NATIVE PLANT LIST - North Carolina and South Carolina
This
is a "starter" list of native plants
for North Carolina and South Carolina. It is intended
for residential or commercial landscapers who
want to create attractive and varied native landscapes.
(SMALL)
Serviceberry
Devil's Walkingstick
Paw Paw
American Hornbeam
Chinquapin
Eastern Redbud
Fringetree
Pagoda Dogwood
Flowering Dogwood
Washington Hawthorn
Persimmon
Carolina Silverbell
Common Witch-hazel
American Holly
Red Cedar
Umbrella Tree
Hop-hornbeam
Sourwood
Hoptree
American Plum
Pin Cherry
Common Sassafras
Blackhaw Viburnum
(LARGE)
Red Maple
Sugar Maple
Yellow Buckeye
Yellow Birch
Sweet Birch
River Birch
Bitternut Hickory
Pignut Hickory
Yellowwood
Beech
Tulip Tree
Cucumber Tree
Black Tupelo
Sycamore
Red Spruce
Black Cherry
White Oak
Red Oak
Post Oak
American Linden
Canadian Hemlock
Carolina Hemlock
Yellow/orange./red fall color; white flowers in April
Thorny; 3-4" clusters of wht flowers in sum.; birds
like berries
Unique fruit resembles & tastes like banana
Good street tree; yellow/orange/scarlet fall color
Slender spikes of strongly scented staminate flowers
Clusters of rosy/pink flowers (Apr); flowers line branches/trunk
Wispy, creamy wht. fragrant flowers in May
Clusters of wht. flowers (late sum.); Black berries, fall
follage
Wht. flowers in spring turn into bird-attracting berries
Wht. spring flowers; red fall berries; orange/scarlet
fall color
Yellow/orange/mauve color; butterfly larval plant
Drooping large white bell-shaped flowers in early spring
1" fragrant, creamy to bright yellow flowers in fall
To ensure fruit, one male is needed per 2-3 females
Offers nesting and cover to birds
6-8" wht. flowers spring w/unpleasant odor; red fruit
in fall
Scarlet red autumn color
Fragrant flowers in spring; yellow/pink/red in fall
Small, white fragrant flowers; yellow/green fall color
White fragrant flowers in spring; 1" red/yellow fruit
in summer
Leaves poisonous to livestock; fruit attracts birds
Yellow flowers (Apr); clear yellow/orange/pink/scarlet
fall color
Showy clusters of wht. flowers that leap out from follage
Buds and young twigs are red/green fall color
Excellent fall color; beautiful large shade tree
Erect clusters of yellow flowers in spring; org. fall
color
Does best in cool soil; beautiful bark
Golden-yellow fall color
Modest yellow fall color; seed attracts birds
Striking yellow buds; pinnately compound leaves
Golden-yellow fall color; rapid growth rate
Clusters of fragrant/wht pea-type flowers (spr); yllw.
fall color
Nuts in fall attract birds/mammals/humans
Large tulip-like flowers are yellow/grn./org. in May-June
Yellow/grn. magnolia-type flowers (spr); pink/red fuit
in fall
Scarlet-red fall color
leaves drop all summer; white molted bark
Evergreen; 2" green/purple cones mature to red/brown
Messy tree; small edible berries in sum. attract birds
Brown/red/ bright red fall color; grows rapidly
Russett red to bright red fall color; grows rapidly
Variable fall color; non-showy to golden-brown
Clusters of creamy yellow fragrant flowers in early
When grown in sun this evergreen requires consistent watering
Good screen for cool, shady areas
Short spikes of tiny white flowers in June
Lacy serrated foliage which is pleasantly aromatic
Large clusters of flat, creamy white flowers Jun-Jul
Showy 1" yellow flowers bloom Jun-Sept
Lance-shaped leaves on slender stems. few branches
Yellow, orange, red fall color; pink flowers May-July
Fragrant flowers in summer, red hips in fall
Pink bell-shaped flowers in spring; edible fruits
Sets some fruit even in shade; has white/pink flowers
Pie-shapedclusters of creamy-white flowers; beautiful
fall color
Red berries load shrub & are eaten by mammals and
birds
Dependable showy orange, burgundy & purple fall
color
Interesting brown blooms Apr-July
Twisted racines of white lily-of-the-valley like fragrant
flowers
Creamy white flowers May-Jun; no fall color
Edible nuts; suckering
Small yellow flowers on tips of new growth all summer
Purplish flowers in May; Red seed pods in Sept, attracts
birds
Showy, fragrant flowers in spring; spectacular fall
leaves
Golden yellow 1" flowers in late spring
Red berries on female plants persist into winter &
attract birds
Spectacular long lasting yellow, orange, crimson fall
color
Pink, red, or white flowers in late spring
Yellow spicily fragrant flowers in late winter; red
fruit in fall
Fragrant white to pink flowers, red stamen in early
summer
Yellow, orange, scarlet flowers in late spring
Light to dark pink flowers mid-May; evergreen
5-6" unbel of lilac-purple to pale pink flowers
mid-spring
Variable flower color - often pink flowers before leaves
emerge
Pink/white flowers with orange freckles emerge before
leaves
Showy white flowers in July, edible fruit in Sept
Bell shaped flowers become clusters of large pink berries
White flowers; red to black berries; yellow/orange/red
fall color
Excellent fall color; fruit readily eaten by humans
& wildlife
Twisted trunks; bell-shaped flowers; sweet, spicy tasting
fruit
White flowers; green, pink, red, blue, & black berries
Can fix nitrogen
Red berries on female plants
White fragrant blooms smell like orange blossoms
Huge clusters of white to deep pink flowers with yellow
spots
Velvety red fruit on female plants that persist into
winter
Provides good wildlife habitat
Creamy-white blooms in spring
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Small white
flowers Apr-May; poisonous white berries Aug-Sep
Blue showy flowers in May
Lovely large white flowers followed by fluffy seed heads
Unique red & yellow flowers attract hummingbirds
Forms a low mat of little rosettes of white-wooly leaves
Simular to Jack-in-the-pulpit; goes dormant mid-summer
Spathe appears Mar-May; red berries late summer, fall
Feathery plumes of cream-colored flowers rise above
foliage
Evergreen groundcover with heart-shaped glossy leaves
Clusters of brilliant orange flowers Jun-Aug
Showiest of shade-loving asters; white flowers in late
spring
1 1/2" bright violet-blue flowers with yellow centers
Fern-like foliage and plume flowers
Small yellow flowers July-Aug
Green flowers Apr-May; blue poisonous berries
Showy pink flowers July-Sept
Yellow flowers contrast green foliage in spring &
fall
Slender candle-like clusters of white slowers in summer
& fall
Rich yellow flower head spring to frost if dead-headed
Bright golden yellow flowers all summer
Attractive foliage & interesting pink & white
flowers
Delicate white to pink petals, red & yellow center
Large low-petaled yellow flowers
Purplish-pink flowers explode in Aug/Sept attracting
butterflies
Forms groundcover; tasty fruit in early summer
Pink flowers in summer followed by edible fruit that
persists
1" lavender-purple clowers in spring & summer
White, pink, blue, or purple solitary flowers in spring
Greenish-purple bell-shaped flowers bloom on leafless
stalks
Spotty groundcover, heart-shaped leaves, jug-shaped
flowers
Beautiful orange flowers attract butterflies & hummingbirds
Pale lavender-blue, crested flowers Apr-May
Tall purple spikes bloom after 2-3 years
Gorgeous orange flowers; morning sun & afternoon
shade
Terminal clusters of bright red flowers each 1 1/2"
long in fall
Spikes of flowers range from pale blue to violet
Elongated clusters of pale to dark blue flowers in late
summer
Yellow flowers grow upside-down
Elegant pink flowers, red edible fruit,dense/creeping
groundcvr
Produces distinctive clusters of tiny white flowers
Edible leaves; red flowers attract bees/hummingbirds
Mottled purple leaves; flowers are white with pink tinge
Reseeds readily; contact can cause allergic reaction
Clusters of fragrant rose&white flowers, attracts
hummingbirds
Thick leaves & showy flower clusters
Fragrant lavender-blue flowers Apr-May
Clusters of magenta, pink lavender, or white flowers
Jul-Sep
White, pink, purple to violet trumpet-shaped flowers
in spring
Leaves look like silvery grass blades; Numerous yellow
flowers
1/2" bell-shaped greenish-white flowers hang from
leaf axils
2-4" flower heads with 10-20 bright yellow petals
summer/fall
2" white flowers with yellow centers; roots have
red sap
Waxy leaves & dainty, frilly, parasol-like white
flowers in May
Deep red-pink flowers attract hummingbirds
Rich blue/purple flowers with yellow centers May-Jul
Tiny flowers look like strings of yellow baeds Aug-Oct
1" yellow flowers crowd long narrow erect clusters
spring/sum
Evergreen groundcover; feathery white flowers Apr-Jun
Intense reddish-purple thistle-like heads
Bright green celery-like folliage; racemes of purple
flowers
Tiny fan-shaped
deep blue-green fronds held on black stems
Delicate & lacy arching fronds have dark red stems
at maturity
Fronds smell like hay when crushed
Deeply pinnate leaves; poisonous to livestock
Clusters of arching fronds; cinnamon colored fertile
fronds
Bipinnate blade; pinnae resemble locust tree leaves
Stiff deep green fronds are once-pinnate
1. While
the plants listed above are native to and appropriate
for their indicated regions, please recognize that,
in some instances, human development alters the
characteristics of a site such that it may be advisable
to use plants from a neighboring region. For example,
plantings in urban and suburban areas may receive
reflected heat from streets, sidewalks and/or walls
or be in media that receives less moisture than
normal (e.g., next to a paved area – the pavement
blocks rain from entering soil). Accordingly, using
plants from a neighboring region that support higher
temperatures and/or drier conditions may be more
appropriate.
2. While a plant is native to a region, that does
not mean that it will grow everywhere in that region.
The characteristics of any site will typically vary
from place to place and some plants may do better
than others at various places within a site. In
other words, a little experimentation might be required.
3. The above list is a starter list. Though adequate
for most residential and commercial landscapes,
there are many more native plants and should you
want to consider them, please inquire at a listed
nursery, community
service organization, reference
book or other resources.
