Allegheny Chinquapin
Castanea pumilaSmall treeZones 5–1010–25 ft
A shrubby native cousin of the American chestnut, Allegheny chinquapin ripens one sweet nut per small bur and bears within a few years of planting.
Tree finder
Find the right native tree or shrub for your site by filtering on USDA hardiness zone, mature size, sun, soil moisture and what you want from each species. The list narrows as you set each filter. Every result is a tree or shrub we grow from seed, so anything it shows can be requested now and ordered once it is priced.
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American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americanaShrubZones 6–103–6 ft
Glossy violet berries ring every stem in fall and feed mockingbirds and thrushes into winter. A fast, easy native shrub for sun or light shade.
American Elm
Ulmus americanaLarge treeZones 2–960–80 ft
The great vase-shaped elm of old American streets, a fast shade tree for wet or dry ground, now best planted alone among trees of other kinds.
American Hazelnut
Corylus americanaShrubZones 3–98–12 ft
Sweet native filberts in late summer on a dense, easy hedgerow shrub.
American Persimmon
Diospyros virginianaMedium treeZones 4–935–60 ft
Sweet orange fruit after frost, blocky alligator bark and a tree that grows nearly anywhere.
Arkansas Oak
Quercus arkansanaMedium treeZones 5–920–60 ft
A rare red oak of the Gulf Coastal Plain, a slender tree with broad, round-tipped leaves, and one that Florida lists as threatened.
Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichumLarge treeZones 4–1050–80 ft
The swamp conifer that also thrives on dry lawns, with feathery foliage that turns rust-orange in fall.
Black Cherry
Prunus serotinaLarge treeZones 2–950–80 ft
The largest native cherry, a fast-growing tree with drooping spikes of white flowers in spring and black cherries in summer for birds, bears and jelly.
Black Gum (Tupelo)
Nyssa sylvaticaLarge treeZones 4–940–70 ft
Blazing scarlet fall color, superb bee forage, and one of the longest-lived hardwoods in the East.
Black Hickory
Carya texanaMedium treeZones 5–930–80 ft
A hickory of dry, rocky hills, with near-black, deeply furrowed bark, rusty-scaled buds and small, sweet nuts.
Black Oak
Quercus velutinaLarge treeZones 3–950–80 ft
A tough red oak of dry ridges, sand and rocky slopes, with yellow inner bark once used for dye and acorns that feed turkeys and deer.
Blackhaw Viburnum
Viburnum prunifoliumShrubZones 3–912–15 ft
A tough, tree-like viburnum with white spring flowers, purple-red fall color and sweet blue fruit.
Blackjack Oak
Quercus marilandicaSmall treeZones 5–920–40 ft
A tough red oak for poor, dry sand and clay, with leathery, bell-shaped leaves and near-black bark broken into blocks like alligator hide.
Bluejack Oak
Quercus incanaSmall treeZones 6–1020–40 ft
A small red oak of southern sandhills with narrow blue-green leaves, gray-felted beneath, that often hang on into winter.
Bluff Oak
Quercus austrinaMedium treeZones 5–940–60 ft
A southern white oak of river bluffs and bottomland edges that grows into a straight-trunked shade tree, and one most nurseries still do not carry.
Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpaLarge treeZones 3–960–80 ft
A massive, drought-hardy oak of the prairie edge, with corky bark, a broad crown and the biggest acorns of any native oak in fringed, mossy cups.
Cabbage Palmetto
Sabal palmettoMedium treeZones 7–1030–60 ft
The native tree palm of the Southeast coast, evergreen and salt-hardy, with fragrant summer flowers for bees and black fruit for wildlife.
Carolina Buckthorn
Frangula carolinianaShrubZones 5–910–20 ft
Glossy leaves, red-to-black berries and yellow fall color on a native buckthorn that is nothing like the invasive ones.
Carolina Jessamine
Gelsemium sempervirensShrubZones 6–1010–20 ft
A native evergreen vine that twines up a fence or arbor and covers itself in fragrant yellow trumpets from late winter into spring.
Carolina Laurelcherry
Prunus carolinianaSmall treeZones 7–1015–40 ft
A fast native evergreen for screens and hedges, with glossy leaves, fragrant late-winter flowers and black fruit for birds.
Cedar Elm
Ulmus crassifoliaLarge treeZones 6–950–70 ft
A tough shade tree with the smallest leaves of any native elm, flowers in late summer and clear yellow fall color, for dry or soggy clay.
Chalk Maple
Acer leucodermeSmall treeZones 5–925–30 ft
A small maple with chalky white bark and fall color from yellow to deep red, at home in sun or deep shade and on dry, rocky ground.
Chapman Oak
Quercus chapmaniiSmall treeZones 7–1010–25 ft
A small white oak of the southern coast with glossy leaves that turn red and yellow into winter, and acorns low in tannin.
Chickasaw Plum
Prunus angustifoliaSmall treeZones 5–94–20 ft
A thicket-forming wild plum that flowers white in late winter, before its leaves, and ripens tart red or yellow plums for jelly in early summer.
Chinese Chestnut
Castanea mollissimaMedium treeZones 4–940–60 ft
Blight-resistant chestnuts for the home orchard: large sweet nuts on a spreading, drought-tolerant tree.
Chinquapin Oak
Quercus muehlenbergiiMedium treeZones 3–940–60 ft
The white oak of limestone bluffs and glades, at home in alkaline soil, with glossy chestnut-like leaves and sweet acorns that wildlife and people eat.
Chokecherry
Prunus virginianaSmall treeZones 2–1020–30 ft
A tough, thicket-forming native cherry with fragrant white flower spikes in spring and dark red to black cherries for jelly, syrup and birds.
Clusterspike Indigobush
Amorpha herbaceaShrubZones 7–102–4 ft
A low indigobush of southern sandhills whose clustered white to violet flower spikes feed native bees in early summer.
Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalisLarge treeZones 2–940–60 ft
Sole host of the hackberry emperor and American snout, with sweet fruit held for waxwings and bluebirds until March. A tough tree for dry or city ground.
Common Hoptree (Wafer Ash)
Ptelea trifoliataSmall treeZones 4–910–20 ft
A small citrus-family tree for shade or dry rock, one of only two native giant swallowtail hosts in the Northeast. Papery wafer fruit hangs all winter.
Common Juniper
Juniperus communisShrubZones 2–92–10 ft
A hardy, spreading evergreen shrub with sharp, silver-banded needles in threes and blue berrylike cones, for poor, dry, sunny ground.
Coral Bean
Erythrina herbaceaShrubZones 6–103–12 ft
Spikes of scarlet, tubular flowers on bare stems in spring draw hummingbirds, followed by black pods that split to show red seeds.
Creeping Blueberry
Vaccinium crassifoliumShrubZones 6–91–2 ft
An evergreen blueberry that creeps into a mat under a foot or so tall, with pink bells in April, black berries in summer and bronze new growth.
Creeping Juniper
Juniperus horizontalisShrubZones 2–91–2 ft
A slow, mat-forming evergreen of northern dunes, rocky shores and prairie slopes, with blue-green scale leaves that turn purplish in winter.
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolataShrubZones 5–930–50 ft
A native evergreen vine that climbs by sticky tendrils, with orange and yellow trumpet flowers that feed hummingbirds in early spring.
Cumberland Rosemary
Conradina verticillataShrubZones 5–91–2 ft
A federally threatened mint of Cumberland Plateau river bars, a low evergreen mat with rosemary-scented leaves and lavender-pink spring flowers.
Dangleberry
Gaylussacia frondosaShrubZones 5–92–6 ft
A huckleberry for sandy, acid ground, damp or dry, that spreads into thickets hung with sweet blue berries in summer and turns orange in fall.
Darrow's Blueberry
Vaccinium darrowiiShrubZones 7–101–5 ft
A low evergreen blueberry of Gulf Coast pine flatwoods, with tiny blue-green leaves under a silvery bloom, pink-tinged bells and edible blue berries.
Deerberry
Vaccinium stamineumShrubZones 5–95–15 ft
Open white bells with yellow stamens in May, then dangling green to purple berries for grouse, turkeys and bears. The blueberry of dry sandy woods.
Devilwood
Cartrema americanaSmall treeZones 5–1015–30 ft
A native evergreen of the olive family for screens in sun or shade, with fragrant spring flowers and, on female trees, dark blue fruit for birds.
Dwarf Hackberry
Celtis tenuifoliaSmall treeZones 4–915–30 ft
A small, twisting hackberry for dry, rocky ground, with sweet orange fruit for birds and leaves that feed hackberry emperor caterpillars.
Dwarf Live Oak
Quercus minimaShrubZones 7–101–3 ft
A knee-high live oak that spreads from underground stems into evergreen patches and can bear acorns just three years from seed.
Dwarf Palmetto
Sabal minorShrubZones 7–104–10 ft
A hardy palm for wet shade whose trunk stays underground, sending up evergreen fans up to 5 feet across and tall stalks of fragrant flowers.
Dwarf Pawpaw
Asimina parvifloraShrubZones 7–103–12 ft
A pawpaw in miniature for dry southern woods, with maroon spring flowers, small sweet fruit and leaves that feed zebra swallowtail caterpillars.
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginianaMedium treeZones 2–930–50 ft
A tough evergreen for windbreaks and screens on dry, poor ground, whose frosted blue cones on female trees feed cedar waxwings and other birds all winter.
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensisSmall treeZones 4–920–30 ft
Magenta flowers on bare branches in early spring, heart-shaped leaves and a graceful spreading crown.
Elliott's Blueberry
Vaccinium elliottiiShrubZones 5–94–10 ft
A wild southern blueberry that hangs white bells on bare twigs before its leaves, ripens sweet black berries by early summer and turns scarlet in fall.
Eve's Necklace
Styphnolobium affineSmall treeZones 7–915–30 ft
A small tree of limestone country with fragrant, rose-pink flowers like wisteria in spring and black pods like strings of beads, for dry, well-drained ground.
Farkleberry
Vaccinium arboreumSmall treeZones 6–1010–25 ft
The tree of the blueberry genus, with fragrant white bells in spring, glossy leaves that redden in fall and black berries that hang into winter.
Flatwoods Plum
Prunus umbellataSmall treeZones 4–1012–20 ft
A small, single-trunked southern plum that clouds over with white bloom before its leaves, then ripens tart to sweet purple plums for jelly and wildlife.
Florida Maple
Acer floridanumMedium treeZones 5–920–60 ft
A southern cousin of sugar maple, at home in heat and humidity, with yellow to orange fall color and a rounded crown for shade.
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromaticaShrubZones 3–92–6 ft
A low, thicket-forming sumac for dry banks, with lemon-scented leaves, fuzzy red fruit for birds and orange to red fall color.
Georgia Plume
Elliottia racemosaSmall treeZones 6–910–16 ft
Upright plumes of white flowers in midsummer and bright red leaves in fall, on a rare small tree found wild only in Georgia.
Groundsel Bush
Baccharis halimifoliaShrubZones 5–105–12 ft
A fast native shrub for salt spray and wet ground on the coast, whose female plants turn silvery in fall with plumed seeds.
Gum Bumelia
Sideroxylon lanuginosumSmall treeZones 5–1015–45 ft
A thorny native tree for dry, rocky ground, with fragrant white flowers in early summer and shiny black fruit that birds eat into winter.
Hercules' Club
Zanthoxylum clava-herculisSmall treeZones 6–1015–40 ft
A spiny little tree of the southern coastal plain, its trunk studded with corky knobs, its leaves able to numb the tongue and feed giant swallowtails.
Hillside Blueberry
Vaccinium pallidumShrubZones 5–91–3 ft
A low wild blueberry of dry, rocky hillsides that spreads into colonies, with sweet blue berries in summer and scarlet leaves in fall.
Hop Hornbeam
Ostrya virginianaMedium treeZones 3–925–40 ft
A tough, shade-tolerant tree of dry upland woods with shreddy bark and hop-like seed clusters.
Indigobush (False Indigo)
Amorpha fruticosaShrubZones 4–96–12 ft
Purple flower spikes with orange stamens in June, on a nitrogen-fixing shrub for streambanks and hot dry edges.
Laurel Oak
Quercus hemisphaericaMedium treeZones 6–1040–60 ft
A fast, nearly evergreen red oak of southern sandhills and stream banks, whose glossy leaves hang on until the new ones open in spring.
Leadplant
Amorpha canescensShrubZones 2–91–3 ft
A prairie sub-shrub with silver leaves and purple summer spikes, rooted deep against drought.
Little Walnut
Juglans microcarpaSmall treeZones 5–920–30 ft
The smallest of the walnuts, a drought-hardy tree of Texas and the southern Plains with fine, narrow leaflets and marble-sized nuts.
Littlehip Hawthorn
Crataegus spathulataSmall treeZones 5–910–26 ft
A slow, small tree prized for its peeling bark of gray, orange, olive and brown, with tiny spoon-shaped leaves, white spring flowers and red haws.
Live Oak
Quercus virginianaLarge treeZones 7–1040–80 ft
The evergreen oak of the southern coast, with a vast, low crown of sweeping limbs that stands salt spray and hurricanes and can live for centuries.
Lloyd's St. John's-wort
Hypericum lloydiiShrubZones 6–91–2 ft
A low, spreading shrub of sandhills and granite outcrops, with fragrant, needle-like leaves and golden flowers from June into September.
Longleaf Pine
Pinus palustrisLarge treeZones 7–1060–120 ft
The great pine of the southern sandhills, with needles up to 18 inches long and a grass stage that hides it for years, for sun and dry, sandy ground.
Maleberry
Lyonia ligustrinaShrubZones 5–96–12 ft
A tough native heath of swamp edge and dry ridge, hung with white bells in June for four rare specialist bees, that almost no nursery grows.
Maple-leaf Oak
Quercus acerifoliaSmall treeZones 5–920–50 ft
A rare red oak of a few Arkansas mountaintops, with broad leaves shaped like a sugar maple's that turn red in fall.
Mexican Plum
Prunus mexicanaSmall treeZones 5–910–35 ft
A single-trunked wild plum that does not sucker, with fragrant white bloom before the leaves and purple plums for eating fresh or for jelly.
Mockernut Hickory
Carya tomentosaLarge treeZones 4–960–80 ft
A squirrel's preferred mast, with citrus-scented leaves, fat furry winter buds and clear gold fall color, on a hickory the trade seldom sells.
Muscadine
Vitis rotundifoliaShrubZones 5–930–90 ft
The South's native grape vine, with thick-skinned purple-black or bronze grapes in late summer and fall for eating fresh, jelly, wine and wildlife.
Myrtle Oak
Quercus myrtifoliaSmall treeZones 7–1015–40 ft
An evergreen oak of the southern coastal scrub, with small, glossy leaves the year round, that takes dry sand, salt wind and drought.
Nannyberry
Viburnum lentagoShrubZones 2–912–18 ft
A big, adaptable viburnum with creamy flowers, edible blue-black fruit and wine-red fall color.
Needle Palm
Rhapidophyllum hystrixShrubZones 6–103–6 ft
One of the hardiest palms, a trunkless clump of glossy fans up to 30 inches across, guarded at the base by long black needles.
Nuttall Oak
Quercus texanaLarge treeZones 5–950–80 ft
A fast bottomland red oak for heavy, wet clay, with acorns that feed ducks, deer and turkeys and leaves that turn deep red late in fall.
Overcup Oak
Quercus lyrataLarge treeZones 5–940–60 ft
A bottomland white oak that stands in floodwater for months and then takes a dry summer in stride, with acorns almost swallowed by their cups.
Pignut Hickory
Carya glabraLarge treeZones 4–950–80 ft
The everyday hickory of Appalachian ridges: tight gray bark, pear-shaped nuts that fox and gray squirrels live on through winter and rich gold fall color.
Pinxterbloom Azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoidesShrubZones 4–93–6 ft
Fragrant pink trumpets open on bare branches in April for bumble bees, hummingbirds and swallowtails. The deciduous wild azalea of Mid-Atlantic woods.
Plateau Live Oak
Quercus fusiformisSmall treeZones 5–1020–40 ft
The common live oak of central Texas, green through the winter, with gnarled limbs that spread a great distance from a short trunk.
Pond Cypress
Taxodium ascendensMedium treeZones 5–1030–70 ft
A slim cousin of bald cypress whose skyward shoots turn orange-brown in fall, at home in standing water or on a dry lawn.
Possumhaw
Ilex deciduaShrubZones 5–97–15 ft
A deciduous holly whose orange-red berries line the bare gray branches from September to March, feeding birds late in winter.
Post Oak
Quercus stellataMedium treeZones 5–935–50 ft
A drought-hardy white oak of dry ridges and the Cross Timbers, with leathery, cross-shaped leaves, that can live 300 years or more.
Pygmy Fringetree
Chionanthus pygmaeusShrubZones 7–103–12 ft
A rare dwarf fringetree from the sand ridges of central Florida, with showy clusters of fragrant white flowers in early spring and inch-long fruit.
Rabbiteye Blueberry
Vaccinium virgatumShrubZones 7–96–15 ft
The tall blueberry of Southern gardens, with white or pink bells in spring and sweet blue berries through summer, tougher in heat and drought than highbush.
Redbay
Persea borboniaMedium treeZones 7–1030–60 ft
A spicy-leaved evergreen of the southern coast, with dark blue fruit for birds, now dying across much of its range from laurel wilt.
Riverbank Grape
Vitis ripariaShrubZones 2–935–75 ft
A hardy native grape vine that climbs by tendrils along streams and fences, with fragrant spring flowers and tart blue-black grapes for birds and jelly.
Rock Elm
Ulmus thomasiiLarge treeZones 2–970–90 ft
The elm with the hardest, strongest wood, a tall tree of limestone ridges and rich woods with corky-winged branches and seed that wildlife relish.
Rusty Blackhaw
Viburnum rufidulumSmall treeZones 5–910–20 ft
Glossy, leathery leaves that turn deep red in fall, white flower clusters in spring and sweet blue fruit, on a small southern tree.
Sand Hickory
Carya pallidaLarge treeZones 5–940–100 ft
A hickory of dry, sandy woods and ridges, with silvery scales beneath its leaves and small, sweet nuts.
Sand Live Oak
Quercus geminataSmall treeZones 7–1020–50 ft
A smaller, tougher cousin of live oak for deep, dry sand, evergreen and wind-firm, with acorns that often hang in pairs.
Sand Pine
Pinus clausaSmall treeZones 7–1025–40 ft
Florida's scrub pine, a leaning, bushy tree that stands salt spray and outgrows other pines on deep, dry sand.
Sand Post Oak
Quercus margarettaSmall treeZones 6–1015–40 ft
A compact post oak of deep coastal-plain sands, built for drought and heat.
Sandhill Oak
Quercus inopinaShrubZones 7–95–16 ft
An evergreen shrub oak found wild only in peninsular Florida, whose leathery leaves stand upright on the stems, their edges rolled under.
Saskatoon
Amelanchier alnifoliaShrubZones 2–93–26 ft
A suckering shrub of the northern Plains and the West, with fragrant white flowers in spring and sweet purple-black berries for pies and jam.
Sassafras
Sassafras albidumMedium treeZones 4–930–60 ft
Mitten leaves, orange fall color and fat-rich blue berries on red stalks that thrushes and flycatchers strip in late summer. Host of the spicebush swallowtail.
Scentless Mock Orange
Philadelphus inodorusShrubZones 5–106–12 ft
A tall, arching southern shrub that covers itself in big white four-petaled flowers in spring, easy in sun or part shade and tolerant of drought.
Shining Indigobush
Amorpha nitensShrubZones 7–93–10 ft
A rare indigobush of southern stream banks and wooded slopes, with glossy leaflets and dark purple spikes lit by orange anthers in spring.
Shumard Oak
Quercus shumardiiLarge treeZones 5–950–80 ft
A big red oak for shade, with deeply cut leaves that turn red early in fall, at home on moist bottomland or on dry, limy ground.
Slippery Elm
Ulmus rubraMedium treeZones 3–940–70 ft
The elm of the slippery inner bark, a fast, shade-tolerant tree of moist slopes and bottomlands, best grown in a wild corner among trees of other kinds.
Southern Catalpa
Catalpa bignonioidesMedium treeZones 5–930–60 ft
Upright clusters of white flowers spotted purple and yellow in May and June, then long bean-like pods, on the fast-growing catalpa native to the Gulf states.
Southern Red Oak
Quercus falcataLarge treeZones 6–960–80 ft
A common upland red oak of the South, at home on poor, dry sand or clay, with long-lobed leaves and small acorns for wildlife.
Spanish Dagger
Yucca gloriosaShrubZones 6–103–16 ft
A coastal yucca whose sword-shaped leaves rise in time on a woody trunk, crowned by tall spikes of nodding, creamy white bells.
Streambank Mock Orange
Philadelphus hirsutusShrubZones 4–103–10 ft
A thin, arching southern shrub of rocky bluffs and stream banks, with white spring flowers and leaves that are white and hairy beneath.
Sugarberry
Celtis laevigataLarge treeZones 5–1050–80 ft
The hackberry of southern bottomlands, a fast shade tree for wet or dry ground, with warty gray bark and sweet fruit that birds eat into winter.
Summer Grape
Vitis aestivalisShrubZones 4–925–70 ft
An eastern native grape of dry upland woods that climbs by tendrils into the treetops, with clusters of small blue-black grapes from late summer.
Sweetleaf
Symplocos tinctoriaSmall treeZones 7–915–30 ft
A small understory tree with fluffy, fragrant cream flowers on its bare twigs in early spring and leaves with a faintly sweet taste.
Texas Red Oak
Quercus buckleyiMedium treeZones 5–1020–50 ft
A red oak of the limestone hills of central Texas and Oklahoma, with fall color from burgundy to scarlet on a tree small enough for a yard.
Trumpet Creeper
Campsis radicansShrubZones 4–1030–40 ft
A fast native vine whose orange-red trumpets draw hummingbirds all summer, for a sturdy arbor or fence where its root suckers can be kept in check.
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirensShrubZones 4–1010–20 ft
A native twining vine whose red trumpet flowers draw hummingbirds from spring into summer, followed by red berries for birds.
Turkey Oak
Quercus laevisSmall treeZones 7–1020–50 ft
The oak of the southern sandhills, with deep-cut leaves shaped like a turkey's foot that turn red in fall and cling into winter.
Upland Swamp Privet
Forestiera ligustrinaShrubZones 6–96–10 ft
A shrub of the limestone glades and rocky woods of the Southeast, with gray-green leaves, summer flowers and blue-black fruit in early fall.
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefoliaShrubZones 3–1030–50 ft
A fast native vine that climbs by sticky pads, turns crimson early in fall and feeds birds through the winter with blue-black berries.
Walter's Viburnum
Viburnum obovatumShrubZones 7–1010–20 ft
A fast, dense southern viburnum with small, glossy leaves and clusters of white flowers that open in late winter.
Western Soapberry
Sapindus saponaria var. drummondiiMedium treeZones 5–920–50 ft
A tough tree of the southern Plains whose see-through golden berries lather like soap and hang on into winter, after yellow-gold fall color.
White Oak
Quercus albaLarge treeZones 3–950–80 ft
The great white oak of eastern woods, a broad shade tree that can live 600 years, with wine-red fall color and sweet acorns that wildlife seek out.
Winged Elm
Ulmus alataMedium treeZones 6–940–60 ft
A tough, fast-growing southern elm with corky wings along its twigs, for dry rocky ridges, heavy clay and bottomland alike.
Yaupon
Ilex vomitoriaSmall treeZones 7–1010–25 ft
A native evergreen holly for hedges and screens, with glossy leaves and, on female trees, red berries that birds take in late winter.
Creek Plum
Prunus rivularisSmall treeZones 7–93–25 ft
A thorny wild plum that suckers into thickets along streams, with fragrant white flowers before the leaves and red or yellow plums in late summer.
Alabama Croton
Croton alabamensisShrubZones 6–85–10 ft
One of the rarest shrubs in the country, its apple-scented leaves silver beneath and its oldest leaves pumpkin orange in fall.
Alabama Snow-wreath
Neviusia alabamensisShrubZones 4–83–10 ft
A rare southern shrub whose arching stems carry puffs of white flowers with no petals in spring, for a shady border or woodland edge.
Allegheny Blackberry
Rubus allegheniensisShrubZones 3–83–8 ft
The common wild blackberry of eastern woods edges and old fields, a thorny thicket of arching canes with sweet black berries in midsummer.
Allegheny Plum
Prunus alleghaniensisShrubZones 4–83–20 ft
A rare thicket plum of the Appalachians, with white flowers that fade to pink and small dark purple plums under a blue bloom.
American Bittersweet
Celastrus scandensShrubZones 3–815–40 ft
A native twining vine whose orange capsules split in fall to reveal scarlet seeds that stay showy on the vine into winter.
American Chestnut
Castanea dentataSmall treeZones 4–815–30 ft
Once a dominant tree of the eastern forests, with sweet nuts for people and wildlife, now held to sprouts by a blight that kills its stems but not its roots.
American Plum
Prunus americanaSmall treeZones 3–815–25 ft
A thicket-forming wild plum for dry banks and wet ground alike, with fragrant white spring bloom and tart red-yellow fruit for jelly and wildlife.
American Red Raspberry
Rubus idaeus subsp. strigosusShrubZones 3–83–6 ft
The native red raspberry of northern woods and mountain clearings, a bristly, suckering bramble with soft, sweet red berries in midsummer.
American Smoketree
Cotinus obovatusSmall treeZones 3–820–30 ft
Perhaps the best fall color of any native tree, on a small, drought-proof limestone specialist.
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatumShrubZones 2–85–10 ft
Blue-black berries nearly half fat by dry weight ripen from August for robins, bluebirds and catbirds, after flat white flower heads in May for the bees.
Beach Plum
Prunus maritimaShrubZones 3–84–8 ft
The dune plum of the Atlantic coast: salt-proof, drought-proof and covered in white bloom each May.
Beaked Hazelnut
Corylus cornutaShrubZones 3–84–10 ft
A small, suckering native hazel of northern and mountain woods, whose tasty nuts ripen inside bristly husks drawn out into a long beak.
Bear Huckleberry
Gaylussacia ursinaShrubZones 7–81–5 ft
A colony-forming huckleberry of southern Appalachian oak and pine woods, with greenish bells in May, glossy black berries and fall color.
Bear Oak (Scrub Oak)
Quercus ilicifoliaShrubZones 4–86–20 ft
The scrub oak of pine barrens and ridgetops: tough, fire-adapted and a powerhouse host for moths and butterflies.
Black Chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpaShrubZones 3–83–6 ft
White spring flowers, glossy black antioxidant-rich berries and some of the best red fall color of any shrub.
Black Locust
Robinia pseudoacaciaLarge treeZones 4–840–70 ft
Fragrant white flower clusters in May, the source of the lightest and most prized honey in the East.
Black Maple
Acer nigrumLarge treeZones 3–860–75 ft
A sugar maple for warmer, drier ground, with a dense rounded crown, nearly black furrowed bark and sap that boils down to syrup.
Black Raspberry
Rubus occidentalisShrubZones 3–83–6 ft
The eastern native blackcap, with arching canes dusted white and sweet purple-black berries in early summer for jam, pies and the birds.
Blue Ash
Fraxinus quadrangulataLarge treeZones 4–850–70 ft
The one ash worth planting: square twigs, limestone-loving roots and real tolerance of emerald ash borer.
Boynton Oak
Quercus boyntoniiShrubZones 8–96–20 ft
A critically endangered white oak that stays low and shrubby, spreading from underground stems into colonies on sandstone and deep sand.
Bracted Arrowwood
Viburnum bracteatumShrubZones 6–86–10 ft
A rare arrowwood of southern limestone bluffs, with flat clusters of white flowers in spring and oval blue-black fruit for birds.
Bristly Locust (Rose Locust)
Robinia hispidaShrubZones 5–83–8 ft
Rose-pink wisteria-like flowers in May on a suckering, nitrogen-fixing shrub for dry banks.
Canada Buffaloberry
Shepherdia canadensisShrubZones 2–83–8 ft
A slow, thornless northern shrub that fixes its own nitrogen, with silvery, rust-flecked leaves and bitter red berries that bears and birds eat.
Chestnut Oak
Quercus montanaMedium treeZones 4–850–70 ft
The white oak of dry, rocky Appalachian ridges, with deeply ridged dark bark, chestnut-like leaves and big, sweet acorns that fall early.
Clammy Locust
Robinia viscosaSmall treeZones 3–830–40 ft
A rare southern Appalachian locust with clusters of pale rose flowers in spring and sticky glands on its twigs, leaf stalks and pods.
Climbing Prairie Rose
Rosa setigeraShrubZones 4–83–15 ft
A native rose with long arching canes, rose-pink flowers that fade toward white in early summer, red hips for birds and bright fall leaves.
Coastal Azalea
Rhododendron atlanticumShrubZones 5–82–6 ft
Sweet, musky white flowers flushed pink open on knee-high stems in April and May, on a wild azalea that spreads by runners into drifts.
Cockspur Hawthorn
Crataegus crus-galliSmall treeZones 3–820–30 ft
A flat-topped native hawthorn with thorns 2 to 3 inches long, white flowers in May and June, and dull red haws that often hang on until January.
Common Prickly Ash (Toothache Tree)
Zanthoxylum americanumShrubZones 3–810–20 ft
A thorny citrus-family thicket shrub, the giant swallowtail's other native host, with lemon-scented leaves and red capsules of shiny black seed.
Downy Arrowwood
Viburnum rafinesqueanumShrubZones 3–83–10 ft
A small arrowwood for dry, shady woods, with flat white flower clusters in late spring, dark fruit for birds and purplish red fall leaves.
Downy Hawthorn
Crataegus mollisSmall treeZones 3–820–40 ft
Missouri's state flower, a broad native hawthorn that blooms early in spring, with soft, downy leaves and red haws up to an inch across.
Dwarf Chinquapin Oak
Quercus prinoidesShrubZones 4–86–15 ft
A true shrub oak that starts dropping sweet, low-tannin acorns within a few years of planting.
Flag Pawpaw
Asimina obovataShrubZones 8–106–15 ft
A Florida pawpaw of sand ridges and scrub, with large lemon-scented white flowers from late winter and green fruit that people and wildlife eat.
Florida Swamp Privet
Forestiera segregataShrubZones 8–105–15 ft
A tough native shrub of southeastern coasts that shrugs off salt wind and drought, with blue-black fruit that ripens early for songbirds.
Georgia Oak
Quercus georgianaSmall treeZones 5–825–50 ft
A rare red oak from the granite outcrops of Georgia and Alabama, with glossy lobed leaves that turn red in fall and hang on into winter.
Golden Heather
Hudsonia ericoidesShrubZones 5–81 ft
A low evergreen mat of needle-fine leaves that turns bright yellow with flowers in late spring, on the sand barrens of the Northeast.
Golden St. John's-wort
Hypericum frondosumShrubZones 5–82–10 ft
A rounded shrub of limestone glades with blue-green leaves and golden flowers up to 1.75 inches across, each a brush of stamens, in June and July.
Grape Honeysuckle
Lonicera reticulataShrubZones 4–83–15 ft
A native midwestern honeysuckle with round, blue-green leaves, whorls of pale yellow flowers in late spring and clusters of red berries in fall.
Gray Birch
Betula populifoliaSmall treeZones 3–820–40 ft
A fast, small birch with chalky white bark that does not peel, often growing as a clump of slender trunks on poor, sandy ground.
Gray Dogwood
Cornus racemosaShrubZones 4–84–10 ft
White berries on red stalks, about a third fat, feed migrating warblers and sparrows in September. A thicket shrub for dry or wet ground, sun or shade.
Green Hawthorn
Crataegus viridisSmall treeZones 4–820–35 ft
A southern bottomland hawthorn, often with few thorns, that bears white flowers in spring and small red fruit that holds on well into winter.
Hairy Blueberry
Vaccinium hirsutumShrubZones 7–81–3 ft
A low, colony-forming blueberry of the southern Appalachians, hairy in every part, down to its sweet, fuzzy, blue-black berries.
Hairy Laurel
Kalmia hirsutaShrubZones 8–91–2 ft
A knee-high evergreen laurel of Southern sandhills, bristly in every part, with pink saucers spotted in red from May into July.
Harbison's Hawthorn
Crataegus harbisoniiSmall treeZones 5–810–26 ft
One of the rarest trees in the United States, a Tennessee hawthorn with white flowers about an inch across in May and orange-red haws in fall.
Kentucky Coffeetree
Gymnocladus dioicusLarge treeZones 3–860–80 ft
Bold, coarse and nearly indestructible: a rare native shade tree for tough sites and cold climates.
Littleleaf Buckbrush
Ceanothus microphyllusShrubZones 8–101–2 ft
A foot-high cousin of New Jersey tea for dry, sandy pinelands of the Deep South, with leaves under half an inch and white flower clusters in spring.
Mapleleaf Viburnum
Viburnum acerifoliumShrubZones 3–83–6 ft
A small viburnum for shade, with maple-shaped leaves that turn pink, magenta and purple in fall and blue-black berries for birds.
Michaux's Sumac
Rhus michauxiiShrubZones 7–81–3 ft
A rare, low sumac of sandy and rocky open woods in North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, densely hairy all over, with red fruit on female plants.
Mountain Indigobush
Amorpha glabraShrubZones 7–83–6 ft
A smooth-leaved indigobush of Appalachian ridges and slopes, 3 to 6 feet tall, with purple flower spikes and golden anthers in early summer.
Nantucket Serviceberry
Amelanchier nantucketensisShrubZones 3–82–6 ft
A rare, low serviceberry of the sandy Atlantic coast that spreads into a colony: white flowers in May and edible blue berries by July.
Netted Pawpaw
Asimina reticulataShrubZones 8–101–5 ft
A low Florida pawpaw of flatwoods and scrub, with fragrant white flowers banded dark purple inside from winter into spring, and edible fruit.
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanusShrubZones 3–82–3 ft
A knee-high shrub for dry, poor ground, with fragrant white flower clusters in June that feed azures, hairstreaks and two bees that use almost nothing else.
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifoliusShrubZones 2–85–10 ft
Peeling bark, white flower balls in June, and a constitution that shrugs off drought, flood and cold.
Northern Catalpa
Catalpa speciosaLarge treeZones 4–840–70 ft
Orchid-like white flowers in June, giant heart-shaped leaves and a tolerance for almost any soil.
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubraLarge treeZones 3–850–75 ft
A fast, long-lived red oak with big, bristle-tipped leaves that turn russet to bright red in fall and acorns that feed turkeys, bears and deer.
Ouachita Indigobush
Amorpha ouachitensisShrubZones 5–83–6 ft
A rare indigobush of the Ouachita Mountains, 3 to 6 feet tall, with slender purple flower spikes up to 8 inches long in late spring.
Ozark Chinquapin
Castanea ozarkensisSmall treeZones 5–815–30 ft
The Ozarks' own chestnut, once a tree of 60 feet with sweet nuts for people and wildlife, now rare because chestnut blight kills its stems to the ground.
Prairie Crabapple
Malus ioensisSmall treeZones 2–820–30 ft
The wild crabapple of the Midwest prairies, whose pink buds open to fragrant blossoms in spring before waxy green apples ripen for jelly and wildlife.
Prairie Redroot
Ceanothus herbaceusShrubZones 4–82–3 ft
A knee-high prairie shrub for dry, limy ground, with round clusters of white flowers in spring that feed bees and butterflies, and roots that fix nitrogen.
Red Hickory
Carya ovalisLarge treeZones 4–860–100 ft
An upland hickory with sweet nuts, leafstalks often tinged red and gray bark that turns slightly shaggy with age.
Roughleaf Dogwood
Cornus drummondiiShrubZones 5–86–15 ft
A fast thicket dogwood for dry or wet ground, with creamy flowers in late spring and white berries that dozens of kinds of birds eat.
Roundleaf Serviceberry
Amelanchier sanguineaShrubZones 2–83–23 ft
A shrub of rocky slopes and sandy woods with nearly round leaves, white spring flowers and sweet dark purple fruit, rare at the edges of its range.
Runner Oak
Quercus pumilaShrubZones 8–93–6 ft
A shrub oak for the poorest, driest sand, spreading by underground runners into broad, low thickets that feed and shelter wildlife.
Running Serviceberry
Amelanchier spicataShrubZones 4–81–6 ft
A low serviceberry that spreads by runners into thickets on rocky ground, with white flowers in spring and purple-black fruit for birds in summer.
Sand Cherry
Prunus pumilaShrubZones 3–81–8 ft
A low, tough shrub of dunes, beaches and sandy prairies, with white spring flowers and purple-black cherries for jam from its second or third year.
Saw Palmetto
Serenoa repensShrubZones 8–103–8 ft
A low, creeping palm with stiff fans on saw-toothed stalks, fragrant flowers for bees and fruit for bears, deer and birds.
Scrub Hickory
Carya floridanaSmall treeZones 8–1010–30 ft
A small hickory of Florida's dry scrub sand, with sweet, hard-shelled nuts and rusty scales beneath its leaves.
September Elm
Ulmus serotinaLarge treeZones 4–860–70 ft
A rare southern elm that blooms in September and ripens fringed seed by November, a fast-growing shade tree of limestone bluffs and stream sides.
Sheep Laurel
Kalmia angustifoliaShrubZones 2–81–5 ft
A low evergreen shrub of northern bogs and barrens, with rose-pink flowers ringing the stems in early summer. Every part is poisonous to livestock.
Shingle Oak
Quercus imbricariaMedium treeZones 4–840–60 ft
A red oak with long, glossy leaves that have no lobes at all, turning russet in fall and clinging to the branches through winter.
Slimleaf Pawpaw
Asimina longifoliaShrubZones 8–93–6 ft
A pawpaw of southern sandhills and pine savannas with long, slim leaves, nodding white fragrant flowers in spring and summer, and edible fruit.
Southern Bush-honeysuckle
Diervilla sessilifoliaShrubZones 4–83–5 ft
A tough, suckering native shrub of southern mountain balds and rocky slopes, with clusters of sulfur-yellow summer flowers for bumble bees.
Southern Pawpaw
Asimina pygmeaShrubZones 8–91–2 ft
A pawpaw only a foot or two tall, of Florida and Georgia flatwoods, with maroon flowers in spring and fruit that gopher tortoises eat.
Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhinaShrubZones 3–815–25 ft
Fuzzy antler-like branches, fiery orange-red fall color and red fruit cones that feed birds through the winter.
Tough Bully
Sideroxylon tenaxSmall treeZones 8–1012–30 ft
A thorny small tree of dunes and scrub with leaves silky gold to copper beneath, fragrant flowers that swarm with pollinators, and fruit for birds.
Washington Hawthorn
Crataegus phaenopyrumSmall treeZones 3–820–30 ft
White June flowers, glossy red fruit that hangs into winter, and a thorny crown that shelters nesting birds.
Woolly Beach Heather
Hudsonia tomentosaShrubZones 2–81 ft
A gray, woolly evergreen mat of dunes and sand barrens that covers itself in tiny yellow flowers from May into July.
Woolly Pawpaw
Asimina incanaShrubZones 8–94–6 ft
A Florida and Georgia pawpaw of sandhills and old fields, with soft woolly leaves, creamy white flowers in spring and edible fruit.
Yellow Honeysuckle
Lonicera flavaShrubZones 5–810–20 ft
A native twining vine with fragrant yellow flowers that darken to orange in spring, one of the most beautiful American honeysuckles.
Conjurer's-nut
Nestronia umbellulaShrubZones 7–81–4 ft
A rare low shrub of dry southern oak and pine woods that draws on the roots of the plants around it and spreads into large colonies.
Lanceleaf Buckthorn
Rhamnus lanceolataShrubZones 5–83–15 ft
A native buckthorn of limestone glades and bluffs, a slender shrub with glossy leaves and small black fruit for birds, and not the invasive kind.
Schwerin's Indigobush
Amorpha schweriniiShrubZones 7–83–10 ft
A bushy indigobush of rocky Piedmont hills, with purple flower spikes bristling with golden stamens from April into June.
Weeping Hawthorn
Crataegus lacrimataSmall treeZones 8–910–26 ft
A small hawthorn of southern pinewoods and sandy scrub, with strongly weeping branches, tiny bright green leaves and yellow to red haws in summer.
Ask what is ready: put the first 12 on my request list.
The finder answers as you choose and has a height limit. The shop lists the same trees and shrubs, with a search box and a native state filter: see these in the shop.
The address follows your filters, so the link saves this list.
Narrow the list to 12 or fewer and we can email you when any of them is ready to order.
Be first
Email me when any of these is ready to order
Limited timeSign up now and get 10% off when it is ready.
One email per plant you tick, when it is priced, and nothing else. Each carries a code for 10% off the plants in that order, not shipping or tax. Or ask, and we reply with what is ready now.
While you wait, ask what is ready now.
How the matching works
- Zone. A tree or shrub is listed when your zone is inside its hardiness range.
- Mature size. The type the catalog gives each one, as in the shop's size boxes.
- Height limit. Those whose typical mature height tops out at or under the limit, or at 60 ft or more for its last step. The article on small trees for a small yard says how far each goes from a house or a line.
- Sun and soil. What each one is known to tolerate, counting the labels for shade, wet ground and drought.
- Must have. Every trait you tick, all at once.
- Counts. The number beside each box and each choice is how many would remain if you chose it too.
- Best fit first. Trees and shrubs that list your sun and soil outright come before those that only tolerate them. Within that, those with your zone in the middle of their range come before those at its edge.
- Ties. Those that can be ordered now come first, then those with a photo, then the rest by name.
- ZIP code. It sets the zone from the same listing as the ZIP code tool, and the code itself is not kept.
- Compare. Tick Compare on up to four cards, then press Compare side by side for their facts in one table above the list. The trees stay in it while the filters change, and the address carries them, so a copied link opens the table.
- Hedge spacing. On a Hedge or screen list each card gives the spacing its own page sets. A hedge length gives how many to set in one straight row, with one at each end. The article on hedges, screens and windbreaks covers staggered rows.
Common questions
Which native tree is best for my yard?
In the finder's list the best fit comes first: trees and shrubs whose pages list your sun and soil outright, then those that only tolerate them. Within each group, those with your zone in the middle of their range come before those at its edge.
Can the tree finder identify a tree from a leaf or photo?
No: the finder lists native trees and shrubs to plant, matched to your zone, size, sun and soil. To name a tree you found, use the tree identification tool, which names it from a photo of a leaf, the bark, a twig, fruit or a flower.
What tree can I plant close to my house?
Set the finder's height limit to the room you have: it matches the top of each species' typical mature height. Our article on small trees for a small yard says how far each one goes from a house.
What trees can I plant under power lines?
Within 15 feet of the wires, the International Society of Arboriculture says a tree should mature at 20 feet or lower. Virginia Cooperative Extension allows trees to 25 feet within 20 feet of the wires, and suggests large shrubs under 15 feet directly under them.
How many trees or shrubs do I need for a hedge?
Divide the hedge's length by the spacing, round down and add one, since a straight row has one at each end: a 40-foot hedge at 4 feet apart takes 11. On its Hedge or screen list, the finder gives each species the spacing its own page sets.
The address carries every choice, so a copied link opens the same list. The page draws that list before any script runs, so a shared link and the page's Markdown copy show the trees and shrubs themselves. These are its keys:
- zone: 2 to 10.
- size: shrub, small-tree, medium-tree or large-tree.
- height: 15, 20, 30, 40 or 60 for a top height at or under that many feet, or 60-plus.
- sun: full, part or shade. moisture: dry, average or wet.
- want: one or more traits joined by commas, such as want=evergreen,screening. The boxes are flowers, fall-color, winter-interest, wildlife, honey, edible, evergreen, rare, early-bearing, screening, nitrogen-fixing, salt, street-tree and erosion-control. The address also takes drought, wet-tolerant and shade.
- hedge: a hedge length in feet, read when screening is wanted. sort: name, height, hardy or fast, or the price orders once prices are set.
- compare: up to four plant page names joined by commas, such as compare=black-gum,pawpaw, for the table side by side.
Each tree's facts come from its own page: its zones, mature height, sun, soil, labels and hedge spacing. The 20 and 40 ft height steps are the International Society of Arboriculture's zones by overhead wires (Avoiding Tree & Utility Conflicts, 2021). Within 15 feet of distribution wires, the species chosen "should have a mature height of 20 feet (6 meters) or lower". From 15 to 50 feet out, it should have "a potential mature height of 40 feet (12 meters) or lower". The planting-site check follows the same zones. The 30 ft step is the small-tree ceiling the growth estimator uses for its generic small tree. Virginia Cooperative Extension draws the low zone wider, to 20 feet from the line, where "trees in the low zone should not exceed 25 feet at maturity" (Selecting and Managing Trees to Avoid Conflicts with Overhead Utility Lines, 2024). Under the line itself it suggests large shrubs with "a mature height of less than 15 feet", the limit's first step. A ZIP code's zone is the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map's ZIP code listing, prepared by the PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University.
When nothing fits, the site is usually the problem rather than the catalog: tell us the zone, soil, sun and what the tree needs to do, and we will suggest something.
The address carries the tree finder's inputs, so a link opens it filled in, and Copy link on a result writes one: zone (a whole number from 2 to 10), size (shrub, small-tree, medium-tree or large-tree), height (a mature height to stay under: 15, 20, 30, 40 or 60 feet, or 60-plus), sun (full, part or shade), moisture (dry, average or wet), want (one or more of flowers, fall-color, winter-interest, wildlife, honey, edible, evergreen, rare, early-bearing, screening, nitrogen-fixing, salt, street-tree, erosion-control, shade, wet-tolerant or drought, joined by commas), hedge (a hedge or screen length in feet, for a plant count), sort (featured, name, price-asc, price-desc, height, hardy or fast), compare (the slugs of the plants to compare, joined by commas). For example, /tools/tree-finder/?zone=6&size=small-tree&sun=part&moisture=average&want=fall-color.