Native plants for Clayton County, Georgia
50 native plants recorded in Clayton County, Georgia
USDA has only 57 plant records of any kind for Clayton County, against 3,181 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 50 below as a floor.
By type: 28 wildflowers and herbs, 6 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 1 low woody plants, 8 trees, 4 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 27 of them (54%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Clayton County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 27 | 0 | 23 |
| Half shade | 15 | 12 | 23 |
| Under trees | 6 | 21 | 23 |
| Heavy clay | 24 | 3 | 23 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 16 | 11 | 23 |
| Never watered | 10 | 17 | 23 |
| Stays soggy | 16 | 11 | 23 |
Sun all day in Clayton County: 27 rated natives
11 wildflowers and herbs, 7 trees, 4 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 1 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Virginia water horehound (Lycopus virginicus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Swamp rose (Rosa palustris) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Clayton County: 15 rated natives
5 wildflowers and herbs, 5 trees, 3 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: severe - Devil's darning needles (Clematis virginiana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · perennial - Tapertip rush (Juncus acuminatus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial - Woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Under trees in Clayton County: 6 rated natives
3 trees, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 6, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: severe - Black willow (Salix nigra) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - Water oak (Quercus nigra) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - Willow oak (Quercus phellos) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.7 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region
Heavy clay in Clayton County: 24 rated natives
8 wildflowers and herbs, 7 trees, 4 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 1 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Virginia water horehound (Lycopus virginicus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Swamp rose (Rosa palustris) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Clayton County: 16 rated natives
7 wildflowers and herbs, 4 trees, 3 grasses and sedges, 2 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Tapertip rush (Juncus acuminatus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: severe
Never watered in Clayton County: 10 rated natives
4 wildflowers and herbs, 2 trees, 2 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Devil's darning needles (Clematis virginiana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · perennial - New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
Stays soggy in Clayton County: 16 rated natives
7 wildflowers and herbs, 4 trees, 2 shrubs, 2 grasses and sedges, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Virginia water horehound (Lycopus virginicus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Swamp rose (Rosa palustris) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Tapertip rush (Juncus acuminatus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
Natives Clayton County has that most of Georgia does not
4 natives here are on file in no more than 8 of Georgia's 159 counties. A few of them:
- Feather fingergrass (Chloris virgata): 2 counties
- Veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus): 3 counties
- Blue waxweed (Cuphea viscosissima): 4 counties
- Narrowleaf vervain (Verbena simplex): 7 counties
Where to start in Clayton County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Clayton County gives you the most rated choice (27 plants), and Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 6 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 23 unrated natives too.