Native Plants of Rhode Island
1,679 native plants and wildflowers grow naturally in Rhode Island. Filter for the bees, or for plants the deer and rabbits tend to leave alone.
Welcome! Rhode Island is home to nearly 1,700 native plant species, and they're wonderful to grow in your own garden. Whether you've been gardening for years or you're just starting out, native plants are the easiest way to create a space that feels like homeβfor you and for local wildlife.
When you plant natives like mountain laurel, common milkweed, and eastern white pine, you're inviting bees, birds, and butterflies to visit. These plants have adapted perfectly to our climate and soil, so they thrive with minimal fuss. We're glad you're here to explore and discover which ones will flourish in your garden.
Allegheny blackberry
Rubus allegheniensis
Rosaceaeβ Part shadeSubshrub
Allegheny monkeyflower
Mimulus ringens
ScrophulariaceaeForb/herbAlpine violet
Viola labradorica
ViolaceaeAlternateflower watermilfoil
Myriophyllum alterniflorum
Haloragaceaeβ Full sunForb/herbAlternateleaf dogwood
Cornus alternifolia
Cornaceae
Amberique-bean
Strophostyles helvola
FabaceaeVine, Forb/herb
American basswood
Tilia americana
TiliaceaeTree
American beech
Fagus grandifolia
FagaceaeTreeAmerican bur-reed
Sparganium americanum
SparganiaceaeForb/herb
American burnweed
Erechtites hieraciifolius
AsteraceaeForb/herb
American chestnut
Castanea dentata
FagaceaeAmerican climbing fern
Lygodium palmatum
LygodiaceaeVine, Forb/herb
American elm
Ulmus americana
UlmaceaeTreeAmerican ginseng
Panax quinquefolius
AraliaceaeForb/herbAmerican hazelnut
Corylus americana
BetulaceaeAmerican hogpeanut
Amphicarpaea bracteata
Fabaceae
American holly
Ilex opaca
AquifoliaceaeTree, Shrub
American hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
BetulaceaeTree, Shrub
American pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
Phytolaccaceaeβ Part shadeForb/herbAmerican searocket
Cakile edentula
BrassicaceaeForb/herbAmerican spikenard
Aralia racemosa
AraliaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herb
American sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
Platanaceaeβ Full sunTree
American white waterlily
Nymphaea odorata
NymphaeaceaeForb/herb
American wintergreen
Pyrola americana
Pyrolaceaeβ Part shade
American witchhazel
Hamamelis virginiana
HamamelidaceaeTree, Shrub
Annual ragweed
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
AsteraceaeForb/herb
Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis
CupressaceaeTreeAtlantic mannagrass
Glyceria obtusa
PoaceaeGraminoidAtlantic white cedar
Chamaecyparis thyoides
CupressaceaeTreeAwlfruit sedge
Carex stipata
CyperaceaeGraminoid
Azure bluet
Houstonia caerulea
RubiaceaeForb/herbBastard toadflax
Comandra umbellata
SantalaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herbBay forget-me-not
Myosotis laxa
Boraginaceaeβ Full sunForb/herbBayonet rush
Juncus militaris
JuncaceaeGraminoidBeach pea
Lathyrus japonicus
Fabaceaeβ Full sunVine, Forb/herbBeach pinweed
Lechea maritima
CistaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herbBeach plum
Prunus maritima
RosaceaeShrubBeach sedge
Carex silicea
CyperaceaeGraminoid
Beaked hazelnut
Corylus cornuta
BetulaceaeTree, ShrubBear oak
Quercus ilicifolia
FagaceaeBearded flatsedge
Cyperus squarrosus
CyperaceaeBebb willow
Salix bebbiana
SalicaceaeBeechdrops
Epifagus virginiana
OrobanchaceaeForb/herbBig bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
PoaceaeGraminoidBigtooth aspen
Populus grandidentata
SalicaceaeTreeBirdfoot violet
Viola pedata
Violaceae
Black cherry
Prunus serotina
Rosaceaeβ Part shadeTree, ShrubBlack chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa
RosaceaeShrubBlack huckleberry
Gaylussacia baccata
EricaceaeShrub
Black locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
Fabaceaeβ Full sunTreeBlack oak
Quercus velutina
FagaceaeBlack raspberry
Rubus occidentalis
RosaceaeSubshrub
Black walnut
Juglans nigra
Juglandaceaeβ Full sunTree
Blackeyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Asteraceaeβ Full sunForb/herb
Blackgum
Nyssa sylvatica
CornaceaeTreeBlackseed plantain
Plantago rugelii
PlantaginaceaeForb/herb
Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
PapaveraceaeForb/herbBlue huckleberry
Gaylussacia frondosa
EricaceaeShrubBlue Ridge blueberry
Vaccinium pallidum
EricaceaeSubshrub, ShrubBlue skullcap
Scutellaria lateriflora
LamiaceaeForb/herbBluntleaf bedstraw
Galium obtusum
RubiaceaeForb/herbBluntleaf sandwort
Moehringia lateriflora
CaryophyllaceaeForb/herbBog goldenrod
Solidago uliginosa
AsteraceaeForb/herbBog white violet
Viola lanceolata
ViolaceaeBog yelloweyed grass
Xyris difformis
XyridaceaeForb/herb
Boxelder
Acer negundo
Aceraceaeβ Full sunTreeBristly dewberry
Rubus hispidus
RosaceaeSubshrubBristly sarsaparilla
Aralia hispida
AraliaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herbBroadleaf arrowhead
Sagittaria latifolia
AlismataceaeBrownfruit rush
Juncus pelocarpus
JuncaceaeGraminoidBrownish beaksedge
Rhynchospora capitellata
CyperaceaeGraminoid
Butterfly milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
AsclepiadaceaeForb/herbButton sedge
Carex bullata
CyperaceaeCalico aster
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
AsteraceaeForb/herb
Canada germander
Teucrium canadense
LamiaceaeForb/herbCanada lettuce
Lactuca canadensis
AsteraceaeForb/herb
Canada mayflower
Maianthemum canadense
LiliaceaeForb/herbCanada toadflax
Nuttallanthus canadensis
ScrophulariaceaeForb/herb
Canadian lousewort
Pedicularis canadensis
ScrophulariaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herbCanadian serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
RosaceaeTree, Shrub
Cardinalflower
Lobelia cardinalis
CampanulaceaeForb/herb
Carolina horsenettle
Solanum carolinense
SolanaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herbCarolina rose
Rosa carolina
RosaceaeSubshrubCat greenbrier
Smilax glauca
SmilacaceaeCatberry
Ilex mucronata
AquifoliaceaeShrub, TreeChestnut oak
Quercus montana
FagaceaeTree
Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana
Rosaceae
Christmas fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
DryopteridaceaeForb/herb
Clasping Venus' looking-glass
Triodanis perfoliata
CampanulaceaeForb/herb
Climbing hempvine
Mikania scandens
AsteraceaeVine, Forb/herbClustered mountainmint
Pycnanthemum muticum
LamiaceaeForb/herbCoastal jointweed
Polygonella articulata
PolygonaceaeCoastal plain blue-eyed grass
Sisyrinchium fuscatum
IridaceaeForb/herbCoastal plain joe pye weed
Eutrochium dubium
AsteraceaeForb/herbCoastal sedge
Carex exilis
CyperaceaeGraminoid
Coastal sweetpepperbush
Clethra alnifolia
ClethraceaeShrub