Native plants for Pierce County, Georgia
95 native plants recorded in Pierce County, Georgia
USDA has only 100 plant records of any kind for Pierce County, against 3,181 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 95 below as a floor.
By type: 39 wildflowers and herbs, 3 grasses and sedges, 24 shrubs, 3 low woody plants, 22 trees, 4 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 25 of them (26%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Switchcane (Arundinaria tecta) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Pierce County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 25 | 0 | 70 |
| Half shade | 12 | 13 | 70 |
| Under trees | 6 | 19 | 70 |
| Heavy clay | 13 | 12 | 70 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 21 | 4 | 70 |
| Never watered | 11 | 13 | 71 |
| Stays soggy | 12 | 13 | 70 |
Sun all day in Pierce County: 25 rated natives
12 trees, 9 shrubs, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 vines, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial - Dwarf huckleberry (Gaylussacia dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial - Bigleaf snowbell (Styrax grandifolius) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 10 ft mature · perennial - Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Half shade in Pierce County: 12 rated natives
7 trees, 3 shrubs, 1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance - Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Bigleaf snowbell (Styrax grandifolius) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 10 ft mature · perennial - Running oak (Quercus pumila) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance - American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial - Red maple (Acer rubrum) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Turkey oak (Quercus laevis) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Pierce County: 6 rated natives
3 trees, 2 shrubs, 1 wildflowers and herbs. The first 6, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial - Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - Running oak (Quercus pumila) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Turkey oak (Quercus laevis) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial - River birch (Betula nigra) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial
Heavy clay in Pierce County: 13 rated natives
7 shrubs, 5 trees, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Dwarf huckleberry (Gaylussacia dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Laurel greenbrier (Smilax laurifolia) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Redbay (Persea borbonia) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial - Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial - American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Pierce County: 21 rated natives
10 trees, 8 shrubs, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial - Dwarf huckleberry (Gaylussacia dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial - Bigleaf snowbell (Styrax grandifolius) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 10 ft mature · perennial - Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Never watered in Pierce County: 11 rated natives
5 shrubs, 3 trees, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance - Dwarf huckleberry (Gaylussacia dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · perennial - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Running oak (Quercus pumila) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance - Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial - Red maple (Acer rubrum) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
Stays soggy in Pierce County: 12 rated natives
5 shrubs, 5 trees, 1 grasses and sedges, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Dwarf witchalder (Fothergilla gardenii) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Coral greenbrier (Smilax walteri) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Laurel greenbrier (Smilax laurifolia) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Cypress swamp sedge (Carex joorii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Redbay (Persea borbonia) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial · takes saturated soil - Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · perennial
Natives Pierce County has that most of Georgia does not
14 natives here are on file in no more than 8 of Georgia's 159 counties. A few of them:
- Southern marsh yellowcress (Rorippa teres): 2 counties
- Deckert's pinweed (Lechea deckertii): 4 counties
- Georgia bully (Sideroxylon thornei): 4 counties
- Sand pine (Pinus clausa): 5 counties
- Sand spikerush (Eleocharis montevidensis): 5 counties
- Florida bully (Sideroxylon reclinatum): 5 counties
- Cypress swamp sedge (Carex joorii): 6 counties
- Trailing krameria (Krameria lanceolata): 6 counties
- Slenderleaf clammyweed (Polanisia tenuifolia): 6 counties
- Dwarf witchalder (Fothergilla gardenii): 7 counties
Where to start in Pierce County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Pierce County gives you the most rated choice (25 plants), and Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) 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 70 unrated natives too.