Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Columbia County

247 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Columbia County by USDA PLANTS. 96 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Columbia County, Georgia

Native species: 247 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 96 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 247 native species): Percent of the 247 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (34)
Shrub 6% (16)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (126)
Grass or grass-like 21% (51)
Vine 5% (12)
Fern 3% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), 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 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 96

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

Garden-ready native plants of Columbia County, Georgia
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American beech Fagus grandifolia	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
American hazelnut Corylus americana	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bur-reed sedge Carex sparganioides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
butterweed Packera glabella	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 4b
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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 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 hoptree Ptelea trifoliata	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
cucumber tree Magnolia acuminata	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
forked rush Juncus dichotomus	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana	Tree	45 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
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 greenbrier Smilax smallii	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
lanceleaf loosestrife Lysimachia lanceolata	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
large gallberry Ilex coriacea	Tree	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
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
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
longleaf pine Pinus palustris	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
nodding lady's tresses Spiranthes cernua	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
northern red oak Quercus rubra	Tree	81 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
orangegrass Hypericum gentianoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 12a
oval-leaf sedge Carex cephalophora	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
purplestem aster Symphyotrichum puniceum	Wildflower (forb)	8.1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
silky dogwood Cornus amomum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens	Shrub	18 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
southern catalpa Catalpa bignonioides	Tree	66 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
southern sugar maple Acer floridanum	Tree	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
swamp loosestrife Decodon verticillatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
turkey oak Quercus laevis	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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 water horehound Lycopus virginicus	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water oak Quercus nigra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
white fringetree Chionanthus virginicus	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
willow oak Quercus phellos	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
winged elm Ulmus alata	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 151

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.

Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
American alumroot Heuchera americana
anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
annual fimbry Fimbristylis annua
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
Atlantic goldenrod Solidago arguta
Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
Atlantic poison oak Toxicodendron pubescens
autumn coralroot Corallorhiza odontorhiza
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
buffalo clover Trifolium reflexum
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Carolina clover Trifolium carolinianum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
chaffweed Anagallis minima
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
coastal plain sedge Carex crebriflora
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
cornel-leaf whitetop Doellingeria infirma
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
Curtiss' milkwort Polygala curtissii
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
downy danthonia Danthonia sericea
downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
Elliott's bentgrass Agrostis elliottiana
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
globe beaksedge Rhynchospora globularis
globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
greater tickseed Coreopsis major
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
green rockcress Arabis missouriensis
hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairy clustervine Jacquemontia tamnifolia
hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
heartleaf skullcap Scutellaria ovata
hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
hirsute sedge Carex complanata
hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
little lady's tresses Spiranthes tuberosa
littlehead nutrush Scleria oligantha
longbract wild indigo Baptisia bracteata
longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
meadow zizia Zizia aptera
Michaux's croton Croton michauxii
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
Philadelphia panicgrass Panicum philadelphicum
pink fuzzybean Strophostyles umbellata
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
reflexed sedge Carex retroflexa
richwoods sedge Carex oligocarpa
rough dropseed Sporobolus clandestinus
rough Mexican clover Richardia scabra
rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
scentless mock orange Philadelphus inodorus
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
sharpscale sedge Carex oxylepis
shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slender plantain Plantago heterophylla
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
Small's blacksnakeroot Sanicula smallii
smallflower phacelia Phacelia dubia
smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
thickleaf phlox Phlox carolina
threadleaf evening primrose Oenothera linifolia
thymeleaf pinweed Lechea minor
tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
twining snoutbean Rhynchosia tomentosa
twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
weak rush Juncus debilis
white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
white wild indigo Baptisia alba
woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
woodland sunflower Helianthus divaricatus
woolly ragwort Packera tomentosa
woollysheath threeawn Aristida lanosa
yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis

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, Columbia County and Georgia
Measure	Columbia County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	247	129	1,750
Garden-ready natives	96	58	608
Tree	34	—	202
Shrub	16	—	91
Wildflower (forb)	126	—	908
Grass or grass-like	51	—	403
Vine	12	—	78
Fern	8	—	68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Columbia County.

McDuffie County, GA 56 garden-ready
Richmond County, GA 56 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: Columbia County (county FIPS 13073), Georgia. 247 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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