  • slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
  • smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
  • smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
  • soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
  • southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
  • southern woodland violet Viola hirsutula
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted pondweed Potamogeton pulcher
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spreading sedge Carex laxiculmis
  • spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • star chickweed Stellaria pubera
  • starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
  • striped gentian Gentiana villosa
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
  • trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
  • turkey corn Dicentra eximia
  • twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
  • twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
  • upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
  • veiny skullcap Scutellaria nervosa
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • 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
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
  • white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
  • white colicroot Aletris farinosa
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white turtlehead Chelone glabra
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
  • woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
  • yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
  • yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
  • yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
  • zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
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.

Native species counts, Union County and Tennessee
MeasureUnion CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 415 450 1,844
Garden-ready natives 162 182 606
Tree 65 — 189
Shrub 23 — 88
Wildflower (forb) 219 — 988
Grass or grass-like 59 — 420
Vine 26 — 81
Fern 23 — 78

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Union 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
Union County (county FIPS 47173), Tennessee. 415 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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