Natives as Alternatives

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
Wisteria, Asian (I) American Wisteria Wisteria frutescens
Kentucky Wisteria Wisteria macrostachya

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