Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Cherokee County

250 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cherokee County by USDA PLANTS. 110 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

Cherokee County, Texas

Native species: 250 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 110 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 250 native species): Percent of the 250 native species in each growth type

Tree 17% (43)
Shrub 2% (4)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (122)
Grass or grass-like 22% (55)
Vine 7% (18)
Fern 3% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (22%).

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 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 110

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

Garden-ready native plants of Cherokee County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American holly Ilex opaca	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
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
autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black walnut Juglans nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
bog rush Juncus biflorus	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
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
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
clasping coneflower Dracopis amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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 persimmon Diospyros virginiana	Tree	55 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
cucumberleaf sunflower Helianthus debilis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 9b
delta arrowhead Sagittaria platyphylla	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa	Tree	20 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
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
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
fringed sedge Carex crinita	Grass or grass-like	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
frost grape Vitis vulpina	Vine	83 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
great coneflower Rudbeckia maxima	Wildflower (forb)	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
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
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
lesser creeping rush Juncus repens	Grass or grass-like	6.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
manyspike flatsedge Cyperus polystachyos	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Mississippi buttercup Ranunculus laxicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
Missouri ironweed Vernonia missurica	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 7b
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
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra	Tree	68 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
overcup oak Quercus lyrata	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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 buckeye Aesculus pavia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
ridged yellow flax Linum striatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
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
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
southern red oak Quercus falcata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
white oak Quercus alba	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
winged elm Ulmus alata	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 140

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.

Alabama lipfern Cheilanthes alabamensis
American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American ipecac Gillenia stipulata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
annual phlox Phlox drummondii
Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
Brazilian watermeal Wolffia brasiliensis
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina lily Lilium michauxii
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
chinquapin Castanea pumila
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
coastal plain sedge Carex crebriflora
creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
false aloe Manfreda virginica
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
field pansy Viola bicolor
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
green dragon Arisaema dracontium
hairy clustervine Jacquemontia tamnifolia
hairy small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium ciliare
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
Plukenet's flatsedge Cyperus plukenetii
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
procession flower Polygala incarnata
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sharpscale sedge Carex oxylepis
shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
skyblue aster Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium marilandicum
smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
soft thistle Cirsium carolinianum
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
southern twayblade Listera australis
spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
stalked wild petunia Ruellia pedunculata
standing-cypress Ipomopsis rubra
Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
Texas vervain Verbena halei
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
white fawnlily Erythronium albidum
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
woollysheath threeawn Aristida lanosa

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.

climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
white sagebrushArtemisia ludoviciana

Compared with Texas

The typical county is the median of the 254 Texas 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, Cherokee County and Texas
Measure	Cherokee County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	250	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	110	61	656
Tree	43	—	164
Shrub	4	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	122	—	877
Grass or grass-like	55	—	431
Vine	18	—	83
Fern	8	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Cherokee County.

Angelina County, TX 216 garden-ready
Rusk County, TX 97 garden-ready
Smith County, TX 116 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: Cherokee County (county FIPS 48073), Texas. 250 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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