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Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Shelby County

217 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Shelby County by USDA PLANTS. 86 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Shelby County, Texas

Native species
217 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives
86 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 217 native species)
Percent of the 217 native species in each growth type
Tree 10% (22)
Shrub 3% (7)
Wildflower (forb) 53% (115)
Grass or grass-like 26% (57)
Vine 5% (11)
Fern 2% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (53%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (26%).

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

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

Garden-ready natives 86

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

Garden-ready native plants of Shelby County, Texas
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6b
American beech Fagus grandifolia Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
American holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 4b
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
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
cattail sedge Carex typhina Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
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 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
disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 4a
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
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
field paspalum Paspalum laeve Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
golden crownbeard Verbesina encelioides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
hop sedge Carex lupulina Grass or grass-like 4.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium Grass or grass-like 4.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
inland rush Juncus interior Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade 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 tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun High Zone 8a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia Vine 30 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 2 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
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
northern spiderlily Hymenocallis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
parsley hawthorn Crataegus marshallii Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
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
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
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
ravenfoot sedge Carex crus-corvi Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
red buckeye Aesculus pavia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
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
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
spring spiderlily Hymenocallis liriosme Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 7b
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium Wildflower (forb) 10 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis Vine 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
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
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana Tree 60 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 9a
sweetscent Pluchea odorata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
thinfruit sedge Carex flaccosperma Grass or grass-like 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
valdivia duckweed Lemna valdiviana Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 4a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
whiteroot rush Juncus brachycarpus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
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
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b

Other native species recorded here 131

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
  • angularfruit milkvine Matelea gonocarpos
  • annual marsh elder Iva annua
  • arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
  • bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
  • birdfoot violet Viola pedata
  • black highbush blueberry Vaccinium fuscatum
  • blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina lily Lilium michauxii
  • Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
  • Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
  • Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
  • chaffweed Anagallis minima
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
  • clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
  • creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
  • crested yellow orchid Platanthera cristata
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
  • diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
  • downy phlox Phlox pilosa
  • early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
  • eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
  • eastern fox sedge Carex triangularis
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • gaping grass Steinchisma hians
  • gravelweed Verbesina helianthoides
  • greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
  • grooved flax Linum sulcatum
  • hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
  • heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
  • hirsute sedge Carex complanata
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • Java-bean Senna obtusifolia
  • keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
  • largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
  • littlehead nutrush Scleria oligantha
  • longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
  • marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
  • Pickering's dawnflower Stylisma pickeringii
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
  • plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
  • poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • queendevil Hieracium gronovii
  • Ravenel's rosette grass Dichanthelium ravenelii
  • red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
  • redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
  • rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • rough dropseed Sporobolus clandestinus
  • rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
  • rough Mexican clover Richardia scabra
  • roughfruit scaleseed Spermolepis divaricata
  • roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • sessileleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium sessilifolium
  • shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
  • sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
  • silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
  • silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
  • slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
  • slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • sneezeweed Helenium amarum
  • soft goldenaster Chrysopsis pilosa
  • southern sedge Carex austrina
  • southern twayblade Listera australis
  • spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
  • spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • stalked wild petunia Ruellia pedunculata
  • stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
  • Texas vervain Verbena halei
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
  • tuberous stoneseed Lithospermum tuberosum
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • veiny pea Lathyrus venosus
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
  • white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • woolly ragwort Packera tomentosa
  • yankeeweed Eupatorium compositifolium

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, Shelby County and Texas
MeasureShelby CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 217 145 1,683
Garden-ready natives 86 61 656
Tree 22 — 164
Shrub 7 — 90
Wildflower (forb) 115 — 877
Grass or grass-like 57 — 431
Vine 11 — 83
Fern 5 — 38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Shelby 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
Shelby County (county FIPS 48419), Texas. 217 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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