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
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