Native plants · Georgia
Native plants of Forsyth County
224 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Forsyth County by USDA PLANTS. 84 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
Forsyth County, Georgia
- Native species
- 224 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 84 Typical Georgia county: 58
- Share by type (all 224 native species)
-
Percent of the 224 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (50%), followed by trees (17%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 84
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| alternateleaf dogwood Cornus alternifolia | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| American beech Fagus grandifolia | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| American chestnut Castanea dentata | Tree | 115 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American plum Prunus americana | Tree | 24 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| American pokeweed Phytolacca americana | Wildflower (forb) | 7.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 2b |
| black locust Robinia pseudoacacia | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| black walnut Juglans nigra | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4b |
| blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| blackjack oak Quercus marilandica | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| boxelder Acer negundo | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| bursting-heart Euonymus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| cat greenbrier Smilax glauca | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| chestnut oak Quercus montana | Tree | 73 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea | Fern | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| common persimmon Diospyros virginiana | Tree | 55 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 36 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| common winterberry Ilex verticillata | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| eastern redbud Cercis canadensis | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum | Tree | 28 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum | Shrub | 12 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana | Fern | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus | Wildflower (forb) | 9.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 6b |
| littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| maleberry Lyonia ligustrina | Shrub | 9 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 5a |
| mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 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 |
| 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 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 |
| painted buckeye Aesculus sylvatica | Tree | 65 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 8a |
| possumhaw Viburnum nudum | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| poverty rush Juncus tenuis | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum | Fern | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| red maple Acer rubrum | Tree | 68 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| red mulberry Morus rubra | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| roundleaf goldenrod Solidago patula | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| shallow sedge Carex lurida | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| shortleaf pine Pinus echinata | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| 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 |
| sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 6a |
| spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| summer grape Vitis aestivalis | Vine | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| trumpetweed Eutrochium fistulosum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| Virginia pine Pinus virginiana | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica | Shrub | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| water oak Quercus nigra | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis | Grass or grass-like | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 140
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
- agueweed Gentianella quinquefolia
- American alumroot Heuchera americana
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
- Appalachian clubmoss Huperzia appalachiana
- birdfoot violet Viola pedata
- black baneberry Actaea racemosa
- black edge sedge Carex nigromarginata
- bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
- Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- Bowman's root Gillenia trifoliata
- bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
- broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- broad looseflower sedge Carex laxiflora
- Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
- Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
- Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
- Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
- Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
- Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- churchmouse threeawn Aristida dichotoma
- clasping milkweed Asclepias amplexicaulis
- combleaf yellow false foxglove Aureolaria pectinata
- common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
- cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
- devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
- downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
- downy phlox Phlox pilosa
- dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
- dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
- dwarf violet iris Iris verna
- eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
- eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
- eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
- eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
- eastern smooth beardtongue Penstemon laevigatus
- eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
- false flowering spurge Euphorbia pubentissima
- fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
- fire pink Silene virginica
- flame azalea Rhododendron calendulaceum
- flypoison Amianthium muscitoxicum
- fox grape Vitis labrusca
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- golden zizia Zizia aurea
- greater tickseed Coreopsis major
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
- hairy forked nailwort Paronychia fastigiata
- hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
- hairy skullcap Scutellaria elliptica
- hairy woodrush Luzula acuminata
- halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
- harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
- heartleaf foamflower Tiarella cordifolia
- hedgehog woodrush Luzula echinata
- hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
- Indian cucumber Medeola virginiana
- leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
- leathery rush Juncus coriaceus
- longleaf summer bluet Houstonia longifolia
- maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
- marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
- maroon Carolina milkvine Matelea carolinensis
- Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
- meadow zizia Zizia aptera
- mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
- nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
- narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
- narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
- oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
- pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
- parasol sedge Carex umbellata
- Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
- perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
- poorjoe Diodia teres
- poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
- prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
- queendevil Hieracium gronovii
- rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- rare clubmoss Lycopodium obscurum
- rattlesnakeweed Hieracium venosum
- redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
- richweed Collinsonia canadensis
- rock polypody Polypodium virginianum
- roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
- rue anemone Thalictrum thalictroides
- sand hickory Carya pallida
- scentless mock orange Philadelphus inodorus
- sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
- shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
- showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
- sicklepod Arabis canadensis
- sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
- Small's ragwort Packera anonyma
- sparselobe grapefern Botrychium biternatum
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
- St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
- star chickweed Stellaria pubera
- starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
- stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
- tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
- thickleaf phlox Phlox carolina
- trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
- Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
- Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
- wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
- western rough goldenrod Solidago radula
- white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
- white fringed orchid Platanthera blephariglottis
- white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
- whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
- woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
- wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
- woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
- woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
- yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris
- yellow pimpernel Taenidia integerrima
- yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
- zigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata
- zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera
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.
- hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
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.
| Measure | Forsyth County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 224 | 129 | 1,750 |
| Garden-ready natives | 84 | 58 | 608 |
| Tree | 37 | — | 202 |
| Shrub | 18 | — | 91 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 113 | — | 908 |
| Grass or grass-like | 20 | — | 403 |
| Vine | 14 | — | 78 |
| Fern | 22 | — | 68 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Forsyth County.
- Cherokee County, GA 98 garden-ready
- Dawson County, GA 81 garden-ready
- Fulton County, GA 104 garden-ready
- Gwinnett County, GA 54 garden-ready
- Hall County, GA 143 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
- Forsyth County (county FIPS 13117), Georgia. 224 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