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.
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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 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.
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.
Allegheny Spurge
Pachysandra procumbensShrubZones 5–91 ft
The native pachysandra of the Southeast, a slow, low ground cover for shade with mottled leaves and fragrant white flower spikes in early spring.
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 Smoketree
Cotinus obovatusSmall treeZones 3–820–30 ft
Perhaps the best fall color of any native tree, on a small, drought-proof limestone specialist.
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.
Ashe's Magnolia
Magnolia asheiSmall treeZones 5–910–30 ft
Fragrant white flowers up to a foot across and leaves up to 2 feet long, on a small, rare magnolia from the Florida panhandle.
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.
Bigleaf Magnolia
Magnolia macrophyllaMedium treeZones 5–930–40 ft
The largest simple leaves and flowers of any tree native to North America, with leaves up to 3 feet long and fragrant white flowers up to 14 inches across.
Bigleaf Witch Hazel
Hamamelis ovalisShrubZones 5–88–16 ft
Wine-red, scarlet or rose flowers from late December into February, on a colony-forming witch hazel with the largest leaves of any, first described in 2006.
Bitternut Hickory
Carya cordiformisLarge treeZones 4–950–80 ft
The hardiest hickory and the fastest-growing, with sulfur-yellow winter buds and clear yellow fall color, on a tree nurseries seldom carry.
Black Hickory
Carya texanaMedium treeZones 4–930–80 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.
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.
Bladdernut
Staphylea trifoliaShrubZones 3–88–15 ft
Drooping white bell flowers in May and papery inflated seed pods that rattle in the fall wind.
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.
Blue Ridge St. John's-wort
Hypericum buckleyiShrubZones 5–81–2 ft
A low mat of small leaves and inch-wide golden flowers for a sunny rock garden, from the high peaks of the southern Blue Ridge.
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.
Bog Spicebush
Lindera subcoriaceaShrubZones 8–96–13 ft
A rare spicebush of southern seepage bogs, with thick leaves, pale yellow flowers before the leaves and bright red fruit on female plants.
Bottlebrush Buckeye
Aesculus parvifloraShrubZones 4–98–12 ft
A shade shrub that spreads into a broad mound and lifts white flower spikes up to a foot long in early summer, when few other shrubs bloom.
Box Huckleberry
Gaylussacia brachyceraShrubZones 5–81–2 ft
A foot-high evergreen ground cover with glossy leaves, pink-white bells in May and sweet blue berries, from a shrub whose wild patches live for centuries.
Boynton Oak
Quercus boyntoniiShrubZones 7–96–20 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.
Broom Crowberry
Corema conradiiShrubZones 5–71–2 ft
A low evergreen heath of sand barrens and rocky summits, with needle-fine leaves and tufts of purple flowers at the shoot tips in spring.
Butternut
Juglans cinereaMedium treeZones 3–740–60 ft
The native white walnut, with sweet, oily nuts and ash-gray bark, now dying across its range from butternut canker.
Carolina Bog Laurel
Kalmia carolinaShrubZones 5–81–5 ft
Clusters of small pink cups ringed in red in April and May, on a low evergreen laurel of Southern bogs and wet pine savannas.
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 Hemlock
Tsuga carolinianaMedium treeZones 6–740–60 ft
A rare hemlock of Appalachian cliffs, its glossy dark needles set all around each twig like a bottlebrush, for shade and cool, moist soil.
Carolina Silverbell
Halesia tetrapteraMedium treeZones 4–830–40 ft
Rows of white bell flowers hang beneath the branches in April on this graceful Appalachian understory tree.
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's Rhododendron
Rhododendron chapmaniiShrubZones 7–93–8 ft
An evergreen rhododendron that stands Deep South heat, with rose-pink flower clusters in early spring, wild only in a few counties of north Florida.
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 Fetterbush
Pieris phillyreifoliaShrubZones 8–91–3 ft
The only climbing heath in the country, an evergreen that runs up inside cypress bark and hangs white bells from winter into spring.
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 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.
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.
Corkwood
Leitneria floridanaShrubZones 5–95–20 ft
A rare swamp shrub whose wood is lighter than cork, forming thickets of slender stems in ground that stays wet or floods.
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.
Cucumber Magnolia
Magnolia acuminataLarge treeZones 3–850–80 ft
The hardiest and largest native magnolia, a fast-growing shade tree with cucumber-shaped fruit that ripens to red.
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.
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.
Delta Post Oak
Quercus similisLarge treeZones 7–960–80 ft
A post oak that tolerates wet feet, from the bottomlands of the lower Mississippi valley.
Durand Oak
Quercus sinuataLarge treeZones 5–950–75 ft
A southern white oak of creek bottoms and limestone bluffs, with pale bark that flakes away in papery scales and wavy leaves, often silvery beneath.
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.
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 Witch Alder
Fothergilla gardeniiShrubZones 5–82–3 ft
A small shrub of coastal plain bogs with honey-scented white bottlebrush flowers before the leaves in spring, and red, orange and yellow fall color.
Eastern Leatherwood
Dirca palustrisShrubZones 3–93–6 ft
Tiny yellow flowers in the first week of spring, on a rare, slow shade shrub with bark you can tie in knots.
Fevertree
Pinckneya bracteataSmall treeZones 7–910–20 ft
Sepals of pink, rose or white, as showy as a poinsettia's, light up this small tree of southern swamp edges for weeks in early summer.
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 Flame Azalea
Rhododendron austrinumShrubZones 6–96–10 ft
Yellow to orange flowers with long stamens in March and April, from a rare wild azalea of the Florida Panhandle.
Florida Torreya
Torreya taxifoliaSmall treeZones 5–930–50 ft
A critically endangered evergreen of the yew family from the Apalachicola River bluffs, with glossy, sharp-tipped needles and purple-streaked seed.
Florida Willow
Salix floridanaShrubZones 8–106–20 ft
A rare willow of Southern spring runs and wet, limy woods, with broad leaves glossy above and whitish beneath and catkins in late winter.
Florida Yew
Taxus floridanaSmall treeZones 6–1012–25 ft
A rare yew of the Apalachicola River ravines, a bushy evergreen small tree for shade in warm Southern gardens, with red fruit on female trees.
Four-petal Pawpaw
Asimina tetrameraShrubZones 9–103–15 ft
A rare pawpaw of Florida's coastal sand pine scrub, with nodding flowers that open cream and turn maroon, and fruit that smells of bananas.
Franklin Tree
Franklinia alatamahaSmall treeZones 5–910–25 ft
Extinct in the wild since 1803, the Franklin tree opens fragrant white flowers from July until frost among leaves that turn red in fall.
Fraser Fir
Abies fraseriMedium treeZones 4–730–55 ft
The fragrant Christmas-tree fir of the southern Appalachian peaks, a narrow, spire-shaped evergreen now rare in the wild.
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.
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.
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.
Granite Gooseberry
Ribes curvatumShrubZones 7–92–10 ft
A rare gooseberry of rocky Southern woods, a low spiny shrub whose arching stems root into a patch, with hanging white flowers in spring.
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.
Honeycup
Zenobia pulverulentaShrubZones 6–93–6 ft
Anise-scented white bells, like an oversized lily of the valley, hang in May and June from a rare shrub of southern coastal plain bogs.
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.
Leadplant
Amorpha canescensShrubZones 2–91–3 ft
A prairie sub-shrub with silver leaves and purple summer spikes, rooted deep against drought.
Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea subsp. minusShrubZones 2–61 ft
A low evergreen of northern rocks and bogs, with pink bell flowers and tart red berries for sauce and jam, for gardens with cold winters.
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.
Long-stalked Holly
Ilex collinaShrubZones 5–710–13 ft
A rare deciduous holly of high Appalachian streams and bogs, with bright red berries that dangle on stalks up to an inch long.
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.
May White Azalea
Rhododendron eastmaniiShrubZones 8–915–16 ft
Fragrant white flowers with a yellow blotch open in May and June, after the leaves, on a rare wild azalea found only in South Carolina.
Miccosukee Gooseberry
Ribes echinellumShrubZones 7–92–5 ft
A federally threatened gooseberry of rich Southern woods, a low spiny shrub whose leaves drop in summer and return in fall, with spiny berries in spring.
Michaux's Sumac
Rhus michauxiiShrubZones 5–81–3 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.
Minnie-bush
Rhododendron pilosumShrubZones 5–73–6 ft
Small nodding bells of greenish white flushed with red in late spring, on an upright mountain shrub with hairy leaves and shreddy bark.
Mountain Bush-honeysuckle
Diervilla rivularisShrubZones 4–93–6 ft
A rare, colony-forming shrub of southern Appalachian bluffs, with clusters of pale yellow summer flowers, hairy leaves and yellow and red fall color.
Mountain Camellia (Mountain Stewartia)
Stewartia ovataSmall treeZones 5–910–20 ft
Large white camellia-like flowers in July on a rare Appalachian small tree with orange-red fall color.
Mountain Fetterbush
Pieris floribundaShrubZones 4–63–6 ft
A compact evergreen of southern Appalachian balds, with upright clusters of fragrant white bells in spring from buds that show all winter.
Mountain Sweetbells
Eubotrys recurvaShrubZones 5–93–12 ft
Arching sprays of white bells on bare red twigs in spring and red leaves in fall, on a deciduous mountain shrub of the southern Appalachians.
Mountain Witch Alder
Fothergilla majorShrubZones 4–86–10 ft
Honey-scented white bottlebrush flowers in April and leaves that turn yellow, orange and red in fall, on a rare shrub of southern mountains.
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.
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.
Northern Pin Oak
Quercus ellipsoidalisMedium treeZones 3–750–70 ft
The red oak of the Great Lakes sand plains, the most drought tolerant of its group, with deeply cut leaves that turn red in fall.
Nutmeg Hickory
Carya myristiciformisLarge treeZones 7–980–100 ft
The rarest hickory, with leaves backed in silvery scales and sweet, thick-shelled nuts that look like nutmegs, from scattered stands across the South.
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.
Oconee Azalea
Rhododendron flammeumShrubZones 6–96–8 ft
Scarlet, orange-red or orange flowers in April and May, among the brightest of all American azaleas, on a heat-tolerant shrub of Georgia and South Carolina.
Oglethorpe Oak
Quercus oglethorpensisLarge treeZones 6–950–80 ft
One of the rarest oaks in North America, with willow-like unlobed leaves and white-oak toughness.
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.
Pinkshell Azalea
Rhododendron vaseyiShrubZones 4–75–15 ft
Wide-open pink flowers on bare spring twigs, from a rare azalea that grows wild only in the mountains of North Carolina.
Piratebush
Buckleya distichophyllaShrubZones 6–76–12 ft
A rare shrub of Southern Appalachian slopes that draws on the roots of hemlock and other trees, with leaves in two flat rows and yellow-orange fruit.
Plumleaf Azalea
Rhododendron prunifoliumShrubZones 5–98–12 ft
Orange-red to red azalea flowers in July and August, after most wild azaleas are done, on a rare shrub of Georgia and Alabama ravines.
Pondberry
Lindera melissifoliaShrubZones 7–92–6 ft
A rare, colony-forming spicebush of flooded woods and pond edges, with drooping, root-beer-scented leaves, early yellow flowers and red fruit.
Pondspice
Litsea aestivalisShrubZones 7–910–15 ft
A rare coastal plain shrub of pond and swamp edges, with zigzag twigs, small leathery leaves, yellow flowers before the leaves and red fruit.
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.
Prickly Rose
Rosa acicularis subsp. sayiShrubZones 2–63–8 ft
The wild rose of the northern forests, a thicket of bristly stems with fragrant pink flowers in early summer and red hips that last the winter.
Pygmy Fringetree
Chionanthus pygmaeusShrubZones 6–103–12 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.
Red Hills Azalea
Rhododendron colemaniiShrubZones 6–98–20 ft
Fragrant white or pink azalea flowers in May, after the leaves are out, on a rare wild shrub of the Red Hills of Alabama and Georgia.
Red Mulberry
Morus rubraMedium treeZones 4–935–50 ft
The native mulberry, with big sandpapery leaves and long, sweet, dark fruit that birds and people fight over.
Rhodora
Rhododendron canadenseShrubZones 3–61–3 ft
Rose-purple, two-lipped azalea flowers on bare twigs in May, lighting up the bogs and wet woods of the Northeast before the leaves.
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.
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 3–81–6 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.
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 Myrtle
Kalmia buxifoliaShrubZones 6–81–3 ft
A low, dense evergreen with tiny glossy leaves that turn bronze in winter, smothered in pink buds and white starry flowers in spring.
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.
Scrub Plum
Prunus geniculataShrubZones 9–102–6 ft
A rare, gnarled shrub of Florida scrub with zig-zag, spine-tipped branches, white flowers on bare twigs in winter and small reddish plums in spring.
Seaside Alder
Alnus maritimaShrubZones 3–912–30 ft
The one native alder that blooms in fall, hanging gold catkins in August and September on a rare shrub that stands in water and feeds its own soil.
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.
Shellbark Hickory (Kingnut)
Carya laciniosaLarge treeZones 5–860–80 ft
The largest hickory nut, sweet and thick shelled, on a shaggy-barked tree of river bottoms that stands spring floods. Rare in the wild and rarer in nurseries.
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.
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.
Silky Camellia
Stewartia malacodendronSmall treeZones 6–910–15 ft
White flowers about 3 inches across, with purple stamens and blue anthers, on a rare shrub of southern coastal plain woods.
Softleaf Arrowwood
Viburnum molleShrubZones 5–76–12 ft
A rare arrowwood of wooded limestone bluffs, with loose, peeling bark on its older stems and flat clusters of white flowers in May and June.
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.
Staggerbush
Lyonia marianaShrubZones 5–92–6 ft
Nodding clusters of white bells up to half an inch long on bare twigs in spring, then bright red leaves in fall, on a sandy-soil shrub.
Swamp Cottonwood
Populus heterophyllaLarge treeZones 6–970–90 ft
A big poplar for swamps and sloughs, with heart-shaped leaves up to 8 inches long that open in white down, rare at the north end of its range.
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.
Table Mountain Pine
Pinus pungensSmall treeZones 5–720–40 ft
A gnarled Appalachian ridge pine that grows like a giant bonsai, its cones armed with hooked spines, for dry, rocky ground in full sun.
Three-flower Hawthorn
Crataegus trifloraShrubZones 7–83–20 ft
A rare southern hawthorn with white flowers as big as a wild rose's, often three to a cluster in spring, and round red haws with juicy orange flesh.
Three-toothed Cinquefoil
Sibbaldia tridentataShrubZones 3–91 ft
A low evergreen mat of mountaintops and rocky shores, with glossy three-part leaves that turn wine-red in fall and white flowers in summer.
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.
Two-wing Silverbell
Halesia dipteraSmall treeZones 4–915–30 ft
White bells in spring and two-winged fruit in fall, on a small tree of southern floodplains that takes shade and wet ground.
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.
Velvetleaf Blueberry
Vaccinium myrtilloidesShrubZones 2–71–4 ft
A low wild blueberry of the North with softly hairy leaves that turn red in fall and sweet, tart blue berries from July into September.
Virginia Spiraea
Spiraea virginianaShrubZones 4–83–13 ft
A rare Appalachian streambank shrub with arching stems and flat clusters of tiny cream-white flowers in early summer, spreading into thickets.
Water Elm
Planera aquaticaSmall treeZones 6–930–40 ft
A small, low-crowned tree of southern swamps and river bottoms, with flaky bark and warty, nutlike fruit, for ground that floods.
Water Hickory
Carya aquaticaLarge treeZones 5–1080–100 ft
A bottomland hickory for southern clay that floods in spring and can crack dry in summer, with bitter nuts that wood ducks and mallards swallow whole.
Water Locust
Gleditsia aquaticaMedium treeZones 6–1040–60 ft
A thorny swamp cousin of honeylocust for floodplains that stay under water for long spells, with small, flat pods holding one to three seeds.
White Wicky
Kalmia cuneataShrubZones 8–82–5 ft
Creamy white cups banded in red in early June and scarlet leaves in fall, on the one deciduous cousin of mountain laurel, from Carolina bogs.
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.
Yellow Anise
Illicium parviflorumShrubZones 6–1010–20 ft
A rare Florida evergreen for shade and wet ground, with olive green leaves that smell of licorice when crushed and nodding pale yellow flowers.
Yellowwood
Cladrastis kentukeaMedium treeZones 4–830–50 ft
Cascading wisteria-like white flowers in late spring on a smooth, gray-barked tree that few nurseries grow.
Chapman's St. John's-wort
Hypericum chapmaniiShrubZones 8–97–13 ft
A Florida Panhandle shrub that grows like a small tree, with corky, peeling bark, needle-like leaves and yellow summer flowers.
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.
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.
Dwarf Tupelo
Nyssa ursinaShrubZones 6–103–16 ft
A rare, shrubby tupelo found only in the Florida panhandle, with small leathery leaves, round black fruit and stems that sprout back after fire.
Georgia Bully
Sideroxylon thorneiShrubZones 8–93–20 ft
A rare thorny buckthorn of limestone swamps in the Deep South, with mildly fragrant white flowers in late spring and small black fruit for wildlife.
Georgia Indigobush
Amorpha georgianaShrubZones 8–91–3 ft
One of the rarest shrubs of the South, a low indigobush of sandy pinelands whose dark purple spring spikes bristle with orange-tipped stamens.
Godfrey's Swamp Privet
Forestiera godfreyiShrubZones 8–98–16 ft
A rare native privet of wooded limestone bluffs and shell mounds, whose golden flower clusters open in midwinter, earlier than any other native privet.
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.
Pyramid Magnolia
Magnolia pyramidataSmall treeZones 6–910–30 ft
A rare magnolia of southern bluffs and ravines, with creamy white flowers 5 to 7 inches across and kite-shaped leaves eared at the base.
Sarvis Holly
Ilex amelanchierSmall treeZones 7–1010–30 ft
A rare deciduous holly of southern swamps and stream banks, with soft, dull leaves and velvety rose-red berries that last into spring.
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.
Smooth-bark St. John's-wort
Hypericum lissophloeusShrubZones 7–106–10 ft
A Florida Panhandle rarity for pond edges, with silvery bark that peels like a birch's and bright yellow flowers from May until frost.
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.