Plants

Williamson Co. Park
A forest scene typical of the northern end of the parkway.

NPS photo

The Natchez Trace Parkway contains a huge and diverse array of plant species by virtue of it being a 444 mile long park oriented in a generally north-south direction. This enables it to contain representative habitat from four ecosystem provinces: the eastern broadleaf forest at the northern end of the park is dominated by hickory and oak species, while the lower Mississippi riverine forest at the opposite terminus features beech and oak species adapted to warmer conditions. In between the two extremes lie the outer coastal plain mixed forest and the southeastern mixed forest, both of which contain more of a pine and hardwood mix. Add to this diverse array of ecoregions the fact that the parkway traverses eight major watersheds, and it is not surprising that as of now nearly 2,200 plant species have been documented in the park. More will surely follow as additional studies are completed. But while this diversity of species is impressive, more readily apparent is the ever-changing beauty of the park's vegetation, whether it be the flowers of spring, the lush greenery of summer, or the magnificent fall colors of autumn.
 
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Purple flower on vines overtaking a small tree.
Bad Plants, Bad Plants, Whatcha Gonna Do

Privet, kudzu, wisteria, Japanese cogon grass, and honeysuckle are native to other areas of the world. They can harm native habitats.

Close up of  bout 50 yellow flowers with dark centers growing in a field.
The Parkway Wildflowers are Magnificent

Some Parkway wildflowers can be seen from your car. Take some time and experience woodland wildflowers on a trail.

 
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Duration:
48 seconds

Enjoy the sights and sounds of Cypress Swamp. Insects, small frogs and traffic in the distance can be heard throughout. There is no dialogue.

Last updated: February 7, 2022

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

2680 Natchez Trace Parkway
Tupelo, MS 38804

Phone:

800 305-7417
The Parkway Visitor Center near Tupelo, MS, is open 9am-4:30pm seven days a week. The visitor center is closed Thanksgiving, December 25th and January 1st.

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