Plants

An image of blue and yellow flowers on the forest floor with leaves, dirt and twigs.
Kings Mountain National Military Park hosts a great diversity of plants.

NPS

The Plants of Kings Mountain


Kings Mountain National Military Park is located in the heart of the Carolina Piedmont region. The park’s 3,945 acres are largely dominated by mesic mixed hardwood forest and basic mesic forest. These types of forest receive or contain moderate amounts of moisture and have well-developed understory and shrub layers. They occur in moist portions of upland habitat, steep north-facing slopes, lower slopes, along ravines, high sections of outer floodplains and stream bottoms. As a result, plant life is abundant in the park. So far, 1,084 species of vascular plants have been identified in the park. Of the 1,084 documented plant species in the park at least 173 or 16% of them are invasive or not native. Many of these species were intentionally planted by humans before the park was created or found their way into the park from errant seed mixes. However, some of the species are considered aggressive or potentially aggressive invasive species that are outcompeting and replacing native species. Kings Mountain National Military Park is located in the heart of the Carolina Piedmont region. The park’s 3,945 acres are largely dominated by mesic mixed hardwood forest and basic mesic forest. These types of forest receive or contain moderate amounts of moisture and have well-developed understory and shrub layers. They occur in moist portions of upland habitat, steep north-facing slopes, lower slopes, along ravines, high sections of outer floodplains and stream bottoms. As a result, plant life is abundant in the park. So far, 1,084 species of vascular plants have been identified in the park.

Of the 1,084 documented plant species in the park at least 173 or 16% of them are invasive or not native. Many of these species were intentionally planted by humans before the park was created or found their way into the park from errant seed mixes. However, some of the species are considered aggressive or potentially aggressive invasive species that are outcompeting and replacing native species. Kings Mountain National Military Park is located in the heart of the Carolina Piedmont region. The park’s 3,945 acres are largely dominated by mesic mixed hardwood forest and basic mesic forest. These types of forest receive or contain moderate amounts of moisture and have well-developed understory and shrub layers. They occur in moist portions of upland habitat, steep north-facing slopes, lower slopes, along ravines, high sections of outer floodplains and stream bottoms. As a result, plant life is abundant in the park. So far, 1,084 species of vascular plants have been identified in the park. Of the 1,084 documented plant species in the park at least 173 or 16% of them are invasive or not native. Many of these species were intentionally planted by humans before the park was created or found their way into the park from errant seed mixes. However, some of the species are considered aggressive or potentially aggressive invasive species that are outcompeting and replacing native species.

You can find a full list of all known vascular plant species in the park's species report.
 
Green and yellow leaves
Trees

Learn about the trees of Kings Mountain NMP

Trees in a field of dry grass and a blue sky
The Forest

Learn about the forest at Kings Mountain NMP

Small white flowers in clusters around green leaves
Understory Plants

Learn about understory plants at Kings Mountain NMP

3 shiny green leaves
Hazardous Plants

Learn more about hazardous plants in the park

A green grass grows in a dense bundle.
Invasive Plants

Learn about invasive plants that grow at Kings Mountain NMP

 
 

Last updated: July 26, 2025

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

2625 Park Road
Blacksburg, SC 29702

Phone:

864 936-7921 x2

Contact Us