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Alabama Native Deciduous Trees

About 25 percent of the plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

Native Plants, Native Deciduous Trees, Alabama Native Deciduous Trees, Alabama Native Trees

From the northern mountains to the southern coastal plains, Alabama’s landscape is carpeted with a rich array of wildflowers and native plants. It is home to over 3000 species of native lycopytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and flowering plants. Alabama’s relatively mild winters, especially in the lower regions of the state, can support many non-native species, and they are beginning to make their way across the landscape. Regrettably, some of these exotic immigrants are invasive and are threatening the native flora and ecology of the state.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species, and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it has occurred naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants.

  • First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers, and pesticides or use less water.
  • Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats.
  • Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.

Here is a list of Alabama native deciduous trees that are well-suited for plantings in gardens.

  • Never collect native plants from the wild as it will deplete natural ecosystems. 
  • When possible, plant species grown straight from local seed sources. These native originals are the best choice, as they co-evolved with specific wildlife, which supports migration, breeding, and other seasonal interdependencies.

Guide Information

Plant Type Trees
Native Plants Alabama, Southeast, United States

Alabama Native Deciduous Trees

Acer floridanum (Florida Maple)
Acer negundo (Box Elder)
Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry)
Asimina triloba (Pawpaw)
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)
Carya cordiformis (Bitternut Hickory)
Carya glabra (Pignut Hickory)
Carya illinoinensis (Hardy Pecan)
Catalpa bignonioides (Southern Catalpa)
Celtis occidentalis (Common Hackberry)
Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud)
Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe Tree)
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
Crataegus crus-galli (Cockspur Hawthorn)
Diospyros virginiana (American Persimmon)
Fagus grandifolia (American Beech)
Frangula caroliniana (Carolina Buckthorn)
Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Green Ash)
Halesia diptera Magniflora Group (Two-Wing Silverbell)
Hamamelis virginiana (Virginian Witch Hazel)
Ilex opaca (American Holly)
Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum)
Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree)
Magnolia acuminata (Cucumber Tree)
Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum)
Ostrya virginiana (American Hop Hornbeam)
Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood)
Prunus serotina (Black Cherry)
Quercus alba (White Oak)
Quercus phellos (Willow Oak)
Quercus stellata (Post Oak)
Quercus velutina (Black Oak)
Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)
Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress)
Tilia americana (American Basswood)
Ulmus alata (Winged Elm)
Ulmus americana (American Elm)

More on Gardenia

Monarch Nectar Plants for Alabama
Great Pollinator Plants for Alabama
Alabama Shade-Loving Native Annuals and Perennials
Invasive Plant Species in Alabama
Alabama Sun-Loving Native Annuals and Perennials
Alabama Native Shrubs
Alabama Native Evergreen Trees
Alabama Native Grasses
Alabama Native Vines
Alabama Native Ferns

Discover more beautiful Alabama native plants

Alabama native plants

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Plant Type Trees
Native Plants Alabama, Southeast, United States
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Middle South Lower South

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