Native plants · Mississippi
Native plants of Monroe County
248 plant species are recorded as native to Mississippi in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Monroe County by USDA PLANTS. 102 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Monroe County, Mississippi
- Native species
- 248 Typical Mississippi county: 241 (median of 82 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 102 Typical Mississippi county: 116
- Share by type (all 248 native species)
-
Percent of the 248 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (62%), followed by trees (14%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 102
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 chestnut Castanea dentata | Tree | 115 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American holly Ilex opaca | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| Atlantic camas Camassia scilloides | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | 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 |
| bigleaf snowbell Styrax grandifolius | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | — | Zone 4b |
| blue mistflower Conoclinium coelestinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| buckthorn bully Sideroxylon lycioides | Tree | 9.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| burningbush Euonymus atropurpureus | Tree | 10 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | — |
| bursting-heart Euonymus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus | Grass or grass-like | 6.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| butterweed Packera glabella | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 10b |
| calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 |
| cat greenbrier Smilax glauca | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6a |
| climbing hempvine Mikania scandens | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common blue violet Viola sororia | Wildflower (forb) | 4 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common selfheal Prunella vulgaris | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| cylinder jointtail grass Coelorachis cylindrica | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 5a |
| devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana | Vine | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| drooping sedge Carex prasina | Grass or grass-like | 2.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 redcedar Juniperus virginiana | Tree | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| eastern swampprivet Forestiera acuminata | Tree | 33 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| Elliott's blueberry Vaccinium elliottii | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| giant cane Arundinaria gigantea | Shrub | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| groundnut Apios americana | Vine | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| hazel alder Alnus serrulata | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5b |
| Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| jewelweed Impatiens capensis | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum | Fern | 1.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| northern spicebush Lindera benzoin | Tree | 12 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia | Shrub | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 7a |
| parsley hawthorn Crataegus marshallii | Tree | 25 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| 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 |
| Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| pignut hickory Carya glabra | Tree | 80 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| planertree Planera aquatica | Tree | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 7a |
| poorland flatsedge Cyperus compressus | Grass or grass-like | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| possumhaw Viburnum nudum | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis | Grass or grass-like | 11 in | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| purpletop tridens Tridens flavus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum | Fern | 1.4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| sawtooth blackberry Rubus argutus | Shrub | 8.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| September elm Ulmus serotina | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5a |
| shortbeard plumegrass Saccharum brevibarbe | Grass or grass-like | 6.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6b |
| shortbristle horned beaksedge Rhynchospora corniculata | Grass or grass-like | 6.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| 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 sugar maple Acer floridanum | Tree | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| sweetbay Magnolia virginiana | Tree | 60 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 9a |
| sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides | Grass or grass-like | 4 in | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| upright sedge Carex stricta | Grass or grass-like | 4.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| Virginia dayflower Commelina virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 10b |
| Virginia water horehound Lycopus virginicus | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| water tupelo Nyssa aquatica | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| white avens Geum canadense | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| woodland muhly Muhlenbergia sylvatica | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 146
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.
- agueweed Gentianella quinquefolia
- Alabama supplejack Berchemia scandens
- American alumroot Heuchera americana
- American black nightshade Solanum americanum
- American bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
- American columbo Frasera caroliniensis
- American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
- anisescented goldenrod Solidago odora
- annual marsh elder Iva annua
- Appalachian bristle fern Trichomanes boschianum
- Appalachian quillwort Isoetes engelmannii
- aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
- beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
- bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla
- blackseed speargrass Piptochaetium avenaceum
- bulbous woodrush Luzula bulbosa
- camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
- camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
- Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
- Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
- Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
- Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
- Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
- Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
- Carolina wild petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
- climbing milkvine Matelea obliqua
- clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
- clustered fescue Festuca paradoxa
- common cinquefoil Potentilla simplex
- common moonseed Menispermum canadense
- common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- creeping eryngo Eryngium prostratum
- cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
- cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
- cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
- cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
- devil's grandmother Elephantopus tomentosus
- dogfennel Eupatorium capillifolium
- downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
- downy pagoda-plant Blephilia ciliata
- dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
- early saxifrage Saxifraga virginiensis
- eastern greenviolet Hybanthus concolor
- eastern sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus
- elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
- fairywand Chamaelirium luteum
- feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
- field pansy Viola bicolor
- fire pink Silene virginica
- Florida paspalum Paspalum floridanum
- flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
- fragrant spikesedge Kyllinga odorata
- giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
- globe flatsedge Cyperus echinatus
- great Indian plantain Arnoglossum reniforme
- Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- hairy angelica Angelica venenosa
- hairy clustervine Jacquemontia tamnifolia
- hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
- hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
- hairyjoint meadowparsnip Thaspium barbinode
- halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
- handsome Harry Rhexia virginica
- heartleaf plantain Plantago cordata
- heartwing sorrel Rumex hastatulus
- Heller's cudweed Pseudognaphalium helleri
- hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
- hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
- hogwort Croton capitatus
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
- limestone adderstongue Ophioglossum engelmannii
- lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
- longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
- low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
- marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
- Maryland goldenaster Chrysopsis mariana
- Maryland meadowbeauty Rhexia mariana
- Mead's sedge Carex meadii
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
- narrowleaf paleseed Leucospora multifida
- narrowleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia linearis
- narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
- nits and lice Hypericum drummondii
- Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
- oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
- pale Indian plantain Arnoglossum atriplicifolium
- palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
- perfoliate bellwort Uvularia perfoliata
- pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
- prairie rosinweed Silphium terebinthinaceum
- prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
- purple meadowparsnip Thaspium trifoliatum
- redring milkweed Asclepias variegata
- rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
- sand hickory Carya pallida
- seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
- sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
- sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
- showy goldenrod Solidago erecta
- sicklepod Arabis canadensis
- silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
- slender looseflower sedge Carex gracilescens
- slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
- smallhead doll's daisy Boltonia diffusa
- soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
- spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
- spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
- St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
- starved panicgrass Dichanthelium depauperatum
- striped prince's pine Chimaphila maculata
- Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
- three-lobe violet Viola triloba
- tuberous stoneseed Lithospermum tuberosum
- turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
- twining screwstem Bartonia paniculata
- Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
- Viola ×primulifolia Viola ×primulifolia
- Virginia bunchflower Veratrum virginicum
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
- wavyleaf aster Symphyotrichum undulatum
- white baneberry Actaea pachypoda
- white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
- white turtlehead Chelone glabra
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
- whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
- wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
- woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica
- woolly dutchman's pipe Aristolochia tomentosa
- yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
- zigzag iris Iris brevicaulis
Also listed as native and introduced here 3
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
- climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens
- Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides
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 | Monroe County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 248 | 241 | 1,473 |
| Garden-ready natives | 102 | 116 | 528 |
| Tree | 34 | — | 164 |
| Shrub | 11 | — | 63 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 154 | — | 770 |
| Grass or grass-like | 29 | — | 358 |
| Vine | 13 | — | 72 |
| Fern | 7 | — | 46 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Monroe County.
- Chickasaw County, MS 100 garden-ready
- Clay County, MS 105 garden-ready
- Itawamba County, MS 95 garden-ready
- Lee County, MS 172 garden-ready
- Lowndes County, MS 46 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
- Monroe County (county FIPS 28095), Mississippi. 248 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