Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Morris County

172 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Morris County by USDA PLANTS. 70 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Morris County, Texas

Native species: 172 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 70 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 172 native species): Percent of the 172 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (15)
Shrub 2% (3)
Wildflower (forb) 55% (95)
Grass or grass-like 24% (42)
Vine 7% (12)
Fern 3% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (55%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (24%).

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 70

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

Garden-ready native plants of Morris County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	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
butterweed Packera glabella	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
cattail sedge Carex typhina	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
cylinder jointtail grass Coelorachis cylindrica	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dwarf palmetto Sabal minor	Tree	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
forked rush Juncus dichotomus	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8b
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
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
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
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
little barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
loblolly pine Pinus taeda	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
longspike tridens Tridens strictus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
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
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 7b
needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
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
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
roundhead rush Juncus validus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
sassafras Sassafras albidum	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shortbeard plumegrass Saccharum brevibarbe	Grass or grass-like	6.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius	Wildflower (forb)	5.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens	Vine	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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 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
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
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea	Vine	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 102

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 lopseed Phryma leptostachya
anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
chinquapin Castanea pumila
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
creeping eryngo Eryngium prostratum
crested yellow orchid Platanthera cristata
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
dwarf hawthorn Crataegus uniflora
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
false aloe Manfreda virginica
false spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum pseudomaculatum
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
gravelweed Verbesina helianthoides
greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairy small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium ciliare
hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
lanceleaf ragweed Ambrosia bidentata
littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
poorjoe Diodia teres
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
Ravenel's rosette grass Dichanthelium ravenelii
rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
roughfruit scaleseed Spermolepis divaricata
roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
roundstem false foxglove Agalinis gattingeri
rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slim amaranth Amaranthus hybridus
small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium marilandicum
smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
soft thistle Cirsium carolinianum
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
stalked wild petunia Ruellia pedunculata
standing-cypress Ipomopsis rubra
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
Texas vervain Verbena halei
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
velvetleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium viridiflorum
Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
watershield Brasenia schreberi
white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata

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, Morris County and Texas
Measure	Morris County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	172	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	70	61	656
Tree	15	—	164
Shrub	3	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	95	—	877
Grass or grass-like	42	—	431
Vine	12	—	83
Fern	5	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Morris County.

Camp County, TX 34 garden-ready
Cass County, TX 135 garden-ready
Marion County, TX 110 garden-ready
Titus County, TX 78 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: Morris County (county FIPS 48343), Texas. 172 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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