Native plants · Florida

Native plants of Charlotte County

248 plant species are recorded as native to Florida in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Charlotte County by USDA PLANTS. 107 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

Charlotte County, Florida

Native species: 248 Typical Florida county: 385 (median of 67 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 107 Typical Florida county: 170
Share by type (all 248 native species): Percent of the 248 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (23)
Shrub 4% (10)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (122)
Grass or grass-like 31% (78)
Vine 5% (13)
Fern <1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (31%).

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 10a to 10b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 107

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

Garden-ready native plants of Charlotte County, Florida
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
aloe yucca Yucca aloifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 7a
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American cupscale Sacciolepis striata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American snowbell Styrax americanus	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5b
American spongeplant Limnobium spongia	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
bayhops Ipomoea pes-caprae	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 9a
bighead rush Juncus megacephalus	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
black mangrove Avicennia germinans	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
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
butterweed Packera glabella	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
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
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 plain willow Salix caroliniana	Tree	33 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	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
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 huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa	Shrub	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dwarf palmetto Sabal minor	Tree	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum subulatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
eggleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium ovale	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
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
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
field paspalum Paspalum laeve	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
Florida bully Sideroxylon reclinatum	Shrub	2 ft	—	—	Zone 7a
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
giant cutgrass Zizaniopsis miliacea	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
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
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
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
inkberry Ilex glabra	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
knotgrass Paspalum distichum	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 6a
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
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
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
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
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
peelbark St. Johnswort Hypericum fasciculatum	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	—	Zone 7b
peppervine Nekemias arborea	Vine	1 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
pignut hickory Carya glabra	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
poorland flatsedge Cyperus compressus	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundpod St. Johnswort Hypericum cistifolium	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sand cordgrass Spartina bakeri	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 9a
saw palmetto Serenoa repens	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
seagrape Coccoloba uvifera	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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
slash pine Pinus elliottii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
small-leaf arrowwood Viburnum obovatum	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 7b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
stiff marsh bedstraw Galium tinctorium	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
sugarcane plumegrass Saccharum giganteum	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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
tanglehead Heteropogon contortus	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Low	Zone 8a
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
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
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
white mangrove Laguncularia racemosa	Tree	50 ft	Sun	High	Zone 11a
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
wrinkled jointtail grass Coelorachis rugosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
yellow waterlily Nymphaea mexicana	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 7a

Other native species recorded here 141

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 black nightshade Solanum americanum
American bluehearts Buchnera americana
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
annual seepweed Suaeda linearis
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
big carpetgrass Axonopus furcatus
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
bulltongue arrowhead Sagittaria lancifolia
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canada spikesedge Eleocharis geniculata
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina fimbry Fimbristylis caroliniana
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
catchfly prairie gentian Eustoma exaltatum
chaffweed Anagallis minima
clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
denseflower knotweed Polygonum glabrum
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
drumheads Polygala cruciata
eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
Elliott's fanpetals Sida elliottii
erect centella Centella erecta
fewflower beaksedge Rhynchospora rariflora
fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
field lovegrass Eragrostis elliottii
fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
fringed nutrush Scleria ciliata
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
hemlock rosette grass Dichanthelium sabulorum
herb of grace Bacopa monnieri
herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
horned bladderwort Utricularia cornuta
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
longleaf milkweed Asclepias longifolia
low nutrush Scleria verticillata
low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
maidencane Panicum hemitomon
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
marsh fimbry Fimbristylis castanea
marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
narrowfruit horned beaksedge Rhynchospora inundata
netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
Peruvian dodder Cuscuta obtusiflora
pillpod sandmat Chamaesyce hirta
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
pink sundew Drosera capillaris
poorjoe Diodia teres
procession flower Polygala incarnata
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
romerillo Bidens alba
rose of Plymouth Sabatia stellaris
rough Mexican clover Richardia scabra
rough panicgrass Dichanthelium leucothrix
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
saltmarsh false foxglove Agalinis maritima
sandpaper vervain Verbena scabra
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
shaggy crabgrass Digitaria villosa
shortbeak beaksedge Rhynchospora nitens
shortleaf spikesedge Kyllinga brevifolia
slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
slender goldentop Euthamia caroliniana
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
Small's yelloweyed grass Xyris smalliana
smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
smallhead doll's daisy Boltonia diffusa
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
southern cattail Typha domingensis
southern cutgrass Leersia hexandra
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
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
stiff yellow flax Linum medium
swollen bladderwort Utricularia inflata
tenlobe false foxglove Agalinis obtusifolia
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
threadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria filiformis
three-lobe violet Viola triloba
tropical flatsedge Cyperus surinamensis
twoleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum heterophyllum
Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia saltmarsh mallow Kosteletzkya virginica
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
yellow spikerush Eleocharis flavescens
yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
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.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
common reedPhragmites australis

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, Charlotte County and Florida
Measure	Charlotte County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	248	385	1,282
Garden-ready natives	107	170	493
Tree	23	—	166
Shrub	10	—	59
Wildflower (forb)	122	—	648
Grass or grass-like	78	—	315
Vine	13	—	65
Fern	2	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Charlotte County.

DeSoto County, FL 101 garden-ready
Lee County, FL 151 garden-ready
Sarasota County, FL 141 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: Charlotte County (county FIPS 12015), Florida. 248 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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