Native range
Native plants of Delaware
144 wild species and 17 plant groups in the BloomsEye library grow wild somewhere in Delaware, read from Kew's World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS. The 122 garden forms of them are listed apart below, each naming its wild parent.
Showing 1 to 60 of 161 plants
How this list is made
Derived from each plant's native-range record, checked against Kew's World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS with every decision on a ledger; Delaware is read off the record's own range, and the order is how many of the state's counties record each plant, as stored in the BloomsEye library, which was written with AI assistance. Of these 161 plants, 148 have been checked against outside sources (2 fully verified); the rest have not been checked yet, and each plant's own page says which. The cards are AI-generated illustrations.
Range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 4.0, adapted) and USDA PLANTS. How the native range is credited.
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Full sunZones 3–92 ftLow
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
FoliageChristmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Full shadeZones 3–91.5 ftModerate
FoliageCinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Part shadeZones 3–93.5 ftHigh
Common Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
Full sunZones 3–817 ftModerate
Coral Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Full sunZones 4–915 ftModerate
FoliageEastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Full sunZones 2–945 ftModerate
Eastern Star Sedge
Carex radiata
Part shadeZones 4–81.5 ftModerate
FoliageHay Scented Fern
Dennstaedtia punctilobula
Part shadeZones 3–82 ftModerate
Hollow Joe Pye Weed
Eutrochium fistulosum
Full sunZones 4–86 ftModerate
FoliageLady Fern
Athyrium filix-femina
Part shadeZones 4–82.5 ftModerate
Northern Bayberry
Myrica pensylvanica
Full sunZones 3–77 ftModerate
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra
Full sunZones 3–863 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs
Pagoda Dogwood
Cornus alternifolia
Part shadeZones 3–720 ftModerate
Possumhaw Viburnum
Viburnum nudum
Full sunZones 5–98.5 ftModerate
FoliageRoyal Fern
Osmunda regalis
Part shadeZones 3–94 ftHigh
FoliageSensitive Fern
Onoclea sensibilis
Part shadeZones 4–83.5 ftModerate
Shadblow Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Part shadeZones 4–824 ftModerate
Smooth Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum biflorum
Part shadeZones 3–83.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Full sunZones 3–93.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Full sunZones 4–95 ftLow
Virginia Sweetspire
Itea virginica
Part sunZones 5–94.5 ftModerate
White Turtlehead
Chelone glabra
Part shadeZones 3–83 ftHigh
White-Tinged Sedge
Carex albicans
Part shadeZones 4–81.5 ftModerate
Whorled Milkweed
Asclepias verticillata
Full sunZones 4–91.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
American Alumroot
Heuchera americana
Part shadeZones 4–92 ftModerate
American Holly
Ilex opaca
Full sunZones 5–935 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
American Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
Part shadeZones 3–925 ftModerate
American Linden
Tilia americana
Full sunZones 3–870 ftModerate
American Wintergreen
Gaultheria procumbens
Part shadeZones 3–88 inModerate
Listed as toxic to cats
Arrowwood
Viburnum dentatum
Full sunZones 3–88 ftModerate
FoliageBald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
Full sunZones 4–959 ftHigh
Black Chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa
Full sunZones 3–85 ftModerate
Black Cohosh
Actaea racemosa
Part shadeZones 3–85 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Blackhaw
Viburnum prunifolium
Full sunZones 3–913 ftModerate
Blue Mistflower
Conoclinium coelestinum
Part shadeZones 5–102 ftModerate
Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod
Solidago caesia
Part shadeZones 4–82.5 ftModerate
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Part sunZones 3–93.5 ftHigh
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Carolina Rose
Rosa carolina
Full sunZones 4–93.5 ftModerate
Clustered Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Full sunZones 4–82.5 ftModerate
Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
Full sunZones 2–957 ftModerate
Common Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Full sunZones 5–817 ftModerate
Common Persimmon
Diospyros virginiana
Full sunZones 4–935 ftModerate
Common Sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
Full sunZones 3–84 ftHigh
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Full sunZones 3–83.5 ftModerate
Eastern Red Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Part shadeZones 3–82 ftModerate
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Part shadeZones 5–923 ftModerate
Indiangrass
Sorghastrum nutans
Full sunZones 4–96 ftModerate
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Full sunZones 3–93.5 ftLow
Mapleleaf Viburnum
Viburnum acerifolium
Part shadeZones 3–84.5 ftModerate
FoliageMarginal Wood Fern
Dryopteris marginalis
Part shadeZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Narrowleaf Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Full sunZones 4–82.5 ftModerate
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Part shadeZones 3–88 inLow
Perennial Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Pinxterbloom Azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoides
Part shadeZones 4–95.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Purple Lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis
Full sunZones 5–91.5 ftLow
Red Chokeberry
Aronia arbutifolia
Full sunZones 4–99 ftModerate
FoliageRiver Birch
Betula nigra
Full sunZones 4–949 ftHigh
Rosy Sedge
Carex rosea
Part shadeZones 4–812 inModerate
Soft Rush
Juncus effusus
Full sunZones 4–93 ftHigh
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Part shadeZones 4–99.5 ftModerate
Recorded across Delaware
How many of the state's 3 counties record each wild species growing wild, from USDA PLANTS: a plant recorded in many counties is widespread in Delaware; one recorded in few may be local, or simply under-recorded. A county's absence is not evidence a plant is absent. 130 of the wild species carry a county record here.
- Butterfly Weed
- Christmas Fern
- Cinnamon Fern
- Common Witch Hazel
- Coral Honeysuckle
- Eastern Red Cedar
- Eastern Star Sedge
- Hay Scented Fern
- Hollow Joe Pye Weed
- Lady Fern
- Northern Bayberry
- Northern Red Oak
- Pagoda Dogwood
- Possumhaw Viburnum
- Royal Fern
- Sensitive Fern
- Shadblow Serviceberry
- Smooth Solomon's Seal
- Swamp Milkweed
- Switchgrass
- Virginia Sweetspire
- White Turtlehead
- White-Tinged Sedge
- Whorled Milkweed
- American Alumroot
- American Holly
- American Hornbeam
- American Linden
- American Wintergreen
- Arrowwood
- Bald Cypress
- Black Chokeberry
- Black Cohosh
- Blackhaw
- Blue Mistflower
- Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod
- Cardinal Flower
- Carolina Rose
- Clustered Mountain Mint
- Common Hackberry
- Common Pawpaw
- Common Persimmon
- Common Sneezeweed
- Dense Blazing Star
- Eastern Red Columbine
- Flowering Dogwood
- Indiangrass
- Little Bluestem
- Mapleleaf Viburnum
- Marginal Wood Fern
- Narrowleaf Mountain Mint
- Pennsylvania Sedge
- Perennial Black-Eyed Susan
- Pinxterbloom Azalea
- Purple Lovegrass
- Red Chokeberry
- River Birch
- Rosy Sedge
- Soft Rush
- Spicebush
- Swamp Azalea
- Swamp Sunflower
- Sweet Joe Pye Weed
- Sweetbay Magnolia
- Sweetgum
- White Fringetree
- Wild Geranium
- Willow Oak
- Zigzag Goldenrod
- Allegheny Serviceberry
- American Elderberry
- American Hazelnut
- American Hophornbeam
- Black Gum
- Blue Wood Aster
- Brome-Like Sedge
- Common Black-Eyed Susan
- Common Milkweed
- Common Pussy Willow
- Common Snowberry
- Creeping Jacob's Ladder
- Culver's Root
- Downy Serviceberry
- Eastern Bluestar
- Eastern Hemlock
- Eastern Redbud
- False Solomon's Seal
- False Sunflower
- Flava (Yellow Trumpet)
- Golden Alexanders
- Great Blue Lobelia
- Hardy Hibiscus
- Honeylocust
- Inkberry Holly
- Kinnikinnick
- Long-Beaked Sedge
- Maidenhair Fern
- Mayapple
- Mountain Laurel
- New England Aster
- New Jersey Tea
- New York Ironweed
- Ninebark
- Northern Bush Honeysuckle
- Northern Sea Oats
- Pin Oak
- Pink Muhly Grass
- Prairie Junegrass
- Red Maple
- Redosier Dogwood
- Shrubby St. John's Wort
- Silky Dogwood
- Silver Maple
- Smooth Blue Aster
- Smooth Sumac
- Southern Wax Myrtle
- Staghorn Sumac
- Sugar Maple
- Summersweet
- Swamp White Oak
- Trumpet Vine
- Tulip Tree
- Virginia Bluebells
- Virginia Creeper
- White Oak
- White Wood Aster
- Wild Bee Balm
- Wild Ginger
- Winterberry
- Woodland Stonecrop
Garden forms of Delaware natives
122 garden forms, each a named selection of a species that grows wild in Delaware and each naming its wild parent. A garden form is not the wild plant, so it is listed here and never counted above.
- Alba Gayfeather
- Alma Pötschke
- Amazing Grace
- Amber Jubilee
- Amethyst Falls Wisteria
- Annabelle
- Appalachian Red
- Aquavita Juniper
- Arctic Fire Red Twig Dogwood
- Arctic Fire Yellow Dogwood
- Athena Gold False Sunflower
- Autumn Colors
- Baby Joe Dwarf Joe Pye Weed
- Barbara Ann Climbing Hydrangea
- Bayside Bonito Southern Wax Myrtle
- Berry Heavy
- Berry Poppins
- Berry Scape Aronia
- Blackhawks Big Bluestem
- Blackjack Gold Black-Eyed Susan
- Blaze
- Blue Blaze Viburnum
- Blue Moon Woodland Phlox
- Blue Muffin Viburnum
- Blue Paradise
- Bobee Northern Bayberry
- Brandywine Viburnum
- Bridesmaid Mountain Laurel
- Bright Eyes
- Bubblegum Pink Garden Phlox
- Bunny Blue Sedge
- Candy Stripe
- Carol Mountain Laurel
- Carousel Mountain Laurel
- Cherokee Brave
- Cherokee Chief
- Cherokee Princess
- Cherry Berries Wintergreen
- Cherry Brandy
- Claire Grace
- Cloud Nine
- Columnar White Pine
- Coppertina
- Coral Flame
- Crimson Trumpet
- David
- Densa Inkberry
- Denver Daisy
- Diabolo
- DreamScape Hydrangea
- Drummond's Pink
- Dwarf White Pine
- Elf Mountain Laurel
- Emerald Blue
- Emerald Pink
- Eye Candy Moss Phlox
- Eye Shadow Moss Phlox
- Falling Waters
- Fireworks Goldenrod
- Flame Thrower
- Forest Pansy
- Gentsch White
- Goldilocks
- Goldsturm
- Hearts of Gold
- Heavy Metal
- Henry's Garnet Sweetspire
- Hummingbird
- Incrediball Hydrangea
- Indian Summer
- Invincibelle Spirit II Hydrangea
- Jeana
- Jeddeloh Hemlock
- Laura
- Lavender Twist
- Little Devil
- Little Henry Sweetspire
- Luminary Ultraviolet
- Luna Pink Swirl
- Luna White
- Major Wheeler
- New England Aster 'Barr's Pink'
- New England Aster 'Harrington's Pink'
- Nicky
- Northwind
- Nugget
- Orange Perfection
- Peve Minaret
- Pink Spire
- Prairie Sun
- Purple Beauty
- Purple Dome
- Purple Phlox
- Rainbow Pillar
- Red Sprite
- Red Wings
- River Mist
- Robert Poore
- Royal White Redbud
- Ruby Falls
- Ruby Spice
- Sarah Mountain Laurel
- Scarlet Flame
- Shamrock Inkberry Holly
- Shawnee Brave
- Shenandoah
- Sixteen Candles
- Snow Flurry
- Starfire
- Summer Wine
- The Rising Sun
- Tiger Eyes Sumac
- Tiny Wine
- Toto Gold
- Twilight Zone
- Vanilla Spice
- Weeping Hemlock
- Weeping White Pine
- White Delight
- White Flame
- Winter Gold
- Winter Red
Plant groups native to Delaware
17 plant groups sold under one name whose wild species grow in Delaware; the count beside each is how many of its wild species the record finds in the state.
Keep exploring
Native to your own county
This page is the whole state. In the free garden planner, enter your ZIP and Garden Check lists these same plants for your location, marks the ones recorded growing wild in your county, and places any of them in your plan; its Browse tab answers for any of the 65 states, provinces and territories with no account.
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