Here you’ll find 45 Plants that start with J that begin with J, organized from “Jack-in-the-pulpit” to “Juniper”. These species include trees, shrubs, perennials and ornamentals widely used in gardens, landscapes and ecological plantings.

Plants that start with J are a diverse group of common garden and wild species spanning many plant families. Notably, junipers have long provided flavoring, timber and cultural symbolism across the Northern Hemisphere.

Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, USDA zones and Type.

Common name: The familiar name helps you quickly spot plants and match them to labels or garden signs.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial identifies the exact species so you can find precise care and distribution information.

USDA zones: The hardiness range shows where plants reliably survive winter temperatures in practical garden planning.

Type: A concise label (tree, shrub, perennial, etc.) helps you choose plants that fit space and use.

Plants that start with J

Common name Scientific name Type USDA hardiness zones Description
Jasmine Jasminum officinale vine 7–10 Fragrant white flowers used ornamentally and in perfumery; a climbing shrub native to Central and South Asia, prized for scent.
Japanese maple Acer palmatum tree 5–8 Small ornamental tree with deeply lobed leaves and dramatic fall color; native to Japan, Korea and China, used in bonsai and gardens.
Juniper Juniperus communis shrub 2–7 Evergreen conifer with needle-like foliage and blue berries; used as groundcover, hedging and flavoring (gin); circumpolar native.
Jujube Ziziphus jujuba tree 6–9 Deciduous fruit tree from East Asia producing sweet, date-like fruits; drought-tolerant and grown for fresh or dried fruit.
Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus tree tropical/none Massive tropical tree from South and Southeast Asia producing large edible fruits; popular in cooking and as a meat alternative.
Jade plant Crassula ovata succulent 9–11 Thick-leaved, popular indoor succulent native to South Africa; easy houseplant with glossy, oval leaves and red-edged foliage.
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus perennial 3–9 Sunflower relative grown for edible tubers (sunchokes); erect stems and yellow flowers; native to eastern North America.
Jerusalem cherry Solanum pseudocapsicum shrub 9–11 Small evergreen often grown as a houseplant with bright orange ornamental berries; native to South America and mildly toxic.
Joe-Pye weed Eutrochium purpureum perennial 4–9 Tall native North American perennial with mauve flower heads that attract pollinators; used in wildflower and cottage gardens.
Johnny-jump-up Viola tricolor annual 4–9 Petite, edible viola with tricolored flowers; common in gardens and rockeries, native to Europe and Western Asia.
Japanese knotweed Reynoutria japonica perennial 4–9 Robust, bamboo-like invasive perennial from East Asia; fast-spreading and difficult to eradicate, small white flower clusters.
Japanese iris Iris ensata perennial 4–9 Large, showy pond-edge iris with broad flat petals; prized in formal gardens and native to Japan and East Asia.
Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica tree 5–8 Tall evergreen conifer with soft needles and reddish bark; widely planted ornamental and timber tree from Japan.
Judas tree Cercis siliquastrum tree 6–9 Small deciduous tree with pea-like pink spring flowers directly on branches; native to Southern Europe and Western Asia.
Japanese quince Chaenomeles japonica shrub 4–9 Compact deciduous shrub with early spring rosy flowers and tart fruit used for preserves; native to Japan.
Japanese holly Ilex crenata shrub 5–8 Evergreen with small holly-like leaves used for hedges and topiary; native to Japan and eastern Asia.
Japanese chestnut Castanea crenata tree 5–8 Medium-sized chestnut tree producing edible nuts; native to Japan and Korea, used in orchards and landscapes.
Japanese anemone Eriocapitella hupehensis perennial 4–8 Late-summer blooming perennial with delicate cup-shaped flowers; shade-tolerant garden favorite from East Asia.
Japanese stiltgrass Microstegium vimineum grass 5–9 Annual invasive grass from Asia that forms dense mats in forests and edges; problematic in eastern North America.
Japanese painted fern Athyrium niponicum fern 4–8 Shade-loving fern with silvery, purple-tinged fronds; ornamental in woodland and shade gardens, native to East Asia.
Japanese snowbell Styrax japonicus tree 5–8 Small tree with dangling, fragrant white bell flowers in spring; ornamental native to East Asia.
Japanese plum Prunus salicina tree 6–9 Stone fruit tree (Asian plum) with sweet to tart fruits; widely grown for fresh eating and preserves, native to China/Japan.
Japanese spurge Pachysandra terminalis groundcover 4–8 Evergreen, low-growing groundcover with glossy leaves and white spring flowers; shade-loving, native to Japan.
Japanese wisteria Wisteria floribunda vine 5–9 Vigorous twining vine with long, pendulous clusters of fragrant flowers; classical ornamental from Japan.
Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica vine 4–9 Fragrant white-to-yellow tubular flowers; widely planted as ornamental but invasive in many regions, native to East Asia.
Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii shrub 4–8 Thorny deciduous shrub with colorful foliage and red berries; widely used in hedging but invasive in parts of North America.
Japanese yew Taxus cuspidata shrub 4–7 Hardy evergreen used for hedges and topiary; shade-tolerant, produces red arils and contains toxic compounds.
Japanese pagoda tree Styphnolobium japonicum tree 5–9 Large ornamental street tree with white pea-like flowers; tolerant urban tree native to East Asia.
Japanese aralia Fatsia japonica shrub 8–10 Bold-leaved evergreen used in shade gardens and as indoor specimen; native to Japan and Korea.
Jacob’s ladder Polemonium caeruleum perennial 3–8 Compound pinnate leaves and clusters of blue bell-shaped flowers; cottage-garden perennial native to temperate Northern Hemisphere.
Japanese bellflower Platycodon grandiflorus perennial 3–8 Balloon-like buds that open into star-shaped blue or white flowers; popular perennial from East Asia.
Japanese skimmia Skimmia japonica shrub 6–9 Evergreen shrub with fragrant spring flowers and red berries on female plants; shade-tolerant, native to Japan.
Java plum Syzygium cumini tree tropical/none Tropical/subtropical fruit tree (jambul) producing dark edible berries; native to South Asia and used in jams and medicine.
Jerusalem sage Phlomis fruticosa shrub 7–10 Silver-gray foliage and whorled yellow flowers; drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrub used in xeriscapes.
Jerusalem thorn Parkinsonia aculeata tree 9–11 Thorny, drought-tolerant small tree with yellow pea-like flowers; native to the Americas, used in arid landscapes.
Japanese umbrella pine Sciadopitys verticillata tree 6–8 Unique evergreen with whorled, glossy needles; slow-growing ornamental conifer from Japan.
Japanese butterbur Petasites japonicus perennial 4–8 Bold-leaved perennial used in Japanese cuisine (fuki); spreads by rhizomes and prefers damp sites.
Japanese snowball Viburnum plicatum shrub 5–8 Layered branching with flat-topped white flower clusters in spring; popular ornamental viburnum from East Asia.
Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllum perennial 4–9 Woodland spring perennial with hooded spathe and carrot-like structure; native to eastern North American forests.
Jewel orchid Ludisia discolor perennial tropical/none Terrestrial orchid prized for glossy, patterned foliage and small white flowers; common houseplant native to Southeast Asia.
Jew’s mallow Corchorus olitorius annual tropical/none Leafy green (molokhia) used as a mucilaginous vegetable in Middle Eastern and African cuisines; tropical species.
Java fern Microsorum pteropus fern tropical/none Popular aquarium plant with tough, textured fronds; native to Southeast Asian freshwater habitats.
Japanese azalea Rhododendron obtusum shrub 6–9 Compact evergreen azalea with profuse spring flowers; widely planted in Asian-style gardens.
Japanese hops Humulus japonicus vine 4–9 Fast-growing annual vine with lobed leaves; ornamental and sometimes invasive, related to beer hops and native to East Asia.
Jequirity bean Abrus precatorius vine tropical/none Tropical climbing plant known for bright red poisonous seeds used historically as beads; native to India and Africa.

Descriptions

Jasmine
Japanese maple
Juniper
Jujube
Jackfruit
Jade plant
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem cherry
Joe-Pye weed
Johnny-jump-up
Japanese knotweed
Japanese iris
Japanese cedar
Judas tree
Japanese quince
Japanese holly
Japanese chestnut
Japanese anemone
Japanese stiltgrass
Japanese painted fern
Japanese snowbell
Japanese plum
Japanese spurge
Japanese wisteria
Japanese honeysuckle
Japanese barberry
Japanese yew
Japanese pagoda tree
Japanese aralia
Jacob’s ladder
Japanese bellflower
Japanese skimmia
Java plum
Jerusalem sage
Jerusalem thorn
Japanese umbrella pine
Japanese butterbur
Japanese snowball
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Jewel orchid
Jew’s mallow
Java fern
Japanese azalea
Japanese hops
Jequirity bean
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.