This list includes 20 Plants that start with Q, from “Quaking Aspen” to “Quinoa”. It spans trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and edible crops used in gardens, landscapes and research.
Plants that start with Q are plant species whose common English names begin with the letter Q. Notable examples include Quinoa, a nutritious Andean food crop, and Quaking Aspen, famous for its trembling leaves.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, USDA hardiness zones, Type, and Links.
Common name: The widely used English name helps you recognize plants in garden lists, plant tags, and casual references.
Scientific name: The full binomial lets you confirm exact species and avoid confusion between similar common names.
USDA hardiness zones: The cold-tolerance range shows you where a plant will reliably survive winter lows.
Type: A concise label such as tree, shrub, perennial or annual tells you growth form and garden role.
Links: Direct links to species pages give you quick access to cultivation notes, images and further reading.
Sourcing: Scientific names and zone ranges follow major plant databases such as Kew and USDA PLANTS.
Plants that start with Q
| Common name | Scientific name | USDA hardiness zones | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quaking Aspen | Populus tremuloides | 1–7 | tree |
| Quaking Grass | Briza media | 4–8 | grass |
| Quamash | Camassia quamash | 3–8 | bulb |
| Quandong | Santalum acuminatum | N/A | tree |
| Quassia | Quassia amara | N/A | shrub |
| Quince | Cydonia oblonga | 5–9 | tree |
| Quinoa | Chenopodium quinoa | varies | annual |
| Queen Anne’s Lace | Daucus carota | 3–9 | perennial |
| Queen Palm | Syagrus romanzoffiana | 9–11 | tree |
| Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum) | Epiphyllum oxypetalum | 9–11 | succulent |
| Queen of the Night (Selenicereus) | Selenicereus grandiflorus | 10–11 | succulent |
| Queen of the Prairie | Filipendula rubra | 3–7 | perennial |
| Queen’s Cup | Clintonia uniflora | 4–8 | perennial |
| Queen’s Tears | Billbergia nutans | 9–11 | perennial |
| Queen’s Wreath | Petrea volubilis | 9–11 | vine |
| Queensland Bottle Tree | Brachychiton rupestris | 9–11 | tree |
| Queensland Umbrella Tree | Heptapleurum actinophyllum | 9–11 | tree |
| Quebracho (Red Quebracho) | Schinopsis lorentzii | N/A | tree |
| Quillwort | Isoetes lacustris | varies | fern |
| Quinine Tree | Cinchona officinalis | N/A | tree |
Descriptions
Quaking Aspen
Widely distributed North American poplar with trembling, flattened leaf stalks. Fast-growing pioneer tree used for timber, wildlife habitat and erosion control; notable for clonal colonies and yellow fall color.
Quaking Grass
Ornamental perennial grass with nodding, heart-shaped seed heads that tremble in the wind. Native to Europe, used in rock gardens and dried arrangements.
Quamash
Spring-blooming North American bulb with blue-white starry flowers. Historically important food (edible bulbs) for Indigenous peoples and popular in native plant gardens.
Quandong
Australian native fruit tree (desert quandong) producing tart, edible red fruit. A semi-parasitic sandalwood relative valued for food, traditional use and revegetation in arid zones.
Quassia
Tropical shrub native to Central and South America, known for intensely bitter wood used in traditional medicine and as an insect deterrent; small pinnate leaves and red fruits.
Quince
Small deciduous fruit tree with fragrant pale blooms and pear-shaped yellow fruits used for preserves and cooking. Grown as ornamental and productive in temperate orchards.
Quinoa
Edible grain crop native to the Andes, grown for protein-rich seeds. Adaptable to diverse climates as an annual; popular in home gardens and commercial agriculture worldwide.
Queen Anne’s Lace
Also called wild carrot, this biennial/perennial has lacy white umbels with a characteristic central dark floret. Native to Europe, common weed and pollinator-friendly meadow plant.
Queen Palm
Elegant feather-palm from South America, widely planted in warm climates as a landscape palm for its smooth trunk and arching fronds; tolerates coastal conditions.
Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum)
Epiphytic cactus prized for huge, fragrant white blooms that open at night. Grown as a greenhouse or houseplant in cooler climates; dramatic, short-lived flowers.
Queen of the Night (Selenicereus)
Night-blooming cactus with large fragrant white flowers; often grown on trellises or in containers in frost-free areas. Blooms are nocturnal and showy.
Queen of the Prairie
Tall, rosy-pink flowering perennial native to North American meadows. Loved for large panicles of flowers, attracts pollinators and suits moist, sunny borders.
Queen’s Cup
Shade-loving forest wildflower of western North America with single nodding white to greenish flowers and blue-black berries; appreciated in native woodland gardens.
Queen’s Tears
Bromeliad with arching stems of urn-shaped flowers and pendant “teardrop” blooms. Common as a houseplant or in subtropical gardens; epiphytic or pot-grown.
Queen’s Wreath
Tropical vine with cascades of purple, petrea-like flowers; ornamental in warm climates and as a container subject in cooler areas. Attractive to pollinators.
Queensland Bottle Tree
Striking Australian native with swollen, water-storing trunk and narrow leaves. Drought-tolerant street or specimen tree valued in warm climates.
Queensland Umbrella Tree
Tropical/subtropical tree (formerly Schefflera actinophylla) with radiating leaflets forming umbrella-like crowns; popular houseplant and landscape tree in warm regions.
Quebracho (Red Quebracho)
South American hardwood tree known for extremely dense, tannin-rich timber and durable wood; used for heavy construction and leather tanning in subtropical regions.
Quillwort
Aquatic/semiaquatic lycophyte with grass-like, quill-shaped leaves. Found in lakes and ponds of the Northern Hemisphere; obscure but ecologically important in clear waters.
Quinine Tree
Andean tree whose bark yields quinine, historically vital for treating malaria. Evergreen with showy flowers; grown in tropical montane plantations and botanical collections.