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Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Sumter County

145 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Sumter County by USDA PLANTS. 94 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Sumter County, Georgia

Native species
145 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives
94 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 145 native species)
Percent of the 145 native species in each growth type
Tree 47% (68)
Shrub 10% (15)
Wildflower (forb) 30% (44)
Grass or grass-like 8% (12)
Vine <1% (1)
Fern 3% (5)

Trees make up the largest share of the native list (47%), followed by wildflowers (30%).

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

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

Garden-ready natives 94

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

Garden-ready native plants of Sumter County, Georgia
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
aloe yucca Yucca aloifolia Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 7a
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 holly Ilex opaca Tree 40 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Tree 30 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
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 4b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Tree 60 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black walnut Juglans nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4b
black willow Salix nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica Tree 95 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
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
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus Grass or grass-like 6.3 ft Sun High Zone 5a
bushy St. Johnswort Hypericum densiflorum Shrub 6.6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 8a
Carolina ash Fraxinus caroliniana Tree 39 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 7b
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
coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia Shrub 16 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
common maidenhair Adiantum capillus-veneris Fern 1.7 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 sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria Tree 20 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
dense blazing star Liatris spicata Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
devil's walkingstick Aralia spinosa Tree 20 ft Sun High Zone 4b
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
hairawn muhly Muhlenbergia capillaris Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 8a
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
inkberry Ilex glabra Shrub 8 ft Sun High Zone 6a
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia Tree 70 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 6b
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
needleleaf rosette grass Dichanthelium aciculare Grass or grass-like 1.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 7b
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa Tree 60 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
northern spiderlily Hymenocallis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
overcup oak Quercus lyrata Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
pignut hickory Carya glabra Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
pond cypress Taxodium ascendens Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8a
pond pine Pinus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun 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 willow Salix humilis Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
red buckeye Aesculus pavia Tree 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
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
roundpod St. Johnswort Hypericum cistifolium Shrub 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sand blackberry Rubus cuneifolius Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
sassafras Sassafras albidum Tree 75 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
slender woodoats Chasmanthium laxum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum Tree 35 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
southern waxy sedge Carex glaucescens Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
spruce pine Pinus glabra Tree 90 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina Tree 16 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
swamp titi Cyrilla racemiflora Tree 30 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 6b
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana Tree 60 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 9a
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera Tree 120 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
turkey oak Quercus laevis Tree 40 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
two-wing silverbell Halesia diptera Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 8a
valdivia duckweed Lemna valdiviana Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 4a
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
water hickory Carya aquatica Tree 85 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5b
water oak Quercus nigra Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 5a
water tupelo Nyssa aquatica Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 5a
wax myrtle Morella cerifera Tree 10 ft Sun High Zone 7a
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

Other native species recorded here 51

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.

  • azure blue sage Salvia azurea
  • bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • chinquapin Castanea pumila
  • creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
  • crossvine Bignonia capreolata
  • cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
  • cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
  • dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
  • eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
  • erect centella Centella erecta
  • fire on the mountain Euphorbia cyathophora
  • forked bluecurls Trichostema dichotomum
  • globefruit primrose-willow Ludwigia sphaerocarpa
  • handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
  • Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
  • hogwort Croton capitatus
  • hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
  • meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
  • netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
  • openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
  • pink bogbutton Sclerolepis uniflora
  • racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
  • red hickory Carya ovalis
  • rose mock vervain Glandularia canadensis
  • roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
  • rusty blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum
  • Sampson's snakeroot Orbexilum pedunculatum
  • scaly blazing star Liatris squarrosa
  • seaside threeawn Aristida tuberculosa
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
  • slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
  • slender fimbry Fimbristylis autumnalis
  • slender lespedeza Lespedeza virginica
  • smooth elephantsfoot Elephantopus nudatus
  • southern crab apple Malus angustifolia
  • southern jointweed Polygonella americana
  • spindleroot Ludwigia hirtella
  • spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
  • spotted pondweed Potamogeton pulcher
  • St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
  • stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
  • tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
  • twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
  • Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
  • white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium albidum
  • white colicroot Aletris farinosa
  • white wild indigo Baptisia alba
  • woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

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, Sumter County and Georgia
MeasureSumter CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 145 129 1,750
Garden-ready natives 94 58 608
Tree 68 — 202
Shrub 15 — 91
Wildflower (forb) 44 — 908
Grass or grass-like 12 — 403
Vine 1 — 78
Fern 5 — 68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Sumter 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
Sumter County (county FIPS 13261), Georgia. 145 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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