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Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Dawson County

219 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Dawson County by USDA PLANTS. 81 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

Dawson County, Georgia

Native species
219 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives
81 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 219 native species)
Percent of the 219 native species in each growth type
Tree 11% (24)
Shrub 8% (17)
Wildflower (forb) 57% (124)
Grass or grass-like 14% (31)
Vine 5% (12)
Fern 5% (11)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (14%).

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

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

Garden-ready natives 81

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

Garden-ready native plants of Dawson County, Georgia
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American cupscale Sacciolepis striata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5b
American hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Appalachian blazing star Liatris squarrulosa Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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 hemlock Tsuga caroliniana Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7b
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
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 2b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
common winterberry Ilex verticillata Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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 darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis Tree 105 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
eastern white pine Pinus strobus Tree 150 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
fringed sedge Carex crinita Grass or grass-like 5.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea Shrub 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea Vine 50 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
great laurel Rhododendron maximum Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum Wildflower (forb) 3 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
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 blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
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
New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
painted buckeye Aesculus sylvatica Tree 65 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
roundleaf goldenrod Solidago patula Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
scarlet oak Quercus coccinea Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
shallow sedge Carex lurida Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
smooth azalea Rhododendron arborescens Shrub 18 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
southern red oak Quercus falcata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius Wildflower (forb) 5.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
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
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
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
yellow flatsedge Cyperus flavescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b

Other native species recorded here 138

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.

  • Aaron's rod Thermopsis villosa
  • American black nightshade Solanum americanum
  • American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
  • American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
  • American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
  • anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
  • annual ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia
  • Appalachian clubmoss Huperzia appalachiana
  • Atlantic poison oak Toxicodendron pubescens
  • black baneberry Actaea racemosa
  • Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
  • Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii
  • Bowman's root Gillenia trifoliata
  • bristly locust Robinia hispida
  • broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
  • broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • cankerweed Prenanthes serpentaria
  • Carolina bugbane Trautvetteria caroliniensis
  • Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
  • churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
  • common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
  • common dittany Cunila origanoides
  • common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
  • compact dodder Cuscuta compacta
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
  • Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
  • dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
  • downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
  • downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • early St. Johnswort Hypericum nudiflorum
  • eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
  • eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
  • eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
  • ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
  • eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
  • false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
  • false flowering spurge Euphorbia pubentissima
  • fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fire pink Silene virginica
  • flame azalea Rhododendron calendulaceum
  • flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
  • forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
  • fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • great yellow woodsorrel Oxalis grandis
  • greater tickseed Coreopsis major
  • hairy alumroot Heuchera villosa
  • hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
  • harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
  • hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
  • Heller's cudweed Pseudognaphalium helleri
  • hemlock rosette grass Dichanthelium sabulorum
  • highland doghobble Leucothoe fontanesiana
  • hornleaf riverweed Podostemum ceratophyllum
  • lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
  • leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
  • lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
  • longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
  • Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • meadow zizia Zizia aptera
  • nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • nodding muhly Muhlenbergia bushii
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
  • paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
  • palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
  • poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
  • poorjoe Diodia teres
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
  • rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
  • redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
  • rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
  • richweed Collinsonia canadensis
  • robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
  • rosepink Sabatia angularis
  • roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
  • roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
  • seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
  • sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
  • showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
  • slender crabgrass Digitaria filiformis
  • slimflower muhly Muhlenbergia tenuiflora
  • small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
  • smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
  • smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
  • smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium marilandicum
  • southern blue monkshood Aconitum uncinatum
  • southern mountainmint Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides
  • sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • starry rosinweed Silphium asteriscus
  • stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
  • strawberry-tomato Physalis grisea
  • tall rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes altissima
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
  • tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
  • thickleaf phlox Phlox carolina
  • upland boneset Eupatorium sessilifolium
  • Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
  • violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
  • Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
  • Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
  • wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
  • waxyleaf meadow-rue Thalictrum revolutum
  • weak rush Juncus debilis
  • weakstalk bulrush Schoenoplectiella purshiana
  • white goldenrod Solidago bicolor
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
  • white turtlehead Chelone glabra
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • white wild indigo Baptisia alba
  • white wood aster Eurybia divaricata
  • whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
  • whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
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.

  • climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens

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, Dawson County and Georgia
MeasureDawson CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 219 129 1,750
Garden-ready natives 81 58 608
Tree 24 — 202
Shrub 17 — 91
Wildflower (forb) 124 — 908
Grass or grass-like 31 — 403
Vine 12 — 78
Fern 11 — 68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Dawson 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
Dawson County (county FIPS 13085), Georgia. 219 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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