Plants That Start With C

154 plants Animals and nature Checked 9 Oct 2026

Here are 154 plants that start with C, each with a one-line description so you can tell what it is. The best-known ones come first, then the full list in A to Z order.

C is the second richest plant letter, with 154 names. It leans heavily on crops and spices. Coffee, cotton, corn and cacao are all here, along with cinnamon, cumin, clove and cayenne. Coriander and cilantro both appear, and many cooks use those words for the same herb.

Familiar vegetables like carrot, cabbage and celery make easy answers for children. Trees include cedar, cypress and chestnut. For a fun twist, catnip and the cactus are always popular with young readers. Chamomile and camellia show how close some spellings can be.

Plants starting with C: 154
Best known: coffee, cotton
Longest name: climbing bittersweet

Best-known plants that start with C

The ones most people will recognise, good for school lists, quizzes and games.

coffee
cotton
corn
cedar
cinnamon
carrot
cabbage
chestnut
cucumber
cactus
clover
celery
cypress
cauliflower
cranberry
coriander
cacao
cashew
catnip
cherry tree
chamomile
camellia
coconut palm
crab apple
chili pepper

All plants that start with C

#	Name	What it is
1	cabbage	any of various cultivars of the genus Brassica oleracea grown for their edible leaves or flowers
2	cabbage palm	West Indian palm with leaf buds that are edible when young
3	cabbage tree	tree with shaggy unpleasant-smelling toxic bark and yielding strong durable wood
4	cacao	tropical American tree producing cacao beans
5	cactus	any succulent plant of the family Cactaceae native chiefly to arid regions of the New World and usually having spines
6	camellia	any of several shrubs or small evergreen trees having solitary white or pink or reddish flowers
7	canary grass	Canary Islands grass; seeds used as feed for caged birds
8	cane reed	tall grass of southern United States growing in thickets
9	canna	any plant of the genus Canna having large sheathing leaves and clusters of large showy flowers
10	canoe birch	small American birch with peeling white bark often worked into e.g. baskets or toy canoes
11	canoe cedar	large valuable arborvitae of northwestern United States
12	cantaloupe	a variety of muskmelon vine having fruit with a tan rind and orange flesh
13	canyon oak	medium-sized evergreen of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico with oblong leathery often spiny-edged...
14	cape jasmine	evergreen shrub widely cultivated for its large fragrant waxlike white flowers and glossy leaves
15	caper	any of numerous plants of the genus Capparis
16	capsicum	any of various tropical plants of the genus Capsicum bearing peppers
17	caraway	a Eurasian plant with small white flowers yielding caraway seed
18	cardamom	rhizomatous herb of India having aromatic seeds used as seasoning
19	cardinal flower	North American lobelia having brilliant red flowers
20	carpet grass	grass native to West Indies but common in southern United States having tufted wiry stems often infested with a dark...
21	carrot	perennial plant widely cultivated as an annual in many varieties for its long conical orange edible roots
22	cashew	tropical American evergreen tree bearing kidney-shaped nuts that are edible only when roasted
23	cassava	any of several plants of the genus Manihot having fleshy roots yielding a nutritious starch
24	cassia	Chinese tree with aromatic bark; yields a less desirable cinnamon than Ceylon cinnamon
25	cat's foot	low-growing perennial herb having leaves with whitish down and clusters of small white flowers
26	cat's-claw	erect shrub with small if any spines having racemes of white to yellow flowers followed by curved pointed pods and...
27	catnip	hairy aromatic perennial herb having whorls of small white purple-spotted flowers in a terminal spike
28	cauliflower	a plant having a large edible head of crowded white flower buds
29	cayenne	plant bearing very hot and finely tapering long peppers; usually red
30	cedar	any cedar of the genus Cedrus
31	cedar elm	elm of southern United States and Mexico having spreading pendulous corky branches
32	cedar mahogany	African tree having rather lightweight cedar-scented wood varying in color from pink to reddish brown
33	cedar tree	any cedar of the genus Cedrus
34	celery	widely cultivated herb with aromatic leaf stalks that are eaten raw or cooked
35	celery cabbage	plant with an elongated head of broad stalked leaves resembling celery; used as a vegetable in east Asia
36	celery pine	Australasian evergreen conifer having a graceful head of foliage resembling celery that is composed of phyllodes borne...
37	celery root	grown for its thickened edible aromatic root
38	chain fern	a fern of the genus Woodwardia having the sori in chainlike rows
39	chamomile	Eurasian plant with apple-scented foliage and white-rayed flowers and feathery leaves used medicinally
40	chard	beet lacking swollen root; grown as a vegetable for its edible leaves and stalks
41	cherry	any of numerous trees and shrubs producing a small fleshy round fruit with a single hard stone
42	cherry birch	common birch of the eastern United States having spicy brown bark yielding a volatile oil and hard dark wood used for...
43	cherry laurel	frequently cultivated Eurasian evergreen shrub or small tree having showy clusters of white flowers and glossy foliage...
44	cherry pepper	plant bearing small rounded usually pungent fruits
45	cherry plum	small Asiatic tree bearing edible red or yellow fruit
46	cherry tomato	plant bearing small red to yellow fruit
47	cherry tree	any of numerous trees and shrubs producing a small fleshy round fruit with a single hard stone
48	chestnut	any of several attractive deciduous trees yellow-brown in autumn; yield a hard wood and edible nuts in a prickly bur
49	chestnut oak	an oak having leaves resembling those of chestnut trees
50	chestnut tree	any of several attractive deciduous trees yellow-brown in autumn; yield a hard wood and edible nuts in a prickly bur
51	chickpea	Asiatic herb cultivated for its short pods with one or two edible seeds
52	chile pine	large Chilean evergreen conifer having intertwined branches and bearing edible nuts
53	chili pepper	plant bearing very hot and finely tapering long peppers; usually red
54	chimney plant	bellflower of southeastern Europe
55	chinese mustard	Asiatic mustard used as a potherb
56	chocolate tree	tropical American tree producing cacao beans
57	cider gum	small to medium-sized tree of Tasmania
58	cilantro	Old World herb with aromatic leaves and seed resembling parsley
59	cinnamon	tropical Asian tree with aromatic yellowish-brown bark; source of the spice cinnamon
60	cinnamon fern	New World fern having woolly cinnamon-colored spore-bearing fronds in early spring later surrounded by green fronds
61	cinnamon vine	hardy Chinese vine naturalized in United States and cultivated as an ornamental climber for its glossy heart-shaped...
62	citron	thorny evergreen small tree or shrub of India widely cultivated for its large lemonlike fruits that have thick warty...
63	citrus	any of numerous tropical usually thorny evergreen trees of the genus Citrus having leathery evergreen leaves and widely...
64	citrus tree	any of numerous tropical usually thorny evergreen trees of the genus Citrus having leathery evergreen leaves and widely...
65	clary	aromatic herb of southern Europe; cultivated in Great Britain as a potherb and widely as an ornamental
66	clementine	a variety of mandarin orange that is grown around the Mediterranean and in South Africa
67	cliff brake	any of several small lithophytic ferns of tropical and warm temperate regions
68	cliff rose	tufted thrift of seacoasts and mountains of north temperate zone; occasionally grown as a ground cover
69	climbing bittersweet	twining shrub of North America having yellow capsules enclosing scarlet seeds
70	climbing fern	any of several ferns of the genus Lygodium that climb by twining
71	climbing onion	much-branched leafless twining South African herb cultivated as an ornamental for its bright green stems growing from...
72	cloud grass	Spanish grass with light feathery panicles grown for dried bouquets
73	clove	moderate sized very symmetrical red-flowered evergreen widely cultivated in the tropics for its flower buds which are...
74	clover	a plant of the genus Trifolium
75	clover fern	any of several water ferns of the genus Marsilea having four leaflets
76	cluster bean	drought-tolerant herb grown for forage and for its seed which yield a gum used as a thickening agent or sizing material
77	coco plum	small tropical American tree bearing edible plumlike fruit
78	cocoa palm	tall palm tree bearing coconuts as fruits; widely planted throughout the tropics
79	cocoa plum	small tropical American tree bearing edible plumlike fruit
80	coconut	tall palm tree bearing coconuts as fruits; widely planted throughout the tropics
81	coconut palm	tall palm tree bearing coconuts as fruits; widely planted throughout the tropics
82	coconut tree	tall palm tree bearing coconuts as fruits; widely planted throughout the tropics
83	coffee	any of several small trees and shrubs native to the tropical Old World yielding coffee beans
84	coffee fern	evergreen fern of California and Baja California
85	coffee rose	tropical shrub having glossy foliage and fragrant nocturnal flowers with crimped or wavy corollas
86	coffee tree	any of several small trees and shrubs native to the tropical Old World yielding coffee beans
87	collard	variety of kale having smooth leaves
88	common bamboo	extremely vigorous bamboo having thin-walled culms striped green and yellow
89	common basil	annual or perennial of tropical Asia having spikes of small white flowers and aromatic leaves
90	common bean	the common annual twining or bushy bean plant grown for its edible seeds or pods
91	common beech	large European beech with minutely-toothed leaves; widely planted as an ornamental in North America
92	common birch	European birch with silvery white peeling bark and markedly drooping branches
93	common broom	deciduous erect spreading broom native to western Europe; widely cultivated for its rich yellow flowers
94	common elder	a common shrub with black fruit or a small tree of Europe and Asia; fruit used for wines and jellies
95	common fig	Mediterranean tree widely cultivated for its edible fruit
96	common ginger	tropical Asian plant widely cultivated for its pungent root; source of gingerroot and powdered ginger
97	common heath	spindly upright shrub of southern Australia and Tasmania having white to rose or purple-red flowers
98	common ivy	Old World vine with lobed evergreen leaves and black berrylike fruits
99	common jasmine	a climbing deciduous shrub with fragrant white or yellow or red flowers used in perfume and to flavor tea
100	common myrtle	European shrub with white or rosy flowers followed by black berries
101	common oak	medium to large deciduous European oak having smooth leaves with rounded lobes; yields hard strong light-colored wood
102	common pea	plant producing peas usually eaten fresh rather than dried
103	common plum	any of various widely distributed plums grown in the cooler temperate areas
104	common reed	tall North American reed having relative wide leaves and large plumelike panicles
105	common sage	shrubby plant with aromatic greyish-green leaves used as a cooking herb
106	common wheat	widely cultivated in temperate regions in many varieties for its commercially important grain
107	compass plant	North American annual with red or rose-colored flowers
108	cone pepper	plant bearing erect pungent conical red or yellow or purple fruits; sometimes grown as an ornamental
109	conifer	any gymnospermous tree or shrub bearing cones
110	copper beech	variety of European beech with shining purple or copper-colored leaves
111	coral bean	shrub or small tree having pinnate leaves poisonous to livestock and dense racemes of intensely fragrant blue flowers...
112	coral bush	Australian shrub having simple obovate leaves and brilliant scarlet flowers
113	coral gem	low-growing much-branched perennial of Canary Islands having orange-red to scarlet or purple flowers
114	coral pea	any of various Australian climbing plants of the genus Kennedia having scarlet flowers
115	coral tree	any of various shrubs or shrubby trees of the genus Erythrina having trifoliate leaves and racemes of scarlet to coral...
116	coral vine	prostrate or twining woody vine with small leathery leaves and umbels of red flowers; Australia and Tasmania
117	cord grass	any of several perennial grasses of the genus Spartina; some important as coastal soil binders
118	coriander	Old World herb with aromatic leaves and seed resembling parsley
119	cork oak	medium-sized evergreen oak of southern Europe and northern Africa having thick corky bark that is periodically stripped...
120	cork tree	prickly Australian coral tree having soft spongy wood
121	corn	tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties
122	corn mint	European mint naturalized in United States
123	corn salad	a plant of the genus Valerianella
124	cos lettuce	lettuce with long dark-green spoon-shaped leaves
125	cotton	erect bushy mallow plant or small tree bearing bolls containing seeds with many long hairy fibers
126	cotton plant	erect bushy mallow plant or small tree bearing bolls containing seeds with many long hairy fibers
127	cotton rose	Chinese shrub or small tree having white or pink flowers becoming deep red at night
128	cottonwood	American basswood of the Allegheny region
129	couch grass	European grass spreading rapidly by creeping rhizomes; naturalized in North America as a weed
130	cow parsley	coarse erect biennial Old World herb introduced as a weed in eastern North America
131	coyote brush	widely spreading evergreen shrub of southwestern United States with flower heads in a leafy panicle
132	crab apple	any of numerous varieties of crab apples cultivated for their small acidic (usually bright red) fruit used for...
133	crab cactus	South American jointed cactus with usually red flowers
134	crab grass	grasses with creeping stems that root freely; a pest in lawns
135	crack willow	large willow tree with stiff branches that are easily broken
136	cranberry	any of numerous shrubs of genus Vaccinium bearing cranberries
137	cream violet	leafy-stemmed violet of eastern North America having large white or creamy flowers faintly marked with purple
138	creeping bent	common pasture or lawn grass spread by long runners
139	creeping fern	delicate fern of the eastern United States having a twining stem and palmately-lobed sterile fronds and forked fertile...
140	creeping willow	small trailing bush of Europe and Asia having straggling branches with silky green leaves of which several varieties...
141	cress	any of various plants of the family Cruciferae with edible leaves that have a pungent taste
142	crimson clover	southern European annual with spiky heads of crimson flower; extensively cultivated in United States for forage
143	cross vine	woody flowering vine of southern United States; stems show a cross in transverse section
144	croton	tropical Asiatic shrub; source of croton oil
145	cucumber	a melon vine of the genus Cucumis; cultivated from earliest times for its cylindrical green fruit
146	cucumber tree	American deciduous magnolia having large leaves and fruit like a small cucumber
147	cucumber vine	a melon vine of the genus Cucumis; cultivated from earliest times for its cylindrical green fruit
148	cumin	dwarf Mediterranean annual long cultivated for its aromatic seeds
149	curly grass	rare small fern of northeastern North America having numerous slender spiraling fronds and forming dense tufts
150	currant	any of various deciduous shrubs of the genus Ribes bearing currants
151	cushion flower	tall straggling shrub with large globose crimson-yellow flowers; western Australia
152	cypress	any of numerous evergreen conifers of the genus Cupressus of north temperate regions having dark scalelike leaves and...
153	cypress tree	any of numerous evergreen conifers of the genus Cupressus of north temperate regions having dark scalelike leaves and...
154	cypress vine	tropical American annual climber having red (sometimes white) flowers and finely dissected leaves

Short plants with C

corn
cedar
cacao
cumin
clove
caper
clary
chard
canna
cress

Filter all 154 plants that start with C

Narrow the full list by ending, letters inside and length. The list updates as you type.

Ends with Contains Length Sort

Questions people ask

How many plants start with C?

This list has 154 plants starting with C, from well-known ones like coffee, cotton, corn to rarer kinds.

What plants start with C?

Well-known examples are coffee, cotton, corn, cedar, cinnamon, carrot, cabbage, chestnut.

Source: Princeton WordNet, a public dictionary database, reviewed by our editors to keep only clear, real members of the list. Meanings are short dictionary glosses.

See every letter on one page: plants A to Z