Native plants · Georgia

Native plants of Ware County

136 plant species are recorded as native to Georgia in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Ware County by USDA PLANTS. 76 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Ware County, Georgia

Native species: 136 Typical Georgia county: 129 (median of 159 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 76 Typical Georgia county: 58
Share by type (all 136 native species): Percent of the 136 native species in each growth type

Tree 19% (26)
Shrub 17% (23)
Wildflower (forb) 39% (53)
Grass or grass-like 15% (20)
Vine 5% (7)
Fern 5% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (39%), followed by trees (19%).

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 76

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

Garden-ready native plants of Ware County, Georgia
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American cupscale Sacciolepis striata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
American holly Ilex opaca	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
American snowbell Styrax americanus	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5b
American spongeplant Limnobium spongia	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus	Grass or grass-like	6.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
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
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 sweetleaf Symplocos tinctoria	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
coral greenbrier Smilax walteri	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
dahoon Ilex cassine	Tree	26 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa	Shrub	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
fetterbush lyonia Lyonia lucida	Shrub	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7b
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
inkberry Ilex glabra	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
large gallberry Ilex coriacea	Tree	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
lesser creeping rush Juncus repens	Grass or grass-like	6.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8b
live oak Quercus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
loblolly bay Gordonia lasianthus	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
longleaf pine Pinus palustris	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
maleberry Lyonia ligustrina	Shrub	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 5a
narrowleaf evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
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
Ogeechee tupelo Nyssa ogeche	Tree	50 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
peelbark St. Johnswort Hypericum fasciculatum	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	—	Zone 7b
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
pine barren goldenrod Solidago fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
pond cypress Taxodium ascendens	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 8a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
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
redbay Persea borbonia	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
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
slash pine Pinus elliottii	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
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
smooth beggartick Bidens laevis	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
southern bayberry Morella caroliniensis	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides	Vine	—	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 9b
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
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 loosestrife Decodon verticillatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
swamp sawgrass Cladium mariscus	Grass or grass-like	8.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp titi Cyrilla racemiflora	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 6b
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana	Tree	60 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 9a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
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
valdivia duckweed Lemna valdiviana	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Virginia iris Iris virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
water oak Quercus nigra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a

Other native species recorded here 60

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 white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
Appalachian clubmoss Huperzia appalachiana
awl-leaf arrowhead Sagittaria subulata
bog yelloweyed grass Xyris difformis
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Canby's bulrush Schoenoplectus etuberculatus
Carolina desert-chicory Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
coastal plain blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium fuscatum
common carpetgrass Axonopus fissifolius
creeping eryngo Eryngium prostratum
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern purple bladderwort Utricularia purpurea
Engelmann's arrowhead Sagittaria engelmanniana
erect centella Centella erecta
fewflower milkweed Asclepias lanceolata
flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
fringed yelloweyed grass Xyris fimbriata
goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy umbrella-sedge Fuirena squarrosa
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
justiceweed Eupatorium leucolepis
loosehead beaksedge Rhynchospora chalarocephala
maidencane Panicum hemitomon
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
Maryland milkwort Polygala mariana
meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
oak mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
piedmont staggerbush Lyonia mariana
pink sundew Drosera capillaris
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
slender clubmoss Lycopodiella caroliniana
slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
Small's yelloweyed grass Xyris smalliana
snakemouth orchid Pogonia ophioglossoides
snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
southern bladderwort Utricularia juncea
southern jointweed Polygonella americana
spoonleaf sundew Drosera intermedia
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia dwarfdandelion Krigia virginica
Virginia marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum virginicum
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
Walter's sedge Carex striata
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
zigzag bladderwort Utricularia subulata

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, Ware County and Georgia
Measure	Ware County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	136	129	1,750
Garden-ready natives	76	58	608
Tree	26	—	202
Shrub	23	—	91
Wildflower (forb)	53	—	908
Grass or grass-like	20	—	403
Vine	7	—	78
Fern	7	—	68

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Ware County.

Atkinson County, GA 24 garden-ready
Brantley County, GA 62 garden-ready
Clinch County, GA 34 garden-ready
Coffee County, GA 56 garden-ready
Echols County, GA 113 garden-ready
Pierce County, GA 25 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: Ware County (county FIPS 13299), Georgia. 136 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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