Native Plants of District of Columbia
2,157 native plants and wildflowers grow naturally in District of Columbia. Filter for the bees, or for plants the deer and rabbits tend to leave alone.
Welcome! We're so glad you're here. Whether you're just starting to think about your garden or you've been growing things for years, you've come to the right place. The District of Columbia is home to roughly 2,157 native plants. These are the plants that belong here naturally. They've grown in our soil for thousands of years.
When you plant natives like mayapple, tuliptree, and Christmas fern, something wonderful happens. The bees come. The birds come. The butterflies come. Native plants feed these creatures and make your garden part of nature. It's one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to create a beautiful space. Let's explore what grows best right here at home.
Adam and Eve
Aplectrum hyemale
OrchidaceaeForb/herbAloe yucca
Yucca aloifolia
AgavaceaeTree, Shrub
Amberique-bean
Strophostyles helvola
FabaceaeVine, Forb/herbAmerican alumroot
Heuchera americana
SaxifragaceaeForb/herb
American basswood
Tilia americana
TiliaceaeTree
American beech
Fagus grandifolia
FagaceaeTreeAmerican bladdernut
Staphylea trifolia
StaphyleaceaeTree, Shrub
American burnweed
Erechtites hieraciifolius
AsteraceaeForb/herb
American cancer-root
Conopholis americana
Orobanchaceae
American chestnut
Castanea dentata
Fagaceae
American elm
Ulmus americana
UlmaceaeTreeAmerican hogpeanut
Amphicarpaea bracteata
Fabaceae
American holly
Ilex opaca
AquifoliaceaeTree, Shrub
American hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
BetulaceaeTree, Shrub
American pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
Phytolaccaceae☀ Part shadeForb/herbAmerican rockbrake
Cryptogramma acrostichoides
PteridaceaeForb/herb
American sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
Platanaceae☀ Full sunTree
American witchhazel
Hamamelis virginiana
HamamelidaceaeTree, ShrubAnisescented goldenrod
Solidago odora
AsteraceaeForb/herb
Annual ragweed
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
AsteraceaeForb/herbAnnual wildrice
Zizania aquatica
PoaceaeGraminoidArrowleaf violet
Viola sagittata
ViolaceaeAtlantic camas
Camassia scilloides
LiliaceaeForb/herbAtlantic pigeonwings
Clitoria mariana
Fabaceae
Azure bluet
Houstonia caerulea
RubiaceaeForb/herb
Bald cypress
Taxodium distichum
Cupressaceae☀ Full sunTreeBeechdrops
Epifagus virginiana
OrobanchaceaeForb/herbBig bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
PoaceaeGraminoidBigleaf magnolia
Magnolia macrophylla
MagnoliaceaeTreeBirdfoot violet
Viola pedata
ViolaceaeBitternut hickory
Carya cordiformis
Juglandaceae
Black cherry
Prunus serotina
Rosaceae☀ Part shadeTree, Shrub
Black locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
Fabaceae☀ Full sunTreeBlack oak
Quercus velutina
FagaceaeBlack raspberry
Rubus occidentalis
RosaceaeSubshrub
Black walnut
Juglans nigra
Juglandaceae☀ Full sunTreeBlack willow
Salix nigra
Salicaceae
Blackeyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Asteraceae☀ Full sunForb/herb
Blackgum
Nyssa sylvatica
CornaceaeTree
Blackhaw
Viburnum prunifolium
CaprifoliaceaeTree, ShrubBlackjack oak
Quercus marilandica
FagaceaeTree, ShrubBlackseed plantain
Plantago rugelii
PlantaginaceaeForb/herbBlisterwort
Ranunculus recurvatus
RanunculaceaeForb/herb
Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
PapaveraceaeForb/herb
Bloody butcher
Trillium recurvatum
LiliaceaeForb/herb
Blue mistflower
Conoclinium coelestinum
AsteraceaeForb/herbBlue Ridge blueberry
Vaccinium pallidum
EricaceaeSubshrub, ShrubBlue sedge
Carex glaucodea
CyperaceaeBlue wild indigo
Baptisia australis
FabaceaeForb/herbBlunt broom sedge
Carex tribuloides
CyperaceaeGraminoidBog yellowcress
Rorippa palustris
Brassicaceae☀ Full sunForb/herbBosc's panicgrass
Dichanthelium boscii
PoaceaeBottlebrush buckeye
Aesculus parviflora
Hippocastanaceae
Boxelder
Acer negundo
Aceraceae☀ Full sunTreeBristly buttercup
Ranunculus hispidus
RanunculaceaeForb/herbBristly locust
Robinia hispida
FabaceaeTree, ShrubBroad beechfern
Phegopteris hexagonoptera
ThelypteridaceaeForb/herbBroad halberd fern
Tectaria heracleifolia
DryopteridaceaeForb/herbBroad looseflower sedge
Carex laxiflora
CyperaceaeBroadleaf arrowhead
Sagittaria latifolia
AlismataceaeBroadleaf cattail
Typha latifolia
Typhaceae☀ Full sunForb/herbBroadleaf ironweed
Vernonia glauca
AsteraceaeForb/herbBroadleaf sedge
Carex platyphylla
CyperaceaeGraminoidBroom sedge
Carex scoparia
CyperaceaeBroomsedge bluestem
Andropogon virginicus
PoaceaeGraminoidBrowneyed Susan
Rudbeckia triloba
AsteraceaeForb/herbBrowntop signalgrass
Urochloa fusca
PoaceaeBulbous bittercress
Cardamine bulbosa
BrassicaceaeForb/herb
Bursting-heart
Euonymus americanus
Celastraceae
Butterfly milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
AsclepiadaceaeForb/herbCalico aster
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
AsteraceaeForb/herb
California nutmeg
Torreya californica
TaxaceaeTree
Canada germander
Teucrium canadense
LamiaceaeForb/herbCanada goldenrod
Solidago canadensis
Asteraceae☀ Full sunForb/herbCanada lettuce
Lactuca canadensis
AsteraceaeForb/herb
Canadian honewort
Cryptotaenia canadensis
ApiaceaeCanadian wildginger
Asarum canadense
AristolochiaceaeForb/herb
Cardinalflower
Lobelia cardinalis
CampanulaceaeForb/herbCarolina elephantsfoot
Elephantopus carolinianus
AsteraceaeForb/herb
Carolina geranium
Geranium carolinianum
GeraniaceaeForb/herb
Carolina horsenettle
Solanum carolinense
SolanaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herbCarolina rose
Rosa carolina
RosaceaeSubshrubCat greenbrier
Smilax glauca
SmilacaceaeCedarglade St. Johnswort
Hypericum frondosum
ClusiaceaeSubshrub, ShrubCelandine poppy
Stylophorum diphyllum
PapaveraceaeForb/herbChestnut oak
Quercus montana
FagaceaeTreeChinquapin
Castanea pumila
Fagaceae
Christmas fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
DryopteridaceaeForb/herbChurchmouse threeawn
Aristida dichotoma
PoaceaeGraminoidClayton's sweetroot
Osmorhiza claytonii
ApiaceaeForb/herb
Climbing hempvine
Mikania scandens
AsteraceaeVine, Forb/herb
Coastal plain willow
Salix caroliniana
SalicaceaeCommon blue violet
Viola sororia
ViolaceaeCommon blue wood aster
Symphyotrichum cordifolium
Asteraceae
Common buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
RubiaceaeShrub, TreeCommon cinquefoil
Potentilla simplex
RosaceaeForb/herb