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Native plants recorded in your state and county

Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Orange County

250 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Orange County by USDA PLANTS. 112 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

Orange County, Texas

Native species
250 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives
112 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 250 native species)
Percent of the 250 native species in each growth type
Tree 10% (26)
Shrub 3% (8)
Wildflower (forb) 53% (132)
Grass or grass-like 23% (58)
Vine 7% (17)
Fern 4% (9)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (53%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).

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 zones 9a to 9b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 112

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

Garden-ready native plants of Orange County, Texas
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6b
American elm Ulmus americana Tree 120 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
American holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
American snowbell Styrax americanus Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 5b
bedstraw St. Johnswort Hypericum galioides Shrub 2.5 ft Sun High Zone 7a
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
big cordgrass Spartina cynosuroides Grass or grass-like 8 ft Sun High Zone 7a
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
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
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina ash Fraxinus caroliniana Tree 39 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 7b
Carolina fanwort Cabomba caroliniana Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea Fern 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
clasping coneflower Dracopis amplexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun High Zone 10b
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
coast cockspur grass Echinochloa walteri Grass or grass-like 6.5 ft Sun High Zone 10b
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 maidenhair Adiantum capillus-veneris Fern 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common rush Juncus effusus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
common winterberry Ilex verticillata Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
coral greenbrier Smilax walteri Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
eastern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum subulatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
giant cutgrass Zizaniopsis miliacea Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 8b
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica Wildflower (forb) 2.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
Gulf Coast spikerush Eleocharis cellulosa Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun High Zone 8b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
hop sedge Carex lupulina Grass or grass-like 4.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
Jesuit's bark Iva frutescens Wildflower (forb) 9 ft Sun High Zone 7b
jointed spikesedge Eleocharis equisetoides Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 4a
lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6b
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
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 pine Pinus palustris Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
longtom Paspalum denticulatum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8b
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens Shrub 14 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 7b
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 12a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 5a
planertree Planera aquatica Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
ridged yellow flax Linum striatum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
saltmeadow cordgrass Spartina patens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun High Zone 7a
sand cordgrass Spartina bakeri Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 9a
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus Shrub 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides Vine — Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 9b
St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium Wildflower (forb) 10 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
sugarcane plumegrass Saccharum giganteum Grass or grass-like 9.8 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
swamp tupelo Nyssa biflora Tree 115 ft Sun High Zone 5b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
thinfruit sedge Carex flaccosperma Grass or grass-like 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans Vine 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia iris Iris virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
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
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
wax myrtle Morella cerifera Tree 10 ft Sun High Zone 7a
white prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
willow oak Quercus phellos Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
winged sumac Rhus copallinum Tree 8 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
yaupon Ilex vomitoria Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 138

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 supplejack Berchemia scandens
  • American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
  • anglestem primrose-willow Ludwigia leptocarpa
  • annual marsh elder Iva annua
  • annual phlox Phlox drummondii
  • aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
  • arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
  • big carpetgrass Axonopus furcatus
  • bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
  • blue mudplantain Heteranthera limosa
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bog white violet Viola lanceolata
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
  • Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
  • Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
  • Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • claspingleaf St. Johnswort Hypericum gymnanthum
  • combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
  • common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
  • cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
  • creeping burhead Echinodorus cordifolius
  • crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • dwarf saltwort Salicornia bigelovii
  • eastern fox sedge Carex triangularis
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
  • fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
  • grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
  • greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • heartleaf groundcherry Physalis cordata
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
  • herb of grace Bacopa monnieri
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • husk tomato Physalis pubescens
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • justiceweed Eupatorium leucolepis
  • kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
  • lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
  • Leggett's pinweed Lechea pulchella
  • little duckweed Lemna obscura
  • lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
  • Long's sedge Carex longii
  • Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
  • Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • maidencane Panicum hemitomon
  • marsh lady's tresses Spiranthes odorata
  • marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • Maryland milkwort Polygala mariana
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
  • Pennsylvania everlasting Gamochaeta pensylvanica
  • pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
  • pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
  • pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
  • potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • procession flower Polygala incarnata
  • Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
  • rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
  • roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
  • scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
  • shortleaf spikesedge Kyllinga brevifolia
  • showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
  • smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
  • smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
  • southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
  • southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
  • stout rush Juncus nodatus
  • swamp leather flower Clematis crispa
  • tall horned beaksedge Rhynchospora macrostachya
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • Texas star Sabatia campestris
  • Texas vervain Verbena halei
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • threadleaf evening primrose Oenothera linifolia
  • tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
  • Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia saltmarsh mallow Kosteletzkya virginica
  • Virginia winged rockcress Sibara virginica
  • western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • yankeeweed Eupatorium compositifolium
  • yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
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.

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, Orange County and Texas
MeasureOrange CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 250 145 1,683
Garden-ready natives 112 61 656
Tree 26 — 164
Shrub 8 — 90
Wildflower (forb) 132 — 877
Grass or grass-like 58 — 431
Vine 17 — 83
Fern 9 — 38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Orange 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
Orange County (county FIPS 48361), 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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