How to Find What Trees Are Native to My Area
- 1). Search the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant database (plants.usda.gov/java/) to find out the native status of a species. The first part of the native status tells you where it is growing by designating the jurisdiction code. For example, "L48" means the tree is growing somewhere in the lower 48 states. It might also say AK (Alaska), HI (Hawaii) or CAN (Canada). After the jurisdiction is the native status code. "N" indicates a native species while "I" means it was introduced. Other codes you might see include "N?" if it is probably native and NI, which means some infra-taxa are native while others are introduced.
- 2). Do an advanced search of the USDA plant database for native species via (plants.usda.gov/adv_search.html). Select the state or providence you are looking for in the "Distribution" section. You can limit your search even further by selecting a county in the section underneath it. Scroll down until you see the third section "Ecology." Select "Tree" for the growth habit and "---L48 Native" for Native Status (or whatever data you are searching for).
- 3). Call your local Cooperative Extension office. The Cooperative Extension System is an educational network that provides information to consumers in a particular area. Every U.S. state and territory has a state office as well as local or regional offices. Check out csrees.usda.gov/Extension/ to find a Cooperative Extension near you.
- 4). Do an Internet search for native trees. Limit your search by placing plus marks (+) before the words "native," "tree" and your state. If your state name has two words, place quotes around the name. For example, to search for native trees in New York, type: +native +trees +"New York". You can also limit results to just educational organizations or government sites by adding +site:edu or +site:gov to your search.
