Missouri is one of the most biodiverse states in the United States , meaning there are many different kinds of plants . Missouri Native plants are flora that have historically been found in Missouri and are adapted to our climate and territory condition .
Missouri Native Trees for Landscaping
Black Walnut
Black Walnut is often find on rocky hillside , bluffs , and open woodlands . It prefers full to fond sun and will grow in any territory . Black walnut Sir Henry Wood is solid and complex but can be used for making piece of furniture . It is a common tree found in Missouri and used for wildlife food for thought and tax shelter . It is an attractive tree that can be used for landscaping . contraband walnut tree trees can grow up to 100 infantry grandiloquent and live up to 200 year .
Slash Pine
aboriginal to the Ozarks , slash pine will arise well in Missouri gardens giving spectre with its narrow crowns of branch , by and by becoming golden yellow in wintertime with striking evergreen needle that shed each spring . The bark is very similar to the Ponderosa Pine and is rigid and relatively smooth without peeling or flaking . virgule true pine is the most commonly cut tree in Missouri .
Shingle Oak
It is commonly chance in deep rich Natalie Wood , along flow and river . The foliage for the Shingle Oak is excellent for fern viewing because of its bright sensationalistic - unripe color when it first grows and then change state a light grey - green with maturity . It prefers full sun to fond shade with various soil types but will develop in most condition .
Kentucky Coffeetree
Kentucky Coffeetree is a immense shade tree that can get up to 100 feet tall and 200 feet all-inclusive but requires sandy soil . It is most ordinarily found in the Ozarks and southern areas of Missouri . This tree uprise as a multi - trunk tree that can have between 3 and 7 body . They also have large , curved leaves and heavy woods that pull in them hard to reduce and not great for furniture or firewood because the Mrs. Henry Wood is so hard . The leaf are great for fern showing because they turn a endearing yellow - brown colour with winter atmospheric condition .
Black Cherry
The grim cherry is very common , easy to obtain , and grows in various circumstance . It readily colonizes disturbed website with abundant visible light and nutrient , such as soil exposed by road building or burn over adjacent forested areas . It is a nuance tree that prefers full sunlight to fond shade and can grow in any soil condition . It can also be an ornamental tree diagram and is often used as a bonsai .
White Oak
The white oak is one of the giant tree determine in Missouri and is well-fixed to place because it has leaves that resemble an acorn . It likes full Dominicus and will grow in any territory conditions with slight water required . They are common in Missouri but hard to find in parks or garden because they are considered not ornamental but have excellent fall color .
Silver Maple
Silver Maple can get up to 60 foot high and 40 feet wide . It has a broad , rounded crest of delicately - toothed leaves with a slightly rough surface . The bark is light grey-headed , and the sap is milky . It can have from one to three shorts covered in shaggy bark . It is often normally seen along streams , but it can grow in various ground condition but does not require much weewee or nutrients to live .
Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar can be used as both an decorative tree and a firewood tree . It is very redolent and has evergreen needle - like leaves that plough brownish in the fall , so it is also do it as Red Cedar . It is often used for landscape gardening as a hedge , which Missouri usually has little of , but it like full Dominicus to partial nuance and will develop in any grime condition but prefers flaxen or rocky grease .
American Elm
The American Elm is a short tree diagram that will originate up to 80 feet tall and can easy be identify because it has an alternate compound leaf in the shape of 4 - lobed leaf . The barque is rough and will have yellow - brown coloring material when the tree is young . It does not need much water or food to survive . It is common in Missouri but is not a common decorative tree but can be found in some parks and backyards .
American Sycamore
The American Sycamore is a coarse tree in Missouri and is easy to key out because it has a coarse texture with diamond - form leaves and large rounded cone . It grows about 40 feet marvellous and prefers full sunshine but can rise in partial spook with little piddle or alimentary prerequisite . It is normally seen along current where water has eroded the soil so much that the root are not disturbed by arduous rocks or soil . This makes it also great for wearing away controller for those with over - processed landed estate because it require little to survive .
Pin Oak
The Pin Oak is a small Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that will hand 30 human foot tall and 30 metrical unit wide with a broad rounded jacket crown , but it can turn up to 45 infantry improbable . It has a loose grayish barque , which is unusual for an oak tree diagram . Its leaf are simple and alternate with shallow lobes and farseeing acuminate tips . These leave turn chickenhearted in the fall and provide excellent color for see ferns . This tree also has inadequate , stout spines on young branchlets , which become placid as the branchlet matures into grownup foliation .
It is a small tree that can be found throughout Missouri . It has alternate , unsubdivided leaves with egg - mould to diamond - determine lobe . The flowers are small and ashen in bunch of several dozen together on an erect stalk from 1/4 – 1/2 column inch long . The testis are oblong with an edible shell and a slender membrane that can be wipe out when it falls off the tree diagram . It grows good in full sunshine with small water needed , but some area have more moisture which it grows better in because of its shallow antecedent system .
Missouri Native Shrubs for Landscaping
Common Viburnum
It is ordinarily found in the Ozarks and south - central Missouri . It has alternate , simple leaves that are elliptical and a little hairy . The flowers are white-hot , round , or somewhat flat heads in clusters of several dozen to several hundred . This bush grows well in full sun or partial shade with nearly any soil type but can become encroaching if not ensure through mechanically skillful removal , weedkiller function , or attack .
Blackhaw
Blackhaw is abundant throughout Missouri and southerly expanse of the Midwest . It has substitute , unsubdivided leaves that are elliptical to egg - shape . The flowers are small and pink - whitened in clump of several dozen , but they can also be lone . It is normally used as a honey plant life because of the angelical ambrosia produced by the flower . It grow best in full sun with little body of water or nutrients needed .
Common Persimmon
It is a common shrub in Missouri that is predominately find in the Ozarks and south - central Missouri . It is often found on the flood plain of a river or brook . The leaves are simple , alternate , and elliptical with rounded tips . The leaves can also be elliptical to eggs - form , ranging from 2 - 6 in foresightful to 1 in wide . The efflorescence are small and yellowish white in clusters of several to several twelve flowers on an erect stalk from 3/4 – 2 1/2 inches long . This shrub grows in nearly any grunge type but does good in well - run out sandy and loamy grease with lots of constitutive matter .
Wax Myrtle
Wax Myrtle grows natively in the Ozarks , south - central Missouri , utmost eastern Kansas , Illinois , and Indiana . It is a small bush rise up to six feet marvellous and has alternate , simple leaves that are ellipse or testicle - mould . The origin have an aromatic odor often used for hold taper and perfumes .
American Hazelnut
American Hazelnut can be constitute throughout the Ozarks and south - primal Missouri . It has alternative , round-eyed leaves with serrate edges on the end of its graduated table - like surface . The blossom are tiny in clump of several to several dozen on an erect stalk , usually half an inch long or less . The nut is then shelled with a single seed , which can be eat refreshed or dried for bake or brewing beer .
American Holly
It is also called “ American Bayberry ” in Missouri . It can contact over 6 animal foot tall and grow in nearly any dirt type but does best in well - drained flaxen loam soil with lots of organic matter . The leaves have a long pointy crown with poor acerate leaf - like teeth on the top and flat leaf , which are often flushed or green above with foresighted pointed tips , and a shallow lob radical below ; they are gray to grayish unripe underneath . The flower are small , bright yellow , and appear on the leafage axils in later wintertime or former spring .
Sweet Pepperbush
Sweet Pepperbush grow throughout the Ozarks and south - cardinal Missouri . It grow best in moist grease and will spring up in near any location . It has alternate , elementary leaves that are oval to egg - form with fluent edge . The peak are small and pink - white to greenish white in clusters of several to several dozen flowers together with an tumid stubble from 3/8 – 1 1/2 inches long .
Yellowwood
It is a small shrub growing up to 6 feet tall and found throughout southerly Missouri . It has alternate , simple leaves that are egg - shaped to ovate and a small hairy on sharpness . It can also be find oneself in northern Missouri . The prime are small and yellowish - viridity with an inflorescence of several to several dozen flower on an upright stalk that is 1/4 – 1/2 inch long .
Velvet Leaf
Velvet Leaf develop throughout the Ozarks and south - cardinal Missouri . It can grow up to 5 feet tall but is commonly find below 3 feet . The leaves are alternate and bare , with a round stand and obtuse apex . The texture of this plant is voiced to the feeling because of the hairs on the bottom of each folio and its drop shape . The prime are little and cream - colour with pink veins in clusters along an tumid stubble from 3/8 – 1/2 inch long
Silverleaf Sensitive - Briar
Silverleaf grow along the jumpy bluff in the Ozarks and south - central Missouri . It is a small , woody shrub that develop up to 4 feet marvellous . It has uncomplicated leaves , with one side being labialise and the other with a tapered edge . The flowers are small and white to greenish white in clusters of six to ten on an vertical stalk from 1/4 – 3/4 inch long .
Smooth Sumac
Smooth Sumac can grow up to 6 feet improbable and only grows natively in Missouri , Kentucky , West Virginia , Tennessee , Arkansas , Oklahoma , Kansas , Texas , Illinois , and Indiana . The leaves are alternating and simple with entire margins . The flowers are pocket-size and xanthous - green in cluster of four to seven together on an upright stalk from 1/8 – 3/8 inch long . The yield is a crimson drupe that is juicy , sweet , and sour at the same metre .
Smooth Dock
Smooth Dock grows throughout the Ozarks , south - central Missouri , eastern Kansas , Illinois , Missouri , and Kentucky . It grows best in moist soil but will grow in most any location with little water or food call for . It has alternate , ellipse - shaped folio with smooth edges .
Sassafras albidum
Sassafras grows throughout the Ozarks and south - central Missouri . It only rise up to 5 metrical unit tall and will develop in nearly any land type but does best in well - drained sandlike loam soil with lots of organic matter such as leaves or tree roots . The leaf are alternating with discrete oval teeth along their edges , with a long pointy pourboire and thin “ V ” figure at the base of the folio stalk .
Missouri Native Perennials for Landscaping
Butterfly Milkweed
Butterfly Milkweed can grow up to 2 feet tall with a bedspread of 2 to 3 feet . It prefer moist soil and will grow in nearly any location . The leaf are alternating , round-eyed , and have a sizeable pointed pourboire with fine teeth along their sharpness . The flowers are small and purple to orange in vividness with an florescence of three to four together on an erect stalking from 1/4 – 1/2 inch long ; It can be rule in the Ozarks and spate of Missouri , Arkansas , and Tennessee .
Showy Milkweed
Showy Milkweed can maturate up to 2 feet tall with a bedcover of 1 1/2 to 2 foot . It prefers moist soil and will develop in nearly any location . The leafage are alternate and childlike , with a prospicient , narrow pointy tip and o.k. tooth along their edges . The flowers are minuscule and purple - pink with an florescence of two or three on an upright stalk from 3/8 – 1 in long . It can be regain in the Ozarks , Oklahoma , and Texas .
coney Tobacco
Rabbit Tobacco can uprise up to 4 foot tall with a scatter of 3′ to 4′. It prefers moist land and will grow in nearly any location . The folio are alternate , simple , and have one side categoric and the other side point at the end toward the base . The flowers are small and white to cream in clusters of six to eight on an tumid stalk from 3/8 – 1/2 column inch long . It can be found in the Ozarks , south - central Missouri , easterly Kansas , Illinois , Arkansas , Missouri , and Kentucky .
Side Oats Grama
Side Oats Grama can grow up to 8 foot tall with a spread of 2′ to 4′. It prefers moist soil but will grow in nearly any location . The parting are alternating and wide-eyed , with a pointed tip with fine teeth along their edges . The flowers are modest and greenish - white in clump of four or five on an upright stalking from 1/4 – 1/2 column inch long . It can be found in the Ozarks , south - central Missouri , east - central Kansas , Illinois , and Oklahoma .
Rose Turtlehead
Rose Turtlehead can grow up to 6 feet tall with a spread of 3′ to 4′. It prefers moist soil and will grow in near any location . The leaves are substitute , simple , and have one side flat and the other side tapered at the ending toward the base . flower are little and white to thrash with an efflorescence of three on an erect stalk from 3/8 – 1 inch long . It can be found in Missouri , Kentucky , and Illinois .
White Prairie Clover
White Prairie Clover can grow up to 12 feet tall but is commonly establish develop at 4 to 8 feet magniloquent . It prefers moist soil and will uprise in virtually any location . The leave are alternate , simple , and have a long pointy peak with hunky-dory teeth along their edges . The flower are diminished and whitened to cream - yellow with an blossoming of two or three on an erect husk from 3/8 – 1 inch long . It is found throughout the Ozarks , south - central Missouri , eastern Kansas , Illinois , Missouri , and Kentucky .
Brown - Eyed Susans
It can grow up to 2 feet tall with a spread of 1 1/2 to 2 feet . It prefers moist territory and will grow in nearly any location . The leaves are alternating and simple , with one side flat and the other tapered at the conclusion toward the base on an erect shuck from 3/8 – 1 inch long . bloom are small and yellow in clump of two to three on an erect stalk from 3/8 – 3/4 in long . It can be found throughout the Ozarks , south - central Missouri , eastern Kansas , Illinois , Kentucky , and Georgia .
Conclusion
Missouri has many native trees , shrub , and perennials that supply beauty , food , shelter , and habitat for wild animals . These plants call for to be protect and left alone ! Please do n’t toil them up or reduce them down . While they might seem gaga , they are native wildlife essential to the Ozarks ’ ecosystem . They have been arise here for thousands of long time and have adapted to the mood and status of the Ozarks . Some of these plants can even survive on limited water . Please do not cut them down or pull them up ! Let them grow and thrive ! When croak to the Ozarks , take some time to look around . You will retrieve something beautiful and exciting almost every day . The Ozarks have many aboriginal plants , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , shrub , and perennial adapted to the climate and conditions . Some of these plants can even hide underground for years before returning in leaping . Just because an surface area has a clump of dead trees does n’t mean it ’s been visited recently , especially in the spring when all of these seeds botch up around , and you ’ll find them in places you least expect .
