American Elm – Ulmus americana Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 120 ft for sun or part shade, with fall colour.
Rhode Island native plants
USDA PLANTS records 261 plants as native to Rhode Island (RI) and routinely sold by nurseries. Each one is mapped by county, so you can see which grow wild where you live.
Rhode Island native plant list
This list has 261 Rhode Island natives that nurseries routinely sell: 59 trees, 47 shrubs, 70 wildflowers, 72 grasses and sedges, 9 ferns and 4 vines. The most widespread include American Elm, Bayberry and Bigtooth Aspen, each recorded as native in all 5 Rhode Island counties. Checked against USDA PLANTS on June 13, 2026.
Bayberry – Myrica pensylvanica Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Black-Eyed Susan – Rudbeckia hirta Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A wildflower for full sun, with summer flowers.
Bluejoint – Calamagrostis canadensis Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
Field Horsetail – Equisetum arvense Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A horsetail for sun or part shade.
Virginia Creeper – Parthenocissus quinquefolia Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A vine for sun or part shade, with fall colour.
Bigtooth Aspen – Populus grandidentata Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 65 ft for full sun.
Bristly Dewberry – Rubus hispidus Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub up to 2 ft for full sun, with spring flowers and showy fruit.
Canada Goldenrod – Solidago canadensis Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with late summer flowers.
Deertongue – Dichanthelium clandestinum Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Interrupted Fern – Osmunda claytoniana Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A fern that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
American Bittersweet – Celastrus scandens Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A vine that tolerates shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Black Cherry – Prunus serotina Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 80 ft for full sun, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
Canadian Serviceberry – Amelanchier canadensis Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub or small tree up to 23 ft for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Common Goldstar – Hypoxis hirsuta Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with early spring flowers.
Salt Grass – Distichlis spicata Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
New York Fern – Thelypteris noveboracensis Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A fern that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Arrowleaf Tearthumb – Polygonum sagittatum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A vine for full sun.
Black Oak – Quercus velutina Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 80 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Common Winterberry – Ilex verticillata Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub or small tree up to 10 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Jesuit's Bark – Iva frutescens Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late summer flowers.
Shallow Sedge – Carex lurida Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Cinnamon Fern – Osmunda cinnamomea Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A fern that tolerates shade.
Groundnut – Apios americana Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A vine that tolerates shade and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Eastern White Oak – Quercus alba Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 100 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Highbush Blueberry – Vaccinium corymbosum Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub up to 12 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Partridge Pea – Chamaecrista fasciculata Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. An annual wildflower that tolerates shade, with early summer flowers.
Strawcolored Flatsedge – Cyperus strigosus Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial sedge for full sun, with showy fruit.
Crested Woodfern – Dryopteris cristata Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A fern that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Gray Birch – Betula populifolia Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 25 ft for sun or part shade, with fall colour.
Northern Bayberry – Morella pensylvanica Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Pennsylvania Smartweed – Polygonum pensylvanicum Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. An annual wildflower for full sun, with spring flowers.
Switchgrass – Panicum virgatum Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Royal/Flowering Fern – Osmunda regalis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A fern that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Hazel Alder – Alnus serrulata Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 30 ft for full sun and wet soil.
Silky Dogwood – Cornus amomum Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub up to 10 ft for sun or part shade, with early spring flowers and showy fruit.
Silverweed – Potentilla anserina Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with spring flowers.
Vanilla Grass – Anthoxanthum nitens ssp. nitens Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade.
Woodland Horsetail – Equisetum sylvaticum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A horsetail that tolerates shade.
Pussy Willow – Salix discolor Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 40 ft that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Smooth Sumac – Rhus glabra Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Silverweed Cinquefoil – Argentina anserina Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with spring flowers.
Virginia Wildrye – Elymus virginicus Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Water Horsetail – Equisetum fluviatile Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A horsetail for full sun and wet soil.
Quaking Aspen – Populus tremuloides Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 65 ft for full sun.
Summersweet – Clethra alnifolia Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub up to 16 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Skunk Cabbage – Symplocarpus foetidus Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with summer flowers.
Awlfruit Sedge – Carex stipata Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Western Brackenfern – Pteridium aquilinum Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A fern that tolerates shade.
Red Maple – Acer rubrum Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 68 ft for sun or part shade, with early spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Swamp Rose – Rosa palustris Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub up to 8 ft that tolerates shade, with spring flowers and showy fruit.
Swamp Milkweed – Asclepias incarnata Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with fall flowers.
Big Bluestem – Andropogon gerardii Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Sassafras – Sassafras albidum Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 75 ft for full sun, with late spring flowers and fall colour.
White Meadowsweet – Spiraea alba Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub up to 3 ft for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers.
Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod – Solidago rugosa Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers.
Broom Sedge – Carex scoparia Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Sour Gum/Tupelo – Nyssa sylvatica Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 95 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Woolly Beachheather – Hudsonia tomentosa Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A shrub up to 1 ft for full sun, with late spring flowers and fall colour.
American Bur-Reed – Sparganium americanum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Canadian Rush – Juncus canadensis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade and wet soil.
White Ash – Fraxinus americana Native
Native in all 5 of Rhode Island’s counties. A tree up to 90 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
American Black Elderberry – Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 7 ft for full sun, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
American Water Horehound – Lycopus americanus Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Common Rush – Juncus effusus Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for full sun.
American Holly – Ilex opaca Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 40 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
American Hazelnut – Corylus americana Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 10 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Canada Germander – Teucrium canadense Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Fall Panicgrass – Panicum dichotomiflorum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual grass for full sun and wet soil.
American Linden – Tilia americana Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 100 ft that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers and fall colour.
Beach Plum – Prunus maritima Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 12 ft for full sun, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
Cardinalflower – Lobelia cardinalis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with summer flowers.
Fowl Mannagrass – Glyceria striata Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Black Willow – Salix nigra Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for full sun and wet soil.
Beaked Hazelnut – Corylus cornuta Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 15 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit.
Common Blue Violet – Viola sororia Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A wildflower for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Greater Bladder Sedge – Carex intumescens Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Common Hackberry – Celtis occidentalis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 60 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Black Raspberry – Rubus occidentalis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 6 ft for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Common Selfheal – Prunella vulgaris Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with midsummer flowers.
Green Bulrush – Scirpus atrovirens Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun.
Eastern Redcedar – Juniperus virginiana Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 50 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Common Witch Hazel – Hamamelis virginiana Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 20 ft for sun or part shade, with fall flowers and showy fruit.
Devil's Beggartick – Bidens frondosa Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Greenwhite Sedge – Carex albolutescens Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Green Ash – Fraxinus pennsylvanica Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 80 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Lowbush Blueberry – Vaccinium angustifolium Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 2 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Dotted Smartweed – Polygonum punctatum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Poverty Rush – Juncus tenuis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade.
Hophornbeam – Ostrya virginiana Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 45 ft that tolerates shade.
Mountain Laurel – Kalmia latifolia Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen shrub or small tree up to 6 ft that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Jack in the Pulpit – Arisaema triphyllum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with early summer flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Rattlesnake Mannagrass – Glyceria canadensis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Missouri River Willow – Salix eriocephala Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 52 ft that tolerates shade and wet soil.
New Jersey Tea – Ceanothus americanus Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 3 ft that tolerates shade.
Littleleaf Buttercup – Ranunculus abortivus Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A plant that tolerates shade.
Rice Cutgrass – Leersia oryzoides Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Nannyberry – Viburnum lentago Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 28 ft that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Northern Spicebush – Lindera benzoin Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Marsh Marigold – Caltha palustris Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with mid-spring flowers.
Softstem Bulrush – Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Pin Cherry – Prunus pensylvanica Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 30 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Steeplebush – Spiraea tomentosa Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 4 ft for full sun, with summer flowers and fall colour.
Mexican Cardinal Flower – Lobelia fulgens Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with summer flowers.
Tapertip Rush – Juncus acuminatus Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Pitch Pine – Pinus rigida Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 80 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Swamp Azalea – Rhododendron viscosum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 16 ft that tolerates shade, with showy flowers.
Nodding Lady's Tresses – Spiranthes cernua Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late summer flowers.
Three-Way Sedge – Dulichium arundinaceum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
American Beech – Fagus grandifolia Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 80 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Sweetgale – Myrica gale Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 6 ft that tolerates shade.
Nodding Waternymph – Najas flexilis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Upright Sedge – Carex stricta Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade.
American Hornbeam – Carpinus caroliniana Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 30 ft that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers and fall colour.
Winged Sumac – Rhus copallinum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 8 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Pickerelweed – Pontederia cordata Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
White Edge Sedge – Carex debilis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Atlantic White Cedar – Chamaecyparis thyoides Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 50 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Witherod Viburnum – Viburnum cassinoides Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 15 ft that tolerates shade, with early summer flowers.
Purpleleaf Willowherb – Epilobium coloratum Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Winter Bentgrass – Agrostis hyemalis Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Box Elder – Acer negundo Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 60 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Button Bush – Cephalanthus occidentalis Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 15 ft that tolerates shade and wet soil, with summer flowers and showy fruit.
Swamp Smartweed – Polygonum hydropiperoides Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Woolgrass – Scirpus cyperinus Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Cockspur Hawthorn – Crataegus crus-galli Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 30 ft for full sun, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Common Juniper – Juniperus communis Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen shrub or small tree up to 10 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Virginia Water Horehound – Lycopus virginicus Native
Native in 4 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with summer flowers and showy fruit.
Atlantic Mannagrass – Glyceria obtusa Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Eastern Cottonwood – Populus deltoides Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 190 ft for full sun and wet soil, with showy fruit.
Inkberry – Ilex glabra Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen shrub up to 8 ft for full sun and wet soil, with showy fruit.
American Water Plantain – Alisma subcordatum Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Common Spikerush – Eleocharis palustris Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Eastern Dogwood – Cornus florida Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 30 ft that tolerates shade, with early spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Kinnikinnick – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen shrub up to 6 in for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Blue Eyed Grass – Sisyrinchium angustifolium Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Dwarf Spikerush – Eleocharis parvula Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Eastern White Pine – Pinus strobus Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 150 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Leatherleaf – Chamaedaphne calyculata Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen shrub up to 4 ft for sun or part shade.
Broadfruit Bur-Reed – Sparganium eurycarpum Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Forked Rush – Juncus dichotomus Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Paper Birch – Betula papyrifera Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 70 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers and fall colour.
Silky Willow – Salix sericea Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Broadleaf Arrowhead – Sagittaria latifolia Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Fowl Bluegrass – Poa palustris Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade.
Pin Oak – Quercus palustris Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for full sun, with fall colour.
Speckled Alder – Alnus incana subsp. rugosa Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 16 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Broadleaf Cattail – Typha latifolia Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade and wet soil, with showy fruit.
Fox Sedge – Carex vulpinoidea Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Red Oak – Quercus rubra Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 81 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Swamp Loosestrife – Decodon verticillatus Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 8 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil, with midsummer flowers.
Common Cowparsnip – Heracleum maximum Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with early summer flowers.
Fragrant Flatsedge – Cyperus odoratus Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A sedge for full sun.
Swamp White Oak – Quercus bicolor Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
American Plum – Prunus americana Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 24 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Common Duckmeat – Spirodela polyrrhiza Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with late summer flowers.
Fringed Sedge – Carex crinita Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Thinleaf Alder – Alnus incana Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 25 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Gray Dogwood – Cornus racemosa Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 10 ft that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
Common Duckweed – Lemna minor Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Grassleaf Rush – Juncus marginatus Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade.
Bitternut Hickory – Carya cordiformis Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 75 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Rhodora – Rhododendron canadense Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen shrub up to 18 ft that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers and fall colour.
Crimsoneyed Rosemallow – Hibiscus moscheutos Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Jointleaf Rush – Juncus articulatus Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Black Ash – Fraxinus nigra Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 65 ft for full sun.
Canada Yew – Taxus canadensis Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen shrub up to 5 ft that tolerates shade.
Giant Goldenrod – Solidago gigantea Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with showy flowers and fall colour.
Little Bluestem – Schizachyrium scoparium Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Butternut – Juglans cinerea Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 80 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Eastern Baccharis – Baccharis halimifolia Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 10 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Golden Ragwort – Packera aurea Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with early spring flowers.
Longhair Sedge – Carex comosa Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Chokecherry – Prunus virginiana Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 25 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Hercules's Club – Aralia spinosa Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 20 ft for full sun, with early summer flowers.
Green Arrow Arum – Peltandra virginica Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with spring flowers.
Needle Spikerush – Eleocharis acicularis Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A sedge for full sun.
Eastern Black Walnut – Juglans nigra Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Hobblebush – Viburnum lantanoides Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 10 ft that tolerates shade and wet soil, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Jerusalem Artichoke – Helianthus tuberosus Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Nuttall's Reedgrass – Calamagrostis coarctata Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
Great Laurel – Rhododendron maximum Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 25 ft that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers and fall colour.
Red Currant – Ribes triste Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub up to 2 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit.
Scarlet Indian Paintbrush – Castilleja coccinea Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual wildflower that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Prairie Cordgrass – Spartina pectinata Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
Silver Maple – Acer saccharinum Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 90 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil, with early spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Red Osier Dogwood – Cornus sericea sericea Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun and wet soil, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Smooth Hedgenettle – Stachys tenuifolia Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Prickly Bog Sedge – Carex atlantica Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade and wet soil.
American Arborvitae – Thuja occidentalis Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 50 ft for sun or part shade.
Red-Barked Dogwood – Cornus alba Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun and wet soil, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Wild Mint – Mentha arvensis Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with spring flowers.
Silvery Sedge – Carex canescens Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Balsam Fir – Abies balsamea Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 60 ft that tolerates shade.
Redosier Dogwood – Cornus sericea sericea Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun and wet soil, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
American Eelgrass – Vallisneria americana Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Sweet Woodreed – Cinna arundinacea Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Balsam Poplar – Populus balsamifera Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 80 ft for full sun.
Shining Willow – Salix lucida Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 13 ft for sun or part shade.
Bigleaf Aster – Eurybia macrophylla Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Toad Rush – Juncus bufonius Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual rush for full sun and wet soil.
Bean Tree – Catalpa bignonioides Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 66 ft for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Buckbean – Menyanthes trifoliata Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with mid-spring flowers.
Yellow Indian Grass – Sorghastrum nutans Native
Native in 3 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Black Spruce – Picea mariana Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 65 ft that tolerates shade.
Butterfly Weed – Asclepias tuberosa Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with midsummer flowers and showy fruit.
American Beachgrass – Ammophila breviligulata Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Canadian Hemlock – Tsuga canadensis Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 105 ft that tolerates shade.
Carolina Redroot – Lachnanthes caroliana Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Annual Wildrice – Zizania aquatica Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual grass for full sun and wet soil.
Post Oak – Quercus stellata Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 60 ft for full sun, with fall colour.
Coon's Tail – Ceratophyllum demersum Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Blister Sedge – Carex vesicaria Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Red Mulberry – Morus rubra Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 70 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit.
Ditch Stonecrop – Penthorum sedoides Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade.
Blunt Broom Sedge – Carex tribuloides Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Red Pine – Pinus resinosa Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An evergreen tree up to 80 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Lanceleaf Tickseed – Coreopsis lanceolata Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with late summer flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Graceful Sedge – Carex gracillima Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade.
Shagbark Hickory – Carya ovata Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 75 ft for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Marsh Hedgenettle – Stachys palustris Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Hop Sedge – Carex lupulina Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Slippery Elm – Ulmus rubra Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 85 ft that tolerates shade.
New York Ironweed – Vernonia noveboracensis Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Jointed Spikesedge – Eleocharis equisetoides Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Sugar Maple – Acer saccharum Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 100 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Nodding Beggartick – Bidens cernua Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Mexican Muhly – Muhlenbergia mexicana Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade.
Sweet Gum – Liquidambar styraciflua Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Purplehead Sneezeweed – Helenium flexuosum Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with summer flowers.
Riverbank Wildrye – Elymus riparius Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Tulip Tree – Liriodendron tulipifera Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 120 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Robbins' Pondweed – Potamogeton robbinsii Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Whitegrass – Leersia virginica Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Washington Hawthorn – Crataegus phaenopyrum Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A tree up to 30 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
White Doll's Daisy – Boltonia asteroides Native
Native in 2 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with midsummer flowers.
Bicknell's Sedge – Carex bicknellii Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade.
Bristly Buttercup – Ranunculus hispidus Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with early spring flowers.
Big Cordgrass – Spartina cynosuroides Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
Common Sneeze Weed – Helenium autumnale Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with fall flowers.
Crested Sedge – Carex cristatella Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Crowned Beggarticks – Bidens coronata Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. An annual wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Eastern Gamagrass – Tripsacum dactyloides Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Foxglove Beardtongue – Penstemon digitalis Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers.
Fringed Brome – Bromus ciliatus Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Golden Tickseed – Coreopsis tinctoria Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A wildflower for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers.
Greater Straw Sedge – Carex normalis Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Moss Pink – Phlox subulata Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with early spring flowers and fall colour.
Hairy Sedge – Carex lacustris Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Pennsylvania Buttercup – Ranunculus pensylvanicus Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A wildflower that tolerates shade, with midsummer flowers.
Little Green Sedge – Carex viridula Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Purple Avens – Geum rivale Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with mid-spring flowers.
Melic Mannagrass – Glyceria melicaria Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Rough Avens – Geum laciniatum Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers.
Oval-Leaf Sedge – Carex cephalophora Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Water Knotweed – Polygonum amphibium Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Spiked Muhly – Muhlenbergia glomerata Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Wild Bergamot – Monarda fistulosa Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Thicket Sedge – Carex abscondita Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Velvet Bentgrass – Agrostis canina Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Whiteroot Rush – Juncus brachycarpus Native
Native in 1 of Rhode Island’s 5 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade and wet soil.
No plant on this page matches that.
USDA records 83 of these 261 plants as native in fewer than half of Rhode Island’s counties. The map on each card shows where. A county with no record may never have been surveyed for that plant, so look at the counties around yours too, or use the county checker for an address-level answer.
Want to check a plant by photo or county?
Use our “Is it native” tool for free.Compiled from USDA PLANTS, retrieved June 13, 2026. If you spot a plant we have wrong, tell us at [email protected].
The same list as a table
| Plant | Scientific name | Type | Light | Native counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Arborvitae | Thuja occidentalis | Tree | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| American Beachgrass | Ammophila breviligulata | Grass | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| American Beech | Fagus grandifolia | Tree | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| American Bittersweet | Celastrus scandens | Vine | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| American Black Elderberry | Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| American Bur-Reed | Sparganium americanum | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| American Eelgrass | Vallisneria americana | Perennial | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| American Elm | Ulmus americana | Tree | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| American Hazelnut | Corylus americana | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| American Holly | Ilex opaca | Tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| American Hornbeam | Carpinus caroliniana | Tree | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| American Linden | Tilia americana | Tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| American Plum | Prunus americana | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| American Water Horehound | Lycopus americanus | Perennial | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| American Water Plantain | Alisma subcordatum | Wildflower | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Annual Wildrice | Zizania aquatica | Grass | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Arrowleaf Tearthumb | Polygonum sagittatum | Vine | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Atlantic Mannagrass | Glyceria obtusa | Grass | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Atlantic White Cedar | Chamaecyparis thyoides | Tree | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Awlfruit Sedge | Carex stipata | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Balsam Fir | Abies balsamea | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Balsam Poplar | Populus balsamifera | Tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Bayberry | Myrica pensylvanica | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Beach Plum | Prunus maritima | Shrub | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Beaked Hazelnut | Corylus cornuta | Shrub or small tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Bean Tree | Catalpa bignonioides | Tree | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Bicknell's Sedge | Carex bicknellii | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Big Bluestem | Andropogon gerardii | Grass | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Big Cordgrass | Spartina cynosuroides | Grass | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Bigleaf Aster | Eurybia macrophylla | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Bigtooth Aspen | Populus grandidentata | Tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Bitternut Hickory | Carya cordiformis | Tree | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Black Ash | Fraxinus nigra | Tree | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Black Cherry | Prunus serotina | Tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Black Oak | Quercus velutina | Tree | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Black Raspberry | Rubus occidentalis | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Black Spruce | Picea mariana | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Black Willow | Salix nigra | Tree | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Blister Sedge | Carex vesicaria | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Blue Eyed Grass | Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Bluejoint | Calamagrostis canadensis | Grass | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Blunt Broom Sedge | Carex tribuloides | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Box Elder | Acer negundo | Tree | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Bristly Buttercup | Ranunculus hispidus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Bristly Dewberry | Rubus hispidus | Shrub | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Broadfruit Bur-Reed | Sparganium eurycarpum | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Broadleaf Arrowhead | Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Broadleaf Cattail | Typha latifolia | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Broom Sedge | Carex scoparia | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Buckbean | Menyanthes trifoliata | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | Wildflower | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Butternut | Juglans cinerea | Tree | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Button Bush | Cephalanthus occidentalis | Shrub or small tree | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Canada Germander | Teucrium canadense | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Canada Goldenrod | Solidago canadensis | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Canada Yew | Taxus canadensis | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Canadian Hemlock | Tsuga canadensis | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Canadian Rush | Juncus canadensis | Rush | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Canadian Serviceberry | Amelanchier canadensis | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Cardinalflower | Lobelia cardinalis | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Carolina Redroot | Lachnanthes caroliana | Perennial | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | Tree | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Cinnamon Fern | Osmunda cinnamomea | Fern | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Cockspur Hawthorn | Crataegus crus-galli | Tree | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Common Blue Violet | Viola sororia | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Common Cowparsnip | Heracleum maximum | Wildflower | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Common Duckmeat | Spirodela polyrrhiza | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Common Duckweed | Lemna minor | Perennial | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Common Goldstar | Hypoxis hirsuta | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Common Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | Tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Common Juniper | Juniperus communis | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Common Rush | Juncus effusus | Rush | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Common Selfheal | Prunella vulgaris | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Common Sneeze Weed | Helenium autumnale | Wildflower | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Common Spikerush | Eleocharis palustris | Sedge | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Common Winterberry | Ilex verticillata | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Common Witch Hazel | Hamamelis virginiana | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Coon's Tail | Ceratophyllum demersum | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Crested Sedge | Carex cristatella | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Crested Woodfern | Dryopteris cristata | Fern | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Crimsoneyed Rosemallow | Hibiscus moscheutos | Wildflower | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Crowned Beggarticks | Bidens coronata | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Deertongue | Dichanthelium clandestinum | Grass | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Devil's Beggartick | Bidens frondosa | Annual | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Ditch Stonecrop | Penthorum sedoides | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Dotted Smartweed | Polygonum punctatum | Wildflower | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Dwarf Spikerush | Eleocharis parvula | Sedge | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Eastern Baccharis | Baccharis halimifolia | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Eastern Black Walnut | Juglans nigra | Tree | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Eastern Cottonwood | Populus deltoides | Tree | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Eastern Dogwood | Cornus florida | Tree | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Eastern Gamagrass | Tripsacum dactyloides | Grass | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Eastern Redcedar | Juniperus virginiana | Tree | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Eastern White Oak | Quercus alba | Tree | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Eastern White Pine | Pinus strobus | Tree | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Fall Panicgrass | Panicum dichotomiflorum | Grass | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Field Horsetail | Equisetum arvense | Horsetail | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Forked Rush | Juncus dichotomus | Rush | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Fowl Bluegrass | Poa palustris | Grass | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Fowl Mannagrass | Glyceria striata | Grass | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Fox Sedge | Carex vulpinoidea | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Foxglove Beardtongue | Penstemon digitalis | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Fragrant Flatsedge | Cyperus odoratus | Sedge | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Fringed Brome | Bromus ciliatus | Grass | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Fringed Sedge | Carex crinita | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Giant Goldenrod | Solidago gigantea | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Golden Ragwort | Packera aurea | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Golden Tickseed | Coreopsis tinctoria | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Graceful Sedge | Carex gracillima | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Grassleaf Rush | Juncus marginatus | Rush | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Gray Birch | Betula populifolia | Tree | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Gray Dogwood | Cornus racemosa | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Great Laurel | Rhododendron maximum | Tree | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Greater Bladder Sedge | Carex intumescens | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Greater Straw Sedge | Carex normalis | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Green Arrow Arum | Peltandra virginica | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Green Ash | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Green Bulrush | Scirpus atrovirens | Sedge | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Greenwhite Sedge | Carex albolutescens | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Groundnut | Apios americana | Vine | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Hairy Sedge | Carex lacustris | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Hazel Alder | Alnus serrulata | Tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Hercules's Club | Aralia spinosa | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Highbush Blueberry | Vaccinium corymbosum | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Hobblebush | Viburnum lantanoides | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Hop Sedge | Carex lupulina | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Hophornbeam | Ostrya virginiana | Tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Inkberry | Ilex glabra | Shrub | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Interrupted Fern | Osmunda claytoniana | Fern | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Jack in the Pulpit | Arisaema triphyllum | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Jerusalem Artichoke | Helianthus tuberosus | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Jesuit's Bark | Iva frutescens | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Jointed Spikesedge | Eleocharis equisetoides | Sedge | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Jointleaf Rush | Juncus articulatus | Rush | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Kinnikinnick | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Lanceleaf Tickseed | Coreopsis lanceolata | Wildflower | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Leatherleaf | Chamaedaphne calyculata | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | Grass | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Little Green Sedge | Carex viridula | Sedge | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Littleleaf Buttercup | Ranunculus abortivus | Plant | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Longhair Sedge | Carex comosa | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Lowbush Blueberry | Vaccinium angustifolium | Shrub | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Marsh Hedgenettle | Stachys palustris | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Marsh Marigold | Caltha palustris | Wildflower | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Melic Mannagrass | Glyceria melicaria | Grass | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Mexican Cardinal Flower | Lobelia fulgens | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Mexican Muhly | Muhlenbergia mexicana | Grass | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Missouri River Willow | Salix eriocephala | Tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Moss Pink | Phlox subulata | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Mountain Laurel | Kalmia latifolia | Shrub or small tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Nannyberry | Viburnum lentago | Tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Needle Spikerush | Eleocharis acicularis | Sedge | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| New Jersey Tea | Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| New York Fern | Thelypteris noveboracensis | Fern | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| New York Ironweed | Vernonia noveboracensis | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Nodding Beggartick | Bidens cernua | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Nodding Lady's Tresses | Spiranthes cernua | Wildflower | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Nodding Waternymph | Najas flexilis | Annual | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Northern Bayberry | Morella pensylvanica | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Northern Spicebush | Lindera benzoin | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Nuttall's Reedgrass | Calamagrostis coarctata | Grass | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Oval-Leaf Sedge | Carex cephalophora | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Paper Birch | Betula papyrifera | Tree | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Partridge Pea | Chamaecrista fasciculata | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Pennsylvania Buttercup | Ranunculus pensylvanicus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Pennsylvania Smartweed | Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Pickerelweed | Pontederia cordata | Wildflower | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Pin Cherry | Prunus pensylvanica | Tree | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Pin Oak | Quercus palustris | Tree | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Pitch Pine | Pinus rigida | Tree | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Post Oak | Quercus stellata | Tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Poverty Rush | Juncus tenuis | Rush | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Prairie Cordgrass | Spartina pectinata | Grass | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Prickly Bog Sedge | Carex atlantica | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Purple Avens | Geum rivale | Wildflower | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Purplehead Sneezeweed | Helenium flexuosum | Wildflower | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Purpleleaf Willowherb | Epilobium coloratum | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Pussy Willow | Salix discolor | Tree | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Quaking Aspen | Populus tremuloides | Tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Rattlesnake Mannagrass | Glyceria canadensis | Grass | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Red Currant | Ribes triste | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum | Tree | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Red Mulberry | Morus rubra | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Red Oak | Quercus rubra | Tree | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Red Osier Dogwood | Cornus sericea sericea | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Red Pine | Pinus resinosa | Tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Red-Barked Dogwood | Cornus alba | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Redosier Dogwood | Cornus sericea sericea | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Rhodora | Rhododendron canadense | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Rice Cutgrass | Leersia oryzoides | Grass | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Riverbank Wildrye | Elymus riparius | Grass | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Robbins' Pondweed | Potamogeton robbinsii | Perennial | Full sun | 2 of 5 |
| Rough Avens | Geum laciniatum | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Royal/Flowering Fern | Osmunda regalis | Fern | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Salt Grass | Distichlis spicata | Grass | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Sassafras | Sassafras albidum | Tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Scarlet Indian Paintbrush | Castilleja coccinea | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Shagbark Hickory | Carya ovata | Tree | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Shallow Sedge | Carex lurida | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Shining Willow | Salix lucida | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Silky Dogwood | Cornus amomum | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Silky Willow | Salix sericea | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Silver Maple | Acer saccharinum | Tree | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| Silverweed | Potentilla anserina | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Silverweed Cinquefoil | Argentina anserina | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Silvery Sedge | Carex canescens | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Skunk Cabbage | Symplocarpus foetidus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Slippery Elm | Ulmus rubra | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Smooth Hedgenettle | Stachys tenuifolia | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Smooth Sumac | Rhus glabra | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Softstem Bulrush | Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | Sedge | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Sour Gum/Tupelo | Nyssa sylvatica | Tree | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Speckled Alder | Alnus incana subsp. rugosa | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Spiked Muhly | Muhlenbergia glomerata | Grass | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Steeplebush | Spiraea tomentosa | Shrub | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Strawcolored Flatsedge | Cyperus strigosus | Sedge | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Sugar Maple | Acer saccharum | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Summersweet | Clethra alnifolia | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Swamp Azalea | Rhododendron viscosum | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Swamp Loosestrife | Decodon verticillatus | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Swamp Milkweed | Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Swamp Rose | Rosa palustris | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Swamp Smartweed | Polygonum hydropiperoides | Perennial | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Swamp White Oak | Quercus bicolor | Tree | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Sweet Gum | Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Sweet Woodreed | Cinna arundinacea | Grass | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| Sweetgale | Myrica gale | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Switchgrass | Panicum virgatum | Grass | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Tapertip Rush | Juncus acuminatus | Rush | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Thicket Sedge | Carex abscondita | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 1 of 5 |
| Thinleaf Alder | Alnus incana | Tree | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Three-Way Sedge | Dulichium arundinaceum | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Toad Rush | Juncus bufonius | Rush | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Tulip Tree | Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Upright Sedge | Carex stricta | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Vanilla Grass | Anthoxanthum nitens ssp. nitens | Grass | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Velvet Bentgrass | Agrostis canina | Grass | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Virginia Creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Virginia Water Horehound | Lycopus virginicus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Virginia Wildrye | Elymus virginicus | Grass | Tolerates shade | 5 of 5 |
| Washington Hawthorn | Crataegus phaenopyrum | Tree | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Water Horsetail | Equisetum fluviatile | Horsetail | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
| Water Knotweed | Polygonum amphibium | Perennial | Full sun | 1 of 5 |
| Western Brackenfern | Pteridium aquilinum | Fern | Tolerates shade | 3 of 5 |
| White Ash | Fraxinus americana | Tree | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| White Doll's Daisy | Boltonia asteroides | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 5 |
| White Edge Sedge | Carex debilis | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| White Meadowsweet | Spiraea alba | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Whitegrass | Leersia virginica | Grass | Tolerates shade | 2 of 5 |
| Whiteroot Rush | Juncus brachycarpus | Rush | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Wild Bergamot | Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 1 of 5 |
| Wild Mint | Mentha arvensis | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 3 of 5 |
| Winged Sumac | Rhus copallinum | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 4 of 5 |
| Winter Bentgrass | Agrostis hyemalis | Grass | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Witherod Viburnum | Viburnum cassinoides | Shrub or small tree | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Woodland Horsetail | Equisetum sylvaticum | Horsetail | Tolerates shade | 4 of 5 |
| Woolgrass | Scirpus cyperinus | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 4 of 5 |
| Woolly Beachheather | Hudsonia tomentosa | Shrub | Full sun | 5 of 5 |
| Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod | Solidago rugosa | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 5 of 5 |
| Yellow Indian Grass | Sorghastrum nutans | Grass | Full sun | 3 of 5 |
Where this comes from
- Native range
- USDA PLANTS county distribution layer, the same records behind the county checker.
- Sold by nurseries
- USDA PLANTS plant characteristics, Commercial Availability “Routinely Available”. It is a national flag, so a plant here can still be hard to find at a garden centre near you.
- Plant details
- USDA PLANTS: growth habit and duration from the plant profile; shade and wet-soil tolerance, bloom period, mature height and showy flowers, fruit or fall colour from the plant characteristics.
- Left out
- Any plant a state regulates as invasive or noxious, or that GRIIS flags as invasive in the lower 48, even where it is native. So is any species USDA records as both native and introduced in the lower 48, because the form nurseries sell is usually the introduced one.
- Photos
- Public domain, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-SA, credited under each photo.
- Citation
- USDA, NRCS. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov), retrieved June 13, 2026. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.
Questions
What plants are native to Rhode Island?
This page lists the 261 plants that USDA PLANTS records as native to Rhode Island and routinely available from nurseries: 59 trees, 47 shrubs, 70 wildflowers, 72 grasses and sedges, 9 ferns and 4 vines. They are a small part of Rhode Island's native flora, chosen because you can buy them. Each one carries a map of the Rhode Island counties where USDA records it growing wild.
What trees are native to Rhode Island?
This page lists 59 trees native to Rhode Island that nurseries routinely sell. The most widespread include American Elm, Bigtooth Aspen and Black Cherry, each recorded as native in all 5 Rhode Island counties.
What shrubs are native to Rhode Island?
This page lists 47 shrubs native to Rhode Island that nurseries routinely sell. The most widespread include Bayberry, Bristly Dewberry and Canadian Serviceberry, each recorded as native in all 5 Rhode Island counties.
What wildflowers are native to Rhode Island?
This page lists 70 wildflowers native to Rhode Island that nurseries routinely sell. The most widespread include Black-Eyed Susan, Canada Goldenrod and Common Goldstar, each recorded as native in all 5 Rhode Island counties.
Is my plant native to Rhode Island?
Search this page by common or scientific name. A plant missing from it can still be native to Rhode Island: the page lists only natives that nurseries routinely sell, and it leaves out any plant a state regulates as invasive. For a county-level answer on any plant, enter its name in Ezina's checker. Every answer links the record it came from.
Is a plant native to Rhode Island native everywhere in Rhode Island?
Not necessarily. USDA records nativity county by county, and 83 of the 261 plants on this page are recorded as native in fewer than half of Rhode Island's 5 counties. A county with no record may simply never have been surveyed for that plant, so read each card's map as where the plant is known to grow wild rather than as a boundary.
Grow natives easily with Ezina
How it works
We provide the tools you need to succeed.
010.1Identify
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
010.2Care
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
010.3Plan
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Compiled from peer-reviewed research, USDA documentation,
and direct scientific observation across the United States.