Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants

Native Plant Resources

Native Plants Sources in Georgia

Georgia Native Plant Initiative (GNPI) List

Online Native Plant Sources

Southern Habitats Native Wildlife Solutions

Check species in seed mixes before purchasing to be sure they are all native to your area. Unwanted species should be removed from the seed mix before purchasing.

Other Native Plant Resources

UGA Extension Guide to Native Plants for Georgia (large PDF file)

GA DNR Wildflower Meadow Planting Basics

GA DNR Pollinators Information

Georgia Native Plant Initiative

For the complete GISC list of invasive non-native plants, see GISC Invasive Species List.

Although many of the invasive plants listed here are no longer in the Georgia nursery trade, the Georgia Green Industry Association recognizes the seriousness of this issue and is encouraging the Green Industry and consumers to grow, sell and plant only non-invasive species.

* “Native” is used to refer to plants with natural ranges in the Southeastern U.S. Use BONAP to determine if a native plant is native to your specific region in Georgia.

PLEASE NOTE: This list is not all-inclusive. There are many other plants worthy of use in landscapes. To ensure that the plants you use are not likely to be invasive, please refer to the GISC list. For more information about landscape plants, contact your county extension agent at 1-800-ASKUGA1. For More information about Georgia Native Plants, please visit the Georgia Native Plant Society (GNPS).

Click or Tap on the plant common names to learn more!

Trees

Invasive Non-native Trees
Botanical Name	Common Name
Ailanthus altissima	Tree of Heaven
Albizia julibrissin	Mimosa, Silk-tree
Melia azedarach	Chinaberry
Paulownia tomentosa	Princess-tree, Royal Paulownia
Pyrus calleryana	Bradford Pear, Callery Pear
Triadica sebifera (Sapium sebiferum)	Chinese Tallowtree, Popcorn Tree

Suggested Tree Alternatives

Native Alternatives
Botanical Name	Common Name
Acer barbatum	Southern Sugar Maple
Acer leucoderme	Chalkbark Maple
Acer rubrum	Red Maple
Aesculus pavia	Red Buckeye
Amelanchier arborea	Serviceberry
Carpinus caroliniana	Musclewood
Cercis canadensis	Redbud
Chionanthus virginicus	Fringetree
Cladrastis kentukea	American Yellowwood
Cornus alternifolia	Pagoda Dogwood
Crataegus marshallii	Parsley Hawthorn
Crataegus phaenopyrum	Washington Hawthorn
Crataegus viridis	Winter King Hawthorn
Gleditsia triacanthos	Honey Locust
Halesia diptera	Two-winged Silverbell
Halesia carolina	Carolina Silverbell
Ilex opaca	American Holly
Juglans nigra	Black Walnut
Juniperus virginiana	Eastern Redcedar
Magnolia macrophylla	Big Leaf Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana	Sweet Bay Magnolia
Nyssa sylvatica	Blackgum
Oxydendrum arboreum	Sourwood
Quercus georgiana	Georgia Oak
Quercus lyrata	Overcup Oak
Quercus shumardii	Shumard Oak
Sassafras albidum	Sassafras
Ulmus alata	Winged Elm
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis	Hercules Club, Toothache Tree

Shrubs

Invasive Non-native Shrubs
Botanical Name	Common Name
Callicarpa dichotoma	Purple Beautyberry (not to be confused with American Beautyberry)
Elaeagnus pungens	Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus
Elaeagnus umbellata	Autumn-olive
Ligustrum japonicum	Japanese Privet
Ligustrum lucidum	Glossy Privet
Ligustrum sinense	Chinese Privet
Lonicera maackii	Amur Honeysuckle
Mahonia bealei	Leatherleaf Mahonia
Nandina domestica	Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Rosa multiflora	Multiflora Rose
Spiraea japonica	Japanese Spiraea

Suggested Shrub Alternatives

Native Alternatives
Botanical Name	Common Name
Aesculus parviflora	Bottlebrush Buckeye
Aesculus pavia	Red Buckeye
Agarista populifolia	Fetterbush
Aralia spinosa	Devil's Walkingstick
Calycanthus floridus	Sweetshrub
Callicarpa americana	American Beautyberry
Clethra alnifolia	Summersweet Clethra, Sweet Pepperbush
Cyrilla racemiflora	Red Titi, Black Titi
Eubotrys racemosa	Sweetbells Leucothoe, Swamp Doghobble
Fothergilla gardenii	Dwarf Fothergilla
Fothergilla latifolia	Large Fothergilla
Hamamelis virginiana	Common Witchhazel
Hydrangea arborescens	Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia	Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hypericum densiflorum	Bushy St. Johns-wort
Hypericum frondosum	Golden St. Johns-wort
Ilex decidua	Possumhaw
Ilex glabra	Inkberry, Gallberry
Ilex verticillata	Winterberry
Illicium floridanum	Florida Anise
Illicium parviflorum	Small Anise-tree
Itea virginica	Virginia Sweetspire
Leucothoe axillariss	Dog-hobble cultivars
Lindera benzoin	Spicebush
Morella cerifera	Southern Wax Myrtle
Pinckneya pubens	Georgia Feverbark
Rhododendron austrinum	Florida Azalea
Rhododendron canescens	Piedmont Azalea
Rhododendron viscosum	Sweet Azalea
Sambucus canadensis	American Elderberry
Vaccinium virgatum	Rabbiteye Blueberry cultivars
Vaccinium corymbosum	Southern Highbush Blueberry
Viburnum acerifolium	Mapleleaf Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum	Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum nudum	Swamp-haw, Possumhaw Viburnum

Vines

Invasive Non-native Vines
Botanical Name	Common Name
Celastrus orbiculatus	Oriental Bittersweet
Euonymus fortunei	Winter Creeper
Hedera helix	English Ivy
Lonicera japonica	Japanese Honeysuckle
Lygodium japonicum	Japanese Climbing Fern
Pueraria montana var. lobata	Kudzu
Wisteria sinensis	Chinese Wisteria

Suggested Vine Alternatives

Native Alternatives
Botanical Name	Common Name
Aristolochia macrophylla	Dutchman's Pipe
Bignonia capreolata	Crossvine
Campsis radicans	Trumpet Creeper
Clematis virginiana	Virgin's Bower
Hydrangea barbara	Climbing Hydrangea
Gelsemium sempervirens	Carolina/Yellow Jessamine
Lonicera sempervirens	Coral Honeysuckle
Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Virginia Creeper
Passiflora incarnata	Passion Flower, Maypop
Wisteria frutescens	American Wisteria

Groundcovers

Invasive Non-native Groundcovers
Botanical Name	Common Name
Dryopteris erythrosora	Autumn Fern
Hedera helix	English Ivy
Vinca major	Bigleaf Periwinkle
Vinca minor	Common Periwinkle

Suggested Groundcover Alternatives

Native Alternatives
Botanical Name	Common Name
Chrysogonum virginianum	Green and Gold
Conradina canescens	False Rosemary
Heuchera americana	Alumroot cultivars
Mitchella repens	Partridge Berry
Onoclea sensibilis	Sensitive Fern
Pachysandra procumbens	Allegheny Spurge
Packera aurea (Senecio aureus)	Golden Ragwort
Phlox divaricata	Woodland Phlox
Phlox stolonifera	Creeping Phlox
Polystichum acrostichoides	Christmas Fern
Woodwardia areolata	Netted Chain Fern

Ornamental Grasses

Invasive Non-native Ornamental Grasses
Botanical Name	Common Name
Imperata cylindrica (Includes variety rubra and cultivar 'Red Baron')	Cogongrass, Japanese Bloodgrass
Miscanthus sinensis	Chinese Silvergrass
Phragmites australis	Common Reed
Phyllostachys aurea	Golden Bamboo

Suggested Ornamental Grasses Alternatives

Native Alternatives
Botanical Name	Common Name
Eragrostis spectabilis	Purple Love Grass
Juncus effusus	Common Rush
Muhlenbergia capillaris	Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia sericea	Sweetgrass
Panicum virgatum	Switch Grass cultivars
Schizachyrium scoparium	Little Bluestem cultivars
Sorghastrum nutans	Yellow Indian Grass
Tripsacum dactyloides	Eastern Gamagrass

Herbaceous Perennials

Invasive Non-native Herbaceous Perennials
Botanical Name	Common Name
Asclepias curassavica	Tropical Milkweed, Bloodflower Milkweed, Mexican Milkweed
Iris pseudacorus	Yellow Flag Iris
Leucanthemum vulgare	Oxeye Daisy
Reynoutria japonica	Japanese Knotweed

Suggested Herbaceous Perennial Alternatives

Native Alternatives
Botanical Name	Common Name
Asclepias incarnata	Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa	Butterfly Milkweed
Aquilegia canadensis	Wild Columbine
Eurybia divaricata	White Wood Aster
Baptisia australis	Blue Wild Indigo
Coreopsis verticillata	Threadleaf Coreopsis cultivars
Echinacea purpurea	Purple Coneflower cultivars
Oenothera lindheimeri	White Gaura
Phlox carolina	Carolina Phlox
Phlox paniculata	Garden Phlox cultivars
Phlox subulata	Moss Pink cultivars
Rudbeckia fulgida	Black-eyed Susan cultivars
Stokesia laevis	Stokes Aster
Stylophorum diphyllum	Wood Poppy
Symphyotrichum laeve	Smooth Aster cultivars
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium	Aromatic Aster cultivars