This list includes 43 Plants that start with L, from “Lacebark elm” to “Lychee”. They range from trees and shrubs to herbs, vines and succulents, many used ornamentally or for food.
Plants that start with L are common and diverse species whose common names begin with the letter L. Lychee, for example, is an ancient cultivated fruit from southern China and remains widely grown globally.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, USDA hardiness zones and Type.
Common name: The familiar English name helps you quickly recognize plants and match them to garden labels or seed packets.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives exact species identification so you can find reliable care and reference information.
USDA hardiness zones: Shows the USDA winter hardiness range (zones 1–13) so you can pick plants suited to your climate.
Type: A concise growth-category label (tree, shrub, perennial, etc.) helps you plan spacing, maintenance and landscape use.
Plants that start with L
| Common name | Scientific name | USDA zones | Plant type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lacebark elm | Ulmus parvifolia | 5–9 | tree | Urban-tolerant shade tree with exfoliating bark and small serrated leaves, used in parks and streetscapes; hardy and drought-resistant once established. |
| Lady fern | Athyrium filix-femina | 3–8 | fern | Featherlike, arching fronds for shady gardens and woodland edges; easy to grow and useful for naturalistic understory plantings. |
| Lady’s bedstraw | Galium verum | 3–8 | perennial | Low, fragrant meadow plant with yellow flower clusters, historically used for stuffing mattresses and dyeing fabrics; prefers dry, sunny sites. |
| Lady’s mantle | Alchemilla mollis | 3–8 | perennial | Soft scalloped leaves that catch dew, with frothy chartreuse flowers; a reliable border plant and pollinator-friendly groundcover. |
| Lady’s slipper | Cypripedium acaule | 3–7 | perennial | Native woodland orchid with pouch-like pink flowers; slow to establish, valued by native-plant gardeners for spring interest. |
| Lamb’s ear | Stachys byzantina | 4–8 | perennial | Fuzzy, silvery leaves make a tactile groundcover and drought-tolerant border accent, often used in cottage gardens. |
| Lamb’s quarters | Chenopodium album | 2–10 | annual | Nutritious edible weed related to quinoa, found worldwide in disturbed soils; young leaves cooked like spinach. |
| Lanceleaf coreopsis | Coreopsis lanceolata | 4–9 | perennial | Early-season yellow, daisy-like blooms on clumping foliage; attracts pollinators and tolerates poor, dry soils. |
| Larkspur | Consolida regalis | 3–8 | annual | Tall spires of blue to purple flowers for cottage-style beds, easy to grow from seed and a classic cut-flower annual. |
| Lavender | Lavandula angustifolia | 5–9 | shrub | Fragrant, silvery foliage with purple flower spikes; prized for drying, fragrance, and pollinator gardens; prefers sunny, well-drained sites. |
| Lavender cotton | Santolina chamaecyparissus | 6–9 | shrub | Compact Mediterranean shrub with aromatic silver foliage and yellow button flowers; drought-tolerant and great for low hedging. |
| Leatherleaf | Chamaedaphne calyculata | 2–7 | shrub | Evergreen bog shrub with leathery leaves and white urn-shaped flowers, common in peatlands and useful in wetland restoration. |
| Leatherleaf viburnum | Viburnum rhytidophyllum | 5–8 | shrub | Broad, textured evergreen leaves and white spring flowers; reliable barrier shrub with winter interest. |
| Leatherwood | Dirca palustris | 3–7 | shrub | Tough-stemmed understory shrub with fragrant early blooms; slow-growing and valued for native woodland gardens. |
| Leek | Allium ampeloprasum | 3–9 | herb | Mild, onion-flavored vegetable grown for its edible stalks; cool-season crop used in soups and stews. |
| Lemon balm | Melissa officinalis | 4–9 | perennial | Citrus-scented herb for teas and culinary uses, easy to grow in sun or part shade; attracts pollinators. |
| Lemon grass | Cymbopogon citratus | N/A | grass | Tropical, aromatic grass used widely in cooking and teas; grows best in warm, frost-free climates or containers. |
| Lemon tree | Citrus limon | 9–11 | tree | Widely cultivated fruit tree with fragrant blossoms and tart fruit; grown commercially and in containers where winters are mild. |
| Lemon thyme | Thymus × citriodorus | 5–9 | perennial | Low, aromatic herb with lemon-scented leaves, useful as groundcover or culinary seasoning; prefers sunny, well-drained soil. |
| Lemon verbena | Aloysia citrodora | 8–11 | shrub | Intensely lemon-scented leaves for tea and potpourri; tender shrub that prefers sheltered, sunny locations. |
| Leopard plant | Ligularia dentata | 4–8 | perennial | Bold, large leaves and tall yellow-orange flower spikes, thrives in moist, shaded garden spots and attracts pollinators. |
| Lesser celandine | Ficaria verna | 4–9 | perennial | Early spring wildflower with glossy heart-shaped leaves and yellow blooms; can naturalize aggressively in moist shade. |
| Lilac | Syringa vulgaris | 3–7 | shrub | Iconic spring-blooming shrub with fragrant, dense flower clusters; classic in temperate gardens and hedges. |
| Lily of the valley | Convallaria majalis | 2–9 | perennial | Fragrant, bell-shaped spring flowers on low stems; forms shady groundcover but is poisonous if ingested. |
| Lilyturf | Liriope muscari | 6–9 | grass | Tough, clumping groundcover with grass-like foliage and purple flower spikes; useful for edging and shade planting. |
| Lime | Citrus × latifolia | 9–11 | tree | Popular citrus producing tart fruit for cooking and drinks; frost-sensitive and typically grown in warm climates or containers. |
| Linden | Tilia cordata | 3–7 | tree | Small to medium shade tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant summer flowers that attract bees; traditional street tree. |
| Lion’s tail | Leonotis leonurus | 8–11 | shrub | Striking spikes of orange tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds; a frost-tender shrub native to South Africa. |
| Little bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | 3–9 | grass | Clumping native prairie grass with blue-green summer foliage turning copper in fall; valuable for erosion control and wildlife. |
| Livingstone daisy | Dorotheanthus bellidiformis | N/A | annual | Succulent annual with brilliant daisy-like blooms from South Africa, excellent in rock gardens and containers. |
| Lobelia | Lobelia erinus | 9–11 | annual | Low bedding plant with masses of blue, white, or pink flowers; great for containers and hanging baskets in warm climates. |
| Loblolly pine | Pinus taeda | 6–9 | tree | Fast-growing southeastern U.S. pine used for timber and wildlife habitat, with long needles in bundles of three. |
| Loquat | Eriobotrya japonica | 8–10 | tree | Evergreen fruit tree with sweet orange fruits and glossy leaves; Mediterranean and subtropical garden favorite. |
| Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | 3–8 | perennial | Showy magenta spikes in wetlands; attractive but invasive in many regions, so avoid planting where it can spread. |
| Longleaf pine | Pinus palustris | 8–9 | tree | Fire-adapted southeastern pine with very long needles; keystone species for biodiverse longleaf ecosystems. |
| London plane | Platanus × acerifolia | 4–9 | tree | Widely planted urban shade tree tolerant of pollution, with patchy exfoliating bark and large leaves. |
| Lotus | Nelumbo nucifera | 4–10 | perennial | Aquatic perennial with large round leaves and iconic showy flowers; grown in ponds for ornamental and cultural uses. |
| Love-in-a-mist | Nigella damascena | 3–9 | annual | Airy foliage with unique papery seed pods and delicate blue or white flowers; classic cottage-garden annual. |
| Love-lies-bleeding | Amaranthus caudatus | 3–9 | annual | Dramatic hanging red tassels on tall plants, used ornamentally and for grain in some cultures. |
| Lovage | Levisticum officinale | 4–9 | herb | Tall, celery-like perennial herb with aromatic leaves and stems used in soups and stews; good for herb borders. |
| Lungwort | Pulmonaria officinalis | 3–8 | perennial | Early spring blooms and spotted leaves, great shady groundcover with historical medicinal uses. |
| Lupine | Lupinus polyphyllus | 4–8 | perennial | Tall spikes of pea-family flowers in many colors, fixes nitrogen and is a pollinator favorite in cottage and meadow plantings. |
| Lychee | Litchi chinensis | N/A | tree | Tropical evergreen tree producing sweet, aromatic red fruits; commercially important in Asia and frost-sensitive in temperate zones. |
Descriptions
Lacebark elm
Lady fern
Lady’s bedstraw
Lady’s mantle
Lady’s slipper
Lamb’s ear
Lamb’s quarters
Lanceleaf coreopsis
Larkspur
Lavender
Lavender cotton
Leatherleaf
Leatherleaf viburnum
Leatherwood
Leek
Lemon balm
Lemon grass
Lemon tree
Lemon thyme
Lemon verbena
Leopard plant
Lesser celandine
Lilac
Lily of the valley
Lilyturf
Lime
Linden
Lion’s tail
Little bluestem
Livingstone daisy
Lobelia
Loblolly pine
Loquat
Loosestrife
Longleaf pine
London plane
Lotus
Love-in-a-mist
Love-lies-bleeding
Lovage
Lungwort
Lupine
Lychee