Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Cobb County

244 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cobb County by USDA PLANTS. 88 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Cobb County, Georgia

Native species: 244 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 88 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 244 native species): Percent of the 244 native species in each growth type

Tree 11% (26)
Shrub 6% (14)
Wildflower (forb) 61% (150)
Grass or grass-like 10% (25)
Vine 5% (11)
Fern 7% (18)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by trees (11%).

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 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 88

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

Garden-ready native plants of Cobb County, Georgia
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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 sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium	Tree	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
bristly buttercup Ranunculus hispidus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
butterweed Packera glabella	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Carolina rose Rosa carolina	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Carolina silverbell Halesia carolina	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
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
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
common sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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 white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium	Grass or grass-like	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina	Shrub	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens	Shrub	14 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia	Tree	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
narrowleaf evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern spicebush Lindera benzoin	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
painted buckeye Aesculus sylvatica	Tree	65 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 8a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
prairie willow Salix humilis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum	Wildflower (forb)	8.1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundleaf goldenrod Solidago patula	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
silky dogwood Cornus amomum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
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
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
umbrella-tree Magnolia tripetala	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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
water oak Quercus nigra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
white fringetree Chionanthus virginicus	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
willow oak Quercus phellos	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 156

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 burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American climbing fern Lygodium palmatum
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
arrowhead rattlebox Crotalaria sagittalis
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
birdfoot violet Viola pedata
black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
Bowman's root Gillenia trifoliata
Bradley's spleenwort Asplenium bradleyi
bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
bristly locust Robinia hispida
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
Canadian licorice-root Ligusticum canadense
cankerweed Prenanthes serpentaria
Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
coastal plain blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium fuscatum
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
early blue violet Viola ×palmata
eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
false flowering spurge Euphorbia pubentissima
fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fewflower nutrush Scleria pauciflora
field pansy Viola bicolor
fire pink Silene virginica
flame azalea Rhododendron calendulaceum
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
golden zizia Zizia aurea
greater tickseed Coreopsis major
green rockcress Arabis missouriensis
hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
heartleaf foamflower Tiarella cordifolia
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
meadow zizia Zizia aptera
mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
needletip blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium mucronatum
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
pleatleaf knotweed Polygonum tenue
potato dwarfdandelion Krigia dandelion
purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
sand hickory Carya pallida
scaly blazing star Liatris squarrosa
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sicklepod Arabis canadensis
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
slender bunchflower Veratrum hybridum
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
small green wood orchid Platanthera clavellata
small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
southern blue monkshood Aconitum uncinatum
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
standing-cypress Ipomopsis rubra
star tickseed Coreopsis pubescens
starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
striped gentian Gentiana villosa
tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
thickleaf phlox Phlox carolina
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
twoflower dwarfdandelion Krigia biflora
Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia pennywort Obolaria virginica
wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
white turtlehead Chelone glabra
white wild indigo Baptisia alba
white wood aster Eurybia divaricata
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
widowsfrill Silene stellata
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
woolly ragwort Packera tomentosa
yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima

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, Cobb County and Georgia
Measure	Cobb County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	244	129	1,750
Garden-ready natives	88	58	608
Tree	26	—	202
Shrub	14	—	91
Wildflower (forb)	150	—	908
Grass or grass-like	25	—	403
Vine	11	—	78
Fern	18	—	68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Cobb County.

Bartow County, GA 248 garden-ready
Cherokee County, GA 98 garden-ready
Douglas County, GA 35 garden-ready
Fulton County, GA 104 garden-ready
Paulding County, GA 22 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: Cobb County (county FIPS 13067), Georgia. 244 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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