Native plants · Mississippi
Native plants of Claiborne County
116 plant species are recorded as native to Mississippi in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Claiborne County by USDA PLANTS. 75 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
Claiborne County, Mississippi
- Native species
- 116 Typical Mississippi county: 241 (median of 82 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 75 Typical Mississippi county: 116
- Share by type (all 116 native species)
-
Percent of the 116 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (41%), followed by trees (34%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 75
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| 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 bittersweet Celastrus scandens | Vine | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| 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 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 |
| black willow Salix nigra | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Carolina buckthorn Frangula caroliniana | Tree | 20 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 4b |
| Carolina elephantsfoot Elephantopus carolinianus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.7 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| cherrybark oak Quercus pagoda | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6b |
| climbing hempvine Mikania scandens | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana | Vine | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| Elliott's blueberry Vaccinium elliottii | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum | Tree | 28 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana | Tree | 45 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| jewelweed Impatiens capensis | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| lanceleaf greenbrier Smilax smallii | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6b |
| 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 |
| muscadine Vitis rotundifolia | Vine | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5b |
| oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia | Shrub | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| possumhaw Ilex decidua | Tree | 33 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| post oak Quercus stellata | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| river birch Betula nigra | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sassafras Sassafras albidum | Tree | 75 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| silky dogwood Cornus amomum | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum | Tree | 35 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 6a |
| southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora | Tree | 100 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 8a |
| southern sugar maple Acer floridanum | Tree | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides | Vine | — | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 9b |
| spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sugarberry Celtis laevigata | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii | Tree | 80 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera | Tree | 120 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| two-wing silverbell Halesia diptera | Tree | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | — | Zone 8a |
| Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 ash Fraxinus americana | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| white doll's daisy Boltonia asteroides | Wildflower (forb) | 8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| wreath goldenrod Solidago caesia | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 41
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.
- Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
- American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
- annual marsh elder Iva annua
- aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
- beach false foxglove Agalinis fasciculata
- camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
- common moonseed Menispermum canadense
- crippled cranefly Tipularia discolor
- crossvine Bignonia capreolata
- dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
- downy yellow false foxglove Aureolaria virginica
- Drummond's aster Symphyotrichum drummondii
- eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
- ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
- elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
- hogwort Croton capitatus
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
- mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
- pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
- sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
- southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
- Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
- white crownbeard Verbesina virginica
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
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.
| Measure | Claiborne County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 116 | 241 | 1,473 |
| Garden-ready natives | 75 | 116 | 528 |
| Tree | 39 | — | 164 |
| Shrub | 6 | — | 63 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 47 | — | 770 |
| Grass or grass-like | 4 | — | 358 |
| Vine | 16 | — | 72 |
| Fern | 4 | — | 46 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Claiborne County.
- Copiah County, MS 116 garden-ready
- Hinds County, MS 222 garden-ready
- Jefferson County, MS 111 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
- Claiborne County (county FIPS 28021), Mississippi. 116 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