YardNatives

Native plants for Brown County, Kansas

469 native plants recorded in Brown County, Kansas

The USDA plant database has 727 plants recorded growing wild in Brown County. 469 of them are native to the lower 48, and 101 are introduced species that this page leaves out.

By type: 270 wildflowers and herbs, 91 grasses and sedges, 13 shrubs, 27 low woody plants, 47 trees, 21 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 187 of them (40%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and 18 more are also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Brown County

SpotRated to fitRated not toUnrated
Sun all day1870282
Half shade13453282
Under trees82105282
Heavy clay13849282
Sandy, drains fast12562282
Never watered87100282
Stays soggy8899282

Sun all day in Brown County: 187 rated natives

73 wildflowers and herbs, 51 grasses and sedges, 40 trees, 8 vines, 8 low woody plants, 7 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Atlantic camas (Camassia scilloides) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Canadian lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Common blue violet (Viola sororia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Fringeleaf wild petunia (Ruellia humilis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Half shade in Brown County: 134 rated natives

55 wildflowers and herbs, 37 grasses and sedges, 28 trees, 6 low woody plants, 5 shrubs, 3 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  2. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  3. Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  4. Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  5. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  6. Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight
  7. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  8. Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance

Under trees in Brown County: 82 rated natives

29 wildflowers and herbs, 28 grasses and sedges, 19 trees, 3 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
  7. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Heavy clay in Brown County: 138 rated natives

57 wildflowers and herbs, 41 grasses and sedges, 26 trees, 6 low woody plants, 5 vines, 3 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  2. Fringeleaf wild petunia (Ruellia humilis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Heartleaf peppervine (Ampelopsis cordata) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  7. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Brown County: 125 rated natives

44 wildflowers and herbs, 33 trees, 33 grasses and sedges, 6 vines, 5 shrubs, 4 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Fringeleaf wild petunia (Ruellia humilis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. Heartleaf peppervine (Ampelopsis cordata) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  7. Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Never watered in Brown County: 87 rated natives

28 wildflowers and herbs, 26 trees, 17 grasses and sedges, 6 low woody plants, 5 vines, 5 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  2. Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  3. Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  4. Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  5. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Fringeleaf wild petunia (Ruellia humilis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Stays soggy in Brown County: 88 rated natives

34 wildflowers and herbs, 33 grasses and sedges, 15 trees, 2 vines, 2 low woody plants, 2 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Bluntleaf bedstraw (Galium obtusum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  2. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  3. Nodding lady's tresses (Spiranthes cernua) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  4. Broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  5. Canada germander (Teucrium canadense) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  6. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  7. Purpleleaf willowherb (Epilobium coloratum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  8. Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil

Natives Brown County has that most of Kansas does not

4 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Kansas's 105 counties. A few of them:

Where to start in Brown County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Brown County gives you the most rated choice (187 plants), and American vetch (Vicia americana) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 82 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 282 unrated natives too.