Top native grasses, sedges, cattails, and allies

1,732 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.

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1,732 native plants

Sun and shade

Light

Full sun 196 Part shade 195 Dappled shade 9 Full shade 58

Soil and water

Moisture

Dry 90 Well drained 24 Moist 142 Wet 110

Water use

Low 56 Medium 115 High 79

Soil

Rocky 11 Sand 39 Loam 40 Clay 30 Organic 28

Soil pH

Acid 34 Neutral 22 Alkaline 26

Toughness

Drought tolerant

Deer resistant

Resists

Wet soil 29 Dry soil 14 Erosion 13 Black walnut 12 Salt 12 Heat 11 Pollution 10 Poor soil 10 Humidity 5 Foot traffic 3 Heavy shade 3 Insect pests 3 Rabbits 2 Compaction 1 Diseases 1

Form

Habit

Clumping 37 Erect 30 Spreading 22 Arching 9 Dense 8 Mounding 6 Ascending 5 Creeping 4 Horizontal 2 Open 2 Prostrate 2 Columnar 1 Multi stemmed 1 Vase 1 Weeping 1

Plant type

Ornamental grasses and sedges 1,538 Perennial 1,419 Annual 202 Wildflower 72 Herbaceous perennial 34 Ground cover 15 Weed 7 Water plant 6 Turfgrass 3 Edible 2 Shrub 2 Epiphyte 1 Vine 1