Native plants for Montgomery County, Maryland

355 native plants recorded in Montgomery County, Maryland

The USDA plant database has 406 plants recorded growing wild in Montgomery County. 355 of them are native to the lower 48, and 21 are introduced species that this page leaves out.

By type: 181 wildflowers and herbs, 118 grasses and sedges, 11 shrubs, 13 low woody plants, 18 trees, 14 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 86 of them (24%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Switchcane (Arundinaria tecta) is also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Montgomery County

Sun all day in Montgomery County: 86 rated natives

39 grasses and sedges, 24 wildflowers and herbs, 17 trees, 4 shrubs, 2 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American water-willow (Justicia americana) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · rapid 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. Closed bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) wildflowers and herbs
   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. 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
6. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
7. Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Smooth phlox (Phlox glaberrima) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Half shade in Montgomery County: 47 rated natives

16 grasses and sedges, 14 wildflowers and herbs, 13 trees, 2 low woody plants, 2 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. 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
2. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
3. 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
4. Closed bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Smooth phlox (Phlox glaberrima) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Tall cinquefoil (Potentilla arguta) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Under trees in Montgomery County: 18 rated natives

8 trees, 5 wildflowers and herbs, 3 grasses and sedges, 1 low woody plants, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
2. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
3. 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
4. Valley redstem (Ammannia coccinea) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth
5. Hairawn muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Roundleaf greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · perennial
8. Troublesome sedge (Carex molesta) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial

Heavy clay in Montgomery County: 58 rated natives

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

1. American water-willow (Justicia americana) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 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. Atlantic camas (Camassia scilloides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 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. Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Smooth phlox (Phlox glaberrima) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Wreath goldenrod (Solidago caesia) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Montgomery County: 37 rated natives

13 trees, 11 grasses and sedges, 10 wildflowers and herbs, 3 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American water-willow (Justicia americana) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 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. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
4. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
5. Wrinkleleaf goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
6. Sandcherry (Prunus pumila) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · perennial
7. Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
8. Hairawn muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Never watered in Montgomery County: 30 rated natives

13 wildflowers and herbs, 8 trees, 5 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Closed bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
2. Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate 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. Gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
5. Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
7. 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
8. Limestone wild petunia (Ruellia strepens) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Stays soggy in Montgomery County: 55 rated natives

35 grasses and sedges, 12 wildflowers and herbs, 5 trees, 2 low woody plants, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
2. American water-willow (Justicia americana) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · rapid 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. 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. Tall cinquefoil (Potentilla arguta) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
7. 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
8. Limestone wild petunia (Ruellia strepens) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Natives Montgomery County has that most of Maryland does not

19 natives here are on file in no more than 1 of Maryland's 24 counties. A few of them:

• Cypressknee sedge (Carex decomposita): only here
• Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata): only here
• Hairawn muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris): only here
• Smooth phlox (Phlox glaberrima): only here
• Nantucket serviceberry (Amelanchier nantucketensis): only here
• Hairy rockcress (Arabis hirsuta): only here
• Little grapefern (Botrychium simplex): only here
• Checkered rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera tesselata): only here
• Fewleaf sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis): only here
• Juda's bush (Iresine rhizomatosa): only here

Where to start in Montgomery County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Montgomery County gives you the most rated choice (86 plants), and American water-willow (Justicia americana) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 18 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 269 unrated natives too.