Native plants · Florida

Native plants of DeSoto County

221 plant species are recorded as native to Florida in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in DeSoto County by USDA PLANTS. 101 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

DeSoto County, Florida

Native species: 221 Typical Florida county: 385 (median of 67 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 101 Typical Florida county: 170
Share by type (all 221 native species): Percent of the 221 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (32)
Shrub 4% (9)
Wildflower (forb) 50% (111)
Grass or grass-like 21% (46)
Vine 8% (17)
Fern 3% (6)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (50%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (21%).

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 9b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 101

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

Garden-ready native plants of DeSoto County, Florida
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
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 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
bighead rush Juncus megacephalus	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Carolina ash Fraxinus caroliniana	Tree	39 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7b
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
coastal plain willow Salix caroliniana	Tree	33 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7b
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
dahoon Ilex cassine	Tree	26 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
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
Florida bully Sideroxylon reclinatum	Shrub	2 ft	—	—	Zone 7a
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
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
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
haspan flatsedge Cyperus haspan	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
horsetail paspalum Paspalum fluitans	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
inkberry Ilex glabra	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
knotgrass Paspalum distichum	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 6a
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
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
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
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
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
poorland flatsedge Cyperus compressus	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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 blackberry Rubus cuneifolius	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
sand cordgrass Spartina bakeri	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 9a
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
slash pine Pinus elliottii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
small-leaf arrowwood Viburnum obovatum	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 7b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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 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
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 azalea Rhododendron viscosum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 tupelo Nyssa biflora	Tree	115 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
sweetscent Pluchea odorata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
water hickory Carya aquatica	Tree	85 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
water locust Gleditsia aquatica	Tree	40 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 10a
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b

Other native species recorded here 120

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 burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
big carpetgrass Axonopus furcatus
bluestem pricklypoppy Argemone albiflora
bulltongue arrowhead Sagittaria lancifolia
bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
chaffweed Anagallis minima
clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
cutleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum pinnatum
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
false hop sedge Carex lupuliformis
field lovegrass Eragrostis elliottii
fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
Florida mudmidget Wolffiella gladiata
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
grassleaf lettuce Lactuca graminifolia
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
Harvey's beaksedge Rhynchospora harveyi
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hemlock rosette grass Dichanthelium sabulorum
herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
Java-bean Senna obtusifolia
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
low spikesedge Kyllinga pumila
lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
narrowfruit horned beaksedge Rhynchospora inundata
narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
partridgeberry Mitchella repens
pillpod sandmat Chamaesyce hirta
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
pink sundew Drosera capillaris
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
Richard's yelloweyed grass Xyris jupicai
romerillo Bidens alba
roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
sandpaper vervain Verbena scabra
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
shaggy crabgrass Digitaria villosa
shaggy hedgehyssop Gratiola pilosa
slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
slender goldentop Euthamia caroliniana
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
southern cattail Typha domingensis
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
southern sandbur Cenchrus echinatus
sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
swamp leather flower Clematis crispa
swollen bladderwort Utricularia inflata
tenlobe false foxglove Agalinis obtusifolia
three-lobe violet Viola triloba
tropical flatsedge Cyperus surinamensis
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
water lettuce Pistia stratiotes
whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
whisk fern Psilotum nudum
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
zigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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
cayenne pepperCapsicum annuum
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, DeSoto County and Florida
Measure	DeSoto County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	221	385	1,282
Garden-ready natives	101	170	493
Tree	32	—	166
Shrub	9	—	59
Wildflower (forb)	111	—	648
Grass or grass-like	46	—	315
Vine	17	—	65
Fern	6	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with DeSoto County.

Charlotte County, FL 107 garden-ready
Hardee County, FL 112 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: DeSoto County (county FIPS 12027), Florida. 221 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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