Native Useful Plants

Useful Plants Nursery focuses on plants that grow well in our Southeast Appalachian bioregion, with many also adapted to warmer and/or cooler climates. Some of these are native plants, meaning that they evolved in the area, rather than having been introduced by humans. Through this evolution, native plants have adapted to the local climate, animals, and insects in the area. For example, natives such as muscadine grapes, American persimmons, and pawpaws are much later to leaf out than the non-natives, avoiding most of the late freezes.

Native plants are especially good for wildlife habitats because the local birds and wildlife recognize and eat the native plants. Native plants are especially important for the native pollinators and other beneficial insects. Using native plants near forests and other natural areas minimizes the spread of invasive plants into these areas.

To see if a plant is native or naturalized in the Carolinas or Georgia, see the NameThatPlant database.

American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

American Groundnut (Apios americana) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

American Plum (Prunus americana) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) – Native to North Carolina.

Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia. The ‘Benchmark’, ‘Forest Garden’, and ‘Medicine Wheel’ varieties are native to Earthaven Ecovillage, home of Useful Plants Nursery.

Grape (Vitis labrusca) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Mulberry (Morus spp.) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Raspberry (Rubus spp.) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia. (Amelanchier canadensis) – Native to the Carolinas and Georgia.