Native plants · State
Native plants of District of Columbia
908 species are recorded as native to District of Columbia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS and recorded in the state by USDA PLANTS, 345 of them with growing traits. County lists cover 1 of the state’s 1 counties; the typical county has 908.
State summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
District of Columbia at a glance
- Native species statewide
- 908 Of 1,090 species Kew’s World Checklist records as native to District of Columbia (before this site’s scope)
- Garden-ready natives
- 345 With PLANTS growing records
- Typical county
- 908 Median native species per county; 345 garden-ready
- Share by type (all 908 native species)
-
Percent of the 908 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers: 442 · grasses and grass-like: 243 · trees: 79 · shrubs: 47 · vines: 50 · ferns: 47.
Native plants by county
| County | Native species | Garden-ready | Hardiness zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 908 | 345 | 7b–8a |
Garden-ready natives of District of Columbia
Statewide list. A species native somewhere in District of Columbia may not be native in your county: use the county lists above to narrow it.
Tree 71
- Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier laevis
- American basswood Tilia americana
- American beech Fagus grandifolia
- American elm Ulmus americana
- American holly Ilex opaca
- American plum Prunus americana
- American sycamore Platanus occidentalis
- American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana
- bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata
- bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis
- black cherry Prunus serotina
- black oak Quercus velutina
- black walnut Juglans nigra
- black willow Salix nigra
- blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium
- blackjack oak Quercus marilandica
- boxelder Acer negundo
- burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus
- Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis
- Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia
- chokecherry Prunus virginiana
- coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana
- cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli
- common hackberry Celtis occidentalis
- common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata
- common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea
- common winterberry Ilex verticillata
- devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa
- eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides
- eastern redbud Cercis canadensis
- eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana
- flowering dogwood Cornus florida
- green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica
- hazel alder Alnus serrulata
- honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos
- hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana
- loblolly pine Pinus taeda
- Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala
- northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa
- northern red oak Quercus rubra
- northern spicebush Lindera benzoin
- pawpaw Asimina triloba
- pignut hickory Carya glabra
- pin oak Quercus palustris
- possumhaw Viburnum nudum
- possumhaw Ilex decidua
- pumpkin ash Fraxinus profunda
- red maple Acer rubrum
- red mulberry Morus rubra
- river birch Betula nigra
- sandbar willow Salix interior
- sassafras Sassafras albidum
- scarlet oak Quercus coccinea
- shagbark hickory Carya ovata
- shingle oak Quercus imbricaria
- shortleaf pine Pinus echinata
- silky willow Salix sericea
- silver maple Acer saccharinum
- slippery elm Ulmus rubra
- smooth sumac Rhus glabra
- southern arrowwood Viburnum dentatum
- southern arrowwood Viburnum recognitum
- southern red oak Quercus falcata
- staghorn sumac Rhus typhina
- sweetbay Magnolia virginiana
- tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera
- water tupelo Nyssa aquatica
- white ash Fraxinus americana
- white fringetree Chionanthus virginicus
- willow oak Quercus phellos
- winged sumac Rhus copallinum
Shrub 32
- Allegheny blackberry Rubus allegheniensis
- American black currant Ribes americanum
- American hazelnut Corylus americana
- Bailey's dewberry Rubus baileyanus
- black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa
- black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata
- black raspberry Rubus occidentalis
- bristly dewberry Rubus hispidus
- bushy St. Johnswort Hypericum densiflorum
- Carolina rose Rosa carolina
- common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius
- common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
- coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
- deerberry Vaccinium stamineum
- eastern teaberry Gaultheria procumbens
- maleberry Lyonia ligustrina
- mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium
- New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus
- oldfield blackberry Rubus alumnus
- pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata
- prairie willow Salix humilis
- purpleflowering raspberry Rubus odoratus
- red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia
- sand blackberry Rubus cuneifolius
- shrubby St. Johnswort Hypericum prolificum
- silky dogwood Cornus amomum
- St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae
- swamp doghobble Eubotrys racemosus
- swamp loosestrife Decodon verticillatus
- swamp rose Rosa palustris
- Virginia rose Rosa virginiana
- Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica
Wildflower (forb) 107
- American eelgrass Vallisneria americana
- American pokeweed Phytolacca americana
- American water horehound Lycopus americanus
- American water plantain Alisma subcordatum
- American water-willow Justicia americana
- beaked agrimony Agrimonia rostellata
- bearded beggarticks Bidens aristosa
- blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- bottle gentian Gentiana clausa
- bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus
- broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia
- bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa
- bursting-heart Euonymus americanus
- butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa
- calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
- Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima
- Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis
- cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis
- Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus
- Carolina fanwort Cabomba caroliniana
- common blue violet Viola sororia
- common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium
- common duckweed Lemna minor
- common evening primrose Oenothera biennis
- common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta
- common selfheal Prunella vulgaris
- common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale
- coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum
- crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos
- crookedstem aster Symphyotrichum prenanthoides
- cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus
- devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa
- ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides
- dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum
- downy yellow violet Viola pubescens
- dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum
- false daisy Eclipta prostrata
- fireweed Chamerion angustifolium
- golden ragwort Packera aurea
- golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria
- green arrow arum Peltandra virginica
- hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum
- harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora
- Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum
- Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
- Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus
- jewelweed Impatiens capensis
- lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata
- late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens
- leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus
- limestone bittercress Cardamine douglassii
- limestone wild petunia Ruellia strepens
- littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus
- longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus
- longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia
- marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris
- Maryland senna Senna marilandica
- narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium
- narrowleaf evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa
- New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis
- nodding beggartick Bidens cernua
- orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides
- pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida
- partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata
- Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica
- Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus
- Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum
- Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus
- pickerelweed Pontederia cordata
- prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus
- pride of Ohio Dodecatheon meadia
- purpleleaf willowherb Epilobium coloratum
- ridged yellow flax Linum striatum
- rough avens Geum laciniatum
- sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus
- skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus
- small beggarticks Bidens discoidea
- small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina
- smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica
- smooth beggartick Bidens laevis
- smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve
- southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis
- spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum
- spring avens Geum vernum
- stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora
- stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium
- swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata
- swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides
- taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus
- tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare
- threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita
- twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla
- valley redstem Ammannia coccinea
- Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica
- Virginia dayflower Commelina virginica
- Virginia iris Iris virginica
- Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica
- Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus
- water knotweed Polygonum amphibium
- white avens Geum canadense
- white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum
- wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata
- wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis
- wild sweetwilliam Phlox maculata
- wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens
- yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula
Grass or grass-like 112
- annual wildrice Zizania aquatica
- arctic brome Bromus kalmii
- Atlantic mannagrass Glyceria obtusa
- autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis
- awlfruit sedge Carex stipata
- big bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides
- blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa
- bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea
- broadleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium latifolium
- broom sedge Carex scoparia
- broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus
- bur-reed sedge Carex sparganioides
- Bush's sedge Carex bushii
- bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus
- Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis
- Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus
- cattail sedge Carex typhina
- coast cockspur grass Echinochloa walteri
- common rush Juncus effusus
- common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens
- crested sedge Carex cristatella
- cypressknee sedge Carex decomposita
- deertongue Dichanthelium clandestinum
- drooping sedge Carex prasina
- eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides
- eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola
- eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda
- fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum
- field paspalum Paspalum laeve
- flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa
- flattened oatgrass Danthonia compressa
- forked rush Juncus dichotomus
- fowl bluegrass Poa palustris
- fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata
- fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea
- fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus
- Frank's sedge Carex frankii
- fringed sedge Carex crinita
- grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus
- Gray's sedge Carex grayi
- greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens
- greater straw sedge Carex normalis
- greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens
- hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris
- hairy sedge Carex lacustris
- hop sedge Carex lupulina
- Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium
- Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans
- limestone meadow sedge Carex granularis
- little barley Hordeum pusillum
- little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca
- manyflower flatsedge Cyperus lancastriensis
- manyspike flatsedge Cyperus polystachyos
- marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus
- needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis
- needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare
- needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides
- nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi
- nodding fescue Festuca subverticillata
- Nuttall's reedgrass Calamagrostis coarctata
- oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora
- poverty rush Juncus tenuis
- prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata
- prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata
- prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica
- purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis
- purpletop tridens Tridens flavus
- quill sedge Carex tenera
- rattlesnake mannagrass Glyceria canadensis
- redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos
- redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum
- reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea
- rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides
- riverbank wildrye Elymus riparius
- rufous bulrush Scirpus pendulus
- shallow sedge Carex lurida
- Short's sedge Carex shortiana
- sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- slender flatsedge Cyperus bipartitus
- slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis
- slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum
- softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani
- spiked muhly Muhlenbergia glomerata
- splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius
- squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata
- squarrose sedge Carex squarrosa
- star sedge Carex echinata
- strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus
- sugarcane plumegrass Saccharum giganteum
- sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea
- switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus
- tawny cottongrass Eriophorum virginicum
- teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides
- thicket sedge Carex abscondita
- upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans
- upright sedge Carex stricta
- variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum
- velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium
- Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus
- wavy hairgrass Deschampsia flexuosa
- white edge sedge Carex debilis
- whitegrass Leersia virginica
- winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis
- wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa
- woodland bluegrass Poa sylvestris
- woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica
- woodland rush Juncus subcaudatus
- woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum
- yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens
Vine 15
- American bittersweet Celastrus scandens
- American vetch Vicia americana
- arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum
- cat greenbrier Smilax glauca
- climbing hempvine Mikania scandens
- climbing rose Rosa setigera
- frost grape Vitis vulpina
- peppervine Nekemias arborea
- riverbank grape Vitis riparia
- roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia
- summer grape Vitis aestivalis
- trumpet creeper Campsis radicans
- trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens
- Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
- yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea
Fern 8
- cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea
- crested woodfern Dryopteris cristata
- field horsetail Equisetum arvense
- interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana
- New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis
- northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum
- rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum
- water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile
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
- common reedPhragmites australis
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
Territories: Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands
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
- District of Columbia: 908 native species in this site’s scope; county lists for 1 counties.
- 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