Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Cook County

172 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cook County by USDA PLANTS. 80 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

Cook County, Georgia

Native species: 172 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 80 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 172 native species): Percent of the 172 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (24)
Shrub 12% (20)
Wildflower (forb) 44% (75)
Grass or grass-like 22% (38)
Vine 4% (7)
Fern 5% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (44%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (22%).

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 80

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

Garden-ready native plants of Cook County, Georgia
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 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
bedstraw St. Johnswort Hypericum galioides	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
bushy St. Johnswort Hypericum densiflorum	Shrub	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 8a
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 evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana	Tree	55 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
coral greenbrier Smilax walteri	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	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
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida	Shrub	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7b
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
Frank's sedge Carex frankii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
hairy chaffhead Carphephorus paniculatus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 8a
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
hazel alder Alnus serrulata	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
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 barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina	Shrub	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
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
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
redbay Persea borbonia	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
river birch Betula nigra	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
sand blackberry Rubus cuneifolius	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
southern bayberry Morella caroliniensis	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
southern waxy sedge Carex glaucescens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
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
St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
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 titi Cyrilla racemiflora	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 6b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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 92

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 buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
anglestem primrose-willow Ludwigia leptocarpa
annual ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Appalachian clubmoss Huperzia appalachiana
beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
big carpetgrass Axonopus furcatus
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
Carolina mosquitofern Azolla caroliniana
Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
clasping water horehound Lycopus amplectens
clustered mille graines Oldenlandia uniflora
coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
densetuft hairsedge Bulbostylis capillaris
Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
eastern featherbells Stenanthium gramineum
eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
erect centella Centella erecta
flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
golden hedgehyssop Gratiola aurea
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
heartleaf nettle Urtica chamaedryoides
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
hogwort Croton capitatus
hyssopleaf sandmat Chamaesyce hyssopifolia
lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
loosehead beaksedge Rhynchospora chalarocephala
marsh mermaidweed Proserpinaca palustris
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
neckweed Veronica peregrina
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
piedmont staggerbush Lyonia mariana
pine barren flatsedge Cyperus retrorsus
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
Plukenet's flatsedge Cyperus plukenetii
poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix
rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
shaggy hedgehyssop Gratiola pilosa
silver plumegrass Saccharum alopecuroides
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
smallfruit agrimony Agrimonia microcarpa
smooth elephantsfoot Elephantopus nudatus
smooth ticktrefoil Desmodium laevigatum
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
southern sandbur Cenchrus echinatus
spindleroot Ludwigia hirtella
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
twining snoutbean Rhynchosia tomentosa
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
watershield Brasenia schreberi
white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
Wright's rosette grass Dichanthelium wrightianum
yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
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.

Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides

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, Cook County and Georgia
Measure	Cook County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	172	129	1,750
Garden-ready natives	80	58	608
Tree	24	—	202
Shrub	20	—	91
Wildflower (forb)	75	—	908
Grass or grass-like	38	—	403
Vine	7	—	78
Fern	8	—	68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Cook County.

Berrien County, GA 86 garden-ready
Colquitt County, GA 75 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: Cook County (county FIPS 13075), Georgia. 172 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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