Native plants for Pickens County, Georgia

131 native plants recorded in Pickens County, Georgia

The USDA plant database has 151 plants recorded growing wild in Pickens County. 131 of them are native to the lower 48, and 2 are introduced species that this page leaves out.

By type: 69 wildflowers and herbs, 11 grasses and sedges, 16 shrubs, 6 low woody plants, 26 trees, 3 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 41 of them (31%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. A plant missing here has not been recorded yet, which is not proof it would fail.

What fits each kind of spot in Pickens County

Sun all day in Pickens County: 41 rated natives

21 trees, 7 wildflowers and herbs, 6 shrubs, 5 grasses and sedges, 1 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
2. Jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
3. Sawtooth blackberry (Rubus argutus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
4. Black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · perennial
5. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · perennial
6. Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial
7. Umbrella-tree (Magnolia tripetala) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial
8. Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Half shade in Pickens County: 21 rated natives

11 trees, 4 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 2 shrubs, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
2. Sawtooth blackberry (Rubus argutus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
3. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
4. Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
5. Deertongue (Dichanthelium clandestinum) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance
6. Shallow sedge (Carex lurida) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Winter bentgrass (Agrostis hyemalis) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial

Under trees in Pickens County: 11 rated natives

5 trees, 2 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Sawtooth blackberry (Rubus argutus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
2. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
3. Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial
4. Deertongue (Dichanthelium clandestinum) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
5. Common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 10 ft mature · perennial
6. Scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea) trees
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial
7. Sweet birch (Betula lenta) trees
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · moderate growth · perennial
8. Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) trees
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial

Heavy clay in Pickens County: 19 rated natives

8 trees, 5 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Sawtooth blackberry (Rubus argutus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
2. Black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · perennial
3. Umbrella-tree (Magnolia tripetala) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial
4. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Shallow sedge (Carex lurida) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Winter bentgrass (Agrostis hyemalis) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial
8. Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Pickens County: 30 rated natives

16 trees, 5 shrubs, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 3 grasses and sedges, 1 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
2. Sawtooth blackberry (Rubus argutus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
3. Black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · perennial
4. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · perennial
5. Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial
6. Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Shallow sedge (Carex lurida) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Never watered in Pickens County: 23 rated natives

12 trees, 5 shrubs, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 2 grasses and sedges, 1 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
2. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) trees
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance
3. Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
4. Sawtooth blackberry (Rubus argutus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
5. Black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · perennial
6. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
7. Deertongue (Dichanthelium clandestinum) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance
8. New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance

Stays soggy in Pickens County: 9 rated natives

4 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 2 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
2. Waterthread pondweed (Potamogeton diversifolius) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
3. Winter bentgrass (Agrostis hyemalis) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
4. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Shallow sedge (Carex lurida) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Awlfruit sedge (Carex stipata) grasses and sedges
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · perennial · takes saturated soil
7. Prairie willow (Salix humilis) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 10 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
8. Maleberry (Lyonia ligustrina) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 9 ft mature · perennial · takes saturated soil

Natives Pickens County has that most of Georgia does not

18 natives here are on file in no more than 8 of Georgia's 159 counties. A few of them:

• Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis): 2 counties
• Pasture spikesedge (Kyllinga gracillima): 3 counties
• Hairyseed paspalum (Paspalum pubiflorum): 3 counties
• Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana): 4 counties
• Falseteeth skullcap (Scutellaria pseudoserrata): 4 counties
• Trailing wakerobin (Trillium decumbens): 4 counties
• Awlfruit sedge (Carex stipata): 5 counties
• Marsh American-Aster (Symphyotrichum elliottii): 5 counties
• Piedmont barren strawberry (Waldsteinia lobata): 5 counties
• Lace grass (Eragrostis capillaris): 6 counties

Where to start in Pickens County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Pickens County gives you the most rated choice (41 plants), and Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 9 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 90 unrated natives too.