Native plants · Texas

Native plants of Trinity County

257 plant species are recorded as native to Texas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Trinity County by USDA PLANTS. 103 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

Trinity County, Texas

Native species: 257 Typical Texas county: 145 (median of 254 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 103 Typical Texas county: 61
Share by type (all 257 native species): Percent of the 257 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (35)
Shrub 2% (6)
Wildflower (forb) 38% (98)
Grass or grass-like 35% (89)
Vine 11% (27)
Fern <1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (38%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (35%).

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 8b to 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 103

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

Garden-ready native plants of Trinity County, Texas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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
autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
bedstraw St. Johnswort Hypericum galioides	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 4b
catchfly grass Leersia lenticularis	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
cedar elm Ulmus crassifolia	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
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
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
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 cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
giant cutgrass Zizaniopsis miliacea	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
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
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
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
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
longspike tridens Tridens strictus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
manyspike flatsedge Cyperus polystachyos	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
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
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
parsley hawthorn Crataegus marshallii	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
peppervine Nekemias arborea	Vine	1 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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 maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	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
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus	Shrub	8.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
shortbeard plumegrass Saccharum brevibarbe	Grass or grass-like	6.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
southern catalpa Catalpa bignonioides	Tree	66 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
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
tapertip flatsedge Cyperus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	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
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
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wrinkled jointtail grass Coelorachis rugosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b

Other native species recorded here 154

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
amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
American bluehearts Buchnera americana
American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
Baldwin's flatsedge Cyperus croceus
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
black highbush blueberry Vaccinium fuscatum
blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
Bosc's mille graines Oldenlandia boscii
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
coastal lovegrass Eragrostis refracta
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
creeping eryngo Eryngium prostratum
crossvine Bignonia capreolata
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
dwarf sundew Drosera brevifolia
early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
fewflower nutrush Scleria pauciflora
fewflower ticktrefoil Desmodium pauciflorum
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
fringed nutrush Scleria ciliata
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairy clustervine Jacquemontia tamnifolia
hairy small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium ciliare
Harvey's beaksedge Rhynchospora harveyi
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
herb of grace Bacopa monnieri
hogwort Croton capitatus
lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
little floating bladderwort Utricularia radiata
little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
littlehip hawthorn Crataegus spathulata
Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
marsh lady's tresses Spiranthes odorata
Maryland milkwort Polygala mariana
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
Muhlenberg's sedge Carex muehlenbergii
narrowleaf pinweed Lechea tenuifolia
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
pasture heliotrope Heliotropium tenellum
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
prickly fanpetals Sida spinosa
procession flower Polygala incarnata
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
shaggy crabgrass Digitaria villosa
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
slender yelloweyed grass Xyris torta
slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smallflower fumewort Corydalis micrantha
southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
spindleroot Ludwigia hirtella
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
stiff ticktrefoil Desmodium obtusum
stiff yellow flax Linum medium
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
stout rush Juncus nodatus
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
Texas star Sabatia campestris
Texas vervain Verbena halei
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
three-lobe violet Viola triloba
tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
tropical flatsedge Cyperus surinamensis
twisted spikerush Eleocharis tortilis
twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
velvetleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium viridiflorum
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
yankeeweed Eupatorium compositifolium
zigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata

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.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia

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, Trinity County and Texas
Measure	Trinity County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	257	145	1,683
Garden-ready natives	103	61	656
Tree	35	—	164
Shrub	6	—	90
Wildflower (forb)	98	—	877
Grass or grass-like	89	—	431
Vine	27	—	83
Fern	2	—	38

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Trinity County.

Angelina County, TX 216 garden-ready
Houston County, TX 146 garden-ready
Walker County, TX 220 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: Trinity County (county FIPS 48455), Texas. 257 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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