Kentucky

Native plants in Louisville

193 plants native to this area with Sow catalog pages.

114 of them need no watering beyond Louisville’s own rainfall

Showing 193 plants

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Trees57

Canopy and structure

Red Maple

Acer rubrum

Photo: caymanmatt · CC BY 4.0

Carolina Sweetheart Redbud

Cercis canadensis 'Carolina Sweetheart'

No watering needed

River Birch

Betula nigra

No watering needed Photo: wcmorton · CC0 1.0

Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

No watering needed Photo: Daniel Atha · CC0 1.0

Worplesdon Sweetgum

Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon'

Pink Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida 'Rubra'

No watering needed

Sugar Maple

Acer saccharum

Photo: kedmunds11 · CC0 1.0

Red Oak

Quercus rubra

Photo: Peter · CC BY 4.0

Eastern Redcedar

Juniperus virginiana 'Idyllwild'

No watering needed

Common Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

No watering needed Photo: Indio Brown · CC BY 4.0

Common Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Photo: Ian Wolfe · CC0 1.0

Timm Success Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea 'Timm Success'

No watering needed

Shumard Oak

Quercus shumardii

No watering needed Photo: lanechaffin · CC0 1.0

Pin Oak

Quercus palustris

Photo: Amelia Tauber · CC BY 4.0

Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus

Photo: TEAMVALOR786 Succulents and cacti, The future of nature is in your hands · CC BY 4.0

Bur Oak

Quercus macrocarpa

No watering needed Photo: Reuven Martin · CC0 1.0

Swamp White Oak

Quercus bicolor

Photo: Steven Joyner · CC BY 4.0

White Oak

Quercus alba

Photo: sblumen · CC BY 4.0

Sensation Boxelder

Acer negundo 'Sensation'

Curley Canadian Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis 'Curley'

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

No watering needed Photo: Farren Dell Rossman · CC BY 4.0

Common Hackberry

Celtis occidentalis

No watering needed Photo: Dávid Horváth · CC BY 4.0

Scarlet Oak

Quercus coccinea

Photo: Andrew Conboy · CC BY 4.0

American Hornbeam

Carpinus caroliniana

Photo: Bonnie Isaac · CC0 1.0

American Linden

Tilia americana

Photo: Tom Scavo · CC BY 4.0

Kentucky Coffeetree

Gymnocladus dioicus

No watering needed Photo: M. Whitson · CC BY 4.0

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin

Photo: Ryan F. Mandelbaum · CC BY 4.0

American Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

No watering needed Photo: Cody Stricker · CC BY 4.0

American Holly

Ilex opaca

No watering needed Photo: Shannon · CC0 1.0

Red Buckeye

Aesculus pavia

No watering needed Photo: Jeff Clark · CC BY 4.0

Blackhaw Viburnum

Viburnum prunifolium

No watering needed Photo: geosesarma · CC BY 4.0

Chinkapin Oak

Quercus muehlenbergii

No watering needed Photo: Jay Pruett · CC BY 4.0

Shrubs35

Backbone planting

Smooth Hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens

No watering needed Photo: Emily Summerbell · CC BY 4.0

Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius

Photo: jyoung2399 · CC BY 4.0

Little Henry Sweetspire

Itea virginica 'Sprich'

Hardy Hibiscus

Hibiscus moscheutos

Photo: botanygirl · CC BY 4.0

Sugar Shack Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis 'Sugar Shack'

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata

Photo: Adam Kranz · CC0 1.0

American Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

No watering needed Photo: Melanie Gaddy · CC0 1.0

Common Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

No watering needed Photo: Indio Brown · CC BY 4.0

Common Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Photo: Ian Wolfe · CC0 1.0

Carolina Allspice

Calycanthus floridus

Photo: Allan Harris · CC0 1.0

Timm Success Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea 'Timm Success'

No watering needed

Pixie Japanese Spurge

Pachysandra procumbens 'Pixie'

Fragrant Sumac

Rhus aromatica

No watering needed Photo: Susan Berry · CC0 1.0

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

No watering needed Photo: Farren Dell Rossman · CC BY 4.0

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin

Photo: Ryan F. Mandelbaum · CC BY 4.0

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

No watering needed Photo: Mark Richman · CC BY 4.0

Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia humifusa

No watering needed Photo: Lexi Destria · CC BY 4.0

American Holly

Ilex opaca

No watering needed Photo: Shannon · CC0 1.0

Red Buckeye

Aesculus pavia

No watering needed Photo: Jeff Clark · CC BY 4.0

Smooth Sumac

Rhus glabra

No watering needed Photo: Tony KM · CC BY 4.0

Blackhaw Viburnum

Viburnum prunifolium

No watering needed Photo: geosesarma · CC BY 4.0

Silky Dogwood

Cornus amomum

Photo: Elizabeth Axley · CC BY 4.0

False Indigo Bush

Amorpha fruticosa

No watering needed Photo: Dmitry Trutsko · CC BY 4.0

Coralberry

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

No watering needed Photo: Brand R · CC BY 4.0

Sassafras

Sassafras albidum

No watering needed Photo: Mark Apgar · CC BY 4.0

Partridgeberry

Mitchella repens

Photo: Joe Hastings · CC BY 4.0

Shrubby St. Johnswort

Hypericum prolificum

No watering needed Photo: C Fishtahler · CC BY 4.0

Mapleleaf Viburnum

Viburnum acerifolium

Photo: Will McFarland · CC BY 4.0

Shining Sumac

Rhus copallinum

No watering needed

Swamp Rose

Rosa palustris

Photo: Andy Wilson · CC0 1.0

American Plum

Prunus americana

No watering needed Photo: Curtis Drake · CC BY 4.0

Washington Hawthorn

Crataegus phaenopyrum

Photo: Rochelle Davis · CC BY 4.0

Grasses16

Movement and texture

'Rain Dance' Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii 'Rain Dance'

No watering needed

Northern Sea Oats

Chasmanthium latifolium

No watering needed Photo: Gold eagle Kroll · CC BY 4.0

Golden Sunset Yellow Indiangrass

Sorghastrum nutans 'Golden Sunset Yellow'

No watering needed

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

No watering needed Photo: Erin Snyder · CC BY 4.0

Gray Sedge

Carex grayi

No watering needed Photo: A. G. · CC0 1.0

Blue Arrows Soft Rush

Juncus effusus 'Blue Arrows'

Bottlebrush Grass

Elymus hystrix

No watering needed Photo: Skyler Principe · CC BY 4.0

Virginia Wild Rye

Elymus virginicus

No watering needed Photo: Jason Leduc · CC0 1.0

Rosy Sedge

Carex rosea

Photo: Jeremy Atherton · CC BY 4.0

Whitetinge Sedge

Carex albicans

Photo: hr_dragonfly · CC BY 4.0

Broadleaf Sedge

Carex platyphylla

Photo: Tom Scavo · CC BY 4.0

Fox Sedge

Carex vulpinoidea

Photo: Brandon Corder · CC BY 4.0

Creek Sedge

Carex amphibola

No watering needed Photo: Bonnie Semmling · CC BY 4.0

Eastern Woodland Sedge

Carex blanda

Photo: Matt Felperin · CC BY 4.0

Broomsedge Bluestem

Andropogon virginicus

No watering needed Photo: Annika Lindqvist · CC BY 4.0

Bottlebrush Sedge

Carex lurida

Photo: Steven Lamonde · CC BY 4.0

Perennials90

Seasonal colour

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

No watering needed Photo: Rochelle Davis · CC BY 4.0

Blazing Star Gayfeather

Liatris spicata

No watering needed Photo: worldbird · CC BY 4.0

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

No watering needed Photo: k2018lena · CC0 1.0

Garden Phlox

Phlox paniculata

No watering needed Photo: Andy Wilson · CC0 1.0

Cinderella Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'

Foxglove Beardtongue

Penstemon digitalis

Photo: Bob Schwartz · CC BY 4.0

Obedient Plant Miss Manners

Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners'

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

No watering needed Photo: Sam Kieschnick · CC BY 4.0

Blue Wild Indigo

Baptisia australis

No watering needed Photo: Nathan May · CC BY 4.0

Hardy Hibiscus

Hibiscus moscheutos

Photo: botanygirl · CC BY 4.0

New England Aster Harringtons Pink

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Harringtons Pink'

Lanceleaf Tickseed

Coreopsis lanceolata

No watering needed Photo: Silvia Cova · CC0 1.0

Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

No watering needed Photo: Tom Pollard · CC BY 4.0

Eastern Red Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Photo: Craig Hensley · CC BY 4.0

Common Sneezeweed

Helenium autumnale

Photo: Thomas Koffel · CC BY 4.0

Great Blue Lobelia

Lobelia siphilitica

Photo: Andrew Conboy · CC BY 4.0

Woodland Phlox

Phlox divaricata

No watering needed Photo: Jacqueline Raiford · CC BY 4.0

Wild Geranium

Geranium maculatum

No watering needed Photo: sophia_herrmeyer · CC BY 4.0

Bugbane 'Brunette'

Actaea racemosa 'Brunnette Black'

No watering needed

Rattlesnake master

Eryngium yuccifolium

No watering needed Photo: Alex Heyman · CC0 1.0

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

No watering needed Photo: Dilrukshan Priyantha Wijesinghe · CC BY 4.0

Green Spice Coral Bells

Heuchera americana 'Green Spice'

No watering needed

Brown-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia triloba

No watering needed Photo: Alexis Williams · CC BY 4.0

Virginia Bluebell

Mertensia virginica

No watering needed Photo: Melinda Soltys · CC0 1.0

Sweet Joe-Pye Weed

Eutrochium purpureum

No watering needed Photo: Jason Swanson · CC0 1.0

Crested Iris

Iris cristata

Photo: Ken Kneidel · CC0 1.0

Pinnate Prairie Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata

No watering needed Photo: Alan Prather · CC BY 4.0

Solomon's Seal

Polygonatum biflorum

No watering needed Photo: Shelby Lyn Sanders · CC BY 4.0

Virginia Spiderwort

Tradescantia virginiana

No watering needed Photo: Cazody · CC0 1.0

Golden Ragwort

Packera aurea 'Golden Ragwort'

Wild Petunia

Ruellia humilis

No watering needed Photo: Michael Burdsall · CC0 1.0

Thin-leaved Mountain Mint

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Photo: Ayla · CC BY 4.0

Vines6

Verticals and screens

Trumpet Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

Photo: Carrie Seltzer · CC BY 4.0

Crossvine

Bignonia capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty'

Clematis Candida

Clematis virginiana 'Candida'

Trumpet Creeper

Campsis radicans

No watering needed Photo: Bryant Brumbill-Corral · CC BY 4.0

Virginia Creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

No watering needed Photo: Tyler Cannon · CC BY 4.0

Purple Passionflower

Passiflora incarnata

No watering needed Photo: snail_hiker · CC BY 4.0

Ferns8

Shade and damp

Ostrich Fern

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Photo: tkr421 · CC BY 4.0

Northern Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum pedatum

Photo: Jason Hill · CC BY 4.0

Christmas Fern

Polystichum acrostichoides

No watering needed Photo: John Brew · CC BY 4.0

Sensitive Fern

Onoclea sensibilis

Photo: laurawies · CC BY 4.0

Interrupted Fern

Osmunda claytoniana

Photo: Richard Littauer · CC BY 4.0

Brunswick Giant Ebony Spleenwort

Asplenium platyneuron 'Brunswick Giant'

No watering needed

Broad Beech Fern

Phegopteris hexagonoptera

Photo: Alan Weakley · CC0 1.0

Bulblet Fern

Cystopteris bulbifera

Photo: Jaime McGuigan · CC BY 4.0

Succulents2

Dry and architectural

Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia humifusa

No watering needed Photo: Lexi Destria · CC BY 4.0

Whorled Stonecrop

Sedum ternatum

No watering needed Photo: botanygirl · CC BY 4.0

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