State Plant Guides
This is a selective list of state and regional native plant resources that provide real botanical information: flora, herbaria, plant atlases, specimen records, distribution maps, and carefully developed identification tools. It is not intended to be comprehensive. Many states are omitted because we did not find resources strong enough to recommend.
The emphasis here is on sources grounded in actual places and actual plant communities, not generic summaries or marketing copy. Where good resources exist, they are listed below alphabetically by state.
Alabama
"A joint effort by the Alabama Herbarium Consortium (AHC) and The University of West Alabama to provide users with a comprehensive searchable database of plants that occur in the state of Alabama."
California
"We’ve spent over 20 years building and refining our tools to make Calflora the best and most powerful system for exploring California’s wild plants. To navigate this sophisticated system, we provide several sets of learning materials to make your exploration of Calflora as easy as possible"
Florida
"Florida has over 4,700 species of native or naturalized plants in Florida, including over 4,300 species of vascular plants and over 400 species of bryophytes (plants known only from cultivation are not included). The Atlas of Florida Plants is a joint effort by the Institute for Systematic Botany, the University of South Florida, and the USF Water Institute to provide a comprehensive searchable database of plants in the state of Florida."
Kansas
"This comprehensive database contains information and 9359 photographs documenting 1051 species of forbs, grasses, sedges, rushes, trees, and other woody plants found growing in Kansas. This resource serves botanists, students, naturalists, and anyone interested in Kansas flora."
Maine
Plants for the Maine Landscape
"Maine’s landscape offers spectacular variety, with ocean beaches, lakes, rivers, mountains, fields, and forests. Maine is locally influenced by both coastal and inland weather patterns. This creates relatively mild areas, and areas that are almost arctic, all within the state’s 300-mile length and 200-mile width. Maine rises from sea level to over 5,000 feet in elevation at the top of Mount Katahdin. This wide range of elevation results in a diversity of habitats including flat sandy plains, rolling hills, rounded summits, and craggy mountains with sheer cliffs. Maine’s forests vary from spruce and fir near the coast to hardwoods in the western hills, and mixed hardwood/softwood forests in the North. More than 100 types of habitats have been identified with about 1,500 native plant species spread across the state’s varied landscape."
Michigan
"With the publication of the one volume Field Manual of Michigan Flora, (Voss & Reznicek, 2012), an update and consolidation of the three volume Michigan Flora (Voss, 1972, 1985, 1996), the flora of Michigan is on a solid, modern foundation. This website is intended both to be an evolving illustrated companion to the Field Manual, presenting photographs of the species and their diagnostic features, and build on the foundation of the Field Manual by incorporating updates and new discoveries. Few things in science are more certain than the fact that floristic works become outdated almost as soon as they are printed, and this is certainly true for the flora of Michigan. We hope that distributing information through this website will allow us to regularly update our knowledge. Up-to-date information about the diversity and occurrence of plants is essential to understanding and stewarding Michigan’s environment and appreciation of its natural heritage."
Michigan Natural Features Inventory Natural Community Plant Lists
"Lists of characteristic plants were primarily compiled from field data collected on each of the natural communities, but were also informed by literature review. Especially helpful resources for compiling the plant lists were Field Manual of Michigan Flora (Voss and Reznicek, 2012), and Michigan Flora Online (Reznicek et al. 2011), which include specific habitat information for most plants; the 'Floristic Quality Assessment for Michigan' (Herman et al. 2001); and the USDA Plants Database, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA 2013). The scientific nomenclature used in this book follows the Field Manual of Michigan Flora, and plants were organized by life form or physiognomy following the designations of the Michigan Flora Online. Plant species were selected for inclusion in the lists of characteristic species if they frequently occur in a particular natural community type, and especially if they are known from few other community types. As such, plants that occur in a very broad range of community types were sometimes excluded from the lists in favor of species that may be better indicators of particular natural community types because of their narrow niche requirements. Bryophytes (namely, mosses) and lichens are included in these lists where we have survey data or supporting literature. However, the relationship of prevalent bryophytes and lichens and natural community types needs further study."
Minnesota
Minnesota Wildflowers: A Project for Environmental Justice
"Here you'll find photos and information about wild plants that grow in Minnesota, both native and non-native. More than just wildflowers, we also include trees, shrubs, vines, ferns and fern allies, grasses, sedges and rushes, and aquatics. Our mission is to educate Minnesotans on our native plants, raise awareness on threats like invasive species, and inspire people to explore our great state, appreciate its natural heritage, and become involved in preserving it. Over 1,800 plant species and more than 18,000 high quality photos are cataloged here, working towards recording all 2100+ plant species in Minnesota."
Missouri
"Photographs and descriptions of the vascular plants of Missouri."
"Flora of Missouri Project has been gathering information on the vascular plants growing outside of cultivation in the Show-Me State since 1987. The Project is a collaboration between the Garden and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Among its products so far are "Catalogue of the Flora of Missouri" (1990) and Volumes 1 and 2 of the revised "Steyermark's Flora of Missouri" (1999 and 2006), available from the Missouri Botanical Garden Press."
Nebraska
"All of Nebraska’s native and naturalized species of vascular plants-ferns, fern allies, conifers and flowering plants—are presented here in a list, browsable by family, genus and common name. We’ve added a few species that appear to have escaped cultivation and are persisting or potentially could do so."
New England
"We are the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants. More than a century ago, our founders organized what is now called Native Plant Trust to stop the destruction of native plants. Today, as native plants face the greatest wave of threats since the last mass extinction, we are still a national leader in native plant conservation, horticulture, and education."
New York
"Source of information for the distribution of plants within the state, as well as information on plant habitats, associated ecological communities, and taxonomy. In addition, users can learn about the location of vouchered specimens and see images to get a better visual for each plant. The next step is to create a Manual to the New York State Flora. Early efforts are underway to move towards this goal."
Oregon
"OregonFlora has assembled a comprehensive guide to the ~4,800 vascular plants of Oregon that is shared through this website, the Flora of Oregon books, and our wildflower identification app. Our foundational research supports diverse audiences — citizen scientists, students and gardeners, ecologists and land managers, policy makers, university researchers and leaders — in the critical work of protecting biodiversity, managing natural resources, promoting sustainability, and furthering understanding of our botanical treasures."
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Native Plant Guide
"This interactive, searchable database of plants native to Rhode Island was developed in 2016 and revised in 2024 and is meant to help landscape professionals and backyard gardeners familiarize themselves with flora endemic to our local ecosystem."
Washington
Washington Native Plant Society
"The WNPS Native Plant Directory strives to provide basic information on Washington State native plants including: identifying features, landscaping uses, ethnobotanical history, and the plant's impact in conservation and restoration applications."
Wisconsin
"A collaborative effort between the herbaria of the UW-Madison (WIS) and the UW-Steven's Point (UWSP), along with most of the other herbaria located in the state of Wisconsin. It contains information on each of the more than 2600 vascular plant species that occurs in Wisconsin, including photos, distribution maps, specimen records, and more."