Native plants · Vermont

Native plants of Franklin County

497 plant species are recorded as native to Vermont in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Franklin County by USDA PLANTS. 226 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Franklin County, Vermont

Native species: 497 Typical Vermont county: 567 (median of 14 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 226 Typical Vermont county: 254
Share by type (all 497 native species): Percent of the 497 native species in each growth type

Tree 11% (56)
Shrub 6% (30)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (251)
Grass or grass-like 23% (113)
Vine 3% (13)
Fern 7% (34)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), 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 4b to 5a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 226

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

Garden-ready native plants of Franklin County, Vermont
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American basswood Tilia americana	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
American beachgrass Ammophila breviligulata	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
American beech Fagus grandifolia	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens	Vine	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
American chestnut Castanea dentata	Tree	115 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
American eelgrass Vallisneria americana	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
arborvitae Thuja occidentalis	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
arctic brome Bromus kalmii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
balsam fir Abies balsamea	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera	Tree	80 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
beach pea Lathyrus japonicus	Vine	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
bigleaf aster Eurybia macrophylla	Wildflower (forb)	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
black ash Fraxinus nigra	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 9b
black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
black spruce Picea mariana	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 1a
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blister sedge Carex vesicaria	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
bluebead Clintonia borealis	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
bog goldenrod Solidago uliginosa	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
bog Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
bog laurel Kalmia polifolia	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bog muhly Muhlenbergia uniflora	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bristly dewberry Rubus hispidus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
broom sedge Carex scoparia	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
bur-reed sedge Carex sparganioides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canada yew Taxus canadensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Canadian rush Juncus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
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 serviceberry Amelanchier arborea	Tree	36 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common winterberry Ilex verticillata	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
creeping snowberry Gaultheria hispidula	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
crested woodfern Dryopteris cristata	Fern	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana	Vine	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Dewey sedge Carex deweyana	Grass or grass-like	3.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis	Tree	105 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
eastern white pine Pinus strobus	Tree	150 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
flattened oatgrass Danthonia compressa	Grass or grass-like	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fringed sedge Carex crinita	Grass or grass-like	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
golden ragwort Packera aurea	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
golden sedge Carex aurea	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gray birch Betula populifolia	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
great laurel Rhododendron maximum	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
great St. Johnswort Hypericum ascyron	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
greater creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green alder Alnus viridis	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
hobblebush Viburnum lantanoides	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
inland sedge Carex interior	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana	Fern	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
jack pine Pinus banksiana	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
knotted rush Juncus nodosus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
lakeshore sedge Carex lenticularis	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
longhair sedge Carex comosa	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
marsh hedgenettle Stachys palustris	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
melic mannagrass Glyceria melicaria	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
mountain maple Acer spicatum	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
mud sedge Carex limosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
nannyberry Viburnum lentago	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nerveless woodland sedge Carex leptonervia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
nodding waternymph Najas flexilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern bush honeysuckle Diervilla lonicera	Shrub	2.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie willow Salix humilis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
purple avens Geum rivale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
purpleflowering raspberry Rubus odoratus	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum	Wildflower (forb)	8.1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
red spruce Picea rubens	Tree	110 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
rhodora Rhododendron canadense	Shrub	18 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
ribbonleaf pondweed Potamogeton epihydrus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
riverbank grape Vitis riparia	Vine	45 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
riverbank wildrye Elymus riparius	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
rock elm Ulmus thomasii	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
rough bedstraw Galium asprellum	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
shining willow Salix lucida	Tree	13 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
silky dogwood Cornus amomum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
silky willow Salix sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
slender bulrush Schoenoplectus heterochaetus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
small beggarticks Bidens discoidea	Wildflower (forb)	5.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
smooth hedgenettle Stachys tenuifolia	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
staghorn sumac Rhus typhina	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum	Fern	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sugar maple Acer saccharum	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sweetgale Myrica gale	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
sweetgrass Hierochloe odorata	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tamarack Larix laricina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
tawny cottongrass Eriophorum virginicum	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
threeseeded sedge Carex trisperma	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
woodland horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 271

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.

Allegheny hawkweed Hieracium paniculatum
Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
alpine bulrush Trichophorum alpinum
alpine violet Viola labradorica
American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
American fly honeysuckle Lonicera canadensis
American golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium americanum
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American spikenard Aralia racemosa
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
azure bluet Houstonia caerulea
Back's sedge Carex backii
bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
Beck's water-marigold Bidens beckii
blite goosefoot Chenopodium capitatum
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bluntleaved orchid Platanthera obtusata
bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
boreal bog sedge Carex magellanica
bristleleaf sedge Carex eburnea
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
brownfruit rush Juncus pelocarpus
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canada lily Lilium canadense
Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
catberry Ilex mucronata
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
claspingleaf pondweed Potamogeton perfoliatus
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
Clinton's woodfern Dryopteris clintoniana
coastal jointweed Polygonella articulata
coastal sedge Carex exilis
Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common marsh bedstraw Galium palustre
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
Crawford's sedge Carex crawfordii
crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
deeproot clubmoss Lycopodium tristachyum
densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
downy goldenrod Solidago puberula
drooping woodland sedge Carex arctata
Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
dwarf ginseng Panax trifolius
dwarf red blackberry Rubus pubescens
dwarf scouringrush Equisetum scirpoides
early goldenrod Solidago juncea
earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
earth loosestrife Lysimachia terrestris
eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
eastern hemlockparsley Conioselinum chinense
eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
fall phlox Phlox paniculata
false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
false melic Schizachne purpurascens
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fewflower sedge Carex pauciflora
fewnerved cottongrass Eriophorum tenellum
fewseed sedge Carex oligosperma
fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
flat-top goldentop Euthamia graminifolia
flatleaf bladderwort Utricularia intermedia
fleshy hawthorn Crataegus succulenta
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
golden hedgehyssop Gratiola aurea
golden zizia Zizia aurea
Goldie's woodfern Dryopteris goldieana
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
Great Plains flatsedge Cyperus lupulinus
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
greater water dock Rumex orbiculatus
green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
groundcedar Lycopodium complanatum
harlequin blueflag Iris versicolor
Hayden's sedge Carex haydenii
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
Hitchcock's sedge Carex hitchcockiana
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Hooker's orchid Platanthera hookeri
horned bladderwort Utricularia cornuta
Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
hybrid cattail Typha ×glauca
Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
Kalm's hawkweed Hieracium kalmii
king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
large St. Johnswort Hypericum majus
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
lesser purple fringed orchid Platanthera psycodes
lesser rattlesnake plantain Goodyera repens
lesser roundleaved orchid Platanthera orbiculata
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
little grapefern Botrychium simplex
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
longspur violet Viola rostrata
longstalk sedge Carex pedunculata
lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh willowherb Epilobium palustre
Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
matricary grapefern Botrychium matricariifolium
meadow willow Salix petiolaris
moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
mountain woodsorrel Oxalis montana
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf pondweed Potamogeton strictifolius
narrowpanicle rush Juncus brevicaudatus
neckweed Veronica peregrina
northeastern sedge Carex cryptolepis
northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
northern evening primrose Oenothera parviflora
northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
painted trillium Trillium undulatum
parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
Parlin's pussytoes Antennaria parlinii
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
plantainleaf sedge Carex plantaginea
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
purple pitcherplant Sarracenia purpurea
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
red trillium Trillium erectum
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
Robert geranium Geranium robertianum
robin runaway Dalibarda repens
rock harlequin Corydalis sempervirens
rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
rough hawkweed Hieracium scabrum
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
roundleaf yellow violet Viola rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
Selkirk's violet Viola selkirkii
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sessilefruit arrowhead Sagittaria rigida
sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
setose blackberry Rubus setosus
sevenangle pipewort Eriocaulon aquaticum
sheep laurel Kalmia angustifolia
shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
slender watermilfoil Myriophyllum tenellum
slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
smallflower false foxglove Agalinis paupercula
smooth blackberry Rubus canadensis
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
spineless hornwort Ceratophyllum echinatum
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spiral pondweed Potamogeton spirillus
spoonleaf sundew Drosera intermedia
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
stout goldenrod Solidago squarrosa
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
swamp dock Rumex verticillatus
Swan's sedge Carex swanii
sweet white violet Viola blanda
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
thread rush Juncus filiformis
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
threeleaf false lily of the valley Maianthemum trifolium
toothed flatsedge Cyperus dentatus
Torrey's bulrush Schoenoplectus torreyi
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
Tuckerman's sedge Carex tuckermanii
tussock cottongrass Eriophorum vaginatum
twinflower Linnaea borealis
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
umbrella flatsedge Cyperus diandrus
Vasey's pondweed Potamogeton vaseyi
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
wallrue Asplenium ruta-muraria
water arum Calla palustris
watershield Brasenia schreberi
waxflower shinleaf Pyrola elliptica
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
western waterweed Elodea nuttallii
white beaksedge Rhynchospora alba
white fringed orchid Platanthera blephariglottis
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
white turtlehead Chelone glabra
white violet Viola renifolia
whorled wood aster Oclemena acuminata
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
wormseed sandmat Chamaesyce vermiculata
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida
yellow sedge Carex flava
yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii
yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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.

American red raspberryRubus idaeus
common reedPhragmites australis
hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Vermont

The typical county is the median of the 14 Vermont 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, Franklin County and Vermont
Measure	Franklin County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	497	567	1,321
Garden-ready natives	226	254	484
Tree	56	—	123
Shrub	30	—	95
Wildflower (forb)	251	—	670
Grass or grass-like	113	—	318
Vine	13	—	31
Fern	34	—	84

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Franklin County.

Chittenden County, VT 380 garden-ready
Lamoille County, VT 232 garden-ready
Orleans County, VT 272 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: Franklin County (county FIPS 50011), Vermont. 497 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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