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Native plants · West Virginia

Native plants of McDowell County

384 plant species are recorded as native to West Virginia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in McDowell County by USDA PLANTS. 145 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

McDowell County, West Virginia

Native species
384 Typical West Virginia county: 410 (median of 55 counties)
Garden-ready natives
145 Typical West Virginia county: 177
Share by type (all 384 native species)
Percent of the 384 native species in each growth type
Tree 13% (50)
Shrub 4% (17)
Wildflower (forb) 63% (242)
Grass or grass-like 10% (39)
Vine 5% (19)
Fern 4% (17)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (63%), followed by trees (13%).

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 7a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 145

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

Garden-ready native plants of McDowell County, West Virginia
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
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 beech Fagus grandifolia Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 12b
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens Vine 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
American chestnut Castanea dentata Tree 115 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
American hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
American holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana Wildflower (forb) 7.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High 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
American water-willow Justicia americana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
Bailey's sedge Carex baileyi Grass or grass-like 2.1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata Tree 65 ft Sun High Zone 3a
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black walnut Juglans nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
broadleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium latifolium Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
chestnut oak Quercus montana Tree 73 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
common blue violet Viola sororia Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
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
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Tree 36 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
crookedstem aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
cucumber tree Magnolia acuminata Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis Tree 105 ft Shade-tolerant Medium 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
eastern teaberry Gaultheria procumbens Shrub 6 in Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense Fern 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
field paspalum Paspalum laeve Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata Grass or grass-like 5.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
golden ragwort Packera aurea Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
graceful sedge Carex gracillima Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
great laurel Rhododendron maximum Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
groundnut Apios americana Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
horseflyweed Baptisia tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 7b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
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
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia Tree 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
mountain magnolia Magnolia fraseri Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
northern red oak Quercus rubra Tree 81 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
pawpaw Asimina triloba Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
pitch pine Pinus rigida Tree 80 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
purpleflowering raspberry Rubus odoratus Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
red maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
ridged yellow flax Linum striatum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum Shrub 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
silver maple Acer saccharinum Tree 90 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 2b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra Tree 85 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens Shrub 18 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Grass or grass-like 9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum Tree 35 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
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
striped maple Acer pensylvanicum Tree 35 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
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
sweet birch Betula lenta Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
trumpetweed Eutrochium fistulosum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
Virginia pine Pinus virginiana Tree 70 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
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 fringetree Chionanthus virginicus Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
whitegrass Leersia virginica Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
zigzag goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 239

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.

  • Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
  • Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
  • Allegheny Mountain buttercup Ranunculus allegheniensis
  • American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
  • American cancer-root Conopholis americana
  • American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
  • American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
  • American wintergreen Pyrola americana
  • arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
  • Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
  • autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
  • bay forget-me-not Myosotis laxa
  • beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
  • beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
  • biennial beeblossom Oenothera gaura
  • black baneberry Actaea racemosa
  • blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • blue waxweed Cuphea viscosissima
  • bluntleaf waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense
  • bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Bowman's root Gillenia trifoliata
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • Canada lily Lilium canadense
  • Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
  • Canadian summer bluet Houstonia canadensis
  • Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
  • Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina lily Lilium michauxii
  • Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
  • Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
  • clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common dittany Cunila origanoides
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common woodrush Luzula multiflora
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • creeping phlox Phlox stolonifera
  • crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
  • crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • Curtiss' milkwort Polygala curtissii
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • deeproot clubmoss Lycopodium tristachyum
  • devil's bite Liatris scariosa
  • dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
  • downy carrionflower Smilax pulverulenta
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
  • dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
  • dwarf cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis
  • dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
  • dwarf violet iris Iris verna
  • early blue violet Viola ×palmata
  • early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
  • early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
  • eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens
  • eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
  • eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
  • eastern star sedge Carex radiata
  • eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fernleaf phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
  • field pansy Viola bicolor
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • fourleaf yam Dioscorea quaternata
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • gall of the earth Prenanthes trifoliolata
  • glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
  • green adder's-mouth orchid Malaxis unifolia
  • green fringed orchid Platanthera lacera
  • hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
  • hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
  • hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
  • halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
  • heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
  • hoary mountainmint Pycnanthemum incanum
  • Illinois pinweed Lechea racemulosa
  • Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
  • leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
  • longspur violet Viola rostrata
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
  • man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
  • marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
  • marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • northern slender lady's tresses Spiranthes lacera
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
  • oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
  • orangefruit horse-gentian Triosteum aurantiacum
  • painted trillium Trillium undulatum
  • parasol whitetop Doellingeria umbellata
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • pipevine Aristolochia macrophylla
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
  • prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • purplestem angelica Angelica atropurpurea
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • ramp Allium tricoccum
  • rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • red trillium Trillium erectum
  • redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
  • ribbed sedge Carex virescens
  • rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
  • richweed Collinsonia canadensis
  • robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
  • rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • rosy sedge Carex rosea
  • roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
  • sand bittercress Cardamine parviflora
  • scarlet beebalm Monarda didyma
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • sessileleaf bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
  • showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa
  • showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
  • sicklepod Arabis canadensis
  • silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender bunchflower Veratrum hybridum
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
  • soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
  • southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
  • Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
  • spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
  • spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • star chickweed Stellaria pubera
  • striped cream violet Viola striata
  • striped gentian Gentiana villosa
  • striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
  • summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
  • swamp wedgescale Sphenopholis pensylvanica
  • Swan's sedge Carex swanii
  • sweet white violet Viola blanda
  • tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
  • tree groundpine Lycopodium dendroideum
  • twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
  • vasevine Clematis viorna
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
  • walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
  • white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
  • white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
  • white turtlehead Chelone glabra
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • white wood aster Eurybia divaricata
  • whiteflower leafcup Polymnia canadensis
  • whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
  • whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
  • woodland flax Linum virginianum
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum
  • woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
  • yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
  • yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
  • yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
  • zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
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.

  • annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
  • bride's feathersAruncus dioicus
  • climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
  • hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium

Compared with West Virginia

The typical county is the median of the 55 West Virginia 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, McDowell County and West Virginia
MeasureMcDowell CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 384 410 1,519
Garden-ready natives 145 177 528
Tree 50 — 153
Shrub 17 — 98
Wildflower (forb) 242 — 810
Grass or grass-like 39 — 314
Vine 19 — 59
Fern 17 — 85

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with McDowell 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
McDowell County (county FIPS 54047), West Virginia. 384 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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