Native plants · Mississippi

Native plants of Sharkey County

156 plant species are recorded as native to Mississippi in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Sharkey County by USDA PLANTS. 90 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

Sharkey County, Mississippi

Native species: 156 Typical Mississippi county: 241 (median of 82 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 90 Typical Mississippi county: 116
Share by type (all 156 native species): Percent of the 156 native species in each growth type

Tree 23% (36)
Shrub 1% (2)
Wildflower (forb) 46% (72)
Grass or grass-like 13% (20)
Vine 15% (23)
Fern 2% (3)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (46%), followed by trees (23%).

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 90

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

Garden-ready native plants of Sharkey County, Mississippi
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American beautyberry Callicarpa americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
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 spongeplant Limnobium spongia	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American wisteria Wisteria frutescens	Vine	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Tree	130 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
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
broadleaf signalgrass Urochloa platyphylla	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
butterweed Packera glabella	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 10b
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
catbird grape Vitis palmata	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
cedar elm Ulmus crassifolia	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	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
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana	Tree	55 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common serviceberry Amelanchier arborea	Tree	36 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
copper iris Iris fulva	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
cypress swamp sedge Carex joorii	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 7a
ditch stonecrop Penthorum sedoides	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
dwarf palmetto Sabal minor	Tree	9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
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 swampprivet Forestiera acuminata	Tree	33 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
giant cane Arundinaria gigantea	Shrub	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
graybark grape Vitis cinerea	Vine	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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
horsetail paspalum Paspalum fluitans	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
jewelweed Impatiens capensis	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
laurel oak Quercus laurifolia	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
little barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
muscadine Vitis rotundifolia	Vine	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
northern spiderlily Hymenocallis occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
Nuttall oak Quercus texana	Tree	110 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
overcup oak Quercus lyrata	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pecan Carya illinoinensis	Tree	120 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
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
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 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
saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox	Vine	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
spring spiderlily Hymenocallis liriosme	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7b
stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
stiff dogwood Cornus foemina	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swamp tupelo Nyssa biflora	Tree	115 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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 wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water hickory Carya aquatica	Tree	85 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
water locust Gleditsia aquatica	Tree	40 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 10a
water oak Quercus nigra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
white ash Fraxinus americana	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	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
wingleaf primrose-willow Ludwigia decurrens	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
yellow fumewort Corydalis flavula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea	Vine	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 66

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
Amazon sprangletop Leptochloa panicoides
American buckwheat vine Brunnichia ovata
anglestem primrose-willow Ludwigia leptocarpa
annual marsh elder Iva annua
aquatic milkweed Asclepias perennis
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
camphor pluchea Pluchea camphorata
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
Carolina ponysfoot Dichondra carolinensis
Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
climbing dogbane Trachelospermum difforme
common threeseed mercury Acalypha rhomboidea
creeping eryngo Eryngium prostratum
crossvine Bignonia capreolata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cylindricfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia glandulosa
Dillenius' ticktrefoil Desmodium glabellum
eastern bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
eastern smooth beardtongue Penstemon laevigatus
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
greater marsh St. Johnswort Triadenum walteri
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
herbwilliam Ptilimnium capillaceum
jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
largeseed forget-me-not Myosotis macrosperma
lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
lizard's tail Saururus cernuus
Louisiana sedge Carex louisianica
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
mucronate sprangletop Leptochloa panicea
October lady's tresses Spiranthes ovalis
pink thoroughwort Fleischmannia incarnata
rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slender threeseed mercury Acalypha gracilens
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
smallflower baby blue eyes Nemophila aphylla
smooth false buttonweed Spermacoce glabra
southern dewberry Rubus trivialis
southern twayblade Listera australis
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
swamp leather flower Clematis crispa
tapered rosette grass Dichanthelium acuminatum
Virginia buttonweed Diodia virginiana
Virginia chainfern Woodwardia virginica
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia snakeroot Aristolochia serpentaria
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa

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.

floating primrose-willowLudwigia peploides

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, Sharkey County and Mississippi
Measure	Sharkey County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	156	241	1,473
Garden-ready natives	90	116	528
Tree	36	—	164
Shrub	2	—	63
Wildflower (forb)	72	—	770
Grass or grass-like	20	—	358
Vine	23	—	72
Fern	3	—	46

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Sharkey County.

Issaquena County, MS 30 garden-ready
Washington County, MS 220 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: Sharkey County (county FIPS 28125), Mississippi. 156 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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