Native plants for Baltimore (city), Maryland
128 native plants recorded in Baltimore (city), Maryland
The USDA plant database has 158 plants recorded growing wild in Baltimore (city). 128 of them are native to the lower 48, and 7 are introduced species that this page leaves out.
By type: 24 wildflowers and herbs, 100 grasses and sedges, 2 shrubs, 2 trees. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 47 of them (37%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Baltimore (city)
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 47 | 0 | 81 |
| Half shade | 18 | 29 | 81 |
| Under trees | 3 | 44 | 81 |
| Heavy clay | 36 | 11 | 81 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 16 | 31 | 81 |
| Never watered | 7 | 40 | 81 |
| Stays soggy | 39 | 8 | 81 |
Sun all day in Baltimore (city): 47 rated natives
38 grasses and sedges, 5 wildflowers and herbs, 2 shrubs, 2 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pennsylvania buttercup (Ranunculus pensylvanicus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Bur-reed sedge (Carex sparganioides) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Crested sedge (Carex cristatella) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Drooping sedge (Carex prasina) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Eastern narrowleaf sedge (Carex amphibola) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Eastern rough sedge (Carex scabrata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Baltimore (city): 18 rated natives
13 grasses and sedges, 2 trees, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Oval-leaf sedge (Carex cephalophora) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Troublesome sedge (Carex molesta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance - Fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fringed sedge (Carex crinita) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Hop sedge (Carex lupulina) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Shallow sedge (Carex lurida) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Bush's sedge (Carex bushii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
Under trees in Baltimore (city): 3 rated natives
1 trees, 1 grasses and sedges, 1 wildflowers and herbs. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - Troublesome sedge (Carex molesta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region
Heavy clay in Baltimore (city): 36 rated natives
31 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pennsylvania buttercup (Ranunculus pensylvanicus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Crested sedge (Carex cristatella) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Drooping sedge (Carex prasina) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Eastern narrowleaf sedge (Carex amphibola) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Eastern rough sedge (Carex scabrata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Shallow sedge (Carex lurida) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Upright sedge (Carex stricta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Baltimore (city): 16 rated natives
9 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 2 shrubs, 2 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Oval-leaf sedge (Carex cephalophora) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - Shallow sedge (Carex lurida) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Upright sedge (Carex stricta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Troublesome sedge (Carex molesta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Twisted sedge (Carex torta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.8 ft mature · perennial
Never watered in Baltimore (city): 7 rated natives
4 grasses and sedges, 2 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Oval-leaf sedge (Carex cephalophora) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - Quill sedge (Carex tenera) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · perennial - Troublesome sedge (Carex molesta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Variable sedge (Carex polymorpha) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial - Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · perennial · high drought tolerance
Stays soggy in Baltimore (city): 39 rated natives
36 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Bristlystalked sedge (Carex leptalea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Broom sedge (Carex scoparia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Crested sedge (Carex cristatella) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Eastern rough sedge (Carex scabrata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Greater bladder sedge (Carex intumescens) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Prickly bog sedge (Carex atlantica) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - White edge sedge (Carex debilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Cypress swamp sedge (Carex joorii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
Natives Baltimore (city) has that most of Maryland does not
1 natives here are on file in no more than 1 of Maryland's 24 counties. A few of them:
- Pennsylvania buttercup (Ranunculus pensylvanicus): only here
Where to start in Baltimore (city)
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Baltimore (city) gives you the most rated choice (47 plants), and Pennsylvania buttercup (Ranunculus pensylvanicus) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 3 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 81 unrated natives too.