Natives to Grow in LEON County
Species listed on this page are found naturally in the county and adapt to garden conditions. Unquestionably, this page reflects the biases and experience of the author as well as recommendations from chapters and individual gardeners. Be sure to match the requirements of plants that interest you to conditions at your planting site!
Please be Responsible
Buy your plants or get them from a friend
Collecting from the wild can be harmful and may be illegal
- Key
- FN-- fern, TS -- small tree, TL -- large tree, WF -- wildflower, GC -- groundcover, GR -- grass, SH -- shrub, VN -- vine
- w -- does well in moist places, W -- requires moist places, naturally a wetland species
- A -- aquatic, good for planting in an area that is typically flooded such as a pond
- d -- relatively drought tolerant, may need supplemental moisture during very dry periods, D -- very drought tolerant
- s -- some salt tolerance, S -- high salt tolerance
- B -- butterfly plant (larval food or nectar source)
- L -- provides food or good cover for wildlife
Click on the column heading to sort the plants based on that characteristic.
Species Form Wet
ToleranceDry
ToleranceSalt
ToleranceButterfly
PlantWildlife
PlantPhoto More
InfoAcer rubrum
red mapleTL w L USF Herbarium US Forest Service fact sheet Acer saccharinum
silver mapleTL w L USF Herbarium US Forest Service fact sheet Acer saccharum subsp. floridanum
Florida mapleTS w d USF Herbarium Achillea millefolium
yarrow, milfoilWF D S B USF Herbarium Noble Foundation - images Adiantum capillus-veneris
Venus maidenhair fernFN USF Herbarium Aesculus pavia
red buckeyeTS w USF Herbarium Floridata.com Aletris lutea
yellow colic-rootWF W USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Alnus serrulata
hazel alderTS W USF Herbarium Amelanchier arborea
serviceberryTS D USF Herbarium Hort.Net Gallery - image Amorpha fruticosa
false indigo-bush, bastard-indigoSH w USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Amsonia ciliata
slimpod, bluestar, blue dogbaneWF USF Herbarium Amsonia tabernaemontana
easterm bluestarW USF Herbarium Andropogon brachystachyus
short-spike bluestemGR w UF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Andropogon gerardii
big bluestemGR w USF Herbarium Andropogon glomeratus
bushy bluestemGR W USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Andropogon virginicus
broomsedge bluestemGR w Institute for Regional Conservation Apios americana
American groundnutVN w USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Aralia spinosa
devil's-walkingstickSH S B USF Herbarium Dave's Garden Arisaema dracontium
green dragonGC w USF Herbarium Dave's Garden Arisaema triphyllum
jack-in-the-pulpitWF W USF Herbarium Aristida stricta var. beyrichiana
wiregrassGR w D USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Asclepias humistrata
sandhill milkweedWF D B USF Herbarium Asclepias perennis
aquatic milkweedWF W B USF Herbarium Asclepias tuberosa
butterflyweedWF D S B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Asplenium platyneuron
ebony spleenwortFN w d USF Herbarium Baccharis halimifolia
groundsel bushSH w D S USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Bacopa caroliniana
blue waterhyssopGC W B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Balduina uniflora
one-flower honeycomb-headWF w D B USF Herbarium Baptisia alba
white wild indigoWF w D USF Herbarium Floridata.com Bejaria racemosa
tarflowerSH w D USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Berlandiera subacaulis
common greeneyes, Florida greeneyesWF D USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Betula nigra
river birchTL w USF Herbarium US Forest Service fact sheet Bignonia capreolata
crossvineVN w USF Herbarium Boehmeria cylindrica
small-spike false-nettleWF W B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Callicarpa americana
beautyberrySH w D S L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Calycanthus floridus
Carolina allspice, sweetshrubSH w L USF Herbarium Floridata.com Campsis radicans
trumpet-vineVN w D s USF Herbarium Floridata.com Carphephorus corymbosus
coastal-plain chaffheadWF D B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Carphephorus odoratissimus
vanilla-plant, deer's tongueWF w d B USF Herbarium Carphephorus paniculatus
deer tongue, hairy trilisaWF w d B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Carpinus caroliniana
hornbeamTS w L USF Herbarium US Forest Service fact sheet Carya alba
mockernut hickoryTL D L USF Herbarium Carya glabra
pignut hickoryTL D L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Carya pallida
sand hickoryTL D L Castanea pumila
Ashe's chinquapin, trailing chinquapinSH L USF Herbarium Catalpa bignonioides
catalpaTL USF Herbarium MissouriPlants.com Celtis laevigata
hackberry, sugarberryTL w B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Celtis occidentalis
Georgia hackberry, dwarf hackberryTL w USF Herbarium US Forest Service fact sheet Cephalanthus occidentalis
buttonbushSH W B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Cercis canadensis
redbudTS D B USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Chamaecrista fasciculata
sleeping plant, partridge-peaWF D B L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Chasmanthium latifolium
Indian woodoats, spikegrassGR w USF Herbarium Floridata.com Chionanthus virginicus
fringe treeTS w L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Chrysopsis gossypina
hairy goldenasterWF D S USF Herbarium Cladium jamaicense
saw-grassGR W S USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Clematis catesbyana
virgin's-bowerWF USF Herbarium Clematis crispa
swamp leather flowerWF W USF Herbarium Clematis reticulata
netleaf virgin's-bowerVN USF Herbarium Clethra alnifolia
sweet pepperbushSH w S B USF Herbarium Floridata.com Cliftonia monophylla
black titi, spring titi, buckwheat-treeSH W USF Herbarium Commelina erecta
sandhill dayflowerWF D USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Conoclinium coelestinum
mistflowerWF w B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Cornus alternifolia
alternate-leaved dogwoodTS w L USF Herbarium Cornus asperifolia
rough-leaf cornelSH L Cornus florida
flowering dogwoodTS w d L USF Herbarium UF Extention Service (EDIS) Cornus foemina
stiff cornel, swamp dogwoodTS W B L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Crataegus aestivalis
May haw, apple hawTS W L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Crataegus flava
yellow hawTS w L USF Herbarium Crataegus marshallii
parsley hawthornTS w L USF Herbarium Crataegus uniflora
one-flowered hawthornTS L Crataegus viridis
green hawthornTS W L USF Herbarium Cyrilla racemiflora
titiSH w d S USF Herbarium Dalea pinnata
summer farewellWF D B USF Herbarium Diospyros virginiana
persimmonTS w D L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Doellingeria reticulata
white-top asterWF USF Herbarium Dryopteris ludoviciana
southern wood fernFN W USF Herbarium Dyschoriste oblongifolia
twinflower, oblongleaf twinflowerGC w d B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Eragrostis elliottii
Elliott's lovegrassGR w d S L Institute for Regional Conservation Eragrostis spectabilis
purple lovegrassGR w d L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Eriogonum tomentosum
wild buckwheatWF D B USF Herbarium Eryngium yuccifolium
button snakerootWF W USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Erythrina herbacea
coralbean, Cherokee beanSH D S B L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Euonymus americanus
American strawberry-bushSH w USF Herbarium Floridata.com Fagus grandifolia
American beechTL L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Fraxinus americana
white ashTL d B USF Herbarium Fraxinus caroliniana
water ashTS W B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Gaillardia pulchella
blanket-flower, gaillardiaWF D S B USF Herbarium Gelsemium rankinii
odorless jessamineVN w B USF Herbarium Gelsemium sempervirens
yellow jesamine, Carolina jasamineVN w D B USF Herbarium Gordonia lasianthus
loblolly-bayTL W L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Habenaria repens
water-spider rein orchidWF W USF Herbarium OrchidWeb Halesia diptera
twowing silverbellsTS w USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Hamamelis virginiana
witch-hazelTS w d USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Helenium amarum
pasture sneezeweedWF w USF Herbarium Helenium flexuosum
winged sneezeweedWF w d USF Herbarium Helianthus angustifolius
swamp sunflower; narrow-leaved sunflowerWF W B L USF Herbarium Hibiscus aculeatus
pineland hibiscusWF USF Herbarium Hibiscus grandiflorus
swamp rosemallowWF W L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Hibiscus laevis
halberd-leaf rosemallowWF W L USF Herbarium Hibiscus moscheutos
swamp mallow, swamp hibiscus, swamp rosemallowWF W L USF Herbarium Floridata.com Hydrangea quercifolia
oak-leaf hydrangeaSH USF Herbarium Floridata.com Hypericum brachyphyllum
coastalplain St. John's wortSH w s USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Hypericum hypericoides
St. Andrew's-crossWF w d USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Hypericum myrtifolium
myrtle-leaf St. John's-wortWF w USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Ilex ambigua
Carolina holly, sand hollyTS D L USF Herbarium Ilex cassine
dahoon hollyTS w d B L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Ilex cassine var. myrtifolia
myrtle-leaf hollyTS w L USF Herbarium FDEP Ilex glabra
inkberry, gallberrySH w d S L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Ilex longipes
hollyL Ilex opaca
American hollyTL d L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Ipomoea cordatotriloba
tievineVN w USF Herbarium Ipomoea hederifolia
scarlet morninggloryVN D B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Ipomopsis rubra
standing-cypressVN D USF Herbarium Iris hexagona
prairie irisWF W USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Iris virginica
Virginia iris, southern blue-flagWF W USF Herbarium Itea virginica
Virginia-willowSH W USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Juncus effusus
soft rushGR W S USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Juniperus virginiana
eastern red cedarTL D S L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Justicia angusta
Everglades water-willow, pineland water-willowWF W USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Kalmia latifolia
mountain laurelSH w USF Herbarium Lachnanthes caroliana
redrootWF w d B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Leucothoe axillaris
coastal dog-hobbleSH W USF Herbarium Liatris elegans
blazing-starWF D B USF Herbarium Liatris gracilis
slender blazing-starWF w B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Liatris graminifolia
blazing-starWF B Liatris spicata
spiked blazing-starWF w D B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Liatris tenuifolia
blazing-starWF D B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Licania michauxii
gopher-appleGC D s B L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Lilium catesbaei
pine lilyWF w USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Liquidambar styraciflua
sweetgumTL w d USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Liriodendron tulipifera
tulip-tree, yellow-poplarTL w USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Lobelia cardinalis
cardinal flowerWF W B L USF Herbarium Floridata.com Lonicera sempervirens
coral honeysuckleVN d B L USF Herbarium Lyonia ferruginea
rusty lyoniaSH D B L USF Herbarium Lyonia lucida
fetterbush, shiny lyoniaSH w d s L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Magnolia grandiflora
southern magnoliaTL d L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Magnolia virginiana
sweet-bayTL W B L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Malus angustifolia
southern crabappleTS w USF Herbarium Melanthera nivea
snow squarestemWF w B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Mimosa strigillosa
herbaceous mimosaGC w d B USF Herbarium Mitchella repens
partridge berryGC w d L USF Herbarium Connecticut Botanical Society Monarda punctata
dotted horsemintWF d s B L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Morus rubra
red mulberryTL w L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Muhlenbergia capillaris
hairgrassGR w d s L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Myrica cerifera
wax myrtleSH w d S B L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Nephrolepis exaltata
wild Boston fernFN w USF Herbarium Floridata.com Nymphaea odorata
white water-lilyAQ A USF Herbarium Floridata.com Nymphoides aquatica
floating heartsAQ A USF Herbarium Nyssa ogeche
ogeechee tupeloTS W L US Forest Service Fact Sheet Nyssa sylvatica
black gumTL d L Biological Research Assoc. US Forest Service Fact Sheet Oplismenus hirtellus
bristle basketgrassGR USF Herbarium Opuntia humifusa
prickly-pear cactusWF D USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Osmunda cinnamomea
cinnamon fernFN W L USF Herbarium Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis
royal fernFN W L USF Herbarium Ostrya virginiana
American hophornbeamTS D USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Oxydendrum arboreum
sourwoodTS D USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Palafoxia integrifolia
many-wingsWF D USF Herbarium Parthenocissus quinquefolia
woodbine, Virginia creeperVN w D USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Passiflora incarnata
passion vineVN D s B L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Peltandra virginica
green arumAQ A USF Herbarium Penstemon australis
slender beardtongueWF USF Herbarium Penstemon multiflorus
manyflower beardtongueWF D B USF Herbarium Persea palustris
swamp bayTS W B L USF Herbarium Phlox pilosa
downy phloxWF USF Herbarium Photinia pyrifolia
red chokeberrySH w USF Herbarium Phyla nodiflora
frogfruitGC w D S B USF Herbarium Pinckneya bracteata
hairy fever treeTS W USF Herbarium Pinus echinata
shortleaf pineTL D L USF Herbarium Pinus elliottii
slash pineTL w D s L Biological Research Assoc. Hernando Chapter Pinus glabra
spruce pineTL w D L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Pinus palustris
longleaf pineTL D B L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Pinus serotina
pond pineTL w d L USF Herbarium Pinus taeda
loblolly pineTL w D L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Pityopsis graminifolia
silk-grassWF D B USF Herbarium Platanus occidentalis
sycamore, plane-treeTL w d L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Poinsettia cyathophora
painted-leafWF d USF Herbarium Polystichum acrostichoides
Christmas fernFN w USF Herbarium Pontederia cordata
pickerelweedAQ A B L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Prunus americana
wild plumTS D L USF Herbarium Prunus angustifolia
chickasaw plumTS D B L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Prunus serotina
black cherryTL D B L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Prunus umbellata
hog plum, flatwoods plumTS D B L USF Herbarium Ptelea trifoliata
water-ash, wafer-ashTS w d USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Pteridium aquilinum
bracken fernFN d s USF Herbarium Quercus alba
white oakTL D L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Quercus falcata
Spanish oak, southern red oakTL D L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Quercus geminata
sand live oakTS D s L USF Herbarium NC State University Quercus incana
bluejack oakTL D L USF Herbarium Quercus laevis
turkey oakTL D L USF Herbarium Quercus laurifolia
laurel oakTL w a s L USF Herbarium UF Extention Service (EDIS) Quercus lyrata
overcup oakTL W L USF Herbarium Quercus michauxii
basket oak, swamp chestnut oak, cow oakTL w L USF Herbarium Floridata.com Quercus phellos
willow oakTL w L Quercus velutina
black oakTL D L USF Herbarium Quercus virginiana
live oakTL w D s B L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Rhapidophyllum hystrix
needle palmSH w L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Rhexia alifanus
tall meadow-beauty, savanna meadowbeautyWF W USF Herbarium Rhexia cubensis
meadow-beautyWF W USF Herbarium Rhexia mariana
pale meadow-beautyWF W USF Herbarium Rhododendron austrinum
orange azaleaSH w USF Herbarium Rhododendron canescens
wild azalea, Piedmont azalea, pink azaleaSH w USF Herbarium Rhus copallinum
winged sumacSH D USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Rhynchospora colorata
fineleaf whitetop sedgeWF w USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Rudbeckia hirta
blackeyed-susanWF B L USF Herbarium Ruellia caroliniensis
Carolina wildpetuniaWF w D s USF Herbarium Sabal minor
dwarf palmettoSH W L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Sabatia bartramii
Bartram's marsh-pinkWF W USF Herbarium Sagittaria lancifolia
lance-leaved arrowheadAQ A L USF Herbarium Sagittaria latifolia
wapato, common arrowheadAQ W L USF Herbarium Connecticat Botanical Society Salvia coccinea
scarlet sage, tropical sageWF D s B USF Herbarium Floridata.com Salvia lyrata
lyre-leaved sageWF w d B USF Herbarium Floridata.com Sambucus nigra var. canadensis
elderberrySH w s L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Sassafras albidum
sassafrasTS D B L USF Herbarium Saururus cernuus
lizard's-tailAQ W USF Herbarium Scirpus cyperinus
woolgrassGR W L USF Herbarium Scutellaria integrifolia
rough skullcapWF w USF Herbarium Serenoa repens
saw palmettoSH w D s B L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Sideroxylon reclinatum
smooth buckthornTS w d S L USF Herbarium Palmetto Article - C. Hugel Silphium asteriscus
starry rosinweedWF D USF Herbarium Sisyrinchium angustifolium
pointed blue-eyed-grassGC w d s B USF Herbarium Solidago fistulosa
hollow goldenrodWF W S B USF Herbarium Sorghastrum secundum
lopsided IndiangrassGR w D S USF Herbarium Sporobolus junceus
pineywoods dropseedGR D Stewartia malachodendron
silky cameliaTS USF Herbarium Styrax americanus
American snowbellTS w USF Herbarium Symphyotrichum adnatum
scaleleaf asterWF B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Taxodium ascendens
pond cypressTL w d S L Biological Research Assoc. US Forest Service Fact Sheet Taxodium distichum
bald cypressTL w d L USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Teucrium canadense
wood-sageWF W S USF Herbarium Thelypteris kunthii
widespread maiden fernFN w L USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Tilia americana var. caroliniana
American basswoodTL w B USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Tradescantia ohiensis
Ohio spiderwortWF w D USF Herbarium Triadenum virginicum
marsh St. John's-wortWF W USF Herbarium Trichostema dichotomum
forked bluecurlsWF D B USF Herbarium Institute for Regional Conservation Tripsacum dactyloides
eastern gamagrass, Fakahatchee grassGR w S L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Ulmus alata
winged elmTL w d B L Biological Research Assoc. US Forest Service Fact Sheet Ulmus americana
American elmTL w d B USF Herbarium US Forest Service Fact Sheet Vaccinium arboreum
sparkleberryTS D S B L USF Herbarium Vaccinium corymbosum
highbush blueberrySH w L USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Vaccinium darrowii
Darrow's blueberrySH w d L USF Herbarium Vaccinium myrsinites
shiny blueberrySH D B L USF Herbarium Vaccinium stamineum
deerberrySH L USF Herbarium Verbesina virginica
frostweedWF w d s B USF Herbarium Vernonia angustifolia
narrow-leaf ironweedWF d B USF Herbarium Vernonia gigantea
tall ironweedWF w B USF Herbarium Viburnum dentatum
southern arrowwoodSH w d USF Herbarium Hernando Chapter Viburnum nudum
possum hawSH W USF Herbarium Florida DEP Viburnum obovatum
small viburnumSH w d B L USF Herbarium Florida DEP Viburnum rufidulum
southern black hawSH USF Herbarium Florida DEP Viola lanceolata
long-leaf violetWF W USF Herbarium Viola sororia
violetWF w USF Herbarium Wisteria frutescens
American wisteriaVN w USF Herbarium Woodwardia areolata
netted chain fernFN W L USF Herbarium Woodwardia virginica
chain fernFN W USF Herbarium Yucca filamentosa
Adam's needleWF D S B USF Herbarium Yucca gloriosa
Spanish daggerWF D S Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Hercules-clubTS w D S B L USF Herbarium Zephyranthes atamasca
Treate's zephyr lilyWF w USF Herbarium


