These non-natives are commonly found in our urban landscape but unfortunately many have become invasive (indicated with an I ), particularly in our natural areas where they can crowd out native plants and destroy ecosystems. Others don’t misbehave but have been over-planted and there are wonderful alternative Southeastern heritage plants which are beautiful, interesting and often fragrant, not to mention great for wildlife.
| Non-native Plant |
Alternative Native Plant |
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
| Azaleas, Evergreen |
Piedmont Azalea |
Rhododendron canscens |
| Sweet Azalea |
Rhododendron arborescens |
| Mountain Laurel |
Kalmia latifolia |
| Piedmont Rhododendron |
Rhododendron minus |
| Chapman’s Rhododendron |
Rhododendron chapmanii |
| Bamboo (I) |
Rivercane |
Arundinaria gigantea |
| Sugar Cane Plume Grass |
Erianthus giganteus |
| Box Holly (I) |
Dwarf Yaupon |
Ilex vomitoria |
| Titi |
Cyrilla racemiflora |
| Darrow’s Blueberry |
Vaccinium darrowii |
| Shining Blueberry |
Vaccinium myrsinites |
| Inkberry Holly |
Ilex glabra |
| Alabama Croton |
Croton alabamensis |
| Little Leaf Cyrilla |
Cyrilla parviflora |
| Bradford Pear (I) |
Roughleaf Dogwood |
Cornus asperifolia |
| White Redbud |
Cercis Canadensis ‘Alba’ |
| Fringe Tree |
Chionanthus virginicus |
| Serviceberry |
Amelanchier |
| Silverbell |
Halesia dipteral var. magniflora |
| Burning Bush (I) |
Dwarf Fothergilla |
Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’ |
| Virginia Sweetspire |
Itea virginica |
| High Bush Blueberry |
Vaccinium corymbosum |
| Elliott’s Blueberry |
Vaccinium elliottii |
| Rusty Blackhaw |
Viburnum rufidulum |
| Butterfly Bush, Buddlei |
Joe Pye Weed |
Eupatorium fistulosum |
| Indigo Shrub |
Amorpha fruticosa |
| Summersweet |
Clethra |
| Spicebush |
Lindera benzoin |
| Buttonbush |
Cephalanthus occidentalis |
| Narrow Leaf Ironweed |
Vernonia angustifolia |
| Giant Ironweed |
Vernonia gigantea |
| Crepe Myrtle |
Smoke Tree |
Cotinus obovatus |
| Sourwood Tree |
Oxydendrum arboreum |
| Summersweet |
Clethra |
| Sumac species |
|
| Viburnum species |
|
| Red Bud |
Cercis canadensis |
| Yellowwood |
Cladrastis kentuckia |
| Eleagnus / Privet (I) |
Dwarf Palmetto |
Sabal minor |
| Louisiana Dwarf Palmetto |
Sabal minor |
| Beauty Berry |
Callicarpa americana |
| Silky Dogwood |
Cornus amomum |
| St. Johns Wort |
Hypericum densiflorum |
| Swamp Dogwood |
Cornus foemina |
| Golden St. Johns Wort |
Hypericum frondosum |
| Wax Myrtle |
Myrica cerifera |
| Devilwood |
Osmanthus americanus |
| Florida Leucothoe |
Agarista populifolia |
| American Holly |
Ilex opaca |
| Inkberry Holly |
Ilex glabra |
| Yaupon Holly |
Ilex vomitoria |
| Running Oak, |
Quercus pumila |
| English Ivy (I) |
Climbing Hydrangea |
Decumaria Barbara |
| Cross Vine |
Bignonia capreolata |
| Coral Greenbrier |
Smilax walteri |
| Wild Ginger |
Hexastylis or Asarum sp. |
| Foam Flower |
Tiarella |
| Galax |
|
| Wild Stonecrop |
Sedum ternatum |
| Green & Gold |
Chrysogonum virginianum |
| Honeysuckle, Japanese (I) |
Yellow Honeysuckle |
Lonicera flava |
| Carolina Jessamine |
Gelsemium sempervirens |
| Swamp Jasmine |
Gelsemium rankii |
| Coral Honeysuckle |
Lonicera sempervirens |
| Cross Vine |
Bignonia capreolata |
| Leyland Cypress |
Eastern Red Cedar |
Juniperus virginiana |
| Eastern Hemlock |
Tsuga canadensis |
| Yellow Anise Tree |
Illicium parviflorum |
| Devilwood |
Osmanthus americanus |
| Southern Magnolia |
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’ |
| Lirope (I) / Mondo Grass |
Vernal Iris |
Iris verna |
| Dwarf Crested Iris |
Iris cristata |
| Granite Gayfeathers |
Liatris macrocephala |
| Spiderwort |
Tradescantia species |
| Mimosa (I) / Paulownia Tree |
Southern Catalpa |
Catalpa bignonoies |
| Rose Locust |
Robinia hispida |
| Pagoda Dogwood |
Cornus alternifolia |
| Red Bud |
Cercis Canadensis ‘Appalachian Red |
| Florida Dogwood |
Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Brave’ |
| Nandina (I) |
Deciduous Hollies |
Ilex verticillata and decidua sp. |
| Beauty Berry |
Callicarpa americana |
| Leucothoe |
|
| Hearts a bustin |
Euyonymus americanus |
| Virginia Sweetspire |
Itea virginica |
| Ornamental Grass – some are invasive |
Pink Muhly Grass |
Muhlenbergii capillaris |
| Sugar Cane Plume Grass |
Erianthes giganteus |
| Switch Grass |
Panicum virgatum |
| Sea Oats |
Uniola paniculata |
| River Oats |
Chasmanthium latifolium |
| Jerusalem Artichoke |
Helianthus tuberosus |
| Pachysandra, Asian |
Mouse Ear Coreopsis |
Coreposis auriculata |
| Green & Gold |
Chrysogonum virginianum |
| Allegheny Pachysandra |
Pachysandra procumbens |
| Barbaras Buttons |
Marshallia morhii |
| Queen Anne’s Lace (I) |
Common Milkweed |
Asclepias syriaca |
| Whorled Milkweed |
Asclepias verticillata |
| Bowman’s Root |
Porteranthus trifoliata |
| Indian Physic |
Porteranthus stipulatus |
| White Snakeroot |
Eupatorium rugosum |
| Wild White Indigo |
Baptisia alba |
| Red Tip |
American Holly |
Ilex opaca |
| Yaupon Holly |
Ilex vomitoria |
| Florida Anise |
Illicium floridanum |
| Yellow Anise |
Illicium parviflorum |
| Florida Leucothoe |
Agarista populifolia |
| Inkberry Holly |
Ilex glabra |
| Sand Live Oak |
Quercus geminata |
| Sweet Autumn Clematis (I) |
Virgin’s Bower |
Clematis virginiana |
| Swamp Leather flower |
Clematis crispa |
List Credit and References
[1] This list was compiled by and is used here courtesy of Nearly Native Nursery, 776 McBride Road, Fayetteville, GA 30215.
[2] Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council: List of Non-native Invasive Plants in Georgia