Native plants for Clay County, North Carolina

563 native plants recorded in Clay County, North Carolina

The USDA plant database has 764 plants recorded growing wild in Clay County. 563 of them are native to the lower 48, and 65 are introduced species that this page leaves out.

By type: 345 wildflowers and herbs, 92 grasses and sedges, 28 shrubs, 24 low woody plants, 56 trees, 18 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 182 of them (32%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), Bride's feathers (Aruncus dioicus) and 8 more are also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Clay County

Sun all day in Clay County: 182 rated natives

64 wildflowers and herbs, 47 trees, 44 grasses and sedges, 14 shrubs, 8 low woody plants, 5 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
2. Bristly buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
3. Bristly dewberry (Rubus hispidus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate 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 goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
8. 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

Half shade in Clay County: 107 rated natives

40 wildflowers and herbs, 29 grasses and sedges, 26 trees, 5 low woody plants, 5 shrubs, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. 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
2. Bristly dewberry (Rubus hispidus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
3. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
4. Horseflyweed (Baptisia tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
5. Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
6. Marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
7. 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
8. 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

Under trees in Clay County: 55 rated natives

20 wildflowers and herbs, 15 trees, 14 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 2 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
2. Bristly dewberry (Rubus hispidus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
3. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
4. Horseflyweed (Baptisia tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 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. 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

Heavy clay in Clay County: 110 rated natives

43 wildflowers and herbs, 34 grasses and sedges, 13 trees, 9 shrubs, 7 low woody plants, 4 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Bristly dewberry (Rubus hispidus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 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. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
4. Lanceleaf loosestrife (Lysimachia lanceolata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Spotted St. Johnswort (Hypericum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. White meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Clay County: 119 rated natives

40 trees, 39 wildflowers and herbs, 21 grasses and sedges, 11 shrubs, 5 low woody plants, 3 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Bristly dewberry (Rubus hispidus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 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. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
4. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
5. Horseflyweed (Baptisia tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Lanceleaf loosestrife (Lysimachia lanceolata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Never watered in Clay County: 80 rated natives

27 wildflowers and herbs, 25 trees, 12 shrubs, 8 grasses and sedges, 6 low woody plants, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Horseflyweed (Baptisia tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought 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
3. Bristly dewberry (Rubus hispidus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
4. Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
6. 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
7. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
8. Lanceleaf loosestrife (Lysimachia lanceolata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Stays soggy in Clay County: 72 rated natives

33 grasses and sedges, 25 wildflowers and herbs, 6 shrubs, 6 trees, 1 vines, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
2. Marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
3. Smooth phlox (Phlox glaberrima) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
4. Stiff marsh bedstraw (Galium tinctorium) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
5. 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
6. 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
7. Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Spotted St. Johnswort (Hypericum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Natives Clay County has that most of North Carolina does not

19 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of North Carolina's 100 counties. A few of them:

• Spiked muhly (Muhlenbergia glomerata): only here
• Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis): only here
• Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa): only here
• Slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus): only here
• Serpentine ragwort (Packera serpenticola): only here
• Oldpasture bluegrass (Poa saltuensis): only here
• Green pitcherplant (Sarracenia oreophila): only here
• Rhiannon aster (Symphyotrichum rhiannon): only here
• Purple sedge (Carex purpurifera): 2 counties
• Tapered rosette grass (Dichanthelium acuminatum): 2 counties

Where to start in Clay County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Clay County gives you the most rated choice (182 plants), and Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 55 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 381 unrated natives too.