Best Nitrogen-Fixing Plants

Soil-improving legumes and friends that pull nitrogen from the air and feed their neighbors.

40 plants, every one native to North America, routinely available from nurseries, and photographed. Ordered by the layer each occupies, so you can site a fixer at any height. Traits are quoted from USDA PLANTS, never estimated — how we source this. The Plant Finder searches the full catalogue, including plants that miss this bar.

1. 
   black locust Robinia pseudoacaciaZone 3+ · full sun · 60 ft · native
2. 
   cabbagebark tree Andira inermisZone 10+ · full sun · 90 ft · native
3. 
   koa Acacia koaZone 10+ · full sun · 110 ft · native
4. 
   mamani Sophora chrysophyllaZone 9+ · part shade · 40 ft · native
5. 
   northern catalpa Catalpa speciosaZone 3+ · full sun · 60 ft · native
6. 
   red alder Alnus rubraZone 4+ · full sun · 90 ft · native
7. 
   stinkingtoe Hymenaea courbarilZone 11+ · shade · 65 ft · native
8. 
   white alder Alnus rhombifoliaZone 4+ · shade · 65 ft · native
9. 
   California wax myrtle Morella californicaZone 9+ · full sun · 33 ft · native
10. 
    curl-leaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus ledifoliusZone 2+ · part shade · 20 ft · native
11. 
    New Mexico locust Robinia neomexicanaZone 4+ · full sun · 25 ft · native
12. 
    screwbean mesquite Prosopis pubescensZone 6+ · part shade · 25 ft · native
13. 
    wili wili Erythrina sandwicensisZone 12+ · part shade · 30 ft · native
14. 
    alderleaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus montanusZone 2+ · part shade · 15 ft · native
15. 
    antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentataZone 2+ · part shade · 6 ft · native
16. 
    bladderpod spiderflower Cleome isomerisZone 7+ · full sun · 5 ft · native
17. 
    desert bitterbrush Purshia glandulosaZone 5+ · full sun · 5 ft · native
18. 
    false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosaZone 3+ · full sun · 15 ft · native
19. 
    leadplant Amorpha canescensZone 3+ · shade · 4 ft · native
20. 
    mescal bean Sophora secundifloraZone 7+ · full sun · 15 ft · native
21. 
    New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanusZone 4+ · shade · 3 ft · native
22. 
    northern bayberry Morella pensylvanicaZone 4+ · full sun · 7 ft · native
23. 
    Oahu riverhemp Sesbania tomentosaZone 12+ · part shade · 2 ft · native
24. 
    russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensisZone 1+ · part shade · 6 ft · native
25. 
    silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argenteaZone 3+ · part shade · 18 ft · native
26. 
    sweetgale Myrica galeZone 3+ · shade · 6 ft · native
27. 
    whitethorn ceanothus Ceanothus cordulatusZone 4+ · part shade · 8 ft · native
28. 
    Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensisZone 3+ · full sun · 0.5 ft · native
29. 
    eightpetal mountain-avens Dryas octopetalaZone 1+ · part shade · 0.3 ft · native
30. 
    alpine sweetvetch Hedysarum alpinumZone 1+ · full sun · 2 ft · native
31. 
    Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensisZone 5+ · full sun · 3 ft · native
32. 
    Maryland senna Senna marilandicaZone 5+ · part shade · 6.6 ft · native
33. 
    Nootka lupine Lupinus nootkatensisZone 3+ · part shade · 2 ft · native
34. 
    partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculataZone 6+ · shade · 2.4 ft · native
35. 
    purple prairie clover Dalea purpureaZone 3+ · full sun · 3 ft · native
36. 
    sicklekeel lupine Lupinus albicaulisZone 11+ · full sun · 3 ft · native
37. 
    sweetscent Pluchea odorataZone 5+ · full sun · 4.9 ft · native
38. 
    Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum borealeZone 3+ · full sun · 2 ft · native
39. 
    white prairie clover Dalea candidaZone 3+ · part shade · 2 ft · native
40. 
    wild tantan Desmanthus virgatusZone 8+ · shade · 2 ft · native

Every plant here is drawn from the USDA PLANTS database; the traits behind this list are quoted from it, not estimated. See data & sources.

Want plants matched to your exact zone and conditions? Use the Plant Finder.