Native Plants in Mississippi
The native plants that belong in Mississippi gardens — grouped by sun, soil, and wildlife value.
45 native plants suit Mississippi's ecoregions and USDA zones 7–9. Below they're grouped by how you'd use them — full sun, shade, wet soil and rain gardens, dry, drought-prone ground, deer-resistant picks, groundcovers, pollinators, birds and hummingbirds — with a species table and when to plant.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
When to plant natives in Mississippi
Plant after your last spring frost — roughly February 20 in the milder south to April 8 in the colder north. Fall is often even better for perennials and shrubs — the soil is still warm and roots settle before winter, ahead of the first frost around October 29 in the north to December 5 in the south.
For full sun
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Common Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
For shade
- Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata
- Wild Ginger Asarum canadense
- Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
- Turk's Cap Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
- Arrowwood Viburnum Viburnum dentatum
- Spicebush Lindera benzoin
- Smooth Hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
- Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia
- Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida
- Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
For wet soil & rain gardens
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata
- Common Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
- Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana
- Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
- Arrowwood Viburnum Viburnum dentatum
- Spicebush Lindera benzoin
- American Elderberry Sambucus canadensis
- Inkberry Holly Ilex glabra
For dry, drought-prone spots
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Short-Toothed Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum muticum
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
Deer-resistant
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
- Short-Toothed Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum muticum
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium
- Wild Ginger Asarum canadense
Groundcovers
- Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata
- Wild Ginger Asarum canadense
- Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
For pollinators
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Common Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
For birds
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutans
- Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
- Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
- Arrowwood Viburnum Viburnum dentatum
For hummingbirds
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
- Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana
- Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata
- Turk's Cap Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
- Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
- New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus
- Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens
- Crossvine Bignonia capreolata
Identify Mississippi wildflowers by color
| Bloom color | Native wildflowers (typical U.S. bloom) |
|---|---|
| Blue | Woodland Phlox — Lavender-blue (Apr–May) |
| Gold | Black-Eyed Susan — Golden yellow (Jun–Sep), Showy Goldenrod — Golden plumes (Sep–Oct), Stiff Goldenrod — Flat gold heads (Aug–Oct), Cup Plant — Yellow (Jul–Sep), Compass Plant — Yellow (Jul–Aug), Golden Alexanders — Chartreuse-gold (Apr–Jun), Lanceleaf Coreopsis — Bright gold (May–Jul) |
| Magenta | Purple Coneflower — Rosy purple (Jun–Sep), Dense Blazing Star — Magenta (Jul–Aug), Prairie Blazing Star — Purple-magenta (Jul–Aug), Purple Prairie Clover — Rose-purple (Jun–Jul) |
| Orange | Butterfly Weed — Vivid orange (Jun–Aug) |
| Pink | Obedient Plant — Pink (Aug–Sep) |
| Purple | Wild Bergamot — Lavender (Jun–Aug), New England Aster — Royal purple (Sep–Oct) |
| Red | Cardinal Flower — Electric scarlet (Jul–Sep), Wild Ginger — Hidden maroon (Apr–May) |
| Silver | Short-Toothed Mountain Mint — Silvery bracts (Jul–Sep) |
| White | Foxglove Beardtongue — White (May–Jun), Common Boneset — Foamy white (Aug–Sep), Rattlesnake Master — Greenish-white (Jun–Aug) |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
All 45 native plants for Mississippi
| Plant | Type | Sun | Soil moisture | Height | Typical bloom (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Aug |
| New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 3–5 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Full sun | Wet / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | May–Jun |
| Dense Blazing Star Liatris spicata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Common Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 3–5 ft | Aug–Sep |
| Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 5–8 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 5–9 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1.5–2.5 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Short-Toothed Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum muticum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 2–3 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–3 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | Aug–Sep |
| Woodland Phlox Phlox divaricata | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 10–15 in | Apr–May |
| Wild Ginger Asarum canadense | Groundcover | Shade / Part sun | Medium | 4–8 in | Apr–May |
| Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides | Fern | Shade / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 1–2 ft | — |
| Cinnamon Fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum | Fern | Part sun / Shade | Wet / Medium | 2–4 ft | — |
| Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | — |
| Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 4–7 ft | — |
| Switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Ornamental grass | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 3–6 ft | — |
| Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutans | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 4–7 ft | — |
| Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–3 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Turk's Cap Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii | Subshrub | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–5 ft | May–Oct |
| Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 5–10 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Arrowwood Viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Medium / Wet | 6–10 ft | May–Jun |
| American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 4–7 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin | Shrub | Part sun / Shade | Medium / Wet | 6–12 ft | Mar–Apr |
| American Elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 6–12 ft | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–3.5 ft | May–Jul |
| Smooth Hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens | Shrub | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 3–5 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia | Shrub | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 4–8 ft | May–Jul |
| Inkberry Holly Ilex glabra | Evergreen shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 4–8 ft | May–Jun |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 5–10 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis | Small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 20–30 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida | Small tree | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 15–25 ft | Apr–May |
| Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens | Vine | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 8–15 ft | Apr–Sep |
| Crossvine Bignonia capreolata | Vine | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 25–50 ft | Apr–May |
| Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 30–50 ft | Jun |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
Confirm any plant is native to your county with your state Native Plant Society before planting.
The Mississippi natives worth asking for
The natives worth asking for in Mississippi — with the botanical name to say at the counter, so you get the plant that feeds something.
The complete Native Plants of Mississippi
The native plants that belong in your yard — what to plant for pollinators, by zone, with bloom timing and a species table.
Want it on paper? See the printable Native Plants of Mississippi.