Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Berrien County

165 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Berrien County by USDA PLANTS. 86 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Berrien County, Georgia

Native species: 165 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 86 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 165 native species): Percent of the 165 native species in each growth type

Tree 18% (30)
Shrub 13% (21)
Wildflower (forb) 44% (72)
Grass or grass-like 18% (29)
Vine 4% (6)
Fern 4% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (44%), followed by trees (18%).

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

Garden-ready natives 86

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

Garden-ready native plants of Berrien County, Georgia
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American lotus Nelumbo lutea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American snowbell Styrax americanus	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5b
American wisteria Wisteria frutescens	Vine	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
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
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
Carolina ash Fraxinus caroliniana	Tree	39 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7b
Carolina fanwort Cabomba caroliniana	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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
coastal doghobble Leucothoe axillaris	Shrub	6.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 7b
coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia	Shrub	16 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
dense blazing star Liatris spicata	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa	Shrub	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
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
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida	Shrub	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7b
field paspalum Paspalum laeve	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
hairy chaffhead Carphephorus paniculatus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 8a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
haspan flatsedge Cyperus haspan	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
jointed spikesedge Eleocharis equisetoides	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
large gallberry Ilex coriacea	Tree	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
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
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
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina	Shrub	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
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
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
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
Ogeechee tupelo Nyssa ogeche	Tree	50 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
peelbark St. Johnswort Hypericum fasciculatum	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	—	Zone 7b
planertree Planera aquatica	Tree	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pond pine Pinus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
redbay Persea borbonia	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
roundhead rush Juncus validus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
roundpod St. Johnswort Hypericum cistifolium	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
running oak Quercus pumila	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8b
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
southern bayberry Morella caroliniensis	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
southern red oak Quercus falcata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
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
spruce pine Pinus glabra	Tree	90 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
summer grape Vitis aestivalis	Vine	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
swamp doghobble Eubotrys racemosus	Shrub	13 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
turkey oak Quercus laevis	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia iris Iris virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
water oak Quercus nigra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
white oak Quercus alba	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wrinkled jointtail grass Coelorachis rugosa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b

Other native species recorded here 79

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 white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
annual marsh elder Iva annua
annual ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Appalachian clubmoss Huperzia appalachiana
Baldwin's flatsedge Cyperus croceus
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Canby's bulrush Schoenoplectus etuberculatus
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
coastal lovegrass Eragrostis refracta
coastal plain blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium fuscatum
combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
crested yellow orchid Platanthera cristata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
darkgreen sedge Carex venusta
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
erect centella Centella erecta
fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
fringed yelloweyed grass Xyris fimbriata
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
hairy clustervine Jacquemontia tamnifolia
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
Leggett's pinweed Lechea pulchella
little floatingheart Nymphoides cordata
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
marsh rose gentian Sabatia dodecandra
narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
Nuttall's lobelia Lobelia nuttallii
oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
piedmont staggerbush Lyonia mariana
purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
rough Mexican clover Richardia scabra
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
shaggy hedgehyssop Gratiola pilosa
slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
slender goldentop Euthamia caroliniana
slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
slimpod rush Juncus diffusissimus
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
smallfruit spikerush Eleocharis microcarpa
smooth elephantsfoot Elephantopus nudatus
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
southern bladderwort Utricularia juncea
spoonleaf sundew Drosera intermedia
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
strawberry-tomato Physalis grisea
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
watershield Brasenia schreberi
white fringed orchid Platanthera blephariglottis
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
zigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata

Also listed as native and introduced here 1

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.

switchcaneArundinaria tecta

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, Berrien County and Georgia
Measure	Berrien County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	165	129	1,750
Garden-ready natives	86	58	608
Tree	30	—	202
Shrub	21	—	91
Wildflower (forb)	72	—	908
Grass or grass-like	29	—	403
Vine	6	—	78
Fern	7	—	68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Berrien County.

Cook County, GA 80 garden-ready
Irwin County, GA 55 garden-ready
Lanier County, GA 91 garden-ready
Lowndes County, GA 144 garden-ready
Tift County, GA 109 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: Berrien County (county FIPS 13019), Georgia. 165 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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