Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Toombs County

147 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Toombs County by USDA PLANTS. 66 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Toombs County, Georgia

Native species: 147 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 66 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 147 native species): Percent of the 147 native species in each growth type

Tree 17% (25)
Shrub 10% (15)
Wildflower (forb) 48% (71)
Grass or grass-like 18% (27)
Vine 3% (4)
Fern 3% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (48%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (18%).

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 zones 8b to 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 66

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

Garden-ready native plants of Toombs County, Georgia
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American snowbell Styrax americanus	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5b
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
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 4b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus	Grass or grass-like	6.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
coastal sweetpepperbush Clethra alnifolia	Shrub	16 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
comfortroot Hibiscus aculeatus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa	Shrub	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida	Shrub	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7b
field paspalum Paspalum laeve	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
Florida bully Sideroxylon reclinatum	Shrub	2 ft	—	—	Zone 7a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
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
hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
inkberry Ilex glabra	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
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
loblolly pine Pinus taeda	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
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
needlepod rush Juncus scirpoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
Ogeechee tupelo Nyssa ogeche	Tree	50 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
pale purple coneflower Echinacea pallida	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundleaf goldenrod Solidago patula	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
running oak Quercus pumila	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8b
sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus	Shrub	8.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
slender little bluestem Schizachyrium tenerum	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
southern bayberry Morella caroliniensis	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
southern red oak Quercus falcata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
sugarcane plumegrass Saccharum giganteum	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius	Wildflower (forb)	5.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana	Tree	60 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 9a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
turkey oak Quercus laevis	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia iris Iris virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
willow oak Quercus phellos	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
woolly rosette grass Dichanthelium scabriusculum	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a

Other native species recorded here 81

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.

Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa
American bluehearts Buchnera americana
arrowfeather threeawn Aristida purpurascens
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
coastal plain blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium fuscatum
combleaf mermaidweed Proserpinaca pectinata
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
drumheads Polygala cruciata
dwarf sundew Drosera brevifolia
eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
Elliott's bluestem Andropogon gyrans
erect centella Centella erecta
fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
gaping grass Steinchisma hians
greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
helmet flower Scutellaria integrifolia
hogwort Croton capitatus
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
justiceweed Eupatorium leucolepis
lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
narrowleaf lespedeza Lespedeza angustifolia
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
northern long sedge Carex folliculata
Nuttall's lobelia Lobelia nuttallii
obedient plant Physostegia virginiana
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
pink sundew Drosera capillaris
poorjoe Diodia teres
procession flower Polygala incarnata
purple false foxglove Agalinis purpurea
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
rough Mexican clover Richardia scabra
roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
shiny coneflower Rudbeckia nitida
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
slender goldentop Euthamia caroliniana
slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
smallflower thoroughwort Eupatorium semiserratum
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
southern bladderwort Utricularia juncea
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
sundial lupine Lupinus perennis
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
threadleaf evening primrose Oenothera linifolia
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
twining screwstem Bartonia paniculata
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
warty panicgrass Panicum verrucosum
white colicroot Aletris farinosa
yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris

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, Toombs County and Georgia
Measure	Toombs County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	147	129	1,750
Garden-ready natives	66	58	608
Tree	25	—	202
Shrub	15	—	91
Wildflower (forb)	71	—	908
Grass or grass-like	27	—	403
Vine	4	—	78
Fern	5	—	68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Toombs County.

Emanuel County, GA 65 garden-ready
Montgomery County, GA 19 garden-ready
Tattnall County, GA 108 garden-ready
Treutlen County, GA 28 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: Toombs County (county FIPS 13279), Georgia. 147 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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