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Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Ben Hill County

207 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Ben Hill County by USDA PLANTS. 106 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Ben Hill County, Georgia

Native species
207 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives
106 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 207 native species)
Percent of the 207 native species in each growth type
Tree 21% (43)
Shrub 9% (18)
Wildflower (forb) 43% (89)
Grass or grass-like 15% (31)
Vine 9% (19)
Fern 3% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (43%), followed by trees (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 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 106

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

Garden-ready native plants of Ben Hill County, Georgia
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American basswood Tilia americana Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
American elm Ulmus americana Tree 120 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 2b
American snowbell Styrax americanus Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 5b
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum Tree 130 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 4b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
brownseed paspalum Paspalum plicatulum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 5.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
catbird grape Vitis palmata Vine 30 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
climbing hempvine Mikania scandens Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia Shrub 16 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
comfortroot Hibiscus aculeatus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 8b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
cylinder jointtail grass Coelorachis cylindrica Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5a
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum Shrub 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
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
eggleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium ovale Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
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
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
greenwhite sedge Carex albolutescens Grass or grass-like 3.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa Shrub 12 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata Tree 30 ft Sun High Zone 5a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum Shrub 12 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
hop sedge Carex lupulina Grass or grass-like 4.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium Grass or grass-like 4.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
jewelweed Impatiens capensis Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 10b
lanceleaf tickseed Coreopsis lanceolata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina Shrub 9 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens Shrub 14 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
narrowleaf evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 7a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
northern spiderlily Hymenocallis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
Ogeechee tupelo Nyssa ogeche Tree 50 ft Sun High Zone 6b
overcup oak Quercus lyrata Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
peppervine Nekemias arborea Vine 1 in Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
pignut hickory Carya glabra Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
planertree Planera aquatica Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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
purplehead sneezeweed Helenium flexuosum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum Fern 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
running oak Quercus pumila Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 8b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox Vine 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
silver maple Acer saccharinum Tree 90 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 2b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra Tree 85 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
southern arrowwood Viburnum dentatum Tree 8 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 5a
southern red oak Quercus falcata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina Tree 16 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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 chestnut oak Quercus michauxii Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
swamp doghobble Eubotrys racemosus Shrub 13 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6b
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
turkey oak Quercus laevis Tree 40 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
Virginia dayflower Commelina virginica Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium 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
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
waterpod Hydrolea quadrivalvis Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 8b
wax myrtle Morella cerifera Tree 10 ft Sun High Zone 7a
white ash Fraxinus americana Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 4a
white edge sedge Carex debilis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6a
winged elm Ulmus alata Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
wrinkled jointtail grass Coelorachis rugosa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea Vine 16 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 101

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
  • Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
  • American black nightshade Solanum americanum
  • American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
  • American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
  • Atlantic poison oak Toxicodendron pubescens
  • axilflower Mecardonia acuminata
  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • Baldwin's flatsedge Cyperus croceus
  • bearded skeletongrass Gymnopogon ambiguus
  • blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
  • bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
  • bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
  • bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
  • Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
  • Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
  • Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
  • climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
  • clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • creeping burhead Echinodorus cordifolius
  • downy danthonia Danthonia sericea
  • early St. Johnswort Hypericum nudiflorum
  • eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
  • eastern smooth beardtongue Penstemon laevigatus
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
  • fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
  • flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
  • giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
  • giant sedge Carex gigantea
  • globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
  • greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
  • greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
  • Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
  • hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
  • hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
  • horned bladderwort Utricularia cornuta
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
  • lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
  • lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
  • lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
  • Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
  • Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
  • narrowleaf bluecurls Trichostema setaceum
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • Nuttall's lobelia Lobelia nuttallii
  • obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
  • piedmont staggerbush Lyonia mariana
  • pink sundew Drosera capillaris
  • plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
  • poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
  • purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
  • queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
  • racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
  • Ravenel's rosette grass Dichanthelium ravenelii
  • roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • shiny coneflower Rudbeckia nitida
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
  • snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
  • southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • sundial lupine Lupinus perennis
  • swamp leather flower Clematis crispa
  • Texas vervain Verbena halei
  • thickleaf phlox Phlox carolina
  • threadleaf false foxglove Agalinis setacea
  • tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
  • turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
  • twisted spikerush Eleocharis tortilis
  • twoleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum heterophyllum
  • vasevine Clematis viorna
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • white wild indigo Baptisia alba
  • wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
  • woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
  • woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
  • yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris

Compared with Georgia

The typical county is the median of the 159 Georgia 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, Ben Hill County and Georgia
MeasureBen Hill CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 207 129 1,750
Garden-ready natives 106 58 608
Tree 43 — 202
Shrub 18 — 91
Wildflower (forb) 89 — 908
Grass or grass-like 31 — 403
Vine 19 — 78
Fern 7 — 68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Ben Hill 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
Ben Hill County (county FIPS 13017), Georgia. 207 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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