Native plants · Mississippi

Native plants of Carroll County

222 plant species are recorded as native to Mississippi in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Carroll County by USDA PLANTS. 101 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

Carroll County, Mississippi

Native species: 222 Typical Mississippi county: 241 (median of 82 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 101 Typical Mississippi county: 116
Share by type (all 222 native species): Percent of the 222 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (31)
Shrub 4% (9)
Wildflower (forb) 55% (123)
Grass or grass-like 18% (40)
Vine 6% (14)
Fern 2% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (55%), 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 zone 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 101

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

Garden-ready native plants of Carroll County, Mississippi
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
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 pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
autumn bluegrass Poa autumnalis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
beaked agrimony Agrimonia rostellata	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
bog rush Juncus biflorus	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
butternut Juglans cinerea	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	5.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
cedar elm Ulmus crassifolia	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
copper iris Iris fulva	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dwarf St. Johnswort Hypericum mutilum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
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
green hawthorn Crataegus viridis	Tree	30 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
Indian woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium	Grass or grass-like	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
Kentucky yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea	Tree	40 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
little barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
longleaf woodoats Chasmanthium sessiliflorum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
longspike tridens Tridens strictus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
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
oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pawpaw Asimina triloba	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
peppervine Nekemias arborea	Vine	1 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
planertree Planera aquatica	Tree	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
red buckeye Aesculus pavia	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
river birch Betula nigra	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundhead rush Juncus validus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sassafras Sassafras albidum	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
sharpwing monkeyflower Mimulus alatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
swamp loosestrife Decodon verticillatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
thinfruit sedge Carex flaccosperma	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens	Vine	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia dayflower Commelina virginica	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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 oak Quercus alba	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 121

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 buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
annual marsh elder Iva annua
Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
Atlantic poison oak Toxicodendron pubescens
beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
bearded shorthusk Brachyelytrum erectum
blisterwort Ranunculus recurvatus
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina leaf-flower Phyllanthus caroliniensis
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
early buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis
eastern blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium atlanticum
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern smooth beardtongue Penstemon laevigatus
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
field pansy Viola bicolor
fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
green dragon Arisaema dracontium
hairy bedstraw Galium pilosum
hairyseed paspalum Paspalum pubiflorum
heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
Heller's rosette grass Dichanthelium oligosanthes
hoary skullcap Scutellaria incana
hogwort Croton capitatus
keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lined sedge Carex striatula
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
low woodland sedge Carex socialis
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Mexican plum Prunus mexicana
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
Plukenet's flatsedge Cyperus plukenetii
poorjoe Diodia teres
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
procession flower Polygala incarnata
prune-fruit sedge Carex corrugata
purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena
purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
Ravenel's rosette grass Dichanthelium ravenelii
robin's plantain Erigeron pulchellus
rosepink Sabatia angularis
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
roundseed panicgrass Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
shiny wedgescale Sphenopholis nitida
shortpod draba Draba brachycarpa
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
singlehead pussytoes Antennaria solitaria
slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
Small's blacksnakeroot Sanicula smallii
smallhead doll's daisy Boltonia diffusa
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
tuberous stoneseed Lithospermum tuberosum
turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
twining snoutbean Rhynchosia tomentosa
Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
widowsfrill Silene stellata
wild comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum
wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
yellow thistle Cirsium horridulum
yellowfruit horse-gentian Triosteum angustifolium
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.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia

Compared with Mississippi

The typical county is the median of the 82 Mississippi 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, Carroll County and Mississippi
Measure	Carroll County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	222	241	1,473
Garden-ready natives	101	116	528
Tree	31	—	164
Shrub	9	—	63
Wildflower (forb)	123	—	770
Grass or grass-like	40	—	358
Vine	14	—	72
Fern	5	—	46

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Carroll County.

Attala County, MS 94 garden-ready
Grenada County, MS 102 garden-ready
Holmes County, MS 130 garden-ready
Leflore County, MS 132 garden-ready
Montgomery County, MS 99 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: Carroll County (county FIPS 28015), Mississippi. 222 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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