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Native plants · Florida

Native plants of Bay County

374 plant species are recorded as native to Florida in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Bay County by USDA PLANTS. 155 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Bay County, Florida

Native species
374 Typical Florida county: 385 (median of 67 counties)
Garden-ready natives
155 Typical Florida county: 170
Share by type (all 374 native species)
Percent of the 374 native species in each growth type
Tree 14% (52)
Shrub 7% (25)
Wildflower (forb) 46% (173)
Grass or grass-like 26% (98)
Vine 5% (19)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (46%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (26%).

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 zones 9a to 9b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 155

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

Garden-ready native plants of Bay County, Florida
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6b
American beech Fagus grandifolia Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
American elm Ulmus americana Tree 120 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
American holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
American snowbell Styrax americanus Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 5b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 4b
bitter panicgrass Panicum amarum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
bushy seaside tansy Borrichia frutescens Shrub 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 9a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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 elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
Carolina redroot Lachnanthes caroliana Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 8b
Carolina silverbell Halesia carolina Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
coast cockspur grass Echinochloa walteri Grass or grass-like 6.5 ft Sun High Zone 10b
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
cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli Tree 30 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana Tree 55 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea Tree 36 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
cucumberleaf sunflower Helianthus debilis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 9b
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
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida Shrub 6.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
forked rush Juncus dichotomus Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8b
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
Gulf Coast spikerush Eleocharis cellulosa Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun High Zone 8b
gulf cordgrass Spartina spartinae Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 9a
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa Shrub 12 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
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
Jesuit's bark Iva frutescens Wildflower (forb) 9 ft Sun High Zone 7b
knotgrass Paspalum distichum Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun High Zone 6a
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
large gallberry Ilex coriacea Tree 12 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6b
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
lavender thrift Limonium carolinianum Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun High Zone 6b
lesser creeping rush Juncus repens Grass or grass-like 6.8 ft Sun High Zone 8b
little barley Hordeum pusillum Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
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 pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
manyspike flatsedge Cyperus polystachyos Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 12a
mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens Shrub 14 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia Tree 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium 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
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
peelbark St. Johnswort Hypericum fasciculatum Shrub 5 ft Sun — Zone 7b
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
possumhaw Viburnum nudum Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica Grass or grass-like 1.8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun Low Zone 3a
red buckeye Aesculus pavia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia Shrub 5 ft Sun High Zone 5b
red maple Acer rubrum Tree 68 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
redbay Persea borbonia Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
roundhead rush Juncus validus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
roundpod St. Johnswort Hypericum cistifolium Shrub 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
saltmeadow cordgrass Spartina patens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun High Zone 7a
saltwater false willow Baccharis angustifolia Shrub 13 ft Sun High Zone 8b
sand pine Pinus clausa Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
scentless bayberry Morella inodora Tree 23 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 9a
seaoats Uniola paniculata Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
seashore dropseed Sporobolus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 9a
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
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
smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
smooth phlox Phlox glaberrima Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum Tree 35 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
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 sugar maple Acer floridanum Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
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
St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sturdy bulrush Bolboschoenus robustus Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 8a
sugarcane plumegrass Saccharum giganteum Grass or grass-like 9.8 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
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 sawgrass Cladium mariscus Grass or grass-like 8.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 8b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius Wildflower (forb) 5.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
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
sweetscent Pluchea odorata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
thicket sedge Carex abscondita Grass or grass-like 8 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
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
turtleweed Batis maritima Shrub 1 in Sun Medium Zone 9a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium Grass or grass-like 4.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
wax myrtle Morella cerifera Tree 10 ft Sun High Zone 7a
widgeongrass Ruppia maritima Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 7a
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
wrinkled jointtail grass Coelorachis rugosa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
yaupon Ilex vomitoria Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b

Other native species recorded here 219

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.

  • Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
  • amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
  • American black nightshade Solanum americanum
  • American bluehearts Buchnera americana
  • American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
  • American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
  • anglestem primrose-willow Ludwigia leptocarpa
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • annual phlox Phlox drummondii
  • arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
  • Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
  • Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
  • axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
  • beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
  • bent sedge Carex styloflexa
  • bigpod sesbania Sesbania herbacea
  • bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
  • blackfruit spikerush Eleocharis melanocarpa
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
  • bristly scaleseed Spermolepis echinata
  • brownfruit rush Juncus pelocarpus
  • bulltongue arrowhead Sagittaria lancifolia
  • bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Canada spikesedge Eleocharis geniculata
  • Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
  • Carolina fimbry Fimbristylis caroliniana
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
  • Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • clubmoss Lycopodiella ×copelandii
  • clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
  • coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
  • coastal plain sedge Carex crebriflora
  • coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
  • combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
  • combleaf yellow false foxglove Aureolaria pectinata
  • common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
  • compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
  • cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
  • creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
  • crested saltbush Atriplex cristata
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • denseflower knotweed Polygonum glabrum
  • devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
  • drumheads Polygala cruciata
  • eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
  • eastern grasswort Lilaeopsis chinensis
  • eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
  • eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
  • eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
  • Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
  • erect centella Centella erecta
  • fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
  • fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
  • field lovegrass Eragrostis elliottii
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
  • Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
  • flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
  • forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
  • foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
  • fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
  • fringed nutrush Scleria ciliata
  • fringed yelloweyed grass Xyris fimbriata
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
  • greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • hemlock rosette grass Dichanthelium sabulorum
  • herb of grace Bacopa monnieri
  • horned bladderwort Utricularia cornuta
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • justiceweed Eupatorium leucolepis
  • lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
  • largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • lavender bladderwort Utricularia resupinata
  • lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
  • leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
  • Leggett's pinweed Lechea pulchella
  • lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
  • little floating bladderwort Utricularia radiata
  • little floatingheart Nymphoides cordata
  • loosehead beaksedge Rhynchospora chalarocephala
  • low nutrush Scleria verticillata
  • lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
  • marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
  • marsh fimbry Fimbristylis castanea
  • marsh lady's tresses Spiranthes odorata
  • marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • meadow garlic Allium canadense
  • Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
  • mudbank crowngrass Paspalum dissectum
  • narrowfruit horned beaksedge Rhynchospora inundata
  • narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
  • northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • partridgeberry Mitchella repens
  • Pennsylvania everlasting Gamochaeta pensylvanica
  • perennial saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum tenuifolium
  • pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
  • pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
  • pink sundew Drosera capillaris
  • pitchfork crowngrass Paspalum bifidum
  • plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • procession flower Polygala incarnata
  • queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
  • queendevil Hieracium gronovii
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
  • red milkweed Asclepias rubra
  • rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
  • Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
  • rose of Plymouth Sabatia stellaris
  • rough boneset Eupatorium pilosum
  • rough Mexican clover Richardia scabra
  • rough panicgrass Dichanthelium leucothrix
  • roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
  • roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
  • sand hickory Carya pallida
  • sanddune sandbur Cenchrus tribuloides
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • shaggy crabgrass Digitaria villosa
  • shaggy hedgehyssop Gratiola pilosa
  • shiny coneflower Rudbeckia nitida
  • shortbeak beaksedge Rhynchospora nitens
  • shortleaf spikesedge Kyllinga brevifolia
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
  • slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender goldentop Euthamia caroliniana
  • slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
  • slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
  • slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
  • slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
  • slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
  • slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • Small's yelloweyed grass Xyris smalliana
  • smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
  • smooth elephantsfoot Elephantopus nudatus
  • smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
  • smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
  • snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
  • snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
  • southern bladderwort Utricularia juncea
  • southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
  • spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
  • spoonleaf sundew Drosera intermedia
  • spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • star tickseed Coreopsis pubescens
  • stiff yellow flax Linum medium
  • stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
  • striped bladderwort Utricularia striata
  • sundial lupine Lupinus perennis
  • swamp leather flower Clematis crispa
  • tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
  • Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
  • Texas vervain Verbena halei
  • thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
  • threadleaf false foxglove Agalinis setacea
  • thymeleaf pinweed Lechea minor
  • tiny bluet Houstonia pusilla
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • tropical flatsedge Cyperus surinamensis
  • tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
  • twining screwstem Bartonia paniculata
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • twoleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum heterophyllum
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
  • Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • Virginia saltmarsh mallow Kosteletzkya virginica
  • Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
  • wand lythrum Lythrum lineare
  • water lettuce Pistia stratiotes
  • whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
  • whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle prolifera
  • wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
  • woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
  • Wright's plantain Plantago wrightiana
  • yankeeweed Eupatorium compositifolium
  • yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
  • yellow spikerush Eleocharis flavescens
  • zigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata
Also listed as native and introduced here 2

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

  • common reedPhragmites australis
  • Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides

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, Bay County and Florida
MeasureBay CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 374 385 1,282
Garden-ready natives 155 170 493
Tree 52 — 166
Shrub 25 — 59
Wildflower (forb) 173 — 648
Grass or grass-like 98 — 315
Vine 19 — 65
Fern 7 — 29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Bay County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

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
Bay County (county FIPS 12005), Florida. 374 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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