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South Carolina 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, South Carolina Native Deciduous Trees, South Carolina Native Trees

From the Appalachian Mountains in the west to the central Piedmont region, and east to the Atlantic Coastal Plain, South Carolina’s landscape is carpeted with a rich array of wildflowers and native plants. It is home to many species of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. Noted for its pleasant spring and fall seasons, long hot summers, and short mild winters, South Carolina can also support many non-native species which 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 South Carolina 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 United States, Southeast, South Carolina

South Carolina Native Deciduous Trees

Acer negundo (Box Elder)
Acer rubrum (Red Maple)
Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry)
Amelanchier canadensis (Canadian Serviceberry)
Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry)
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)
Carya cordiformis (Bitternut Hickory)
Catalpa speciosa (Northern Catalpa)
Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud)
Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe Tree)
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
Diospyros virginiana (American Persimmon)
Fagus grandifolia (American Beech)
Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Green Ash)
Halesia carolina (Carolina Silverbell)
Hamamelis virginiana (Virginian Witch Hazel)
Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum)
Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree)
Magnolia acuminata (Cucumber Tree)
Morus rubra (Red Mulberry)
Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum)
Ostrya virginiana (American Hop Hornbeam)
Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood)
Populus deltoides (Eastern Cottonwood)
Prunus serotina (Black Cherry)
Quercus coccinea (Scarlet Oak)
Quercus phellos (Willow Oak)
Quercus stellata (Post Oak)
Quercus velutina (Black Oak)
Salix nigra (Black Willow)
Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)
Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress)
Ulmus alata (Winged Elm)
Ulmus americana (American Elm)

More on Gardenia

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

Discover more beautiful South Carolina native plants

South Carolina native plants

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Lower South Coastal South
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 United States, Southeast, South Carolina
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Lower South Coastal South

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