Native plants · Mississippi

Native plants of George County

242 plant species are recorded as native to Mississippi in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in George County by USDA PLANTS. 126 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

George County, Mississippi

Native species: 242 Typical Mississippi county: 241 (median of 82 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 126 Typical Mississippi county: 116
Share by type (all 242 native species): Percent of the 242 native species in each growth type

Tree 26% (62)
Shrub 9% (21)
Wildflower (forb) 42% (102)
Grass or grass-like 14% (34)
Vine 7% (16)
Fern 3% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (42%), followed by trees (26%).

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

Garden-ready natives 126

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

Garden-ready native plants of George 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 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 snowbell Styrax americanus	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 5b
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
Atlantic white cedar Chamaecyparis thyoides	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
bedstraw St. Johnswort Hypericum galioides	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black oak Quercus velutina	Tree	80 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
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
bursting-heart Euonymus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
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 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 goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea	Tree	36 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
cucumber tree Magnolia acuminata	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa	Shrub	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
dwarf palmetto Sabal minor	Tree	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern narrowleaf sedge Carex amphibola	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
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
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
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green arrow arum Peltandra virginica	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
Gulf Sebastian-bush Ditrysinia fruticosa	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana	Tree	45 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
inkberry Ilex glabra	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
large gallberry Ilex coriacea	Tree	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
late purple aster Symphyotrichum patens	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
laurel greenbrier Smilax laurifolia	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6b
little barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
loblolly bay Gordonia lasianthus	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
loblolly pine Pinus taeda	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
longleaf pine Pinus palustris	Tree	120 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
may hawthorn Crataegus aestivalis	Tree	26 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa	Tree	85 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
mountain azalea Rhododendron canescens	Shrub	14 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia	Tree	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
narrowleaf silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
parsley hawthorn Crataegus marshallii	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
peppervine Nekemias arborea	Vine	1 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
possumhaw Ilex decidua	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
ridged yellow flax Linum striatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
river birch Betula nigra	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
roundpod St. Johnswort Hypericum cistifolium	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sarvis holly Ilex amelanchier	Tree	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 8b
sassafras Sassafras albidum	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox	Vine	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
saw palmetto Serenoa repens	Tree	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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 phlox Phlox glaberrima	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
southern red oak Quercus falcata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
southern waxy sedge Carex glaucescens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides	Vine	—	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 9b
spruce pine Pinus glabra	Tree	90 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
St. Peterswort Hypericum crux-andreae	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
swamp titi Cyrilla racemiflora	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 6b
swamp tupelo Nyssa biflora	Tree	115 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
sweetbay Magnolia virginiana	Tree	60 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 9a
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
tenangle pipewort Eriocaulon decangulare	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6b
thicket sedge Carex abscondita	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
trumpetweed Eutrochium fistulosum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
velvet panicum Dichanthelium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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
wax myrtle Morella cerifera	Tree	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 7a
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
winged sumac Rhus copallinum	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
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
yaupon Ilex vomitoria	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea	Vine	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 116

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.

Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
American bluehearts Buchnera americana
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American white waterlily Nymphaea odorata
anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
Atlantic poison oak Toxicodendron pubescens
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
blood panicgrass Dichanthelium consanguineum
bunched beaksedge Rhynchospora cephalantha
button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina clover Trifolium carolinianum
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
chinquapin Castanea pumila
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
clustered beaksedge Rhynchospora glomerata
coastal false asphodel Triantha racemosa
coastal plain sedge Carex crebriflora
coastal sedge Carex exilis
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
cone-cup spikerush Eleocharis tuberculosa
creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
crested yellow orchid Platanthera cristata
crossvine Bignonia capreolata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
darkgreen sedge Carex venusta
devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
downy danthonia Danthonia sericea
drumheads Polygala cruciata
dwarf sundew Drosera brevifolia
early St. Johnswort Hypericum nudiflorum
eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
eastern milkpea Galactia regularis
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern silver aster Symphyotrichum concolor
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
Elliott's rush Juncus elliottii
false aloe Manfreda virginica
false boneset Brickellia eupatorioides
flattened pipewort Eriocaulon compressum
Florida yellow flax Linum floridanum
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
greenvein lady's tresses Spiranthes praecox
hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
juniper leaf Polypremum procumbens
justiceweed Eupatorium leucolepis
lax hornpod Mitreola petiolata
lesser snakeroot Ageratina aromatica
littlehead nutrush Scleria oligantha
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
loosehead beaksedge Rhynchospora chalarocephala
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
manyflower marshpennywort Hydrocotyle umbellata
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
narrowleaf whitetop aster Sericocarpus linifolius
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
netted nutrush Scleria reticularis
nodding beaksedge Rhynchospora inexpansa
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
pineywoods dropseed Sporobolus junceus
prostrate ticktrefoil Desmodium rotundifolium
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
queendevil Hieracium gronovii
rice button aster Symphyotrichum dumosum
rose of Plymouth Sabatia stellaris
roundleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium rotundifolium
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sidebeak pencilflower Stylosanthes biflora
slender goldentop Euthamia caroliniana
slender Indiangrass Sorghastrum elliottii
slender rose gentian Sabatia campanulata
slender woodland sedge Carex digitalis
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
Small's blacksnakeroot Sanicula smallii
smooth yellow false foxglove Aureolaria flava
snowy orchid Platanthera nivea
southern bladderwort Utricularia juncea
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
stinking camphorweed Pluchea foetida
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
three-lobe violet Viola triloba
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
tuberous grasspink Calopogon tuberosus
twining snoutbean Rhynchosia tomentosa
Virginia bunchflower Veratrum virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
whip nutrush Scleria triglomerata
white colicroot Aletris farinosa
white fringed orchid Platanthera blephariglottis
white thoroughwort Eupatorium album
whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
wild Job's tears Onosmodium virginianum
yankeeweed Eupatorium compositifolium
yellow fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris

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, George County and Mississippi
Measure	George County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	242	241	1,473
Garden-ready natives	126	116	528
Tree	62	—	164
Shrub	21	—	63
Wildflower (forb)	102	—	770
Grass or grass-like	34	—	358
Vine	16	—	72
Fern	7	—	46

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with George County.

Greene County, MS 128 garden-ready
Jackson County, MS 249 garden-ready
Stone County, MS 144 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: George County (county FIPS 28039), Mississippi. 242 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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