Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
A Kentucky native at 2–3 ft tall that flowers in Sep and Oct, comfortable in zones 6–10.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Kentucky · Zones 6–7
Native Plants for Kentucky
Kentucky gardens sit in the Southeast — a landscape of longleaf pine, oak-hickory woods, and warm humid bottomlands. The plants below evolved with that climate (humid, four-season) and are hardy through zones 6–7, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Southeastthe Midwest
Ecoregion: Bluegrass, Cumberland Plateau & Pennyroyal
Collections for Kentucky
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Kentucky. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
62 native species
For bees
58 native species
Butterflies
52 native species
Hummingbirds
17 native species
For birds
33 native species
Deer-resistant
48 native species
Full sun
59 native species
For shade
17 native species
Drought-tolerant
38 native species
Clay soil
50 native species
Rain garden
26 native species
Groundcovers
13 native species
Flowering shrubs
15 native species
Grasses
8 native species
Low-maintenance
33 native species
Evergreen
6 native species
Fall color
15 native species
Fragrant
11 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Kentucky.
A cross-section of the 73 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Native to Kentucky and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Aug and reaches 12–18 in.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Kentucky, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A Kentucky native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms Jun through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
1.5–2 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul — an easy fit for Kentucky, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A Kentucky native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms May through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
6–10 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun — an easy fit for Kentucky, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Native to Kentucky and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in May and Jun and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Native to Kentucky and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Jun and reaches 1–2.5 ft.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun — an easy fit for Kentucky, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
A Kentucky native at 3–5 ft tall that blooms Jun through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Native to Kentucky and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jul through Sep and reaches 5–8 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Native to Kentucky and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jun through Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Native to Kentucky and hardy in zones 6–9; it flowers in Apr and May and reaches 25–50 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
A Kentucky native at 2–3 ft tall that blooms Jul through Sep, comfortable in zones 4–8.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Native to Kentucky and hardy in zones 4–9; it blooms Apr through Sep and reaches 8–15 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Sourcing
Where to buy Kentucky natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.