Identifying a plant
Missouri is a many-colored, variously textured patchwork of nearly 200 distinct natural communities. We have stony glades and undulating prairies, rivers and streams and fascinating caves, lush forests, shimmering wetlands and many others. Each natural community, with its particular geography and climate, supports a unique mix of plant species. In all, Missouri’s natural communities produce about 3,000 different kinds of plants: grasses, wildflowers, prairie forbs, trees and shrubs, mushrooms and lichens. Use these pages to help you identify the plants you see at home or in the field, as well as to learn more about their habitat needs and the pressures that threaten them.
If you’re interesting in adding some of Missouri’s resilient and hard-working native plants to your home or business landscape, visit the Grow Native! website. It features an online photo and info database of nearly 300 of Missouri’s most garden-worthy native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees.
The plant you saw in your yard, along the roadside or out in the field may be an invasive species or an endangered species. Please use these pages to learn more about Missouri’s native plants and what you can do to protect them. By creating and enhancing native habitat and preventing the spread of exotic invasives, you can play an important role in conserving Missouri’s wonderful natural communities and the wildlife that depend on them.
Browse by Subject
- Animals
- Learn about Missouri's wildlife.
- Plants
- Discover Missouri's botanical treasures.
- Backyard wildlife
- Discover what creatures might be living in your backyard.
- Natural communities
- Explore Missouri's many types of habitats.
- Endangered species
- Find out what species are in danger of becoming extinct.
- Invasive species
- Learn to ID and control the species that threaten Missouri's natural diversity.
