State Plant Listings
Kansas
Vegetation References
(Dominant plant species present in each vegetation type are listed in Appendix C)
58 Grama-Buffalo Grass (Bouteloua-Buchloe)
60 Wheatgrass-Bluestem-Needlegrass (Agropyron-Andropogon-Stipa)
62 Bluestem-Grama Prairie (Andropogon-Bouteloua)
63 Sandsage-Bluestem Prairie (Artemisia-Andropogon)
66 Bluestem Prairie (Andropogon-Panicum-Sorghastrum)
67 Sandhills Prairie (Andropogon-Calamovilfa)
73 Mosaic of 66 (Bluestem Prairie) and 91 (Oak-Hickory Forest)
75 Cross Timbers (Quercus-Andropogon)
89 Northern Floodplain Forest (Populus-Salix-Ulmus)
91 Oak-Hickory Forest (Quercus-Carya)
Botanical Experts
Craig C. Freeman, Associate Curator
R.L. McGregor Herbarium
2045 Constant Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66047-3729
(913) 864-3453
(913) 864-5093 (fax)
internet: ccfree@ku.edu
Recommended Flora
Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. University Press of Kansas. Lawrence, KS 66045. 1392 pgs. ISBN 0 7006 0295 X.
Native Plants for Landscape Use in Kansas
Cacti
Opuntia humifosa
Opuntia macrorhiza (common prickly pear)
Opuntia phaeacantha (purple-fruited prickly pear)
Opuntia imbricata (tree cholla, walkingstick cholla)
Ferns
Botrychium virginianum (rattlesnake fern)
Cheilanthes feel (lip fern)
Cystopteris fragilis (fragile fern)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
Phegopteris hexagonoptera (broad beech fern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern)
Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens (marsh fern)
Forbs (annuals/biennials)
Aphanostephus skirrhobasis (lazy daisy)
Campanulastrum americanum (American bellflower, tall bellflower)
Centaurea americana (basket flower)
Cleome serrulata (Rocky Mountain beeplant)
Coreopsis tinctoria (tickseed, goldenwave, plains coreopsis, calliopsis)
Eryngium leavenworthii (Leavenworth eryngo)
Euphorbia marginata (snow-on-the-mountain)
Eustoma russellianum (prairie or catchfly gentian, Texas bluebell)
Gaillardia pulchella (Indian blanket, firewheel)
Glandularia canadensis (rose vervain, sweet William)
Helianthus annuus (common sunflower)
Helianthus petiolaris (plains sunflower)
Ipomopsis longiflora (white-flowered gilia)
Linum rigidum (yellow flax)
Lobelia spicata (pale lobelia)
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia (tahoka daisy, tansy aster)
Monarda citriodora (horsemint, lemon beebalm, lemon mint)
Oenothera albicaulis (pale evening primrose)
Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)
Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri (giant evening primrose)
Oenothera rhombipetala (diamond-petal primrose, four-point evening primrose)
Pectis angustifolia (limoncillo, fetid marigold)
Rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed Susan)
Sabatia campestris (prairie rose gentian, prairie sabatia, meadow pink)
Sedum nuttallianum (yellow stonecrop)
Senecio glabellus (butterweed)
Senecio plattensis (prairie ragwort, prairie groundsel)
Thelesperma filifolium var. filifolium (thelesperma, greenthread)
Townsendia exscapa (Easter daisy)
Forbs (perennials)
Abronia fragrans (sweet sand verbena)
Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot)
Allium canadense (wild garlic)
Allium stellatum (wild pink onion)
Amsonia tabernaemontana (blue star)
Anemone canadensis (Canada anemone, windflower)
Anemone caroliniana (Carolina anemone, southern thimbleweed)
Anemone virginiana (thimbleweed, tall anemone)
Antennaria spp. (pussytoes, everlasting)
Aquilegia canadensis (columbine)
Arisaema triphyllum pack-in-the-pulpit, Indian turnip)
Artemisia ludoviciana (white sage, prairie sage, artemisia)
Asclepias asperula (antelope horns)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed)
Asclepias verticillata (whorled milkweed)
Aster ericoides (heath aster, white wreath aster)
Aster novae-angliae (New England aster)
Aster oblongifolius (aromatic aster)
Aster oolentangiensis (sky blue aster)
Aster pilosus (frost aster)
Aster sericeus (silky aster)
Astragalus canadensis (milk vetch, Canada milk vetch)
Baptisia alba (white false indigo)
Baptisia alba var. macrophylla (cream false indigo, plains wild indigo)
Baptisia australis (blue wild indigo)
Berlandiera lyrata (green eyes, chocolate flower)
Boltonia asteroides
Callirhoe digitata (finger poppy mallow)
Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppy mallow, winecup)
Calylophus berlandieri (square-bud primrose, sundrops)
Camassia scilloides (wild hyacinth)
Castilleja sessiliflora (downy painted cup)
Coreopsis grandiflora (coreopsis)
Coreopsis lanceolata (lance-leaved coreopsis)
Coreopsis palmata (stiff coreopsis)
Coreopsis tripteris (tall coreopsis)
Dalea candida (white prairie clover)
Dalea purpurea (purple prairie clover)
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens (prairie larkspur)
Delphinium tricorne (dwarf larkspur)
Desmodium canadense (Canada tick-trefoil, Canada tickclover)
Desmodium illinoense (Illinois tick-trefoil, Illinois tickclover)
Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's breeches)
Dodecatheon meadia (shooting star)
Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)
Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower)
Engelmannia pinnatifida (Engelmann daisy)
Eryngium yuccifolium (rattlesnake master, button snake-root)
Erythronium americanum (eastern trout lily, yellow trout lily)
Eupatorium coelestinum (mist flower)
Eupatorium maculatum (spotted Joe-pye weed)
Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset)
Eupatorium purpureum (Joe-pye weed)
Euphorbia corollata (flowering spurge)
Euthamia gymnospermoides (grass-leaved goldenrod)
Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry)
Gaillardia aristata (blanket flower, gaillardia, brown-eyed Susan)
Galium triflorum (sweet-scented bedstraw)
Gaura coccinea (scarlet gaura)
Gentiana alba (cream gentian, yellow gentian)
Geranium maculatum (wild geranium, cranesbill)
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (prairie verbena, Dakota vervain)
Glycyrrhiza lepidota (wild licorice)
Gutierrezia sarothrae (broom snakeweed, matchbrush)
Hedyotis nigricans (bluets)
Helenium autumnale (common sneezeweed)
Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian sunflower)
Helianthus strumosus (woodland sunflower)
Heliopsis helianthoides (ox-eye sunflower, false sunflower)
Heterotheca villosa var. villosa (golden aster)
Heuchera richardsonii (alum root)
Hieracium longipilum (hairy hawkweed)
Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)
Hypoxis hirsuta (yellow star grass)
Ipomoea leptophylla (bush morning glory)
Iris virginica v. shrevei (blue flag)
Lespedeza capitata (roundheaded bush clover)
Lesquerella fendleri (bladderpod)
Liatris aspera (rough blazing star, gayfeather)
Liatris mucronata (narrow-leaf gayfeather)
Liatris punctata (dotted blazing star, gayfeather)
Liatris pycnostachya (prairie blazing star, gayfeather)
Liatris squarrosa (blazing star)
Lilium michiganense (Turk's cap lily, Michigan lily)
Linum lewisii (wild blue flax)
Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon)
Lithospermum caroliniense (hairy puccoon, hispid gromwell)
Lithospermum incisum (fringed puccoon, narrow-leaved puccoon)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)
Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia)
Lysimachia ciliata (fringed loosestrife)
Maianthemum stellatum (starry Solomon's seal)
Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot daisy, rock daisy)
Mimosa quadrivalvis var. angustata (catclaw sensitive briar)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot, horsemint, beebalm)
Nuphar lutea (yellow pond lily, cow lily, spatter dock)
Oenothera brachycarpa (evening primrose)
Oenothera macrocarpa (Missouri evening primrose)
Oenothera speciosa (showy white evening primrose)
Osmorhiza claytoni (sweet cicely, sweet jarvil)
Penstemon albidus (white beardtongue)
Penstemon ambiguus (sand penstemon)
Penstemon cobaea (cobaea penstemon, wild foxglove)
Penstemon digitalis (beardtongue)
Penstemon grandiflorus (large-flowered penstemon)
Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii (blue phlox, sweet William)
Phlox paniculata (summer phlox, perennial phlox)
Phlox pilosa (prairie phlox, downy phlox)
Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant, false dragonhead)
Podophyllum peltatum (May apple)
Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon's seal)
Potentilla arguta (white cinquefoil, prairie cinquefoil, tall cinquefoil)
Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (slender mountain mint)
Pycnanthemum virginianum (mountain mint)
Ranunculus hispidus (early buttercup, tufted buttercup)
Ratibida columnifera (prairie coneflower, long-headed coneflower, Mexican hat)
Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower, yellow coneflower)
Rudbeckia grandiflora (large coneflower)
Rudbeckia laciniata (cut-leaf coneflower)
Rudbeckia subtomentosa (sweet black-eyed Susan)
Ruellia humilis (wild petunia)
Salvia azurea var. grandiflora (blue sage)
Silene virginica (fire pink)
Silphium integrifolium (rosinweed)
Silphium laciniatum (compass plant)
Silphium perfoliatum (cup plant)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium (narrow-leaved blue-eyed grass)
Sisyrinchium campestre (white-eyed grass, prairie blue-eyed grass)
Solidago canadensis (meadow goldenrod)
Solidago missouriensis (Missouri goldenrod, prairie goldenrod)
Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod, old-field goldenrod)
Solidago rigida (stiff goldenrod)
Solidago speciosa (showy goldenrod)
Solidago ulmifolia (elm-leaved goldenrod)
Tephrosia virginiana (goat's rue)
Tetraneuris acaulis var. acaulis (stemless goldflower, stemless rubber weed, butte marigold), Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa (four-nerve daisy, yellow daisy, Bitterweed)
Thalictrum dasycarpum (tall or purple meadow rue)
Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone)
Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio spiderwort)
Uvularia grandiflora (bellwort, merrybells)
Verbena hastata (blue verbena, blue vervain)
Verbena stricta (hoary vervain)
Vernonia baldwinii (ironweed, western ironweed)
Vernonia fasciculata (ironweed)
Viola missouriensis (Missouri violet)
Viola pedatifida (prairie violet)
Viola pubescens (downy or smooth yellow violet)
Viola sovaria (common blue violet, meadow violet)
Yucca glauca (yucca, soapweed)
Zinnia grandiflora (Rocky Mountain zinnia, yellow zinnia, plains zinnia)
Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)
Grasses/Grass-like plants
Agrostis scabra (ticklegrass, fly-away grass)
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)
Andropogon hallii (sand bluestem)
Aristida purpurea (purple three awn)
Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama)
Bouteloua hirsuta (hairy grama)
Buchloe dactyloides (buffalograss)
Calamagrostis canadensis (bluejoint grass)
Calamovilfa longifolia (sandreed grass, prairie sandreed)
Carex aquatilis (water sedge)
Carex emoryi (Emory's sedge)
Carex stricta (tussock sedge)
Chasmanthium latifolium (inland sea oats, wild oats, river oats, broad-leaf uniola)
Danthonia spicata (poverty grass)
Distichlis spicata (seashore saltgrass)
Eleocharis palustris (creeping spikesedge, spike rush)
Elymus canadensis (Canada wild rye)
Elymus hystrix var. hystrix (bottlebrush grass)
Eragrostis intermedia (plains lovegrass)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass, tumblegrass)
Juncus effusus var. solutus (soft rush)
Juncus interior (inland rush)
Krascheninnikovia lanata (winterfat)
Koeleria macrantha (June grass)
Leersia oryzoides (rice cut grass)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (gulf muhly, hair grass)
Oryzopsis hymenoides (Indian ricegrass)
Panicum obtusum (vine mesquite)
Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)
Pascopyrum smithii (western wheatgrass)
Poa arachnifera (Texas bluegrass)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)
Scirpus acutus (hardstem bulrush)
Scirpus atrovirens (dark green bulrush)
Scirpus maritimus (alkali bulrush, prairie bulrush, bayonet grass)
Scirpus tabernaemontani (great bulrush)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass)
Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass, freshwater cordgrass)
Sporobolus compositus var. compositus (tall dropseed)
Sporobolus cryptandrus (sand dropseed)
Sporobolus heterolepis (northern prairie dropseed)
Stipa comata (needle-and-thread grass)
Stipa spartea (porcupine grass)
Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gama grass)
Typha latifolia (cattail)
Shrubs (deciduous)
Acacia angustissima (fern acacia, whiteball acacia)
Amelanchier arborea (downy serviceberry, shadbush, Juneberry)
Amorpha canescens (leadplant)
Amorpha fruticosa (false indigo, indigo bush)
Atriplex canescens (four-wing saltbush, wingscale)
Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea, red root)
Cephalanthus occidentalis (buttonbush)
Cercocarpus montanus (mountain mahogany, silverleaf mountain mahogany)
Chrysothamnus nauseosus (rabbit brush, chamisa)
Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua (swamp dogwood, silky dogwood)
Cornus drummondii (rough-leaf dogwood)
Corylus americana (American hazelnut or filbert)
Euonymus atropurpurea (wahoo, burning bush)
Hydrangea arborescens (wild hydrangea)
Hypericum hypericoides ssp. hypericoides (St. Andrew's cross)
Lindera benzoin (spicebush)
Lonicera dioica (limber or wild honeysuckle)
Mimosa borealis (pink mimosa, fragrant mimosa)
Physocarpus opulifolius (ninebark)
Prosopsis glandulosa (honey mesquite)
Prunus pumila var. besseyi (sand cherry)
Prunus virginiana (chokecherry)
Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac)
Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)
Ribes odoratum (buffalo currant, golden currant)
Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)
Rosa blanda (early wild rose, smooth rose)
Rosa setigera (Illinois or prairie rose)
Rosa woodsii (western wild rose, woods rose)
Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry, thimbleberry)
Sambucus canadensis (elderberry, common elder)
Shepherdia argentea (silver buffaloberry)
Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. lanuginosum (chittamwood, gum elastic tree)
Staphylea trifolia (bladdernut)
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (coralberry, Indian currant)
Viburnum prunifolium (black haw, nanny berry)
Trees (deciduous)
Acer negundo (box elder)
Acer saccharinum (silver maple)
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Aesculus glabra var. arguta (white buckeye, Texas buckeye)
Betula nigra (river birch)
Carya cordiformis (bitternut, swamp hickory)
Carya illinoinensis (pecan)
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
Carya texana (black hickory)
Celtis laevigata (sugarberry, hackberry)
Celtis laevigata var. reticulata (netleaf hackberry)
Celtis occidentalis (hackberry, sugarberry)
Cercis canadensis (redbud)
Crataegus mollis (downy hawthorn)
Fraxinus americana (white ash)
Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)
Gleditsia triacanthos (honey locust)
Gymnocladus dioica (Kentucky coffee tree)
Juglans nigra (black walnut)
Malus ioensis var. ioensis (prairie crabapple)
Ostrya virginiana (ironwood, hophornbeam)
Platanus occidentalis (sycamore, plane-tree)
Populus deltoides (eastern cottonwood)
Prunus americana (wild plum)
Prunus angustifolia (chickasaw plum)
Prunus mexicana (Mexican plum)
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Ptelea trifoliata (wafer ash, common hoptree)
Quercus alba (white oak)
Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak)
Quercus marilandica (blackjack oak)
Quercus muhlenbergii (chinkapin oak, chestnut oak)
Quercus palustris (pin oak)
Quercus rubra (red oak)
Quercus shumardii (shumard oak)
Quercus stellata (post oak)
Quercus velutina (black oak)
Salix amygdaloides (peachleaf willow)
Salix nigra (black willow)
Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (soapberry)
Sassafras albidum (sassafras)
Tilia americana (American linden, basswood)
Ulmus americana (American elm)
Ulmus rubra (red elm, slippery elm)
Vines (deciduous)
Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet)
Clematis pitcheri (leather flower, purple clematis)
Clematis virginiana (virgin's bower)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Vitis riparia (riverbank grape)
Federally Listed Endangered Species
Mead's milkweed (Ascepias meadii)
Western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara)
Kansas Noxious Species
Because the noxious weed lists have continually changed since we gathered them in 1994, we are not including them at this time. Not all States have noxious weed lists. Those that do, do not use the same standards of importance and are not comparable. States typically have included plants that interfere with agriculture (Canada thistle), or cause human health problems (poison ivy). Some States are now including a category of plants that invade and degrade the environment (purple loosestrife). Check with your State's Agriculture Department or Weed Scientist listed below. The noxious weed list can be used two ways on roadsides: 1) check to not inadvertently plant these invasive plants, and 2) note the plants you are legally responsible to control. Many States now check adjacent State lists to avoid planting their neighbors' problem plants. Because weeds do not respect political boundaries, and because by their very nature weeds continue to adapt and expand, monitoring and controlling invasives at State borders is a wise part of vegetation management.
(Weed and Seed Laws)
Department of Agriculture
Division of Plant Health
109 SW 9th Street
Topeka, KS 66612
Dallas E. Peterson, Agronomy
Kansas State University
Throckmorton Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
(913) 532-5776
Kansas Resources
Kansas Biological Survey
2041 Constant Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66047
(785) 864-3453
The Nature Conservancy Field Office
820 S.E. Quincy, Ste. 301
Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 233-4400
Kansas Wildflower Society
R. L. McGregor Herbarium
2045 Constant Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66047
Save the Tallgrass Prairie, Inc.
4101 West 54th Terrace
Shawnee Missions, KS 66025
Cimarron National Grassland
242 East Highway 56
Elkhart, KS 67950
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Route 1, Box 14
Strong City, KS 66869
