Common Landscape Plants and Their Native
Alternatives
Drought Tolerant Native Plants
Theresa's Top 10 Native Plants for Sun/Shade
Invasive Plants we Advise Against
Common Landscape Plants and Their Native
Alternatives To Top of Page
Common Landscape Plants |
Native Alternatives |
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Privet* and Eleagnus* |
Inkberry (Ilex glabra) ev Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) ev Hollies (Ilex opaca, I. vomitoria) ev Wild Olive (Osmanthus americanus ) ev Anise (Illicium floridatum & I. parviflorum) ev Leucothoe (Agarista populifolia) ev Carolina Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana) ev |
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Japanese Honeysuckle* |
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) ev Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) ev Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata) ev |
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Japanese Wisteria* Chinese Wisteria* |
American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) Passion Flower Vine (Passiflora incaranata) |
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Boxwood |
Ti-Ti (Cyrilla racemiflora) ev Blueberry (Vaccinium darrowii) ev Blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites) ev Inkberry (Ilex glabra) ev Dwarf Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria ‘nana’) ev |
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Nandina* |
Deciduous Holly (Ilex decidua) Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) |
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English Ivy* |
Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata) ev Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Galax (Galax aphylla) ev Smilax smallii ev Laurel Leaf Smilax (Smilax laurifolia) ev Gingers (Asarum spp., Hexastylis spp.) ev Foam Flower (Tiarella coridfolia, T. wherryi) ev |
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Burning Bush |
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) Fothergilla (Fothergilla major ‘Mt. Airy’) |
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Evergreen Azaleas |
Azaleas (Rhododendron canescens, R. arborescens) Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) ev Rhododendron maximum ev Rhododendron minus ev Mountain fetterbush (Pieris floribunda) - ev |
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Crape Myrtles |
Sumacs Viburnums Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) Sourwood Tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovata) |
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Butterfly Bush |
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) |
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Red Tip Photinia |
American Holly (Ilex opaca) ev Anise (Illicium floridatum & I. parviflorum) ev Leucothoe (Agarista populifolia) ev Carolina Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana) ev |
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Leyland Cypress |
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) ev Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) ev Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) ev |
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Bradford Pear |
Dogwood (Cornus florida) White Redbud (Cercis Canadensis ‘Texas White’) Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus) Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) |
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Japanese Pachysandra |
Alleghany Pachysandra (Pachysandra procumbens) |
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Ornamental Miscanthus Grass |
Switch grass (Panicum virgatum) Pink Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) |
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Sweet Autumn Clematis* |
Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana) - white Passion Flower Vine (Passiflora incarnata) - purple |
* Invasive plant disturbing native plant habitats ev Evergreen
Even though these plants are listed as drought tolerant, their tolerance for drought is dependent upon being properly sited, being established and the condition of the soil. Many other factors may also contribute to a plant's drought tolerance. This list is by no means comprehensive. There are many other native plants that are drought tolerant.
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Trees & Shrubs for Dry Sun: Amelanchier arborea - Serviceberry Aronia arbutifolia - Chokecherry Calamintha georgiana - Georgia Basil Callicarpa americana - Beauty Berry Carya spp. - Hickories Chionanthus virginicus - Grancy Gray Beard Conradina canescens - Wild Rosemary Cyrilla racemiflora - Titi Diospyros virginiana - Eastern Persimmon Fothergilla spp. - Fothergilla Gaylussacia dumosa - Dwarf Huckleberry Ilex decidua - Possumhaw Ilex opaca - American Holly Ilex vomitoria - Yaupon Holly Juniperus virginiana - Red Cedar Myrica cerifera - Wax Myrtle Nyssa sylvatica - Black Gum Osmanthus americanus - Wild Olive Ostrya virginiana - Ironwood Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood Persea borbonia - Redbay Pinus spp. - Pines Quercus spp. - Oaks Rhus spp. - Sumacs Sabal palmetto - Palmetto Sassafras albidum - Sassafras Vaccinium spp. - Deerberry, Sparkleberry Yucca aloifolia - Yucca Trees & Shrubs for Dry Partial Shade: Aesculus pavia - Red Buckeye Amelanchier arborea - Serviceberry Calamintha georgiana - Georgia Basil Callicarpa americana - Beauty Berry Calycanthus floridus - Sweet shrub Cercis canadensis - Redbud Ceanothus americanus - New Jersey Tea Chionanthus virginicus - Grancy Gray Beard Conradina canescens - Wild Rosemary Cornus florida - Dogwood Crataegus spp. - Hawthorns Cyrilla racemiflora - Titi Diospyros virginiana - Eastern Persimmon Fothergilla spp. - Fothergilla Gaylussacia dumosa - Dwarf Huckleberry Hamamelis virginiana - Witchhazel Hydrangea quercifolia - Oakleaf Hydrangea Hypericum spp. - St. John's Wort Ilex decidua - Possumhaw Ilex opaca - American Holly Ilex vomitoria - Yaupon Holly Kalmia latifolia - Mountain Laurel Malvaviscus arboreus - Sleeping hibiscus Myrica cerifera - Wax Myrtle Nyssa sylvatica - Black Gum Osmanthus americanus - Wild Olive Ostrya virginiana - Ironwood Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood Persea borbonia - Redbay Pinus spp. - Pines Prunus caroliniana - Cherry Laurel Sabal palmetto - Palmetto Sassafras albidum - Sassafras Stewartia malachodenron - Silky Camellia Symplocos tinctoria - Horsesugar Vaccinium spp. - Deerberry, Sparkleberry Viburnum acerifolium - Mapleleaf Viburnum Yucca aloifolia - Yucca Trees & Shrubs for Dry Shade: Amelanchier arborea - Serviceberry Cornus florida - Dogwood Hamamelis virginiana - Witchhazel Ilex opaca - American Holly Ilex vomitoria - Yaupon Holly Ostrya virginiana - Ironwood Symplocos tinctoria - Horsesugar Vaccinium arboreum - Sparkleberry |
Perennials for Dry Sun: Amsonia spp. - Bluestar Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly weed Aster spp. - Asters Baptisia spp. - Wild Indigo Bignonia capreolata - Crossvine Boltonia asteriodes - Boltonia Coreopsis spp. Echinacea spp. - Coneflowers Eryngium yuccifolium - Rattlesnake Master Eupatorium seotinum Eupatorium coelestinum - Mistflower Helianthus mollis - Downy sunflower Liatris spicata - Spiked Gayfeather Monarda fistulosa - Beebalm Oenothera spp. - Sundrops, Evening/Missouri Primrose Opuntia spp. - prickly pear cactus Penstemon spp. - Penstemon Parthenocissus quinquefolia - Virginia Creeper Passiflora incarnata - Passion Flower Vine Phlox pilosa - Downy Phlox Physostegia virginiana - Obedient Plant Pityopsis graminifolia - Golden Aster Pycnanthemum incanum - Mountain mint Rudbeckia spp. - Black-eyed Susans Ruellia spp. - Wild petunia Scutellaria incana - Downy Skullcap Salvia lyrata - Lyreleaf Sage Smilax smallii - Jacksonbrier Solidago spp. - Goldenrods Tradescantia virginiana - Virginia Spiderwort Verbena canadensis - Verbena 'Homestead' Grasses for Dry Sun: Andropogon ternarius - Splitbeard Bluestem Andropogon virginicus - Broomsedge Muhlenbergia spp. - Purple Muhly Grass Poa spp. - Poa grasses Sorghastrum nutans - Indiangrass Perennials for Dry Partial Shade: Anemone virginiana - Thimbleweed Antennarria plantaginifolia - Pussy toes Aquilegia canadensis - Columbine Asplenium platyneuron - Ebony Spleenwort fern Aster spp. - Asters Blephilia hirsuta - Woodmint Bignonia capreolata - Crossvine Chrysogonum virginianum - Green and Gold Coreopsis major Erythronium albidum - Dogtooth Violet Eupatorium coelestinum - Mistflower Galax aphylla (urceolata) - Galax Gelsemium sempervirens - Carolina Jessamine Hepatica americana - Hepatica Hexastylis arifolia - Ginger Heuchera americana - Alumroot Lycopodium digitatum - Running Cedar Oenothera spp. - Sundrops, Evening/Missouri Primrose Parthenocissus quinquefolia - Virginia Creeper Passiflora incarnata - Passion Flower Vine, Maypop Penstemon spp. - Penstemon Phlox pilosa - Downy Phlox Physostegia virginiana - Obedient Plant Pityopsis graminifolia - Golden Aster Podophyllum peltatum - Mayapple Polystichum acrostichoides - Christmas Fern Pteridium aquilinum - Bracken fern Salvia lyrata - Lyreleaf Sage Scutellaria incana - Downy Skullcap Senecio aureus - Golden Groundsel Silene virginica - Firepink Smilax smallii - Jacksonbrier Tradescantia virginiana - Virginia Spiderwort Perennials for Dry Shade: Aquilegia canadensis - Columbine Asplenium platyneuron - Ebony Spleenwort fern Erythronium albidum - Dogtooth Violet Galax aphylla (urceolata) - Galax Hepatica americana - Hepatica Heuchera americana - Alumroot Hexastylis arifolia - Ginger Lycopodium digitatum - Running Cedar Podophyllum peltatum - Mayapple Polystichum acrostichoides - Christmas Fern Pteridium aquilinum - Bracken fern Salvia lyrata - Lyreleaf Sage Senecio aureus - Golden Groundsel Silene virginica - Firepink |
Theresa's Top 10 Native Plants for Sun/Shade To Top of Page
| Theresa's Top 10 Native Trees & Shrubs:
1. Chionanthus virginicus - Fringe Tree; Grancy Graybeard 2. Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood Tree 3. Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress Tree 4. Acer rubrum - Red Maple 5. Rhododendron canescens or R. austrinum - Native Azaleas 6. Itea virginica - Virginia Sweetspire 7. Calycanthus floridus - Sweetshrub 8. Callicarpa americana - Beautyberry 9. Kalmia latifolia - Mountain Laurel 10. Hydrangea quercifolia - Oakleaf Hydrangea Theresa's Top 10 Native Perennials for Full Sun: 1. Verbena canadensis - Creeping verbena 2. Phlox paniculata - Summer phlox 3. Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly weed 4. Monarda spp. - Bee Balm 5. Coreopsis spp. 6. Rudbeckia spp. - Black-eyed Susans 7. Echinacea purpurea - Purple coneflower 8. Baptisia australis - Wild Blue Indigo 9. Phlox subulata - Creeping Phlox 10. Solidago 'Fireworks' or other cultivars of Goldenrod |
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Invasive Plants We Advise Against To Top of Page
| Plants we will not use because of their invasion
into natural areas:
Lonicera japonica: Japanese Honeysuckle Ligustrum spp.: Privet Elaeagnus umbellate: Eleagnus Paulownia tomentosa: Empress Tree Albizia julibrissin: Mimosa Wisteria sinense: Chinese Wisteria Wisteria floribunda : Japanese Wisteria Sapium sebiferum: Chinese Tallow Tree Tamarix gallica: French Tamarix (salt cedar) Lygodium japonicum: Japanese climbing fern Daucus carota: Queen Anne’s Lace Verbena bonariensis: Tall Vervain Lythrum salicaria: Purple Loosestrife |
Plants we strongly advise against: Bradford Pears – Short-lived and weak wooded Leyland Cypress – Disease, Pest Problems Ornamental Cherries – Poorly adapted to soil/climate, Pests and Diseases Photinia – Fungal Disease Problems Canadian Hemlocks – Poorly adapted to climate Morning Glories - Invasive Bamboo – Invasive (controllable with proper planting barricades) Hedera helix: English Ivy - Invasive (controllable with proper planting barricades) Nandina domestica: Nandina – Invasive (controllable with proper berry management) Euonymus fortunei: Wintercreeper – Invasive Vinca - Invasive Plants we advise caution in using: Weeping willow – Invasive root systems into pipes seeking water Japanese Pachysandra - Invasive |