Native perennials
Compared side by side
| Plant | US native status | Cats | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common YarrowAchillea millefolium | US-AK: Native, US-HI: Introduced and US-L48: Native | Toxic | Toxic |
| Blue Giant HyssopAgastache foeniculum | US-L48: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| IndianhempApocynum cannabinum | US-L48: Native | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic |
| Common MilkweedAsclepias syriaca | US-L48: Native | Toxic | Toxic |
| Butterfly MilkweedAsclepias tuberosa | US-L48: Native | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| Jack in the BushChromolaena odorata | US-L48: Native and US-PR: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| Mexican TeaDysphania ambrosioides | US-HI: Introduced, US-L48: Native and US-PR: Native | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| Purple ConeflowerEchinacea purpurea | US-L48: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| Woodland StrawberryFragaria vesca | US-HI: Introduced and US-L48: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| Common CowparsnipHeracleum maximum | US-AK: Native and US-L48: Native | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| CardinalflowerLobelia cardinalis | US-L48: Native | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| Wild BergamotMonarda fistulosa | US-L48: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| Baby RubberplantPeperomia obtusifolia | US-L48: Native and US-PR: Native | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| American PokeweedPhytolacca americana | US-L48: Native | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic |
| Common SelfhealPrunella vulgaris | US-AK: Native, US-HI: Introduced and US-L48: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| CloudberryRubus chamaemorus | US-AK: Native and US-L48: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| Canada GoldenrodSolidago canadensis | US-AK: Native and US-L48: Native | Not documented | Not documented |
| Stinging NettleUrtica dioica | US-AK: Native and US-L48: Native | Toxic (1 source) | Toxic (1 source) |
| Adam's NeedleYucca filamentosa | US-L48: Native | Toxic | Toxic |
This page lists 19 perennial plants that are native to the lower 48 states of the United States. A perennial comes back from its own roots each year, instead of growing from seed only once. Every plant gathered here meets both parts of that test. It is a perennial, and it grows naturally within the continental United States. That combination is the only criterion for inclusion. The list spans a wide range of plant types, from low groundcovers to tall flowering stalks and even a woody shrub. Some of the plants here are prized for their flowers, some for their leaves, and some for their usefulness to pollinators. Others appear here mainly because they are common and widespread across many regions of the country. Each entry on this page was chosen for its native status and perennial habit. It was not chosen for how showy it is or how easy it is to grow. This list is not a ranking. No plant here is presented as better or more worth growing than another. The order you see is not a measure of popularity, beauty, or ease of care. It is simply a gathered set of plants that share the two traits described above. This list is also not exhaustive. Many other native perennials grow across the lower 48 states that are not included on this page. New plants may be added to this collection over time. If a native perennial you know is missing from this page, that does not mean it fails to qualify. It may simply not yet be part of this collection. Use this page as a starting point for comparing native perennials, not as a full record of every plant that fits the description.
The 19 plants
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Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
US-AK: Native, US-HI: Introduced and US-L48: Native
Being native to the lower 48 states and a perennial is what placed this species on this list. The collection does not rank or recommend any entry over another.
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Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
US-L48: Native
This species appears on this page because it meets the collection's two-part test: perennial growth and native range within the lower 48 states. Its spot on the list reflects that status alone.
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Jack in the Bush
Chromolaena odorata
US-L48: Native and US-PR: Native
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Mexican Tea
Dysphania ambrosioides
US-HI: Introduced, US-L48: Native and US-PR: Native
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Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
US-L48: Native
The lower 48 states are home to many native perennials, and this one is among those gathered here. Inclusion marks native status and perennial habit, nothing more.
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Cardinalflower
Lobelia cardinalis
US-L48: Native
The page gathers native perennials from across the lower 48 states, and this plant fits that description. It is listed for that reason alone, not for any particular quality.
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Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
US-L48: Native
This plant qualifies for the list because it is treated here as both a perennial and native to the lower 48 states. That is the full basis for its place here.
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Common Selfheal
Prunella vulgaris
US-AK: Native, US-HI: Introduced and US-L48: Native
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Cloudberry
Rubus chamaemorus
US-AK: Native and US-L48: Native
Native range within the lower 48 states, paired with a perennial growth habit, is the reason this plant sits on this list. The list does not compare it to any other entry.
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Canada Goldenrod
Solidago canadensis
US-AK: Native and US-L48: Native
A native range across the lower 48 states and a perennial life cycle are what earned this plant a spot on the page. No ranking or endorsement is implied by its position in the list.
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Adam's Needle
Yucca filamentosa
US-L48: Native
This entry meets the collection's standard of being both native to the lower 48 states and perennial in habit. Its presence here states only that, and nothing further.
How we chose
Native in the lower 48 states
Photo credits
- Common Yarrow photo by Natalka Ukraine (baby-bear.org), CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Blue Giant Hyssop photo by Guettarda, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Indianhemp photo by Thayne Tuason, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Common Milkweed photo by Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Butterfly Milkweed photo by Larry Jensen, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Jack in the Bush photo by Vengolis, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Mexican Tea photo by Roger Culos, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Purple Coneflower photo by Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Woodland Strawberry photo by Jörg Hempel, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Common Cowparsnip photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinalflower photo by sonnia hill, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Wild Bergamot photo by Andrey Zharkikh from Salt Lake City, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Baby Rubberplant photo by Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- American Pokeweed photo by Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Common Selfheal photo by JackyM59, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Cloudberry photo by Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Canada Goldenrod photo by George Chernilevsky, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
- Stinging Nettle photo by Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Adam's Needle photo by Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
How this page was made
- Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. AI is never the source of a fact.