Native plants · Florida

Native plants of Baker County

268 plant species are recorded as native to Florida in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Baker County by USDA PLANTS. 120 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Baker County, Florida

Native species: 268 Typical Florida county: 385 (median of 67 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 120 Typical Florida county: 170
Share by type (all 268 native species): Percent of the 268 native species in each growth type

Tree 16% (44)
Shrub 7% (19)
Wildflower (forb) 46% (122)
Grass or grass-like 23% (61)
Vine 6% (15)
Fern 3% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (46%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 120

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Baker County, Florida
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American holly Ilex opaca	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
American snowbell Styrax americanus	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5b
American wisteria Wisteria frutescens	Vine	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
bedstraw St. Johnswort Hypericum galioides	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
bighead rush Juncus megacephalus	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus	Grass or grass-like	6.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Carolina ash Fraxinus caroliniana	Tree	39 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7b
Carolina redroot Lachnanthes caroliana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
coastal doghobble Leucothoe axillaris	Shrub	6.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 7b
coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana	Tree	33 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7b
coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia	Shrub	16 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana	Tree	55 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
coral greenbrier Smilax walteri	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
dahoon Ilex cassine	Tree	26 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dense blazing star Liatris spicata	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa	Shrub	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida	Shrub	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7b
field paspalum Paspalum laeve	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
forked rush Juncus dichotomus	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8b
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
hairy chaffhead Carphephorus paniculatus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 8a
haspan flatsedge Cyperus haspan	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
inkberry Ilex glabra	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
large gallberry Ilex coriacea	Tree	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
lesser creeping rush Juncus repens	Grass or grass-like	6.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
live oak Quercus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
loblolly bay Gordonia lasianthus	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina	Shrub	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
manyspike flatsedge Cyperus polystachyos	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
may hawthorn Crataegus aestivalis	Tree	26 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens	Shrub	14 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 7b
needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
Ogeechee tupelo Nyssa ogeche	Tree	50 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
peelbark St. Johnswort Hypericum fasciculatum	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	—	Zone 7b
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
pignut hickory Carya glabra	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
pine barren goldenrod Solidago fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
planertree Planera aquatica	Tree	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pond cypress Taxodium ascendens	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 8a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
river birch Betula nigra	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundhead rush Juncus validus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
roundpod St. Johnswort Hypericum cistifolium	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sassafras Sassafras albidum	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox	Vine	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
saw palmetto Serenoa repens	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
slash pine Pinus elliottii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
slender little bluestem Schizachyrium tenerum	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
small-leaf arrowwood Viburnum obovatum	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 7b
smallfruit beggarticks Bidens mitis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
southern bayberry Morella caroliniensis	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
southern waxy sedge Carex glaucescens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides	Vine	—	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 9b
splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
spruce pine Pinus glabra	Tree	90 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
swamp doghobble Eubotrys racemosus	Shrub	13 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp loosestrife Decodon verticillatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp titi Cyrilla racemiflora	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 6b
swamp tupelo Nyssa biflora	Tree	115 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana	Tree	60 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 9a
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
turkey oak Quercus laevis	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
Virginia iris Iris virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
water oak Quercus nigra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 148

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

American bluehearts Buchnera americana
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
annual phlox Phlox drummondii
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
big carpetgrass Axonopus furcatus
bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
Canada spikesedge Eleocharis geniculata
Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
chinquapin Castanea pumila
clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
clasping water horehound Lycopus amplectens
clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
crested yellow orchid Platanthera cristata
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
drumheads Polygala cruciata
dwarf sundew Drosera brevifolia
dwarf umbrella-sedge Fuirena pumila
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
erect centella Centella erecta
fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
fringed nutrush Scleria ciliata
fringed yelloweyed grass Xyris fimbriata
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
giant sedge Carex gigantea
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
grassleaf lettuce Lactuca graminifolia
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
hemlock rosette grass Dichanthelium sabulorum
herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
justiceweed Eupatorium leucolepis
kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
Leggett's pinweed Lechea pulchella
lesser Canadian St. Johnswort Hypericum canadense
lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
low nutrush Scleria verticillata
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
maidencane Panicum hemitomon
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
Maryland milkwort Polygala mariana
narrow plumegrass Saccharum baldwinii
narrowleaf lespedeza Lespedeza angustifolia
narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
Nuttall's milkwort Polygala nuttallii
Pennsylvania everlasting Gamochaeta pensylvanica
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
pink sundew Drosera capillaris
poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
poorjoe Diodia teres
procession flower Polygala incarnata
purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
romerillo Bidens alba
rose of Plymouth Sabatia stellaris
rough panicgrass Dichanthelium leucothrix
roughfruit scaleseed Spermolepis divaricata
roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
sandpaper vervain Verbena scabra
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
shaggy hedgehyssop Gratiola pilosa
shiny coneflower Rudbeckia nitida
shortleaf spikesedge Kyllinga brevifolia
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
Small's yelloweyed grass Xyris smalliana
smooth elephantsfoot Elephantopus nudatus
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
southern bladderwort Utricularia juncea
southern bog clubmoss Lycopodiella appressa
southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
striped bladderwort Utricularia striata
swamp leather flower Clematis crispa
swollen bladderwort Utricularia inflata
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
tenlobe false foxglove Agalinis obtusifolia
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
threadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria filiformis
three-lobe violet Viola triloba
tropical flatsedge Cyperus surinamensis
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
watershield Brasenia schreberi
whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
yellow screwstem Bartonia virginica
yellow spikerush Eleocharis flavescens
zigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata

Compared with Florida

The typical county is the median of the 67 Florida counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Baker County and Florida
Measure	Baker County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	268	385	1,282
Garden-ready natives	120	170	493
Tree	44	—	166
Shrub	19	—	59
Wildflower (forb)	122	—	648
Grass or grass-like	61	—	315
Vine	15	—	65
Fern	7	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Baker County.

Duval County, FL 221 garden-ready

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: Baker County (county FIPS 12003), Florida. 268 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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