Quick answer: 104 native plants for shade are native to Kentucky, 89 with a live listing as of 16 Sep 2026.
104 species
- Allegheny chinquapin Castanea pumila · 9 states
- American basswood Tilia americana · 32 states
- American beech Fagus grandifolia · 24 states
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia · 15 states
- American holly Ilex opaca · 24 states
- American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana · 29 states
- American mountain ash Sorbus americana · 18 states
- American plum Prunus americana · 25 states
- American strawberry bush Euonymus americanus · 7 states
- American sycamore Platanus occidentalis · 24 states
- American wisteria Wisteria frutescens · 14 states
- Appalachian gooseberry Ribes rotundifolium · 6 states
- Bald cypress Taxodium distichum · 16 states
- Bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis · 12 states
- Black cherry Prunus serotina · 32 states
- Black tupelo Nyssa sylvatica · 19 states
- Black walnut Juglans nigra · 33 states
- Blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium · 12 states
- Blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum · 26 states
- Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis · 17 states
- Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis · 37 states
- Catawba rosebay Rhododendron catawbiense · 7 states
- Chinkapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii · 14 states
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · 35 states
- Common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis · 23 states
- Common elderberry Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis · 16 states
- Common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata · 12 states
- Common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius · 22 states
- Common persimmon Diospyros virginiana · 17 states
- Common yarrow Achillea millefolium · 31 states
- Coral honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens · 16 states
- Coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus · 20 states
- Cucumbertree Magnolia acuminata · 12 states
- Deerberry Vaccinium stamineum · 10 states
- Devil's walking stick Aralia spinosa · 14 states
- Downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea · 34 states
- Early azalea Rhododendron prinophyllum · 5 states
- Eastern gray beardtongue Penstemon canescens · 6 states
- Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis · 22 states
- Eastern purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea · 22 states
- Eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana · 36 states
- Eastern red columbine Aquilegia canadensis · 36 states
- Eastern redbud Cercis canadensis · 30 states
- Eastern white pine Pinus strobus · 19 states
- Flame azalea Rhododendron calendulaceum · 12 states
- Flowering dogwood Cornus florida · 22 states
- Foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis · 31 states
- Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica · 14 states
- Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica · 32 states
- Great laurel Rhododendron maximum · 13 states
- Jacob's ladder Polemonium reptans · 17 states
- Lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora · 15 states
- Lobed tickseed Coreopsis auriculata · 1 states
- Loblolly pine Pinus taeda · 14 states
- Maypop passionflower Passiflora incarnata · 13 states
- Mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa · 13 states
- Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia · 17 states
- Nannyberry Viburnum lentago · 23 states
- New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · 18 states
- New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus · 31 states
- Northern spicebush Lindera benzoin · 16 states
- Northern white cedar Thuja occidentalis · 16 states
- Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra · 12 states
- Pagoda dogwood Cornus alternifolia · 25 states
- Pawpaw Asimina triloba · 17 states
- Pignut hickory Carya glabra · 21 states
- Pin oak Quercus palustris · 18 states
- Plains coreopsis Coreopsis tinctoria · 16 states
- Post oak Quercus stellata · 9 states
- Red maple Acer rubrum · 30 states
- Red spruce Picea rubens · 14 states
- River birch Betula nigra · 23 states
- Rusty blackhaw viburnum Viburnum rufidulum · 12 states
- Sassafras Sassafras albidum · 22 states
- Scarlet beebalm Monarda didyma · 18 states
- Shortleaf pine Pinus echinata · 9 states
- Shrubby St. John's-wort Hypericum prolificum · 12 states
- Smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens · 12 states
- Smooth sumac Rhus glabra · 34 states
- Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum · 14 states
- Southern arrowwood Viburnum dentatum · 13 states
- Southern live oak Quercus virginiana · 13 states
- Southern wax myrtle Morella cerifera · 8 states
- Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina · 13 states
- Striped maple Acer pensylvanicum · 11 states
- Sugar maple Acer saccharum · 28 states
- Sundial lupine Lupinus perennis · 25 states
- Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata · 25 states
- Swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius · 15 states
- Sweet birch Betula lenta · 18 states
- Sweet-fern Comptonia peregrina · 10 states
- Sweetbay magnolia Magnolia virginiana · 12 states
- Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua · 22 states
- Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera · 17 states
- Umbrella tree magnolia Magnolia tripetala · 6 states
- Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica · 14 states
- White ash Fraxinus americana · 31 states
- White fringetree Chionanthus virginicus · 14 states
- White oak Quercus alba · 33 states
- White snakeroot Ageratina altissima · 7 states
- Wild blue Phlox divaricata · 32 states
- Willow oak Quercus phellos · 16 states
- Witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana · 28 states
- Yellow buckeye Aesculus flava · 3 states