Native Habitat

Scientific name:

Viburnum dentatum

Other Name/s:

Southern Arrowwood

Description:

This deciduous shrub has multiple straight stems that form a plant with a rounded shape. The arrowwood produces clusters of white, flat-topped flowers.

Season:

This perennial will bloom May – July. Berries follow in late summer, turning from green to deep blue. Leaves are oval and coarsely toothed. Leaves turn from green in the spring and summer to yellow and red in the fall.

Size:

Flowers are 2 to 4 inches across. The plant usually reaches heights of 6 to 8 feet but can reach heights of 20 feet.

Habitat:

Arrowwood shrubs are normally found along stream banks and in well-drained, moist soils.

Interesting Facts:

This plant attracts birds, butterflies, bees, and small mammals. Native Americans used the stems for making arrows.

Planting Tips:

This plant grows in full sun to part shade. Arrowwood is rooted from stem cuttings in the summer. Propagation by seed is also an option. Seeds should be collected in the autumn and stored in a cool, dry area before planting in the summer.

Scientific Name:

Taxodium distichum

Other Name/s:

Southern Bald Cypress, Deciduous Cypress, Gulf Cypress, and Swamp Cypress

Description:

This tree is an aquatic, deciduous conifer. The trunks are enlarged at the base, and frequently, “knees” are seen projecting from the ground around the tree. Knees develop mostly in poorly drained areas.

It has widely spreading branches and slender, sage-green leaves, which resemble feathers. Leaves turn a copper color before falling. The bark is red-brown to silver in color.

Season:

The bald cypress is deciduous, which means it sheds its leaves each year, beginning in October/November to February/March, depending on location. It has a tiny purple bloom in April. By August the bald cypress fruit is fully developed.    

Size:

This plant grows 50 to 75 feet tall. Bald cypress can be anywhere from 3 to 6 feet in diameter.  

Habitat:

Bald cypress trees are typically found growing in saturated soils, swamps, and stream banks, growing naturally in floodplains, river channels, and millponds.

Interesting Facts:

Bald cypress wood is called the “eternal wood” because the heartwood is very resistant to decay.

Planting Tips:

For better growth, plant trees in moist, well-drained soil in full sun.

Scientific Name:

Aesculus pavia

Other Name/s:

Red Buckeye, Scarlet Buckeye, and Firecracker Plant

Description/Season:

This perennial shrub/tree displays red, bell-shaped flowers, and blooms in the spring (March – April). The buckeye tree has a rounded appearance. This plant’s leaves are a glossy, dark green on the topside but white and hairy underneath. These leaves are comprised of 5 leaflets, which turn yellow in the fall.

Seeds begin forming in the summer and through the fall. In the fall, the seeds are found dispersed under the plant. These seeds are shiny and reddish-brown.

Size:

Flowers are 1 – 1 1/2 inches long; clusters are 6 – 10 inches long, and the plant itself usually reaches heights of no more than 10 feet. Nuts are usually 1 – 2 inches long. Leaflets can be as long as 6 inches with the stem measuring the same length.

Habitat:

Native to Mississippi, the red buckeye is found near the banks of streams, creeks, and rivers in well-drained areas.

Buckeyes and Fishing Past:

Native Americans used buckeye seeds to retrieve fish by grinding up seeds and throwing them in the water to stun the fish. Fish floated to the surface, making it easy for the Native Americans to harvest them. This way of fishing is illegal now.

The Choctaw also used buckeye as a poison for arrows during warfare.   

Planting Tips:

Plant from root cuttings or seeds. Plant seeds quickly while they are still firm due to their quick degeneration. This plant needs full sun to part shade. The buckeye needs moist, well-drained soil. The red buckeye dislikes dry soil, thus fairs poorly in droughts.

Scientific Name:

Gelsemium sempervirens

Other Name/s:

Yellow Jessamine, Evening Trumpetflower, and Poor Man’s Rope

Description/Season:

The Carolina jasmine is a high climber with wiry, twining stems. These tough stems will climb and wrap around neighboring trees and shrubs.

Yellow flowers are tubular and very fragrant, growing individually from the vine and forming small clusters. Its small leaves are deep green and waxy in appearance.

A perennial, Carolina jasmine’s flowers bloom from late winter into early spring. Blooms are still seen from the last of February into early April.

Size:

The vine itself is 10 to 20 feet long, and flowers are approximately 1 inch long.  

Habitat:

This plant is seen mostly in landscapes and woodland areas.

Interesting Facts:

Carolina jasmine climbs on a variety of structures from fences and trellises to shrubs and trees. It is very popular as a “mailbox plant.” Although a favorite in Mississippi landscapes, it is North Carolina’s state plant. This plant attracts butterflies, and bees, but every portion is toxic and should not be consumed.    

Planting Tips:

Plant with seeds or cuttings. The Carolina jasmine is drought and wind tolerant growing best in areas receiving plenty of sun. Pruning is best done after blooming season is finished. It is best trained to grow horizontally; a vertical growth will cause the lower flowers to be shaded out, thus preventing blooming.

Scientific Name:

Typha species

Other Name/s:

There are two types of cattails – the broadleaf (Typha latifolia) and the narrowleaf (Typha angustifolia). Each is distinguished from the other by their leaves as their names suggest.    

Description/Season:

This clumping plant has long, green leaves. Flower spikes, known as catkins, appear in the spring. They are yellow/green before turning brown. In the fall, seeds (white fluff) appear.

Size:

Cattails can reach heights of 7 or 8 feet.

Habitat:

This plant is found in areas with shallow water, particularly in areas that are prone to flooding.

Interesting Facts:

The cattail has many wildlife benefits – food and habitat for birds, mammals, and fish. Every part of the plant is edible. Native Americans used cattails for food, bedding, roofs, and other day-to-day items, including sandals and floor mats. The Native Americans also used roots for treating burns, inflammations, and stomach illnesses. For life vests, the U.S. Navy used the seeds as a filler material. Cattails are used in flower arrangements and are frequently seen in water gardens.

Planting Tips:

Divide roots or plant from seeds. Cattails need full sun to part shade. Plant in areas where the plant is not completely submerged. Cattails multiply quickly, forming clumps. These plants fair well in marshy areas or low areas with standing water. 

Scientific Name:

Iris fulva

Other Name/s:

Red Iris

Description:

This species of iris is beardless, crestless, and flat-topped. The flower’s color typically ranges from copper to brick red. Petals are smaller than the sepals and droop towards the ground. The sepals spread out widely and arch downward. The flower has a six petal structure on its tall, slender stalks. The bright green leaves are narrow and long.

Season:

Blooming may begin as early as March and continue through May.

Size:

This Mississippi native usually grows 1 to 3 feet tall. The flowers, on average, are 2 to 3 inches wide.  

Habitat:

The copper iris can be found along stream banks, in swamps, and in freshwater marshes.

Interesting Facts:

The copper iris attracts hummingbirds and bees. This particular iris is popular in many southern gardens, usually planted along pond edges. Unlike other iris species, such as the yellow flag iris, the copper iris is not considered invasive.

Planting Tips:

These irises can be reproduced by seeds or by root division. Root clump division is the most common way to increase the number of irises in a garden.

This iris likes rich, moist soils (acidic). It grows well in sun and partial shade with a low tolerance for drought. Because of rhizome production, it will need to be thinned occasionally.

Scientific Name:

Lonicera sempervirens

Other Name/s:

Trumpet Honeysuckle and Woodbine

Description:

This native plant is a slender climbing vine. The flowers are a trumpet shape ranging from coral to red on the outside and yellow on the inside with 2 or more flowers clustered together. This vine also displays berries that are red to black in color. The color of the bark is orange/brown, which has a papery texture. The paired leaves are deep green, glossy, rounded, and smooth.

Season:

This perennial blooms March – June.  

Size:

This plant can reach lengths of 15 to 20 feet. Flowers reach lengths of 2 inches. The fruit, on average, is ¼ of an inch long.  

Habitat:

This is a hardy plant living in a variety of soils.

Interesting Facts:

Although the coral honeysuckle is a climbing plant, it is also good for ground cover, growing rapidly. The flowers attract birds (especially hummingbirds), butterflies, and bees. The berries also attract different species of birds, such as cardinals and purple finches.  

Planting Tips:

This honeysuckle is best planted in the spring from seeds or cuttings. Although able to withstand some drought, the coral honeysuckle prefers moist soil, thus should be watered regularly. These plants must be spaced 3 to 4 feet apart and in full sun to part shade.

Pruning is essential as this vine can be slightly invasive, but pruning should be attempted very little after March when blooming starts.

Scientific Name:

Chionanthus virginicus

Other Name/s:

White Fringe Tree, Old Man’s Beard, & Grancy Graybeard

Description:

This spreading plant can have multiple trunks, which are pale grey with white bands. Leaves, which are oval-shaped, are yellowish green to dark green in color. These leaves turn completely yellow in the fall. Flowers are a creamy white color (or greenish white color) and suspend in panicles from the branches with female plants having dark blue to purple clustered fruit.

Season:

Flowers bloom in the spring (May), and fruit forms in the summer, ripening at the end of summer into the fall.

Size:

The fringe tree reaches heights of 12 – 20 feet and can grow as wide as 12 feet. Clusters of flowers are 4 – 6 inches long with individual flowers 1 inch long. Leaves are 4 – 8 inches long.

Habitat:

This Mississippi native is usually found in areas such as stream banks and moist woods.  

Planting Tips/Interesting Facts:

This plant needs moist (well-drained) soil and needs to be planted in full sun to part shade.

Flowers are fragrant and fruit attracts birds.

Scientific Name:

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Other Name/s: 

Hairwan Muhly, Hair Grass, Long-awn Hairgrass, Pink Muhly, and Gulf Muhly

Description:

This stiff, upright, ornamental plant has soft, pink or purple flowers resembling feathers. Stems clump together, and leaves are long, green, and needle-like. Brownish-black seeds appear after blooming occurs.

Season:

This perennial has flowers that bloom in the fall, covering the foliage.   

Size:

Single leaves are 18 to 36 inches long, and the plant itself grows to a height of 3 feet and reaches widths of 2 to 3 feet.  

Interesting Facts:

This plant tolerates both droughts and floods. The muhly grass is very popular in garden landscapes. It is highly desirable as a border because of its vibrant color.  

Planting Tips:

Plant from seeds or divide clumps. This plant does not tolerate full shade; full sun is needed. This grass spreads. Plants must be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart, growing best in moist soil.

Muhly grass can be planted year-round in Mississippi, but the brown leaves must be cut to the ground before the spring prior to new growth. Clumps can be burned to remove old leaves and promote new growth. Spring is the best time to divide the clumps of grass. This should be done no later than early summer.  

Scientific Name:

(Hydrangea quercifolia)

Description:

Flower clusters are a greenish color before turning white. Later in the year, white blooms turn a purple/rose color. Leaves are coarse, green, and shaped like a red oak. Bark is dark brown, naturally peeling on the larger plants. The oakleaf hydrangea has multiple stems and forms in colonies.

Season:

This perennial blooms in June and July, staying green until the middle of winter. The seed begins forming in the summer and finishes forming in the fall. Leaves give a colorful display in the fall.

Size:

The oakleaf hydrangea grows to heights of 3 to 12 feet. 

Habitat:

This plant is found on the banks of rivers and in moist woodland habitats. 

Interesting Facts:

Parts of this native shrub are poisonous. It has very little benefit to wildlife, and seeds must dry completely on the plant before they can be collected.

This plant is popular in landscaping projects.

Planting Tips:

Plant using seeds or cuttings. The oakleaf hydrangea needs well-drained, moist soil and part shade. Every 2 to 3 years, cut to the ground to keep the shrub small. Wind and ice can break brittle, weak portions of the plant.

Scientific Name:

Taxodium ascendens

Description/Season:

This conifer has deeply furrowed bark, which is brown in color. The pond cypress has awl shaped needles. These needles are bright green but turn to a rich orange-brown color in the fall. Flowers, which are not conspicuous, are brown as are the seeds. This tree is columnar with upright branchlets on spreading branches.

Size:

The pond cypress can grow to heights of 70 feet.  

Habitat:

This cypress is found in various wetland habitats.   

Interesting Facts:

This is an ideal tree for soil stabilization at water edges.  

Planting Tips:

The pond cypress will take full sun but does better with some shade. Plant in wet to moist soils.  Pond cypress are not drought tolerant.

It is best to plant saplings in the fall or early spring when the plant is dormant. They can be planted from seeds.

A hardy plant, pond cypress are not prone to disease.

Scientific Name:

Ilex decidua

Other Name/s:

Deciduous Holly, Swamp Holly, Bearberry, and Winterberry

Description/Season:

Possumhaw is a small tree that can be trimmed into a shrub. This perennial has dark green leaves that turn yellow in the fall.

Blooming occurs March – May followed by berry production. These tiny flowers form clusters of berries on the limbs of the female tree. Berries are green then change to orange and deep red. These berries last through winter into early spring.

Size:

The Possumhaw can grow to an average height of 15 feet. Its leaves grow to a length of approximately 3 inches.

Habitat:

Native to Mississippi, this holly can be found in river bottoms and moist, wooded areas.

Interesting Facts:

This native plant makes a nice accent tree/shrub. The berries attract numerous species of birds, including cedar waxwings. The berries also attract insects and small mammals. It provides good nesting areas for birds and is moderately resistant to deer.

The limbs are covered in berries; these limbs are used in ornamental and holiday arrangements.      

Planting/Pruning Tips:

Seeds germinate best if planted right after gathering. Soil needs to be warm and moist.

Possumhaw holly are bushy plants. If planting multiple bushes, leave room between plants for them to grow.

When pruning wear protective clothing to prevent cuts from the tough branches.

Scientific Name:

Thelypteris kunthii

Other Name/s:

Southern Shield Fern, Wood Fern, Kunth’s Maiden Fern, and Normal Shield Fern

Description:

This is a deciduous perennial fern with lime to medium green fronds. These fronds reach out from clusters of stalks and take on a bronze cast as winter approaches.  

Season:

In the spring, the river fern begins to sprout as temperatures warm. In the fall, when temperatures drop, the river fern fronds die until the next spring.  

Size:

The river fern can grow from 2 to 5 feet tall, if growing conditions are favorable. The average height is 2 to 3 feet, and the average width is 8 to 12 inches.  

Habitat:

The river fern is found in creeks, low woods, swamps, and along riverbanks.

Interesting Facts:

This fern is a low maintenance ground cover and is deer resistant.

Although it thrives in shade and moisture, it appears to “shrivel” and “burn” if planted in full sun.  

Planting Tips:

The river fern grows best in partial to full shade. It can withstand some drought but thrives best with moist conditions.

This fern reproduces by spore production and root division. It is helpful to cut back the dead fronds before spring growth begins.

Scientific Name:

(Chasmanthium latifolium)

Other Name/s:

Wild Oats, Indian Wood Oats, Flathead Oats, Inland Sea Oats, and Upland Sea Oats

Description:

This woodland grass grows upright and forms clumps. It has bamboo-like green leaves that turn yellow/gold in the fall before changing to a brown color during the winter. The river oats plant has seed heads forming from slender arching branches. The seeds are heavier than the branches, which causes the seeds to dangle from drooping branches.

Size:

River Oats reach 24 to 48 inches in height, and clumps may grow 24 to 30 inches in width.   

Season:

This perennial has seed heads, which appear in the middle of the summer and ripen at the end of summer/beginning of fall (September – October). These stay on the plant through the winter months (December – January).  

Habitat:

River oats are frequently found along water edges.

Interesting Facts:

This plant attracts songbirds, and  it is used frequently in cut flower arrangements. It spreads quickly, thus is used for controlling soil erosion. When seed heads are brown, the wind through the seeds causes a “rustling” sound.  

Planting Tips:

Propagate with seeds or divide the roots. This plant needs moist soil (well-drained) and fairs well along the edges of water gardens and streams. This plant tolerates poor soil and grows well in partial sun/shade.

Scientific Name:

Leucanthemum superbum ‘Alaska’

Description:

Shasta daisies are herbaceous, perennial plants with large flowers. Flowers display white petals and round, yellow centers. Leaves are long, glossy, and dark green.

Season:

Daisy plants begin to emerge in late spring and early summer. Blooming occurs between July and September.

Size:

Shasta daisies grow 2 to 3 feet tall in clumps that reach 2 feet in width.  

Habitat:

These daisies like full sun and well-drained soil but will tolerate light shade in hot climates.

Interesting Facts:

Shasta daisies require little maintenance and attract butterflies. Although popular in rock gardens, they are frequently used in floral arrangements.

The Shasta daisy is sometimes confused with the ox-eye daisy.  The ox-eye daisy has smaller flowers and is usually 10 – 12 inches in height. This weedy plant is found in fields and along banks.

Planting Tips:

Divide Shasta daisies in early spring or late summer. These daisies should be planted 1 to 2 feet apart, depending on variety. Flower heads produce hundreds of small, brown seeds.

Scientific Name:

(Tradescantia virginiana)

Description:

Flowers are small with three petals each and six stamens. Flowers are typically a blue or purple color. Leaves are green and sword-like, turning a deep purple along the edges. More leaves appear on the plant than flowers.

Season:

The blooms appear in early summer (June and July). Usually blooming occurs only until mid-morning in full sun.

Size:

This perennial plant can reach heights of 2 feet.

Habitat:

This plant is found in various moist areas along banks, in ditches, and in gardens.

Interesting Facts:

This plant’s name comes from its stem secretion. There are several species of spiderwort.

Planting Tips:

This plant grows best in part shade and in moist soils. In full sun, this plant needs plenty of water. Divide clumps in early fall or early spring. The spiderwort also germinates from seeds. This plant spreads quickly. In ideal conditions, plants will multiply and need to be thinned.

Scientific Name:

Rosa palustris var. scandens

Description:

This upright shrub has stems with small thorns and branches that arch in a weeping form. Flowers are a rose or medium pink color. Leaves are fine-toothed and dark green.

Season:

This perennial will bloom in late spring into early summer, but the single blooms stay only a short period.

Size:

The swamp rose can reach heights of 6 – 8 feet. Thorns are an average ¼ inch long. 

Habitat:

This plant can be found in acidic soils and moist areas. Habitat areas include bogs, marshy areas, and stream banks. 

Interesting Facts:

This hardy plant produces fragrant masses of roses that, when fully bloomed, smells like perfume. The Cherokee treated illnesses such as dysentery, diarrhea, and worms with a tea made from the roots and bark.

Planting Tips:

Plant with cuttings or divide the roots. This plant likes sun but tolerates shady areas as well as poorly drained moist areas. The swamp rose is very hardy, and early pruning encourages new growth.

Scientific Name:

Magnolia virginiana

Other Name/s:

Swampbay, Sweet Magnolia, Beaver Tree

Description:

This shrub/tree is a semi-evergreen. Multi-trunked and upright, the sweetbay magnolia has light gray bark. This bark is smooth and mottled in appearance. Seeds, which are bright red and elongated, appear in cone-shaped clusters. Leaves are glossy green on top and bluish white underneath. Flowers are creamy white.  

Season:

Flowers bloom in late spring to early summer. Berries emerge in the summer. Seeds are collected from the berries.

Size:

This plant reaches heights of 12 – 20 feet but can grow to 60 feet. Leaves reach widths of 1 – 2 ½ inches and lengths of 3 – 6 inches. Flowers measure 4 – 6 inches across. Seed clusters are 2 inches long on average.

Habitat:

The sweetbay magnolia occurs in a variety of swampy areas and moist, shaded areas, such as wet pinelands. 

Interesting Facts:

Seeds attract birds and squirrels. Flowers are fragrant, and foliage has a spicy odor. Fruit will have a citrus smell when removing the seed from the fruit/pulp. In the later part of the seventeenth century, this tree made its way to Europe as an addition to gardens. Early American colonists used the sweetbay roots to capture beavers. As a result, the tree acquired the nickname “beaver tree.”

Planting Tips:

The sweetbay magnolia needs full sun to part shade and moist to wet soil. Plant from seeds collected in the summer.

Scientific Name:

Myrica cerifera

Other Name/s:

Southern Wax Myrtle, Bayberry, and Candle Berry

Description/Season:

The wax myrtle is a broadleaf, evergreen shrub with multiple trunks. Leaves are glossy and olive green. The bark on some of the shrubs develops into a grayish-white color. This evergreen produces very small flowers in the early spring, which last through June.

Small clusters of berries coated with wax replace these flowers. Only female plants produce berries, as long as male plants are nearby. The wax myrtle produces berries beginning in late summer. These berries remain through the winter. Berries start out green and turn pale blue in the winter.   

Size:

These shrubs reach heights and widths of 15 feet or more. The leaves range from 1 ½ inches to 4 ½ inches long. Fruit clusters may be 1/8 of an inch wide. Wax myrtles can grow up to 5 feet per year.

Habitat:

Wax myrtles are very drought tolerant and are found in various types of habitats.

Interesting Facts:

The leaves have a spicy fragrance and are still used today for candle scents. Berries were once boiled and used as wax for candles. The wax myrtle provides excellent cover and food for birds and other wildlife. The VEC finds numerous mockingbird and wren nests in the branches of this shrub. The wax myrtles are highly flammable and spread quickly.   

Planting Tips:

Wax myrtles can be propagated from cuttings or seeds. This plant likes full sun, but it will tolerate partial shade. A hardy plant, the wax myrtle will grow in wet, dry, and sandy conditions once it has taken root. The wax myrtle will spread by growing new shoots from the roots of a larger plant.

These shrubs grow quickly, so frequent trimming is necessary to maintain a particular height. New growth is evident by a bright green color and is easily broken from the original branches.   

Scientific Name:

Ilex vomitoria – ‘Pendula’

Description/Season:

The weeping yaupon has a “weeping form” with multiple crooked trunks. The bark is white to dark gray. This tree displays white flowers and grayish-green, oval leaves. The berries are round and bright red.

Flowers appear in the spring. Berries appear in the fall lasting into the winter.

Size:

This tree reaches heights of 15 to 20 feet. Older plants can grow up to 30 feet high. The yaupon has a spread of 6 to 12 feet. Leaves are less than 2 inches long.

Planting Tips/Habitat:

This is found in a variety of soils from very wet to very dry.

The weeping yaupon needs full sun to part shade and can be easily transplanted. Plant yaupon holly trees several feet apart to allow a more “weeping form” of the trees to show.

This evergreen holly is tolerant of drought but also thrives in wet or well-drained soil. The shape of the plant is altered with pruning. Although both male and female plants produce flowers, only the females produce berries.

Interesting Facts:

The weeping yaupon’s berries are an attraction for different types of wildlife, especially birds.

Scientific Name:

Hibiscus lasiocarpos

Other Name/s:

Woolly Mallow, False Cotton, or Rose-mallow

Description:

Several stems branch from one plant. The stems of this hairy perennial stand upright. It has alternating, toothed leaves. Blossoms are large (white or pink) with a reddish “eye” at the base of the petals at the bloom’s center. Flowers cluster at the end of the stems, and seeds form in the capsules after blooming ends. These brown seeds are very small.

Season/Size:

Blooms may appear starting in April and continue to bloom through September.

The woolly rose mallow may grow to a height of 5 feet.  Its leaves range in length from 4 to 6 inches.  The blossoms are 3 to 4 inches long.

Habitat:

This plant grows around ditches and other wetland areas. In the VEC habitat, several woolly rose mallow plants grow along the edges of the pond.

Interesting Facts:

It is also known as “False Cotton.” The woolly rose mallow bloom is comparable to the cotton plant’s flower.

One bush produces hundreds of seeds. Green, hairy capsules will turn brown before opening to reveal seeds.

Planting Tips:

The woolly rose mallow tolerates light shade but prefers full sun. It tolerates summer heat and humidity very well, but soil should be kept moist.