Native plants · West Virginia
Native plants of Putnam County
240 plant species are recorded as native to West Virginia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Putnam County by USDA PLANTS. 111 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Putnam County, West Virginia
- Native species
- 240 Typical West Virginia county: 410 (median of 55 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 111 Typical West Virginia county: 177
- Share by type (all 240 native species)
-
Percent of the 240 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), followed by trees (19%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 111
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 chestnut Castanea dentata | Tree | 115 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| American holly Ilex opaca | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| American 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 plantain Alisma subcordatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum | Vine | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2b |
| black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 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 |
| boxelder Acer negundo | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| broom sedge Carex scoparia | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis | Shrub | 6 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.7 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| Carolina rose Rosa carolina | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| cattail sedge Carex typhina | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| chestnut oak Quercus montana | Tree | 73 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| common blue violet Viola sororia | Wildflower (forb) | 4 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Low | 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 persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| 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 winterberry Ilex verticillata | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| false daisy Eclipta prostrata | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 10b |
| flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Frank's sedge Carex frankii | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| frost grape Vitis vulpina | Vine | 83 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| groundnut Apios americana | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hop sedge Carex lupulina | Grass or grass-like | 4.3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana | Fern | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 2 in | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| Maryland senna Senna marilandica | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 5b |
| New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 12a |
| panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| perplexed ticktrefoil Desmodium perplexum | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| pitch pine Pinus rigida | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| poverty rush Juncus tenuis | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum | Wildflower (forb) | 8.1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| rough avens Geum laciniatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| scarlet oak Quercus coccinea | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| shagbark hickory Carya ovata | Tree | 75 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| shallow sedge Carex lurida | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| staghorn sumac Rhus typhina | Tree | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4a |
| stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| summer grape Vitis aestivalis | Vine | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| swamp loosestrife Decodon verticillatus | Shrub | 8 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| Virginia pine Pinus virginiana | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| winged sumac Rhus copallinum | Tree | 8 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| yellow buckeye Aesculus flava | Tree | 65 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 129
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
- Allegheny Mountain buttercup Ranunculus allegheniensis
- American false pennyroyal Hedeoma pulegioides
- American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- American spikenard Aralia racemosa
- American wintergreen Pyrola americana
- Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
- blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
- brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
- Carolina sedge Carex caroliniana
- Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
- Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
- clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
- Columbian watermeal Wolffia columbiana
- common dittany Cunila origanoides
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- common moonseed Menispermum canadense
- cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
- cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
- downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
- downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
- dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria
- dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
- eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- fall phlox Phlox paniculata
- fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
- fescue sedge Carex festucacea
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- floating mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- fuzzy wuzzy sedge Carex hirsutella
- glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
- globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
- goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
- grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
- great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- greater tickseed Coreopsis major
- Greek valerian Polemonium reptans
- hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
- hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
- hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
- handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
- honeyvine Cynanchum laeve
- Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
- Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
- king of the meadow Thalictrum pubescens
- largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
- lesser marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum tubulosum
- lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
- longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
- longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
- low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
- navel cornsalad Valerianella umbilicata
- nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
- nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
- northern evening primrose Oenothera parviflora
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- orange coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida
- paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
- parasol sedge Carex umbellata
- Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
- pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
- prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
- rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
- rosepink Sabatia angularis
- roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
- roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
- roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
- sandbar lovegrass Eragrostis frankii
- seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
- sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
- Short's aster Symphyotrichum shortii
- silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
- slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
- slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
- slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
- Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
- smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
- southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
- southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
- spotted pondweed Potamogeton pulcher
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spring blue eyed Mary Collinsia verna
- St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
- striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
- swamp verbena Verbena hastata
- sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
- tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
- tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
- thinleaf late purple aster Symphyotrichum phlogifolium
- thinleaf sunflower Helianthus decapetalus
- twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
- vasevine Clematis viorna
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
- Virginia springbeauty Claytonia virginica
- wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- whorled rosinweed Silphium trifoliatum
- Willdenow's sedge Carex willdenowii
- wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
- woodland bulrush Scirpus expansus
- woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
- yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
- yellowfruit sedge Carex annectens
- zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
Also listed as native and introduced here 3
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
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
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.
| Measure | Putnam County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 240 | 410 | 1,519 |
| Garden-ready natives | 111 | 177 | 528 |
| Tree | 45 | — | 153 |
| Shrub | 10 | — | 98 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 122 | — | 810 |
| Grass or grass-like | 40 | — | 314 |
| Vine | 14 | — | 59 |
| Fern | 9 | — | 85 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Putnam County.
- Cabell County, WV 177 garden-ready
- Jackson County, WV 160 garden-ready
- Kanawha County, WV 240 garden-ready
- Lincoln County, WV 45 garden-ready
- Mason County, WV 113 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
- Putnam County (county FIPS 54079), West Virginia. 240 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