Native plants · Florida
Native plants of Indian River County
241 plant species are recorded as native to Florida in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Indian River County by USDA PLANTS. 109 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
Indian River County, Florida
- Native species
- 241 Typical Florida county: 385 (median of 67 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 109 Typical Florida county: 170
- Share by type (all 241 native species)
-
Percent of the 241 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (48%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 109
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American beautyberry Callicarpa americana | Shrub | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 6b |
| American pokeweed Phytolacca americana | Wildflower (forb) | 7.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | 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 |
| cabbage palmetto Sabal palmetto | Tree | 90 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 9a |
| 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 desert-thorn Lycium carolinianum | Shrub | 9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 9a |
| Carolina redroot Lachnanthes caroliana | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 8b |
| 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 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 |
| 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 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 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 |
| false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa | Shrub | 15 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| falseteeth Capparis flexuosa | Tree | 16 ft | Sun–part shade | — | Zone 11a |
| fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida | Shrub | 6.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7b |
| Florida bully Sideroxylon reclinatum | Shrub | 2 ft | — | — | Zone 7a |
| Florida hopbush Dodonaea viscosa | Tree | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 9a |
| 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 |
| Gulf Coast spikerush Eleocharis cellulosa | Grass or grass-like | 2.6 ft | Sun | High | Zone 8b |
| gumbo limbo Bursera simaruba | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 11a |
| 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 |
| Jesuit's bark Iva frutescens | Wildflower (forb) | 9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 7b |
| lancewood Nectandra coriacea | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 9b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| peppervine Nekemias arborea | Vine | 1 in | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| pickerelweed Pontederia cordata | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| pond apple Annona glabra | Tree | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 9a |
| prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| roundpod St. Johnswort Hypericum cistifolium | Shrub | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| saltgrass Distichlis spicata | Grass or grass-like | 1.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sand blackberry Rubus cuneifolius | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| saw palmetto Serenoa repens | Tree | 7 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8a |
| sea torchwood Amyris elemifera | Tree | 16 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 8b |
| 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 |
| slash pine Pinus elliottii | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| 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 magnolia Magnolia grandiflora | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8a |
| 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 |
| 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 sawgrass Cladium mariscus | Grass or grass-like | 8.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 8b |
| swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| tietongue Coccoloba diversifolia | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 11a |
| 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 |
| 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 oak Quercus nigra | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | 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 |
| widgeongrass Ruppia maritima | Wildflower (forb) | 2 in | Sun | High | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 132
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
- American black nightshade Solanum americanum
- American bluehearts Buchnera americana
- American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
- anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
- annual seepweed Suaeda linearis
- arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
- Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
- axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
- Baldwin's flatsedge Cyperus croceus
- basketgrass Oplismenus hirtellus
- beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
- bigpod sesbania Sesbania herbacea
- bulltongue arrowhead Sagittaria lancifolia
- bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
- camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
- Canada spikesedge Eleocharis geniculata
- Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
- Carolina fimbry Fimbristylis caroliniana
- Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
- Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
- Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
- catchfly prairie gentian Eustoma exaltatum
- coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
- combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
- creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
- cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
- denseflower knotweed Polygonum glabrum
- drumheads Polygala cruciata
- dwarf umbrella-sedge Fuirena pumila
- eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
- eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
- Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
- fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
- field lovegrass Eragrostis elliottii
- fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
- flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
- Florida mudmidget Wolffiella gladiata
- forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
- fringed yelloweyed grass Xyris fimbriata
- gaping grass Steinchisma hians
- giant bristlegrass Setaria magna
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- grassleaf lettuce Lactuca graminifolia
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
- hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
- hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
- heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
- 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
- Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
- juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
- kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- lavender bladderwort Utricularia resupinata
- lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
- little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
- lyreleaf sage Salvia lyrata
- maidencane Panicum hemitomon
- man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
- manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
- marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
- marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
- Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
- meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
- mudbank crowngrass Paspalum dissectum
- narrowfruit horned beaksedge Rhynchospora inundata
- netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
- netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
- pillpod sandmat Chamaesyce hirta
- pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
- pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
- pink sundew Drosera capillaris
- plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
- prickly fanpetals Sida spinosa
- purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata
- queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
- racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
- 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
- shortbeak beaksedge Rhynchospora nitens
- slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
- slender goldentop Euthamia caroliniana
- slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
- slim amaranth Amaranthus hybridus
- Small's yelloweyed grass Xyris smalliana
- smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
- snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
- sneezeweed Helenium amarum
- southern cattail Typha domingensis
- southern sandbur Cenchrus echinatus
- spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
- spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
- spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
- spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
- St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
- standing-cypress Ipomopsis rubra
- swollen bladderwort Utricularia inflata
- thicket bean Phaseolus polystachios
- thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
- tropical flatsedge Cyperus surinamensis
- Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
- Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- Virginia saltmarsh mallow Kosteletzkya virginica
- water lettuce Pistia stratiotes
- whisk fern Psilotum nudum
- white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
- whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
- winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
- yellow spikerush Eleocharis flavescens
- yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
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
- common reedPhragmites australis
- Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides
- tapertip cupgrassEriochloa acuminata
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.
| Measure | Indian River County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 241 | 385 | 1,282 |
| Garden-ready natives | 109 | 170 | 493 |
| Tree | 32 | — | 166 |
| Shrub | 13 | — | 59 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 116 | — | 648 |
| Grass or grass-like | 55 | — | 315 |
| Vine | 18 | — | 65 |
| Fern | 7 | — | 29 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Indian River County.
- Brevard County, FL 184 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
- Indian River County (county FIPS 12061), Florida. 241 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