Here you’ll find 33 Plants that start with K that begin with K, organized from “Hardy kiwi” to “Kumquat”. These include edible, ornamental and native species used in gardens and landscapes worldwide.
Plants that start with K are common garden, orchard and wild species whose English names begin with the letter K. A notable example is the hardy kiwi, a fruiting vine once cultivated in East Asia and now grown internationally.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, USDA hardiness zones and Type.
Common name: Shows the familiar name you know, helping you locate plants fast in garden catalogs, labels and casual searches.
Scientific name: Gives the Latin binomial so you can confirm exact species identity and find detailed botanical information online.
USDA hardiness zones: Lists the typical USDA zone range so you can check which climates support outdoor survival.
Type: Identifies whether a plant is a tree, shrub, perennial, annual, succulent, grass, fern or vine, informing your landscape choices.
Plants that start with K
Common name
Scientific name
USDA hardiness zones
Type
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
9–11
succulent
Kaffir lime
Citrus hystrix
tropical
tree
Kakadu plum
Terminalia ferdinandiana
tropical
tree
Kangaroo paw
Anigozanthos flavidus
8–11
perennial
Katsura tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
4–8
tree
Kousa dogwood
Cornus kousa
5–8
tree
Kiwifruit
Actinidia deliciosa
7–9
vine
Hardy kiwi
Actinidia arguta
4–8
vine
Kudzu
Pueraria montana
6–10
vine
Kumquat
Citrus japonica
8–11
tree
Kauri
Agathis australis
varies
tree
Koa
Acacia koa
tropical
tree
Kinnikinnick
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
2–7
groundcover shrub
King protea
Protea cynaroides
9–11
shrub
King palm
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
9–11
tree
Kentucky coffeetree
Gymnocladus dioicus
3–7
tree
Kentucky bluegrass
Poa pratensis
3–7
grass
Kanuka
Kunzea ericoides
varies
shrub/tree
Kei apple
Dovyalis caffra
9–11
shrub/tree
Korean fir
Abies koreana
4–7
tree
Korean spice viburnum
Viburnum carlesii
4–8
shrub
Kaffir lily
Clivia miniata
9–11
perennial
Kiwano
Cucumis metuliferus
tropical
annual vine
Kowhai
Sophora microphylla
varies
tree
Kukui
Aleurites moluccanus
tropical
tree
Kava
Piper methysticum
tropical
shrub
Kratom
Mitragyna speciosa
tropical
tree
Kola nut
Cola nitida
tropical
tree
Khat
Catha edulis
9–11
shrub
Kochia
Bassia scoparia
2–9
annual/shrub
Kerria
Kerria japonica
4–8
shrub
Kingcup
Caltha palustris
3–7
perennial
Kaffir plum
Harpephyllum caffrum
9–11
tree
Descriptions
Kalanchoe
Popular flowering succulent with long-lasting clusters of blooms; great as a houseplant or patio pot.
Kaffir lime
Aromatic citrus with bumpy fruit and fragrant leaves widely used in Southeast Asian cooking.
Kakadu plum
Australian native fruit exceptionally high in vitamin C, used fresh, in preserves, and nutraceuticals.
Kangaroo paw
Striking Australian perennial with velvety, paw-shaped flowers in bold reds, yellows, and greens.
Katsura tree
Deciduous ornamental with heart-shaped leaves that turn fragrant orange-red in autumn.
Kousa dogwood
Small ornamental tree with showy bracts, edible red fruits, and attractive exfoliating bark.
Kiwifruit
Fuzzy-skinned fruit vine producing sweet, green-fleshed kiwifruit for fresh eating and preserves.
Hardy kiwi
Cold-hardy, smooth-skinned kiwi producing small, delicious berries that can be eaten whole.
Kudzu
Very vigorous vine used for erosion control but invasive in many regions; fixes nitrogen.
Kumquat
Small citrus with edible sweet rind; eaten whole and used as a decorative, cold-tolerant citrus.
Kauri
Iconic New Zealand conifer valued for timber and ecological importance; slow-growing and long-lived.
Koa
Hawaiian native tree prized for strong, decorative timber and important cultural uses.
Kinnikinnick
Low evergreen groundcover with pink urn-shaped flowers and bright red berries.
King protea
Dramatic South African protea with very large sculptural flower heads, prized in floral design.
King palm
Elegant feather-leaved palm widely used in subtropical landscapes and avenues.
Kentucky coffeetree
Large tolerant tree with bipinnate leaves and distinctive seed pods; historic coffee substitute.
Kentucky bluegrass
Widely used lawn grass valued for fine texture, recovery ability, and cold tolerance.
Kanuka
New Zealand shrub or small tree with honey-scented white flowers; important for ecological regeneration.
Kei apple
Spiny fruiting shrub producing tart yellow-orange edible fruits used fresh or preserved.
Korean fir
Compact ornamental conifer with glossy needles and striking purple to brown cones.
Korean spice viburnum
Fragrant early-spring flowers followed by red fruit; a favorite for scent in small gardens.
Kaffir lily
Shade-loving bulbous perennial with clumps of orange trumpet-like flowers on stiff stalks.
Kiwano
Horned melon with bright orange skin and jelly-like green flesh; ornamental and edible.
Kowhai
New Zealand native with bright yellow pea-flowers important for native birds and spring interest.
Kukui
Candlenut tree with oily seeds used traditionally for lamps, oil, and in Pacific Island cuisine.
Kava
Pacific Island crop whose roots are brewed into a traditional calming ceremonial beverage.
Kratom
Southeast Asian tree whose leaves have stimulant and opioid-like compounds used traditionally and medicinally.
Kola nut
West African tree producing caffeine-rich nuts historically chewed or used in beverages.
Khat
East African and Arabian shrub with stimulant leaves chewed culturally for mild euphoria and alertness.
Kochia
Fast-growing ornamental or forage plant, drought tolerant and sometimes invasive in disturbed sites.
Kerria
Spring-flowering shrub with bright yellow pompom blooms and arching stems, low-maintenance and cheerful.
Kingcup
Marsh-dwelling buttercup with glossy yellow flowers in spring, excellent for wet gardens.
Kaffir plum
Southern African fruit tree with glossy leaves and small plum-like fruits used fresh or in preserves.
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